New 'RocknRolla' Poster Simply Doesn't Rock

Summer is going to hit the brakes pretty hard on August 22nd, and for about four weeks, we won't have that many high profile new releases. A lot of that has to do with the Toronto Film Festival, which goes for a couple of weeks right after Labor Day. Although I don't think it's Labor Day in Canada. Regardless, business begins to pick up again around the third week in September, and goes at least three movies deep for about six straight weeks. September 19th has eight releases with big stars, and on October 10th, against competition that includes City of Ember and Quarantine, Guy Ritchie's latest, the all-too-familiar-looking RocknRolla, will hit theaters. It's actually the best possible weekend of that time period for the movie to debut. In terms of films that will share its audience, RocknRolla can avoid Saw V, Zack and Miri, and Max Payne in the rest of October, and it comes two weeks after Choke and Eagle Eye. The placement is a big factor, in my opinion, because Guy Ritchie so desperately needs a hit right now. And look around: He's only got one week to really make an impression before word-of-mouth business either helps this along or buries it. It's a crowded landscape. And I would not like going into the big Sherlock Holmes movie, which artistically seems like an incredibly strange move if not a bad one for the project, on the heels of another flop if I were him. The second trailer's pretty hip, and there's a new poster at IMP Awards. I don't like this one nearly as much as the much simpler British quad. That's usually the case, though; Europe has it all over us when it comes to posters. The new one-sheet just feels sanitized and studio-fied. We know Gerard Butler will show up on the poster, but it's like Thandie Newton's agent called to make sure she's on there or something. "Is there still room for Ludacris," I can hear one graphic artist asking another. "He goes by Chris Bridges now," replies the hipper of the two. "Like the old Don Johnson show?" "What?" There isn't room for Chris Bridges, in fact, but he's still squeezed in there. I also don't love the ladled-on Photoshop. It's way too much. What, are these people watching a nuclear test on Bikini Atoll? Tone down the blinding white and yellow. RocknRolla, October 10th, a theater near you. Our work here is done.

Comments

[crystal]

Gerard Butler on the poster makes me want to see this movie even more. He is hot right now.

[drokka]

[quote]Although I don't think it's Labor Day in Canada[/quote]

Perhaps a little research is in order... Canada does celebrate Labour Day...*sigh*

[drokka]

Here is a link that should help with the Labour Day comment How CANADA gave Labour Day to the World.
Thanks,

BTW: I am looking forward to this film.

[Liz]

Uh...besides the fact that I love this poster for handsome Cary Grantish-Gerard Butler...I really HATED the other one. The other quad had an emaciated junkie with guns on the front...his body was repulsive...I hated it. It nauseated me. Now the Butler shot on the second poster looks James Bondish...You underestimate Gerard Butler's many fans! Why do you think that the children's film "Nim's Island" did as well as it did? It had Butler in it..in two roles! I love the Gerry Butler poster...It looks like a hip movie..whereas the first one, the repulsive one, made me think of a heroin addict who was about to commit suiicide. People like this reviewer probably only goes to comic book movies, slasher fimls, or snuff films. Keep the second poster with Gerry!