JJ Abrams -- the man behind television sensation Lost -- has hit a mega-high on the hypemeter with the buzz for his upcoming monster movie, Cloverfield.
Paramount Pictures' risky but very edgy viral marketing strategy is generating huge buzz. Things kicked off in July, when timed to coincide with the Transformers release, a teaser trailer was leaked online.
The teaser -- click here to see the hi-definition version -- was spellbinding, featuring hand-held footage of a trendy party before disaster descends, and we end with the apocalyptic visual of the Statue Of Liberty's head rolling down the street.
The teaser was immense, linked completely to JJ Abrams' cult status, but not deigning to mention the name of the film, simply the release date, 1-18-08. The official site frustrates, but provides some hints.
The first poster (left) released some time back, and speculation -- likely studio-fed -- about a monster movie nicknamed Cloverfield flooded thrilled discussion boards.
Now, tacked on to the upcoming Beowulf, is the second trailer, a full-fledged theatrical trailer that shows more gritty hand-held footage and the first 'glimpse' of the monster. Fervent descriptions can be found here, on CHUD.com and Firstshowing.net, and the first, very raw YouTube leaked version can be seen here.
Internet buzz is increasingly becoming a tool of choice for studios now, with The Blair Witch Project leading the way and the almost B-movie Snakes On A Plane achieving insane pre-release attention. About Cloverfield, there is some skepticism, with Exhibitor Relactions Co's Chad Hartigan citing his problems: a lacklustre reception history of Godzilla-style movies in the US, a lack of star-power, and January, a traditional 'dumping ground for bad films.'
The film, directed by Felicity's Matt Reeves and produced by Abrams, has already built up an enthusiastic fanbase, ones who are more or less convinced about the name Cloverfield, and can't wait for more glimpses -- nuggets Abrams and the studio will eagerly keep tossing up.
Most crucially, the crowds have the January 18 release date down pat.