Rant - Captivity - False Advertising?

I'm about three steps behind on this story, but today the trailer for Captivity, the new Elisha Cuthbert thriller, was released, and boy....it's something. You can find it by clicking HERE

Holy Crap!

THE FILM THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE

THE MOVIE SO INTENSE IT WAS PUNISHED

Did Elisha Cuthbert make a snuff film? Cause, really, that's what I get from this trailer. If I don't suffer a heart attack while watching Captivity then I will be gravely disappointed. But you know what? I don't think I will. Upon closer inspection this whole marketing campaign reeks of desperation.

Now, on one hand I have to hand it to After Dark Films. In recent months, with their After Dark Film Festival, which comprised of "8 so scary they were banned films to die for", playing in limited engagements at select theatres, they have taken on a William Castle level of promotional zest. For those unfamiliar with Castle, he liked to promote his cheapo horror flicks with awesome gimmicks like joy buzzer seating, and special ghost glasses. I really enjoy the creative lengths a film company will go to in order to promote a no budget, first timer's film, but Captivity seems to be another beast entirely.

Captivity seems to be a prestige project (as prestigious as you can get for a horror film) that went terribly wrong, and now the companies are scrambling in order to make sure they get their money back.

Clearly, this ad is a response to the PUNISHMENT they received due to this billboard. Without getting into the nitty gritty details, this billboard, as well as other posters, including the one at the top of the article, were deemed inappropriate, they hadn't been passed through the MPAA, and were pulled because they were too graphic. The rating for the movie (the R rating) was suspended which puts the film in a bit of jeopardy because unrated movies can't play in many theatres.

So, instead of wallowing on these unfortunate actions, the studios are playing up the controversy, but using decidedly sneaky tactics. Since most people probably haven't heard, or don't care to know about the billboard incident (which honestly has nothing to do with the content of the movie), they won't understand the nature of the film's PUNISHMENT. Instead, the trailer pumps up the vague PUNISHMENT in order to create a sick fascination; implying that the film contains graphic material unseen on motion picture screens.

Now, I'm always up for seeing a horror film that will get under my skin, and if that means pushing limits of bad taste...well, I won't necessarily say no. And you know what? If Captivity was the work of some first time director, and an out-to-impress writer I might actually believe that it could be pretty shocking in a down and dirty way (like it's being advertised).

But Captivity won't live up that hype, and as the credits pop up on the trailer it becomes extremely obvious that this whole marketing campaign is a salvage operation.

First off, look at the name of the director. Roland Joffe! This is the man who directed The Killing Fields, a haunting look at the Cambodian civil war, and The Mission, a poetic film about South American missionaries. Now, I know that he has been off the map for a long time, but I find it hard to believe that Roland Joffe, a man whose films have honestly explored real tragedies, signed on to Captivity simply because he wanted to brutalize and torture Elisha Cuthbert for two hours, and make you throw up.

That's like saying Eli Roth, the director of Hostel and Cabin Fever, is going to direct a sequel to On Golden Pond because he's fascinated by romance in the twilight years.

I just don't buy it. That's not to say that Roland Joffe can't or shouldn't make a shocking horror film, but I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that there is some kind of statement he is trying to make with the film. Unfortunately, this message will completely fly over the heads of the teenagers hoping to see a FILM THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO SEE!!!

More Proof? Look at the screenwriter.

The script is credited to Larry Cohen, who has always added a satirical, or political edge to even the goofiest of films. He made Q, a film about a giant pterodactyl attacking New York, and turned it into a movie about capitalizing off of tragedies. And say what you will about The Stuff, a film about alien ice cream turning mankind into zombies, but it's a pretty funny send up of eighties commercialism.

I guess my point is, when you look at the talent behind the scenes, this isn't a movie that started out as a shlockfest. You don't assemble people like this in the hopes that the advertisements will be sensationalistic. Something has gone wrong with the project. That seems fairly clear (lest we mention that the first trailer for the movie is out only two weeks before it's set to open). I imagine it boils down the old Hollywood standby, "Creative Differences". Who knows how much of Joffe's original film is still included?

I guess the horrible thing about this whole campaign, is that I'm actually curious about seeing Captivity. Does that mean it worked? Well, maybe for me, but I have a funny feeling blood thirsty teenagers who want to see lots of boundaries being tossed aside are going to want their money back.