| Show A Hole in My Soul Your Standard Experience at the Multi Plex First off the movie Godzilla was extremely mediocre Really not half as good as it could have been The story was full of cliches and been- been there that done-that plot lines it was like Independence Day II 11 meets Park III Ill It isn't the first certainly high bud get movie that disappointed Remember l Certainly the special effects were impressive and it was fun seeing the giant monster monster mon mon- ster stet stomp around New York City but the script needed some work The show was far more interesting when the audience saw what Godzilla had been doing but never actually saw the monster itself Now with the budgeted big-budgeted com com- puter-animated puter riddled effect-riddled spectacle spectacle spectacle cle that most movies have become its it's simple to be entertained Producers ers and directors know they can make a film that is brainless but has a lot of explosions and it will still be successful suc- suc successful successful suc suc- in the box office We have become a culture that places a lot more value on visual effect than actual substance Hype and promotion are more respected qualities than talent and ability My fiancee and 1 I sat through Godzilla wondering why a movie maker would spen spend s such cn a a a- high budget and nd not throw some of that money at a script doctor Even quality high-quality movies benefit from excessive promotion Take the box office behemoth Titanic It had a meticulously researched script a painstakingly recreated set and plenty plen plen- ty of visual stimulation All for the sticker price of million But reduce the budget and media exposure take away the months of preview tapes and forget all the generated generated generated gen gen- anticipation and theres there's no noway noway noway way that show makes as much money as it did Leonardo Satan WEt we IE see in m inand 4 Y movies nori and ani m on has a gri gr great t influence i x e en to our cur actions How Hew many nany people refused f Erl to go rp g swimming swim swim- Nathan Nelson Editorial Editor mini ming In after they saw sw Jaws DiCaprio's face doesn't become wallpaper wallpaper wallpaper wall wall- paper for year old girls the world over and nobody cares about Kate waistline Its It's all about overexposure and none of it is especially especially especially espe espe- healthy This is a societal illness and its it's reaching epidemic levels in the entertainment entertainment entertainment enter enter- industry A pretty face a catchy beat and a media blitz will sell millions of records just look at the Spice Girls The latest story is that Geri Halliwell Ginger Spice has left the group and the big question is will anyone even notice Its It's not like the Beatles without John Lennon or the Police without Sting To replace a Spice Girl the applicant needs a pretty face with a generic singing voice who isn't afraid to wear to nothing in pub pub- lic Talent isn't even a consideration hype and publicity will take care of the rest This is not limited to the entertainment entertainment entertainment entertain entertain- ment industry either The 1960 Presidential Presidential Presidential elections featured the first ever televised debate between candidates between John F. F Kennedy and Richard Nixon Not much of the actual dialogue is remembered as much as the image either candidate portrayed Nixon looked pale sweaty and nervous Kennedy looked vibrant youthful and confident Most political experts will agree that Kennedys Kennedy's good appearance appearance appearance appear appear- ance on a single television program was one of the single most influential deciding factors in that years year's race That gives a lot of power to visual image and appearance Looks go a along along along long way towards deciding the value of something Our fascination with the Hollywood persona has long since spread to all walks of life Certainly its it's easy to give into the hype Were We're kind of programmed that way I mean what people REALLY liked about Godzilla was the explosions explosions explosions the big lizard stomping around New York and the stop non-stop action The whole movie special effects aside was somewhat lacking And An who knows maybe it wouldn't have been so disappointing without the preview tapes banners and fanfare But that's just the nature of people these days Like it or not what we see in movies and on television has a great influence on our actions How many people refused to go swimming after they saw Jaws Of course I personally am immune to the phenomenon Hype and promotional deals have no control control control con con- over me Now if you'll excuse me I 1 need to get to Taco Bell before they run out of the Godzilla cups Im I'm trying to collect the whole set |
