Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Stupid Movie Title?

This is topic Stupid Movie Title? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=007759

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 01-15-2006, 11:42 PM:

I went to the Kapolei today to see TRISTIAN & ISOLDE thinking it was based on Richard Wagner's opera but it was not. The movie was ok but this thread is not a review about that movie but a poster I had seen in the lobby that had troubled me. There it was in a display case in large white letters against a black background with a cigarette circled in red that read THANK YOU FOR SMOKING. It first I thought it said Thank You For Not Smoking but when I looked at the poster a little closer, it did say THANK YOU FOR SMOKING and discovered it was a poster for a movie that is coming soon from Fox Searchlight. As a non smoker, I found this poster very offensive because some idiot in the theatre after seeing the poster and not realizing it was for a coming attraction might light up and start smoking in the auditorium in violation of state and city laws. I asked the ticket taker if the poster had aroused confusion about the theatre's non smoking policy and she said it did with some patrons. Have any of you seen this poster and and if you did, what do you think?

-Claude

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 01-16-2006, 09:39 AM:

I have not seen the poster...however, our company sent out a notice telling all the theatres not to put up the poster do to the misleading title. This topic probably needs to be moved to the Yak or Ground level forum.

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 01-16-2006, 12:24 PM:

Still waiting for someone to make a movie called "Closed For Repairs" or "Out Of Business".

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-16-2006, 01:04 PM:

I agree it's a stupid poster. In Montana we just passed a "no smoking in public buildings" law, but bars are exempt until 2009. Having a poster like this certainly could confuse people that they're entering a "smoking area." We probably won't play the film so it's no difference to us, but the poor Carmikes in Billings may have a problem.

Posted by Jason M Miller (Member # 2597) on 01-16-2006, 02:01 PM:

I have seen this poster and I told my staff not to put it up because all I needed was someone to start smoking

Edit: Here is a picture of the poster for anyone who does not know what it looks like

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 01-16-2006, 02:03 PM:

We have the poster up. It's been up for about two weeks. As far as I know, nobody has tried to use it as an excuse to smoke in the theater. It has gotten a lot of notice though, people ask about it ... so the poster and the title seem to be doing their job. (well, whether it will actually bring people to see it, I don't know, but it gets them to talk about it anyway).

==

How about entitling a film "Free Popcorn This Weekend" or something like that?

On the flip-side, I have actually had people asking what "Now Hiring" was about.

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 01-16-2006, 03:19 PM:

In case anyone cares. Taken from the Fox website. Blame me for stealing!!!

quote:
Thank You For Smoking Release: March 17, 2006 Written and Directed by: Jason Reitman Based on the novel by: Christopher Buckley Producers: David O. Sacks, Edward R. Pressman, John Schmidt, Alessandro Camon Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Cameron Bright, Adam Brody, Sam Elliott, Katie Holmes, David Koechner, Rob Lowe, William H. Macy, JK Simmons, Robert Duvall

The hero of THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), chief spokesman for Big Tobacco, who makes his living defending the rights of smokers and cigarette makers in today's neo-puritanical culture. Confronted by health zealots out to ban tobacco and an opportunistic senator (William H. Macy) who wants to put poison labels on cigarette packs, Nick goes on a PR offensive, spinning away the dangers of cigarettes on TV talk shows and enlisting a Hollywood super-agent (Rob Lowe) to promote smoking in movies. Nick's newfound notoriety attracts the attention of both tobacco's head honcho (Robert Duvall) and an investigative reporter for an influential Washington daily (Katie Holmes). Nick says he is just doing what it takes to pay the mortgage, but he begins to think about how his work makes him look in the eyes of his young son Joey (Cameron Bright).

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 01-16-2006, 03:33 PM:

I'm looking forward to the film, good satires are few & far between.

It's sad to live in a world that might require a 'CAUTION: JUST A POSTER' disclaimer [Roll Eyes]

Speaking of stupid titles... Tristan Is Olde?

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 01-17-2006, 06:12 AM:

Don't have the poster up, but I would fail to see the confusion. If it's put up in a poster case, like other movie posters, then what the heck is confusing? "Kill Bill" posters didn't encourage anyone to kill someone nambe Bill, so how is this any different? We have no smoking signs at the front doors, so maybe that changes my thinking.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-17-2006, 11:12 AM:

But Anslem, you're overestimating the intelligence some members of the public. There are people out there who WILL stand next to that poster and light up.

