The Dark Knight is all about the chaos, baby.
By Burbanked on Apr 25, 2008 in Henry Jones Jr., Movie Marketing 101, Movies, One-Sheetery | 2,159 views |
This is all the convincing I need that Warner Bros. and Christopher Nolan have absolutely figured out how to bring innovation and excitement back to the way movies are marketed. Please go ahead and click on that one-sheet; make it bigger, drink in that red and orange fire, read that frigging great tagline again. Then think about the fact that this poster – and all the others, and all the teasers and the trailers and everything Dark Knight-related – think about how fantastically they tease, compliment and energize the look, feel, atmosphere and brand of the movie they’re selling.
That isn’t always the case, of course, because usually the people who are making the movie are not the ones selling it – and too often we see those objectives fighting with each other. But think back to the Batman Begins posters and trailers; think of the imagery of the bats and how prominently they played in that film’s marketing. And then – wonder of wonders – the bats and the fear they inspire play an integral role in the movie’s narrative! So we end up feeling like the movie that we’re promised is actually the one that ends up on the screen. What a novel concept, one that’s become unfortunately rare and precious.
And The Dark Knight sure seems to be following that gameplan. I don’t know anything more about the movie than you do, but the marketing is telling me that it’s about chaos. Epic, brawling chaos borne of a lunatic mind and Batman is the only mothereffer who can take it all down. Think about all of the dark nastiness we’ve seen so far from Heath Ledger’s Joker. In a fascinating, unique way that is more or less the opposite of what we usually see, this movie’s marketing is showing us exactly what we’re gonna get, but without telling us how they’re gonna do it.
Think back to the dialogue from the last trailer – …you’ve changed things, forever… you’re just a freak – like ME! …no name, no other alias… – it’s all about chaos. The multiple viral campaigns, the scavenger hunts and clues and answers – all chaos. Now look at this one-sheet again, with its fury and destruction and fire and the world without rules and that one epic badass who will stand in the way. Oh but by the smelly grey leotards of Adam West, that is serious chaos, friends.
I recently asked my blog-pal Piper which movie he was more anxious to see this summer, The Dark Knight or Indiana Jones. He chose TDK because he simply felt more excited to see what the filmmakers will do with it. And while I can’t wait to see Crystal Skull, everything the marketing for that movie is telling me is that it’ll be the same old thing.
With The Dark Knight, however, anything could happen. It opens July 18th.
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Carlo Conda | Apr 25, 2008 | Reply
Seeing as how poorly the last 2 Indys were made in comparison to the first one, it’s understandable to not hype up over Crystal Skull. I mean, Batman is still new and the creators have a good hold on it. Meanwhile, Indiana Jones lost it’s lustre when the second one came out, and regained a small amount of it with the third one (better than the second, but not as good as the first).
TDK doesn’t seem like it will disappoint, while Crystal Skull has a very good chance to. It all depends on how Crystal Skull is handled and if it goes back to the roots (this is what saved the third Indy film), instead of adds “what if” elements to the story or tries to “freshen it up” somehow.
Burbanked | Apr 26, 2008 | Reply
I’d disagree a little bit about the Jones movies, Carlo, simply because I think the second one has a lot of strengths for different reasons. If one can resist the urge to compare it to other movies, it’s pretty damn spectacular on its own. I’m still excited to see Crystal Skull; I’m just not convinced that it was necessary.
But then it really wasn’t necessary to revive the Batman franchise either, it having been so thoroughly run into cinematic hackdom by Joel Schumacher. Nolan found a way to reinvent it into something spectacular instead of simply retreading it over again – but that’s the exception rather than the rule, and also why it’s so unique and exciting.
Carlo Conda | Apr 26, 2008 | Reply
I’m definately excited to see Crystal Skull as well. And yeah, Temple of Doom was great in it’s own way, but I’d be dissappointed if Crystal Skull ended up being Temple of Doom-esque.
Damian | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
I don’t know that I’m necessarily more excited to see Indiana Jones than I am to see Batman. I’m just excited in different ways. I do think you’re right, Burbanked, that the publicity for Dark Knight is far more original (and certainly more “cool”) than the Indy campaign, but as time goes on I’m becoming more and more fond of the sort of nostalgic approach they’re taking with Indy marketing (the familiarity factor being one of its main assets… at least for me).
Incidentally, it occurred to me the other day that the last time an Indiana Jones movie was in theatres was the summer of ‘89… the very same season that Tim Burton’s original Batman movie (which also featured the Joker as its main villain) played. What’s interesting is that I remember being excited beforehand about both films and I ended up loving both of them (in different ways) afterward. Will history repeat itself?* I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see.
(*P.S. I also just realized that 1989 was the year of Timothy Dalton’s second Bond film Licence to Kill wherein Bond went on a mission to avenge the death of someone close to him. Later this year we get Daniel Craig’s second Bond film Quantum of Solace wherein Bond goes on a mission to avenge the death of someone close to him. Eerie.)
Burbanked | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
Some intriguing observations, Damian. It either means that Hollywood’s preparing for a blockbuster movie year…or that they’re simply regurgitating all of the old ideas once more.
Piper | Apr 29, 2008 | Reply
Burbanked,
Great post and after reading it, I’m reconsidering how I feel about this poster and the others because honestly I kind of feel like they’re fucking it up.
It’s starting to feel like the giants are getting their claws in it. The batsuit is beginning to look like something that would look cool on the big screen and less like something a guy would make for himself. And the “why so serious” is a bit too cute for me. Just a picture of Ledger in that make-up is enough.
But I like your chaos approach as it relates to the campaign thus far. That helps me grasp it a little better.
But no matter, I’m excited for this and hope that Nolan keeps it together like he did with the first. It will be something if he does.
Burbanked | Apr 29, 2008 | Reply
I get your point, Piper, and the campaign sometimes feels a bit too sprawling. Can a viral campaign really be termed thus if there are 28 pieces of it? Not exactly a grassroots effort like we might think the word “viral” suggests.
For example, the four international posters I saw today seem too over-the-top. In particular, this one on one hand supports my point above, yet at the same time looks a bit silly.
Megan | Apr 30, 2008 | Reply
I’m a little on geek overload in anticipation of this summer. Speed Racer, Hulk, Iron Man, Hellboy, Batman, Hancock.
Not to mention Indy, X-Files, Prince Caspian, The Mummy…
I wonder if they are over-estimating the size of the fan-boy purse?
Damian | Apr 30, 2008 | Reply
It either means that Hollywood’s preparing for a blockbuster movie year… or that they’re simply regurgitating all of the old ideas once more.
Can’t both be true?