Make only honest film trailers: you might be sued for deception otherwise

Showing all posts tagged: trailers

Make only honest film trailers: you might be sued for deception otherwise

23 December 2022

An American judge has ruled producers of the Danny Boyle directed Yesterday deceived potential viewers of the movie. Two fans of Cuban and Spanish actor Ana de Armas had hired a copy of the 2019 rom-com, after a trailer they saw suggested de Armas had a prominent role in the story.

After discovering this was not the case, they filed a lawsuit against the film producers. While de Armas was involved in filming, none of her scenes were included in the final cut.

Film production company Universal Pictures had contended film trailers are an “artistic, expressive work”, presumably meaning any content — within reason I imagine — can feature in a trailer, but the court rejected the argument:

But according to a ruling from U.S. District Judge Steven Wilson, obtained by Deadline Hollywood, “Universal is correct that trailers involve some creativity and editorial discretion, but this creativity does not outweigh the commercial nature of a trailer. At its core, a trailer is an advertisement designed to sell a movie by providing consumers with a preview of the movie.”

Plenty of film trailers include scenes that are not seen the later theatrical release, and this often happens for good reason. Some scenes may spoil vital plot points, while other “extra” snippets may play a part in building up pre-release anticipation. I’m not entirely against the practise, these sorts of trailers are better than the ones that are essentially a short version of the feature itself.

But suggesting a certain actor will feature, when they don’t, is another matter. Particularly for people who see films solely because of the (advertised) presence of a specific actor. It will be interesting to see what the final outcome will be in this case.

Trailer for Triangle of Sadness, a film by Ruben Ostlund

23 December 2022

Triangle of Sadness, trailer, the latest feature from Swedish filmmaker Ruben Őstlund, he of Force Majeure fame, looks like a lot of fun. Sort of.

A group of rich and powerful people set sail on a yacht under the command of the captain (Woody Harrelson). It’s all plain sailing until a storm hits, and then things get messy, really messy. Passengers vomit en masse, toilets block and overflow, and then some of those aboard end up marooned on a desert island. A kind of Gilligan’s Island, but on steroids maybe.

Late South African actor Charlbi Dean stars as Yaya, an Instagram influencer, who has been given free passage in exchange for promoting the vessel. She’s accompanied by her boyfriend Carl (Harris Dickinson), a fashion model. For those who can stomach tossing seas, Triangle of Sadness can be seen in Australian cinemas from Monday 26 December 2022.

Macadam Stories

4 September 2021

Macadam Stories, a 2015 film by French filmmaker Samuel Benchetrit, tells the story of four people living in a dilapidated apartment block on the verge on an industrial wasteland, each of whom are seeking connection, whether they know it or not.

Sternkowitz (Gustave Kervern) finds himself confined to a wheelchair after some exercise misadventure. He strikes up a friendship with a nurse (Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi) who works nights at the local hospital, after he goes in search of food late one evening.

Charly (Jules Benchetrit), a lonely teenager, befriends Jeanne (Isabelle Huppert), a despairing actor, living across the hall, who’s struggling to find a new role.

Madame Hamida (Tassadit Mandi), meanwhile finds herself hosting John McKenzie (Michael Pitt), an American astronaut who’s capsule inadvertently landed on the roof of the apartment block.

While viruses, lockdowns, and self-isolation, are not a part of this story, all the characters here are cut-off in some way from the outside world. Macadam Stories is a hopeful, warming, film for our times.