Posted by Martin Brooks (Member # 1269) on 01-21-2006, 09:30 PM:

I think that's absurd. Give your customers a little more credit. Besides, once the marketing machine starts, all your customers will know that it's a movie and what it's about.

Let's not get hysterical over trivia.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 01-22-2006, 12:42 AM:

Martin,

Go back and read my post again regarding the ticket taker telling me about the confusion the movie poster has caused with some of the people who have seen it. Just by the fact that the thread "Rant On Stupid Customers" at the Ground Level forum has 477 post as of tonight indicates that you are very optimistic about the mentality of some of the people who frequent movie theatres.

-Claude

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-22-2006, 05:58 AM:

quote: Claude S. Ayakawa
Just by the fact that the thread "Rant On Stupid Customers" at the Ground Level forum has 477 post as of tonight indicates that you are very optimistic about the mentality of some of the people who frequent movie theatres.

Hahahahaha. If only we had a "best retaliations" quote list of the forums, this one would certainly be in it. [thumbsup]

Let's face it, customers is stupid! [Razz]

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 01-22-2006, 07:06 AM:

Optimism is a good thing, said cynical Uncle Frank. [Wink]

Posted by Ryan Navaroli (Member # 3477) on 01-25-2006, 11:07 PM:

this poster is up in two of our theatres and has caused a lot of confusion but no actual light ups in the theatre. As far as the poster goes it is extremely effective, and the movie looks damn funny too, I'm surprised it is a Fox release. I think I would have had something a little larger and more indicative toward the bottom to show that its a movie. The "coming this spring" is pretty weak.

Also I think it would be easy to confuse it between a poster and a message. Poster cases are used for things like anti-piracy messages and advertisement for DTS etc.

Posted by Alex Grueneberg (Member # 2652) on 01-26-2006, 12:55 AM:

"Excuse me sir? What's 'Lets see it in THX' about?"

[Frown]

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 01-26-2006, 02:05 AM:

Maybe they should have changed the title at Sundance from Thank You For Smoking to Thank You To The Booth Op Who Cut Out Katie Holme's Sex Scene...

But seriously, we have not put up the poster because (in my opinion) is one of the worst teaser poster's I've seen in a long time and doesn't even give you the slightest clue what it's about. Plus we just don't have room for it in the poster cases right now.

Posted by Martin Brooks (Member # 1269) on 01-26-2006, 05:47 PM:

quote: Claude S. Ayakawa
Martin,

Go back and read my post again regarding the ticket taker telling me about the confusion the movie poster has caused with some of the people who have seen it. Just by the fact that the thread "Rant On Stupid Customers" at the Ground Level forum has 477 post as of tonight indicates that you are very optimistic about the mentality of some of the people who frequent movie theatres.

-Claude

While I might agree that there are plenty of stupid customers (although if you review that Forum, you'll see that there also some really stupid people posting), are you proposing that we operate a move theater (or other aspects of society) based on the most stupid people who attend? People that stupid or ignorant don't need a poster to light up, they'll do it anyway. Besides, I'd bet that most people read the poster as "Thank you for not smoking." It's like the old trick where you put the word "and" at the end of the first line and at the beginning of the 2nd line and ask someone to read it. No one ever catches both incidences of "and".

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-26-2006, 07:41 PM:

quote: Anslem Rayburn
Don't have the poster up, but I would fail to see the confusion. If it's put up in a poster case, like other movie posters, then what the heck is confusing?

quote: Ryan Navaroli
I think it would be easy to confuse it between a poster and a message. Poster cases are used for things like anti-piracy messages and advertisement for DTS etc.

The Thank You For Smoking teaser poster does have some potential for causing confusion. I say the poster does for many of the ways it differs from other movie posters. First, it does look like a huge ADA-compliant information sign. Most teaser posters have a huge actor head plopped on there with all wrinkles and liver spots perfectly Photoshopped clean. This one has no egomaniac on display. The poster also has little in the way of any credits, digital sound logos, MPAA ratings spam, etc.

