A cow-orker of mine said, “I saw The Cell last weekend.”
I said, “I won’t see that. It sounds like the movie has finally been made that’s too scary for an audience.”
He said it wasn’t really scary, just cliched, and rambled on a bit more, then said he liked Elizabeth Shue.
Knowing what he meant, but being stubborn, I said, “Elizabeth Shue?”
“You know, Leaving Las Vegas?”
“Yes,” wanting to make him say it, “but I didn’t know she was in another movie this summer besides Hollow Man.”
“Oh, I meant Hollow Man.”
It really grinds my gears when people do that. I’m not trying to lead a crusade, but I personally don’t like it. Any movie that you see, no matter how bad it is, is the work of a bunch of people who put a lot of time and effort and money and sleep deprivation and everything else into the project—just so some spaz can call it by the wrong name. Why did you pay to see it if you didn’t even know what you were watching?
I’m sure your co-worker knew the name of the movie when he bought the ticket. However, after being subjected to two hours of Hollywood summer trash, I can understand how a few days later he might confuse one worthless piece of shit throwaway film for another.
So the director, producer, cast and crew put all their blood, sweat, and tears into the movie? Boo-fucking-hoo. Just because some people busted their asses doesn’t mean the excreted end result merits respect of any kind.
While I agree it takes a “special” type of person (see: idjit) to forget the title of a movie they just shelled out $10 (that is a rant in itself right there) for, to say that I owe it to the creators to remember some of the crap they produce is pretty absurd. Very often those same creators owe me not only my money back but also 2-3 hours of my life watching their shit. Anybody * that* concerned about those struggling hollywood artists :rolleyes: should stay and watch all the credits after the movie to fully appreciate the individual contributions of everyone from the buffers to the grips to the fluffers.
There is a long period of moviemaking (1080s and 1990s) whose hits I can’t keep straight–all those two-word titles, all vaguely similar. Body Heat, Body Double, Basic Instinct, Fatal Attraction, Weird Science, Real Genius, Primal Fear, Black Rain, Red Dawn, Shining Through… you get the picture. I always have to pause and think, is the right movie, or the other one?
However, I can’t say as I ever mixed up a movie name two days after seeing it.
Yeah, Cranky, I have the EXACT same problem. When ti comes to the hits of the 1080s, I can’t keep my “Rock ‘n’ roll Hastings High” separated from my “Weird smell theater” . . . and don’t even get me STARTED on the 1200s . . .
If you really want to be pissed, try teaching an 8 HOUR LONG class in Microsoft Word (or Excel or whatever) and having some fucking idiot ask (as they’re filling out your eval) “What class was this?”
Spider: I do watch the credits. Sometimes I see names of people I know personally, or by reputation. Of course, I realize everyone doesn’t live in LA.
Also, if the film really was a dog, and you want to warn people off it, you don’t want to call it by the wrong name and accidentally dis a film that doesn’t deserve it.
Cranky, there are indeed a lot of similar title, and it is easy to get them confused, especially years later. But not two days later! Unless this cow-orker is part of that breed of people who gets tickets for whatever’s showing in the next ten minutes, regardless of what it is, because a cinema is just a place to make out. Knowing what I do about this guy, that may very well be the case.
BeerDog, why do you hope I was kidding about The Cell?