Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Passion Of The Christ- Any trailer restrictions?

This is topic Passion Of The Christ- Any trailer restrictions? in forum Ground Level 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=5;t=001047

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 02-12-2004, 09:58 PM:

Does anyone know if there have been any memos passed down from Icon/Mel Gibson or Newmarket Films regarding trailer and rolling stock placements on 'Passion'?

-Aaron

Posted by Coleman L. Zatarain (Member # 1559) on 02-12-2004, 10:40 PM:

We received word that we would not be putting Trailers on our prints. It was not specified whether or not we would be running Rolling Stock or. Still awaiting word on that.

Posted by John Carpenter (Member # 1488) on 02-12-2004, 11:37 PM:

I dont know if it was studio instructions, or a corporate decision, but our company said no trailers, no rolling stock, no nothing...

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 02-13-2004, 07:33 PM:

Let's turn this around. What trailers would you put on it given a free choice? Considering the subject matter, the likely audience, and that many have not set foot in a theatre in years. What would bring them back?

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 02-13-2004, 09:05 PM:

Latter Days, of course! [evil]

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 02-13-2004, 10:09 PM:

LOL!!!! Perfect choice, Adam. [evil]

Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 02-13-2004, 10:20 PM:

Thank you Adam! I was thinking the same thing. [Wink]

Seriously, there are several appropriate trailers that I would and will consider. Here's a short list:

The Gospel According to John (from ThinkFilm - currently in release)
Luther - if it already hasn't played the market
In America
The Triplets of Belleville
The Company (the passion, the commitment, the sacrafice [Smile]

)
Touching the Void
Girl With A Pearl Earring (if it hasn't already played)
Osama
The Fog of War
The Statement

On the more commercial film side, I like the following for trailers (note: I haven't seen all these trailers, but I'm going by general theme, etc):
Miracle
The Alamo
Shrek 2
Harry Potter

Just because the movie is about a religious theme and is being embraced by churches doesn't mean that theatre operators should deprive themselves of the marketing opportunities afforded by good trailer programming.

As an arthouse exhibitor, our showing Passion of The Christ is one more example of the diversity of films and viewpoints that we present. It is a serious film aimed at an adult audience and I intend to program trailers that reflect the diversity of programming we offer while keeping in mind the adult audience that is part of the audience for this film and our target demographic.

Of course the subversive part of me wants to put Latter Days, The Dreamers and Monster on...but I won't, except maybe for the staff screening.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 02-13-2004, 11:59 PM:

quote:
Harry Potter

Uh Oh......That could open up the ol witchcraft satanic can of worms.

Posted by Dennis Udovich (Member # 1066) on 02-14-2004, 02:15 PM:

Marcus Theatres have decided NO TRAILERS. We are not even going to play our policy trailer. A special 15-second white Marcus logo on black background will be attached to the beginning of the print.

Posted by Carl Martin (Member # 1146) on 02-15-2004, 02:44 AM:

why no trailers? not that i feel there need to be any, but is there an overture or something?

carl

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 02-15-2004, 11:16 AM:

My gut tells me that this is a simple case of REVENGE because the film was in the can for so long before anyone picked it up for distribution.

We went through the whole witchcraft scandal surrounding "Harry Potter" when the first one was released. There was a small (but very vocal) group of religious freaks who condemned the movie -- without seeing it -- and demanded that it should be banned. When that failed, they tried to get the rating changed so that young children would not be able to see it. That strategy also failed and the movie -- and its sequel -- played without further incident.

I believe in God. I just don't trust religious people.

In light of past problems with Bible thumpers I would just as soon keep them out of the loop regarding any other features. No trailers for them!

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 02-15-2004, 09:37 PM:

I can only hope that we are not allowed to put any trailers on.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 02-16-2004, 09:26 AM:

not that i feel there need to be any, but is there an overture or something?

Not on the early print I screened. I don't know about the general release but I doubt it. I think it would be a great idea. Maybe someone could simulate one. If no trailers then play something like the theme from the Nicholas Ray King of Kings * (1961, Super Technirama 70) as the last non-sync tune with a partial light dim. If there are trailers then slug a few minutes of black before the feature. Probably have to trigger the music and switch formats manually unless your automation is particularly agile. You could simulate a roadshow presentation.

