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JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

post #1 of 133
7/3/07 at 6:17am
Thread Starter 
For those who saw Transformers, there was this trailer that produced an audible "WTF was that?" from the audience, and it basically shows handheld POV footage of New York City suffering from tremors and violence to the Statue of Liberty and what appears to be a big ol' monster in the midst of all the upheaval. It's being produced by JJ Abrams, and here's a link to an article discussing this "unnamed" project (codename Cloverfield) that's slated for release on 1/18/2008.

Here's another link.
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post #2 of 133
7/3/07 at 6:20am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie

Yeah, that was pretty dang cool Patrick. I'll see most anything with JJ Abrams behind it.
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post #3 of 133
7/3/07 at 6:21am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie

It sounded like Godzilla from past films.
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post #4 of 133
7/3/07 at 6:54am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Yeah badass trailer, everyone was like "WTF?!".

Strange release date though, no?

--
H
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post #5 of 133
7/3/07 at 9:29am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

One of the best trailers I've ever seen.

Yes, January 18 is a very strange release date for a film that's getting the featured trailer before a big summer tentpole.
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post #6 of 133
7/3/07 at 10:13am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

I was sitting next to 2 Japanese guys last night, and they busted off something in Japanese that I didn't understand, until the final word "Godzilla".

Don't know what it is either, but it was a great trailer.

Doug
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post #7 of 133
7/3/07 at 1:26pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Opposite opinion here...I thought it was mediocre, and seemed like a ripoff of the 1997/1998 teasers for Godzilla. After seeing MI3, I can probably pass on Abrams stuff
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post #8 of 133
7/3/07 at 1:36pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Can someone explain to me the rationale behind the secrecy on this project? This ain't like someone trying to hide that they are filming Return of the Jedi. I can't imagine that the general public really cares (or is even aware of) what Abrams' crew is doing and the veil of secrecy and the bizarre decision to not even attach a name to the trailer seems like it's destined to create hype much higher than the rest of the project would seem to merit.
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post #9 of 133
7/3/07 at 1:41pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Grey
Can someone explain to me the rationale behind the secrecy on this project?
You're talking about the scerecy around it and it's getting people interested in the movie. If it didn't have this 'secret' trailer, there probably wouldn't be a thread for this movie six months in advance.

My guess about the January release date is that it's being done as semi-counter programming. January is usually a dumpster so if they have a good (or well marketed) movie, they will have no competition.
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post #10 of 133
7/3/07 at 1:55pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR
You're talking about the scerecy around it and it's getting people interested in the movie. If it didn't have this 'secret' trailer, there probably wouldn't be a thread for this movie six months in advance.

Giant monster movie with a preview glued to prints of Transformers? With or without secrecy there would be a thread here.

It just feels like a lot of mixed signals here:

1) This whole project is the brainchild of Bad Robot alumni. Now I like Alias and Lost well enough and MI3 was passable but I haven't seen anything from them to warrant this hush-hush status. I mean really - "shhh, don't tell anyone but the guy who directed some Felicity episodes is making this!"

2) The January release date. Maybe just good counter programming but not only does January tend to be a dumping ground but it implies an incredibly short production and post time. For a movie about giant monsters or something that's being highlighted in front of Transformers, such a presentation is going to create an audience expectation that the movie might not be aiming for.

3) Rumors that the whole film is camcorder stuff- Blair Witch was almost ten years ago now with nothing like it enjoying similar success. Is such a project really mainstream?

I guess my interest is piqued but I hope Paramount has a masterful marketing in plan for the rest of this because while they might give themselves a huge opening weekend it also sounds like the type of project to suffer some pretty hateful backlash.
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post #11 of 133
7/3/07 at 4:16pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Grey
...it also sounds like the type of project to suffer some pretty hateful backlash.
Thanks to the internet, that's true of nearly every movie.
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post #12 of 133
7/3/07 at 8:11pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

I thought Abrams did a GREAT job with MI-3. I'm a bit biased though having loved most of the Alias stuff.
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post #13 of 133
7/4/07 at 4:30am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Same here. I'll definately see anything Abrams puts out at this point.
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post #14 of 133
7/4/07 at 7:50am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Hated M:I III. Didn't like Alias. Lost? But liked the trailer for this.
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post #15 of 133
7/4/07 at 2:16pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
I thought Abrams did a GREAT job with MI-3.

He did. MI-3 was excellent.
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post #16 of 133
7/4/07 at 7:50pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Glover
I thought Abrams did a GREAT job with MI-3. I'm a bit biased though having loved most of the Alias stuff.

