I just watched IFC's Ultimate Film Fanatic tonight. I think it was the Southeast Regional (as if it matters).
This show is awful. Instead of rewarding movie lovers/viewers with interesting film knowledge it punishes us with movie fan-hater contempt.
Points are rewarded by a melodramatic, one-dimensional gum chewing movie page who is told to over do the attitude and (beyond all else) not to even look at the contestant as she walks over to award a point. That gets really old after the second time.
First round. Trivia questions. A couple of reasonable questions might be followed immediately by asking to give the name of the mouse that was put in breathable liquid in The Abyss. Note: they don't bother to ask the other contestant (paired off to play against each other) if they know the answer so bottom line, first to get a question wrong (no matter what) goes. Real fair. Another guy lost out when the other contestant got a shockingly simple question and the next guy needed to name the sword in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Another guy was given a two-part question on Weird Science where actress Kelly LeBrock (sp) was the first part and the second part was what beside Kelly "came to life" in the film (yes, we know what your answer is
). The answer (a warhead). Yes, I remember the warhead coming up through the floor. How is that coming to life? The losers are made to look like fools as they are given a ticket home on the spot. Real class.
Second round. Debate (in 30 seconds or less) on great film points such as whether Steven Spielberg is a stinky director or not. Yawn, guess how that went. Or even better, the judges that get to decide this muck such as (I kid you not) Tracy Lords.
Third round. Each finalist, pulls out three objects they brought with them to the show to show why they are the ultimate film fanatic.
We then witness a collection of Star War action figures and the like being produced. Oh, one guy's big item was the Criterion Hitchcock DVD set that his mother got for him because he knew it would be worth ten times that someday ... which the MC mischaracterizes as "rare."
Then the 'winner' gets to look like a fool as he is asked to thank people as if he just won the academy award. What a moment.
I happen to like IFC and think that their branding (until this point) has been mostly intelligent film choices for an intelligent audience.
Then they pull this?
IFC,
When your programming director gets home from day camp tomorrow, ask him to tape an apology to your film fans. Something to the effect of:
We are sorry, we didn't know we put such a tool of a producer in charge of this 'event.' Obviously he doesn't like movies or movie lovers. We can see now that choosing to portray contestants as over-aged plastic toy lovers does little to help us brand our product. Nor does the meanness and contempt we showed contestants in a national spotlight. Finally, we're sorry that viewers that checked this show out found that as much quality time went into the show as in this apology. IFC, celebrating our 10th year.
), but I like this show.
