Everybody is poo-pooing all over M. Night Shyamalan lately. His last few films have not captured the audiences the way his first few films had (I think The Happening is the worst movie ever... EVER!!!). I have yet to see The Last Airbender, but its getting smashed by critics (like 12% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), and believe it or not, some of our C-C-D friends that watcht he cartoon show saw it and thinks it was wonderful! Anyway, our man M is kind of embracing the hate... kinda. First, check out this fake movie he made for MTV called "Escalation", which is supposed to make fun of the new film he wrote (but did not direct) Devil (it takes place in an elevator. Get it, elevator-escalator... meh)
So he seems to be having some fun with the bad reactions he has been getting. The new movie, Devil, featured his name prominetly in the original print ads and TV spots:
Notice the "From the mind of M. Night Shyamalan" along the top of the poster? Seems like the studio wanted to push our boy M's involvement in this sucker. But the subway posters have just hit NYC, and with the film about to be released, they changed the poster a bit:
Same graphics on the poster, no credit to M Dog anymore.... Hmmmmmm, thats interesting, no??? Apparently M might be ok with the negative attitude the public has torwards him, but I do not think the studio finds it so funny. They have chosen to excise M -Diggity's name from the poster. Will people forget he was involved in this movie and maybe give it a good review? We will find out in the next few weeks once the film comes out in September. Till then, we say fuck the M-man haters.... 6th Sense and Unbreakable buys him a pass here at CCD anyday!!!
Devil.:Directed by Drew & John Erick Dowdle. Written by: Brian Nelson (screenplay) & M. Night Shyamalan (story) Release Date: September 17, 2010.
Those that are behind the marketing strategy for this trailer are going about it all wrong. Immediately you see M. Night Shyamalan’s name splashed all over this. With his most recent films being box office & critic failures respectively, this kind of advertising will only stir up more negative controversy about the eccentric and extremely clandestine director & possibly hurt the release of this film. But I guess any publicity is good publicity these days. Or in Mel Gibson’s case, perhaps not. (that poor, dumb bastard)
For someone who once was seriously considering a profession in filmmaking, M. Night always spoke my language as far as cinematographical (if this isn’t an actual word yet, consider it one now, bitches) storytelling goes. I’ve appreciated every one of his films and loved many things about them. While some may never understand the way his eyes and heart tell a story, there is no denying that he has been one of the most imaginative & risk-taking directors in the last decade. Which is exactly why I am personally upset that he did not direct this movie. It will, however, be interesting to see how Drew & John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine) interpret his story. If successful, will this encourage M. Night to take a back seat to directing? I sure as shit hope not.
Elevators and Satan are both equally creepy, right? Right. So imagine what you would have if you combined the two, toss some little pawns in there and then unleash a bunch of wicked shit on them……………
……………“Meh.”
This being first released trailer, it does widen my eyes with curiosity as I try to imagine how it will all play out. However, consider me one of the many who hope the film can sustain that anticipation and effectively make me shit out a terror brick, all without deflating into a silly cheese-mess riddled with old fashioned, monotonous scare tactics. In this time of craptastic films, it is definitely going to be a challenge.
