SoaP I really can’t put the title in a post, it would just be too hip. (Bad hip, not good hip.) TBH I don’t want to post about SoaP at all, for the aforementioned reason, but I had to point this article out, because it’s the most sensible thing I’ve seen written about it. Not that the entire situation isn’t funny; it is, it’s just too hip. Like I said. I may cruise Digg, but its soooo last week, you know? ;)
One Response
The article is true for the most part, but very cynical and theres a lot of it that I don’t agree with. One important thing to mention is that the writer hasn’t seen the film, so its unfair for him to say “if you like it its only because of x, y, z”. I rarely read blogs outside of Ireland, and missed out on any of the Snakes on a Plane hype that didn’t show up on TCAL or in the newspapers. But the reason why everyone on the internet leapt onto the Snakes on a Plane phenomenon is because its hilarious.
The film was a joke from the start – Snakes on a Plane was the working title and they were going to change it, but Samuel L said that he wouldn’t work on the film unless they kept the title. He thought it was hilarious, and I agree with him. I could mention it to a guy who has never been on the internet in his life and he would probably agree too. Just like “All Your Base is Belong to Us”, the way the internet took it up is a side-effect – the humour exists regardless of whether or not every message board is hopping. If a tree falls in the woods, etc. The internet in-jokes add another dimension to the appeal of this film, but thats only a little cherry on top.
The internet didn’t make this movie, it just influenced it a bit. So what if we feel like we own a piece of it, and thats acknowledged with a couple of tributes in the movie… what harm does that do to anyone? I agree that this will only work once, but its not a “gimmick”, it is opportunism. It might change filmmaking by spawning a whole new genre of similar films, well you’re free to change the channel or choose not to see them, just as I have chosen not to buy into the whole Evil Dead / Braindead gore movie genre. Its certainly not going to stop good films from being made.
I think Chuck Klosterman’s two reasons as to why this film is tragic are weak, and he needs to lighten up. Some people feel the need to oppose these popular fads, and considering the fact that he hasn’t even seen the film, I think thats what hes trying to do. I don’t care how “hip” this film is, I make a point of judging each film on its own merits.