* Captain Pike as Jesus! [Big Grin]

Posted by Jeremy Fuentes (Member # 2135) on 02-18-2004, 10:53 AM:

I am going to attach Hellboy and Dawn of the Dead to our print.

Just kidding!!

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-18-2004, 12:12 PM:

The last movie I recall seeing that had NOTHING in front of it was "Schindler's List". Is this in the same category?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-18-2004, 12:40 PM:

With so many auditorium rentals and such, there is bound to be tons of interlocking going on the first 5 days. With as rarely as most theaters interlock, I would HOPE that these theaters play SOMETHING on the front of the movie, or the labs are bound to be re-printing lots of reel 1s. Even if it is just one trailer, that is something expendable that can get trashed in case the projectionist doesn't have something set up properly.

Posted by Jeremy Fuentes (Member # 2135) on 02-18-2004, 12:56 PM:

Good idea, Brad. Like you said, we are interlocking quite a bit the first few days. Its been a while since we last interlocked, so I guess it would be best for me to run some test trailers through the interlocking first, just to make sure it will function properly.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 02-18-2004, 01:27 PM:

Indeed. If you don't want to show the trailers just set the start cues appropriately and remember to start the show 3 min or so early. That'll give you plenty of time to observe the entire film route and make sure the film is seated in the rollers and no evil is taking place. No yelling "Jesus Christ!" for what you see in the booth not on the screen! You don't want to know what the Romans do to people who scratch prints.

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 02-19-2004, 07:27 PM:

Maybe some evil film handler will slip this into the movietune mix:
http://www.bettybowers.com/christian_music.html
[evil]

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 02-19-2004, 10:54 PM:

We are playing 5 trailers but no rolling stock...

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 02-20-2004, 01:04 AM:

Does anyone have the guts to run this as a double feature with "...And God Spoke" (1993)?

[evil]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-20-2004, 05:53 AM:

Orgazmo would make for a much better double feature. [evil]

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-20-2004, 08:36 AM:

Dogma! Dogma!

[Big Grin]

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 02-20-2004, 08:39 AM:

I was talking with our GM yesterday, I suggested Troy, for a good historical epic, but when he saw the clip in the teaser with the woman taking off her top, that got axed.

We're gonna interlock 3 machines per day for Passion, so I'm gonna end up pulling trailers anyway for that, and for the group showings we've got with churches.
But failing that, we decided on Home on the Range, Shrek 2, Ella Enchanted, Jersey Girl.

Still gonna have problems with those anyways...

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 02-20-2004, 01:41 PM:

The two prints that I just got have "Madison" on the head and "Two Brothers" loose in the can.

Two prints for one screen [thumbsup]

Just got another print in about an hour ago.
This one is a showprint without trailers.

The count is three prints for one screen. [thumbsup]

[ 02-20-2004, 06:52 PM: Message edited by: Bill Gabel ]

Posted by Dennis M Dow Jr (Member # 1970) on 02-20-2004, 04:52 PM:

we are going to be running Madison and 2 Brothers only

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 02-22-2004, 09:14 PM:

See, if it was digital you wouldn't need that many.

::hides::

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 02-23-2004, 12:46 AM:

Too bad I don't have a Flat "Passion" trailer to put on Texas Chainsaw Massacre (yes, we're still playing that)

But I DO have a Scope "Hellboy" for when we get it! [evil]

=TMP=

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 02-23-2004, 03:46 AM:

Oh c'mon Tom... use the scope version...Everyone will think JEEEZUS is really skinny!

>>> Phil

Posted by Joseph Pandolfi (Member # 223) on 03-09-2004, 03:57 PM:

All we have is just the Emergency information as required by state law. No NCN slides, ads, policy trailer, or trailers. We threw on our big red lights that shine right on the screen. If I'm on I'll start the show anywhere from one to four minutes later depending if there is another show a half hour later. Lot of people walk in expecting trailers and walk out pissed because they arrived 10-15 minutes after the feature began.