In Australian print advertising for Woody Allen's latest film "Vicki, Christina, Barcelona" no mention, not so much as a hint, is made of the fact that he is the director. Given he is one of the world's most famous auter directors presumably the PR people (for it is their doing obviously) want to attract people who want to see a film starring Scarlett Johanssen, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem set in Barcelona but would be put off if they knew Woody was the director (he doesn't appear so no worries of him bumming out the beauty quotient).
This seems a little sad until I realised it probably applies to me as well and I number "Annie Hall" in my top 10 favourite films. The last film of his I saw was "Match Point" and it was shit and I bet this one is too. This sort of thing has to stop. It could quickly lead to advertising not mentioning that Tom Cruise is in a film or leaving out the title so we don't know that it is in fact the latest in a tired action franchise.
Perhaps the film's advertisement will only give us a hint, the merest whiff of who is involved and what it is about. Imagine the Spanish film with just a poster and the single word "Que?"
Wednesday 31 December 2008
Monday 29 December 2008
The Clarity That HDTV Brings
Having just bought a HDTV I have noticed an unexpected advantage. The small print at the bottom of tv ads is now revealed in startling clarity. Here is an example.
Foxtel, an Australian cable channel has been advertising a deal with Telstra. A charming woman (who has done a Julliard degree in sincere, accompanying hand motions) tells it like it aint. For a saving of $275 you can get Foxtel for 24 months and included is a bunch of Free stuff including 2 minutes access to their premier service, Free standard installation (which last time I looked is always being given away) and some Free land-line phone calls (great if you call your Gran in the next suburb 275 times a month).
And then through the miracle of HDTV I read the small print. The total cost of this package for 24 months (minimum contract) is $3360.80.
I bet the small print is about to get even smaller.
Foxtel, an Australian cable channel has been advertising a deal with Telstra. A charming woman (who has done a Julliard degree in sincere, accompanying hand motions) tells it like it aint. For a saving of $275 you can get Foxtel for 24 months and included is a bunch of Free stuff including 2 minutes access to their premier service, Free standard installation (which last time I looked is always being given away) and some Free land-line phone calls (great if you call your Gran in the next suburb 275 times a month).
And then through the miracle of HDTV I read the small print. The total cost of this package for 24 months (minimum contract) is $3360.80.
I bet the small print is about to get even smaller.
Shinjuku Was the Future Once
I have just been visiting Tokyo. Unlike say NY, Paris or Rome this has always been a generic city to me. I was unable to visualise it in advance. I won't bore you with how this visit has changed my impressions of this amazing city - just come over for the slide night on Wednesday. BYO sake! Whether it's the view from the window in my superior room, overlooking the Imperial Palace (hint: if you talk loud and fast to Tokyo hotel staff they decide you are mad and give you a room upgrade, this also works in Kyoto), the Tokyo Fishmarkets (alone responsible for 70% depletion of the World's sashimi stocks), or Rappapongi Hills (another hot tip: if you want to see Mt Fuji from the 468th floor private dining club get there before 7am ). What? You are busy on Wednesday? What about the 20th? I see. Busy till 2010. Well I guess it's a busy time.
So anyway I went to Shinjuku. An area of Tokyo famous for inspiring Ridley Scott in the 80s for his dystopian vision of the city of the future in "Blade Runner". Giant screens selling (I think) Disney movies and possibly haemmaroid cream. It was hard to tell the difference. I was a little suprised at this uninspiring former vision of future now but it seems that this area of Tokyo has been surpassed by another called Shibuya. An ever more electrified area where impossibly hip young Tokyoites hang out to be videoed and projected on giant screens around the square. At least that is what it says in the guidebooks. I didnt go to this updated vision of the future. I had ancient temples, shrines and acres of dead fish to see. At least in Shinjuku there was a Gap that sold underwear in my (almost) size. But I feel I should warn you, in the city of the future what is a slim 34" in today's sizes has become a size 40".
So I have seen the future as it was once. "Blade Runner" is still my favourite movie of all time if you had asked me in 1989 - set as it was in a Shinjuku-like phantasmagoria, a traditional 1980s futuristic neighbourhood of Tokyo. Go visit. If you haven't aready.
So anyway I went to Shinjuku. An area of Tokyo famous for inspiring Ridley Scott in the 80s for his dystopian vision of the city of the future in "Blade Runner". Giant screens selling (I think) Disney movies and possibly haemmaroid cream. It was hard to tell the difference. I was a little suprised at this uninspiring former vision of future now but it seems that this area of Tokyo has been surpassed by another called Shibuya. An ever more electrified area where impossibly hip young Tokyoites hang out to be videoed and projected on giant screens around the square. At least that is what it says in the guidebooks. I didnt go to this updated vision of the future. I had ancient temples, shrines and acres of dead fish to see. At least in Shinjuku there was a Gap that sold underwear in my (almost) size. But I feel I should warn you, in the city of the future what is a slim 34" in today's sizes has become a size 40".
So I have seen the future as it was once. "Blade Runner" is still my favourite movie of all time if you had asked me in 1989 - set as it was in a Shinjuku-like phantasmagoria, a traditional 1980s futuristic neighbourhood of Tokyo. Go visit. If you haven't aready.
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