And then of couse those poster cases can be filled with items other than movie poster one sheets as others have noted.

quote: Martin Brooks
While I might agree that there are plenty of stupid customers (although if you review that Forum, you'll see that there also some really stupid people posting), are you proposing that we operate a move theater (or other aspects of society) based on the most stupid people who attend?

In the case of this problem, I say yes, definitely take into account the potential actions of stupid people. People will get disgusted if you fart in the lobby. But farts, as far as I know, aren't possible triggers to make some people have an asthma attack. Cigarette smoke is a potential trigger.

quote: Martin Brooks
People that stupid or ignorant don't need a poster to light up, they'll do it anyway.

Agreed. But I think idiots like that need a large bucket of ice water thrown in their face when they light up. It's too bad theater employees can't do that.

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 01-28-2006, 06:12 AM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
The Thank You For Smoking teaser poster does have some potential for causing confusion. I say the poster does for many of the ways it differs from other movie posters. First, it does look like a huge ADA-compliant information sign. Most teaser posters have a huge actor head plopped on there with all wrinkles and liver spots perfectly Photoshopped clean. This one has no egomaniac on display. The poster also has little in the way of any credits, digital sound logos, MPAA ratings spam, etc.

And then of couse those poster cases can be filled with items other than movie poster one sheets as others have noted.

I guess I don't get it because we don't use the poster cases for anything other than movie posters. It would be in between "Pirates of the Carribean 2" and "Superman", so everyone coming into my lobby (and we have our fair share of 'special' guests) would just look at it as another movie poster. Couple our use of poster cases for actual movie posters with our prominent 'No Smoking' signs on our front doors, and confusion is side-stepped.

**Disclaimer: We have the trailer (which is friggin' fantastic) playing on a few screens right now, but we still don't display the poster. Plenty of other things that are more likely to make us money to put up at the moment.**

So I have no first-hand knowledge about the poster's effect on the smoking habits of our guests. But I am lighting a cigarette as I type this to keep my head from busting out through my eyes, nose, and ears, so take it for what it's worth ($5 a pack, and a healthy dislike for SIN taxes).

Posted by Jon Morgan (Member # 3059) on 01-30-2006, 04:06 PM:

I've seen the poster in three or four theaters and have, surprisingly, managed to not light up right in the middle of the lobby. Amazing, I know.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 02-05-2006, 12:24 AM:

Fox has released a second poster. I put it up at work, no more confusion about whether it's a suggestion or a movie title [Big Grin]

(though - as I mentioned before - we never actually had any problems with customers thinking that).

Posted by Ryan Navaroli (Member # 3477) on 02-05-2006, 07:19 PM:

The trailer is hilarious, I can't wait for this film to come out we have it booked for April 7th already. I believe it will be big in our town and with the college kids. The second poster is great too.

As much as Fox is a marketing pimp, they know how to work the game. Anyone who saw the teaser is really going to remember it when they see this new one. Kudos to mega-FOX as I am their marketing whore.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 02-25-2006, 11:25 PM:

I went to the Kapolei to see "FIREWALL" this afternoon and in the case where the "THANK YOU FOR SMOKING" poster was, there is a new one for the movie and it was all newly redesigned and now looks like a advertisement for a movie. I like it very much and it made me consider seeing the movie when it is released. Fox must have caught a lot of flack from theatres owners and the public to have them redesign the poster.

-Claude

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 02-26-2006, 12:56 PM:

I doubt it. I think it was just a matter of going from a teaser to a final version ... not all that odd really, plenty of teasers are completely different designs from the final version.

Posted by Ryan Navaroli (Member # 3477) on 02-26-2006, 11:00 PM:

I agree, I think the two combined is a powerful marketing strategy. More powerful of a teaser than like the X3 with just Wolverines claws, that makes you think about it but the effect gain as far as interest for the movie when the final poster comes out will be less then that of Thank You for Smokings.

Has anyone seen the post cards for this movie "Great Momments in Spin" they are pretty hilarious. Again, not directly related to the promoing of the movie but it gets you thinking. One of them has Bush saying something like "Now lets get this straight, when we talk about war we are really talking about peace." and Johnny Cochran "If the gloves don't fit, you must acquit."

Also the standee is again back to the misleading teaser poster graphic but they added the actors names at the top and all the hooplah on the bottom to make it seeem more like a movie ad. So maybe some of the flack caught on or maybe they were just ready to reveal a little more.