Good point on that "Sex Drive"! -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Martin Baxter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Personally, despite being a Liberal Prude in Good Standing, I never had a problem with the original title. Still don't. And, if I may dare to ask, where were these Fine Upstanding Protestors when the movie "Sexdrive" came out?
Martin (shaking head, going back to taking morning meds) ---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- Subject : [scifinoir2] New Kevin Smith Movie Name Causing Problems? Date : Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:42:20 +0000 >From : [EMAIL PROTECTED] To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com While watching TV tonight, I saw a trailer for Kevin Smith's movie about a couple of folks (Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks) who start making adult films to pay the bills. It's not the kind of movie I'd pay to see at the theatre, so I've paid little attention to the trailers. But tonight, glancing at the commercial, I noticed something askew: the title seemed off. I wasn't sure, so waited until the commercial came up again later--both times, this was on Comedy Central--and sure enough, the name's changed on the commercials. Instead of the original "Zack and Miri Make a Porno", it's now being billed as just "Zack and Miri". At least, it is on Comedy Central. Searching the Web, I see some movie trailer sites listing it with the new shortened title, while other are keeping the old one. Curious, I did a Google search, and see that the "porno" part is indeed causing trouble in some quarters. The story below from a week ago gives some info on it. Interesting, but I guess the bigger! thing is--is it any good? *********************************************************** Zack And Miri Make A Porno Banned http://www.cinemablend.com/new.php?id=10558 Stick figures may have been enough to get the marketing materials for Zack and Miri Make a Porno past the MPAA, but even rendering Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks in pencil isn�t enough for some people. According to the AP, Zack and Miri is running into trouble everywhere, as The Weinstein Company attempts to roll out its marketing campaign for the film, only to have their money turned down by newspapers, television, and the owners of billboards and bus shelters. The problem is the title, which easily offended, puritanical consumers can�t stand to have in front of them. For example, Fox Sports dropped commercials for the film which aired during the Los Angeles Dodgers games after viewer complaints. The complaints are, as always, in the name of protecting children. Kids are asking their parents to explain what the word �porno� means, and parents would apparently, rather have their kids glean such information on the playground from their friends, or perhaps from a friendly neighborhood pedophile. Who can blame them? Nobody wants to actually talk to their kids. Zack and Miri Make a Porno�s title is its greatest asset. It�s an attention getter, and the title alone will get butts in seats. But it�s no surprise that it�s also stirring up controversy. As long as Weinstein Company refuses to cave and drop �porno� from the title, they�ll be fine. For every TV station which refuses to run an ad, there's another who will. People who have a problem with �porno� were never going to see the movie anyway, and any media outlet which refuses to run the film�s advertisements likely caters to exactly that sort of puritanical, never going to see it anyway, audience. I know, words are scary. This word however, may be the very thing which propels Kevin Smith to his first $30 million opening.
