Wes Craven is a big name in horror circles.
The writer/director brought Freddy Krueger into our dreams, launched the “Scream” series and helped other respectable genre entries like “The Hills Have Eyes.”
But film critics aren’t being allowed to see his newest film, “My Soul to Take.”
The movie, opening Oct. 8, features a new serial killer bidding for franchise fame – a fellow out to kill seven teens whose birthday falls on the same date of he died.
Ooh!
What struck me about the project, besides the bland trailer, is that critics can’t see it in time for reviews to run in Friday’s newspapers. It’s standard for studios to hold back some horror titles from critics. But shouldn’t Craven be a little embarrassed by this turn of events? Does he have the clout to say, hey, folks, let the critics see it. I’m proud of my work and I believe film critics are savvy enough to applaud a well crafted horror film.
Today’s critics are far more amenable to genre features, witness the sparkling reviews many gave to “Piranha 3D.”
Or does Craven let the marketing folks make the final decision – even if it’s a sign of disrespect for his film?
Update: Critics are seeing the film on their own dime, and they’re not happy …
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow. I would imagine any studio that won’t let the critics see the final product prior to its launch believe that the film is cr@p (note my clever way of not letting your readers understand my original word).
I think if a film maker shows his/her final product to the studio and they get a “meh” he/she knows there ain’t gonna be any professional critic getting a pre-screening.
What would be the point? If Toto and everyone else saw a movie as crap they could scare away opening night/first week crowds and evaporate any profits the film could make.
From the preview it looks like a bad retread for Nightmare on Elm street (the hand out of the wall over the bed) and any Japanese ghost film (the apparent hand under the skin or what ever the hell the preview was showing. Could it have been wallpaper or something else???)
I have no intention of seeing this film at the theater, on pay-per-view, on cable or on any rental service. I will also miss it on commercial TV (like FX or Spike)…and I am a huge horror-phile.
I have seen this film over and over many times throughout the years in many various films from many various countries and do not want to waste my time seeing it once again.
Consider yourself lucky, Lord Toto. You have missed a bullet thanks to the studios not letting critics see this trainwreck.
I’m actually happy when a lousy movie isn’t screened … I’d rather spend my time seeing quality films. But I just wonder if the artists involved – who often have thin skins – get offended when the critics are banned from seeing their product.
That said, when a film is really awful it makes me want to see it all the more. Case in point – I missed “Sex and the City 2″ over the summer. Now, I can’t wait to see it on DVD.