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solium:
It's economics, and while one wouldn't think that the billion dollar James Bond franchise needs it, the bottom line is they probably do. So let's call it a "necessary evil" and try not to obsess so much over it.
No, they want us to believe it's a necessary evil. Where's the product placement in Star Wars or Wizard of Oz?
That was a whole different universe, where stars of movies WEREN'T making $30,000,000+ per film and theaters only had to worry about commercial TV, long before VHS and DVD and Blu-ray and widescreen TVs. It's practically impossible to take a picture of a big city and NOT catch the golden arches and a dozen other recognizable product logos. Anybody remember all the product placements for Kubrick's "2001"? Pan Am, among others. You wouldn't have seen them in George Lucas' "Star Wars" because it takes place in another universe and another time a lonnnnnng time ago. I personally find that product placement grounds a story to a certain period and see little purpose in obsessing over it as some have done here.
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Posted: |
Dec 30, 2013 - 11:15 AM
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By: |
Solium
(Member)
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solium:
It's economics, and while one wouldn't think that the billion dollar James Bond franchise needs it, the bottom line is they probably do. So let's call it a "necessary evil" and try not to obsess so much over it.
No, they want us to believe it's a necessary evil. Where's the product placement in Star Wars or Wizard of Oz?
That was a whole different universe, where stars of movies WEREN'T making $30,000,000+ per film and theaters only had to worry about commercial TV, long before VHS and DVD and Blu-ray and widescreen TVs. It's practically impossible to take a picture of a big city and NOT catch the golden arches and a dozen other recognizable product logos. Anybody remember all the product placements for Kubrick's "2001"? Pan Am, among others. You wouldn't have seen them in George Lucas' "Star Wars" because it takes place in another universe and another time a lonnnnnng time ago. I personally find that product placement grounds a story to a certain period and see little purpose in obsessing over it as some have done here.
The problem with today's films is they pitch the product in your face while your watching a fictional story. It's not just in the background or on a table. They continually distract from the story in order to sell you mulitple products or zoom in on the logo's so it fills the entire screen. Your paying for the privilege of viewing commercial after commercial. (Which seems to be the case with MOS) It's more than distracting it's insulting, and a waste of hard earned dollars for some desired entertainment. I want to watch a film or television series for escapism. How ppl don't feel like their being sucker punched is beyond me.
I say cut the actors salaries in half if that is their poor excuse for an argument. When films are making 300 or 400 billion worldwide doesn't help persuade me they need product placement for funding. But yeah I know the real world. No studio want's to risk its own capital anymore. So their sell outs. Product placement funds their movies, we watch two hours of commercials and they profit from the free and clear gravy.
Hell, now that big corp owns everything I noticed interviewers in sports programs make product placement while interviewing sports stars. Literately half way through the interview they pitch their sponsors product without missing a beat. It's crazy.
I'm apparently in the minority. End of rant. 
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solium:
Wow. I watch a heck of a lot of movies, but it has never affected me that way. I own well over 4,000 DVDs and over 200 Blu-rays, plus I have ALL the premium HD movie channels through AT&T's U-verse, and receive movies from Netflix as well as their streaming service, so I obviously watch a LOT of movies. It's a shame that your viewing has been so spoiled by something that I find quite insignificant. How awful for you. May I make a suggestion? Before you next see a new movie, write the following 20 times: I will NOT let my usual preoccupation with product placement affect how I feel about this movie. And try to make a genuine effort to ignore it. And then see if you are able to get more pleasure out of watching new movies. You just might surprise yourself.
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Posted: |
Dec 30, 2013 - 1:25 PM
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By: |
RoryR
(Member)
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I agree with you, Ron. I, too, watch a lot of movies and I never have a problem with product placement. If it's obvious, it's usually in a movie that's got more serious problems, so I have no problem noting it and then forgetting it. The only time I can recall that product placement really bothered me was when I first saw SHAMPOO back in the seventies. It was a can of coke on a counter top and what bothered me was that it was a modern can of coke with a pop top. I think the movie was set in 1968, when you still had to use a can opener.
I'm bothered much more by something like that which I can't ignore, such as in THE SHINING, where the story is supposed to be set in the States and there's at least one PAL TV in a scene. Jesus, Kubrick, you couldn't have ordered a TV from the States? But then, I'm also bothered by the obvious UK houses in LOLITA too. Even Kubrick was sloppy.
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solium:
May I make a suggestion? Before you next see a new movie, write the following 20 times: I will NOT let my usual preoccupation with product placement affect how I feel about this movie. And try to make a genuine effort to ignore it. And then see if you are able to get more pleasure out of watching new movies. You just might surprise yourself.
You know that's my friends attitude. He hears what I am saying, but he just accepts it as the way things are and ignores them. I wish I could take that perspective as well, because it has compromised my ability to enjoy newer films.
we are brothers, Soli.
do not despair
bruce
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So those who CAN'T tolerate the product placements seem to be speaking up. How about others, like me, who CAN tolerate it?
Heck, reel-to-reel made me unable to tolerate LP surface noise, and even when I bought a special piece of equipment in the early 1970s that removed about 90% of the snaps crackles and pops from records I STILL couldn't tolerate it. But friends who loved LPs thought I was crazy. But they were also convinced that I was crazy because I used to put out cigarettes smoldering in ashtrays a foot or 2 away from my desk and I was forever complaining about being trapped next to smokers all day, and look how THAT turned out!
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RAY DONAVAN
Mickey (Jon Voight) come into the house and announces "I bought some speaker wire from Radio Shack" and then, of course, puts the shopping bag with the RS logo emblazoned on the counter.
same show: Chopper bikes and Mereceds benz cars
Showtime seems to be the worst offender!
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I wish I could take that perspective as well, because it has compromised my ability to enjoy newer films.
You speak as if product placement is a new thing. Didnt Moonraker have some pretty obvious product placement too (a car driving through a 7-Up ad or something?
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.... I watched all of "Ray Donavan" and don't recall anything of this sort.
The terrorists have won
seriously, the whole point of this thread (for me at least) is to let the production companies know they are NOT fooling us - we spot the 'commercial'. You can try to slip these things in there without us noticing , but some of us refuse to be consumerized sheep!
bruce
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I wish I could take that perspective as well, because it has compromised my ability to enjoy newer films.
You speak as if product placement is a new thing. Didnt Moonraker have some pretty obvious product placement too (a car driving through a 7-Up ad or something?
go back and read this thread FROM THE BEGINNING, DAMMITT!
have a nice day
bruce
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UNDER THE DOME
Toyata Prius
There is a whole a whole sequence where they demonstrate how the car plugs in!
}But, at least they acknowledge the paid promo in the end credits}
brm
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GRIMM
Apple [again!]computers .
One shot had the actor in the middle and right of the frame and a desk in the left corner. The camera conspicuously pans left so that we may gaze upon the glory that is Apple pc.
At least they ccop to it in the credits
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