According to Washington Post:
I do not envy Pixar’s Vice President of Corporate Marketing
Synergy Monetization or whatever the merchandising position is called there.
Because when he or she was presented with “Inside Out,” he or she was
absolutely screwed.
See, there’s no princess in the movie, so that means no gowns,
no tiaras, no tiny bottles of glitter nail polish to sell to the girls. The
movie doesn’t even have a villain, so no toy weapons for the boys, and no cool
motorcycles or cars either. Target is selling some shirts and a couple of “play
figures.” The Disney Store offers, among other things, some dolls, a
highlighter set and mugs. If your kid is a fan of “Cars,” you can buy a fleet
of Lightning McQueens; if your kid loves “Inside Out,” you can buy … magnets.
So those in charge of driving every child into an “Inside
Out”-branded frenzy (seriously, I saw “Frozen” sunscreen the other day at the
grocery store) have a tough climb. “Inside Out” is almost impossible to market,
because Pixar once again has pushed the boundaries of what animation — what
filmmaking — can do. “Inside Out” is arguably Pixar’s best film yet; that means
it’s arguably the best-animated feature in movie history.
And the only reason I say “arguably” is because my friend says
“WALL•E” is still at the top, and he knows his stuff.
The look of “Inside Out” is sweepingly imaginative (though the
3-D is pointless. Skip it.). The acting, particularly from Amy Poehler as Joy
and Phyllis Smith as Sadness, is powerful. The script takes huge risks in terms
of storytelling and every one pays off; at times “Inside Out” reaches the
mind-bending complexity of films like “Adaptation” or “Being John Malkovich.”
Um, but for kids.
The story Pixar has to sell in trailers and on T-shirts is “five
creatures live in an 11-year-old girl’s mind.” The story they are actually
telling is about growing up, about the age in life when the world gets so much
more complex and just living in it gets so much harder. It’s about letting go
of childish things while keeping at least some childlike qualities. “Inside
Out” is very funny, very sad, very smart and very, very real.
And it might not be a hit. Not just because it’s a tough sell, but
also because too often we measure the impact of kids’ films (or films marketed
to kids) not only in how many tickets are bought, but also how many lunchboxes.
That would be a grave mistake. “Inside Out’s” worth shouldn’t be measured in
made-in-China plastic crap; it shouldn’t depend on box office takings or even
awards. The film is a triumph because it operates at the pinnacle of the art of
moviemaking. Though it’s inhabited only by computer-generated images, “Inside
Out” is a beautiful film about being human.
No comments:
Post a Comment
just say something and you get a reply instantly