Zoe: Planet's coming up a mite fast. Wash: That's just cause, I'm going down too quick. Likely crash and kill us all. Mal: Well, that happens, let me know.

'Shindig'


Buffista Movies 5: Development Hell  

A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.


Frankenbuddha - Apr 25, 2006 10:42:21 am PDT #1505 of 10001
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

Okay, Abrams' little refutation of the press story now has me imagining Trek Kids in the style of those Antonio Banderas movies from a few years ago.

Jim Henson's Trek Babies


Jesse - Apr 25, 2006 10:52:12 am PDT #1506 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Just came across this open letter to Charlie Sheen that shouts out to Ducky Dale.


tommyrot - Apr 25, 2006 10:52:15 am PDT #1507 of 10001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

They filmed both endings. But I believe test audiences prefered getting the rich guy in the end.

Actually, test audiences split pretty evenly on which they preferred.


Gris - Apr 25, 2006 12:18:15 pm PDT #1508 of 10001
Hey. New board.

I don't like Grease much, except for the fact that the soundtrack occasionally takes COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY BRAIN. In a good way that I thoroughly enjoy.


Sean K - Apr 25, 2006 12:20:02 pm PDT #1509 of 10001
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty

They filmed both endings. But I believe test audiences prefered getting the rich guy in the end.

One of the many reasons I hate test audiences. What the hell do they know? They only think they know what they want.

Plus, filmmaking is enough of a collaborative effort to begin with. It really doesn't need to be a full blown democratic process open to all.


Sean K - Apr 25, 2006 12:23:03 pm PDT #1510 of 10001
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty

And corn flakes and orange juice to say that I can't think of a single instance that I've heard of and know some of the details about where a test audience brought about an improved product.

I'm sure there have been instances, but since all the ones I've heard of took a bad or at least mediocre product and made it worse, I suspect they were in the tiny minority.


§ ita § - Apr 25, 2006 12:33:15 pm PDT #1511 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I can't think of a single instance that I've heard of and know some of the details about where a test audience brought about an improved product.

A friend claims that he's the reason I have Stargate: SG1. The ending he saw at the test screening left Ra alive and blew up the stargates. He and his friends suggested killing Ra and leaving the stargates so there could be more travels through it.

I'm sure he's exaggerating his role in bringing me my not-that-secret TV boyfriend, Jack O'Neill, but I don't think that ending worsened the movie at all, and probably improved it.


Sean K - Apr 25, 2006 12:37:56 pm PDT #1512 of 10001
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty

Oooh. Hadn't heard of that one.

Although, being only "meh" at best on the series, my own take would be that the ending change there was value neutral, especially if you're just considering the movie on its own.


§ ita § - Apr 25, 2006 12:42:20 pm PDT #1513 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

my own take would be that the ending change there was value neutral, especially if you're just considering the movie on its own

Leaving my insane adoration for the series aside, the story that preceded that ending was better served by a victory with some traction, plus a bit of open-endedness, as opposed to the delay of peril feeling I get from not killing the baddie, but just making it harder to get to you--but now he knows you exist, and he's pissed.


Jessica - Apr 25, 2006 12:42:59 pm PDT #1514 of 10001
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

Although, being only "meh" at best on the series, my own take would be that the ending change there was value neutral, especially if you're just considering the movie on its own.

HEY! Those are some extremely good-looking people you'd be putting out of work!