I liked "M:I -3" a lot myself, and it's not because of any prior affection for Abrams. I never saw "Alias" or anything else he's done, so the "M:I" flick was my first look at an Abrams project. It didn't play as well the second time through, but I thought it was easily the best of the three "M:I" flicks...
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post #17 of 133
7/4/07 at 8:09pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

I, too, have never watched anything Abrams has done besides MI:3 (which I thought was good), but this trailer was definately interesting. Everyone seems to think it's going to be some sort of Godzilla thing, but since that's so obvious, I'm going to guess it'll be something entirely different. It's definately weird to see a trailer for something that doesn't have a title yet, which is probably why it seems so intriguing.
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post #18 of 133
7/4/07 at 8:40pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

I was wondering the same thing but I found this:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33140

may answer some questions... Will probably be updates as we find out more...
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post #19 of 133
7/4/07 at 9:40pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jordan_E
Hated M:I III. Didn't like Alias. Lost? But liked the trailer for this.


Just the opposite. Loved MI:3 and Alias, but never got into Lost. Still a big Abrams fan and anxious to see this flick.
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post #20 of 133
7/4/07 at 9:52pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

I think it's a horrible move to put out a teaser and not tell people the title. It may generate some buzz, but then the marketing people have to find a way to make people connect this secret ad to the title when they announce it.
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post #21 of 133
7/4/07 at 10:03pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Yeah, but we're talking about it quite a bit already and it just premiered 2 days ago. Pretty savvy marketing if you asked me.

Certainly revealing the name is a nice gesture but truthfully I wish more teasers were just that. Short teasers that don't give everything away.
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post #22 of 133
7/4/07 at 10:12pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Tim, I think the performance of Snakes on a Plane proved just how valuable people talking on the Internet about a film is (not at all).
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post #23 of 133
7/5/07 at 12:45am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Wow - Blair Witch Project II. I can hardly wait. . . . I think not!

Never seen any of his stuff and that "trailer" looked dreadful (in a sea of dreadful movie trailers, only reaffirming why I dont go to movies anymore). No thanks, I'll give it a big miss.
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post #24 of 133
7/5/07 at 5:35am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Glover
Yeah, but we're talking about it quite a bit already and it just premiered 2 days ago. Pretty savvy marketing if you asked me.

Again, giant monster movie trailer in front of Transformers- we'd be talking about it anyway.
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post #25 of 133
7/5/07 at 6:23am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Looks like the movie is written by Drew Goddard (Buffy, Angel, Alias, Lost) so I have some faith, he wrote two of my favorite Season 7 Buffy episodes, "Conversations with Dead People" and "Lies my Parents Told Me".
JJ is one of my favorite writers/directors/producers working today, so I'm really interested to see what comes of this, he and the others at Bad Robot know how to market things to get us to talk, witness "Lost".
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post #26 of 133
7/5/07 at 2:08pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

I really liked this trailer, but my Transformers crowd gave it a huge boo. I was unimpressed with MI3, but I'd probably see this movie.
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post #27 of 133
7/5/07 at 5:26pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Just to clarify, J.J. Abrams is only the producer of the movie. After Mission: Impossible III, he had time to co-write an episode of Lost and then he went on to the new Star Trek movie so I think his actual involvement with this movie is slim.
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post #28 of 133
7/5/07 at 8:36pm

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck Mayer
Opposite opinion here...I thought it was mediocre, and seemed like a ripoff of the 1997/1998 teasers for Godzilla. After seeing MI3, I can probably pass on Abrams stuff
I dunno. The handheld casual feel really sold it for me as something pretty different than what we've seen so far. I also think a slice of life disaster of Manhattan trailer with nothing else attached is pretty ballsy, even this long after 9/11.
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post #29 of 133
7/6/07 at 12:56am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

I loved Alias. Hated MI3, because it was just like Alias.

This looks like something Abrams has not done before, so it could be good. Even if he is just producer, the important part is that this he won't be repeating himself with whatever he contributes. Unless the monster is made of smoke.
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post #30 of 133
7/6/07 at 1:04am

Re: JJ Abrams-produced Monster movie (Codename: Cloverfield)

Quote:
violence to the Statue of Liberty
I thought the head seemed kinda small, although I really don't have a good sense of its actual size, since you never see it in relation to anything. (I heard they are debating whether to let people back inside it.) If the guys did their homework, I guess it's the right size.

As for the January release date: since so much of the crap the studios release in the summer are supposed to be "good" movies, maybe the reverse will work in our favor.

The no-name trick certainly got me to pay more attention.
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