- Title: USA: Friends film as monster destroys Manhattan in "Cloverfield"
- Date: 24th January 2008
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 16, 2008) (REUTERS) PULL-OUT FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES MARQUEE TO WIDE SHOT OF PREMIERE. WIDE SHOT OF CELEBRITIES BEING INTERVIEWED ON THE BLACK CARPET. MEDIUM SHOT OF "CLOVERFIELD" PRODUCER J.J. ABRAMS TALKING TO THE PRESS. CUTAWAY OF PHOTOGRAPHERS. (SOUNDBITE) (English) "CLOVERFIELD" PRODUCER J.J. ABRAMS SAYING: "A certain commonality of successful movies is, uh, is ordinary people in extraordinary situations. And this movie is that, you know, like nuts. It's, it's, it's people, that, you know, are relatable - definitely prettier than normal - but they're relatable people, but they're in the most preposterous situation. But because of the style of the movie, which is the kind of handheld, you know, verite, you know, kind of found video style. It feels like it's legitimately happening. So it's taking something that's absolutely insane and ridiculous and preposterous, and it's making it feel legitimized, you know. And that to me is the most exciting thing, so the outcome of the movie is that that worked." WIDE SHOT OF ACTOR T.J. MILLER POSING FOR CAMERAS. CUTAWAY OF PHOTOGRAPHERS. ACTRESS ODETTE YUSTMAN POSES FOR CAMERAS. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR T.J. MILLER SAYING: "This, this was an opportunity for me to, you know, go the route of wherever this producer and director and writer, who's so well-respected, wanted to go. And it ended up being great because I ended up being able to bring some comedy to the overall piece but still, um, you know, still be involved in something that is literally different than anything else, and that's what I keep telling everybody." ACTOR MICHAEL STAHL-DAVID POSING FOR CAMERAS. ACTRESS LINDSAY LOHAN POSES FOR CAMERAS. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR MICHAEL STAHL-DAVID SAYING: "The collaboration between, uh, the director and the actors was very open. It was very much--he wasn't telling us what to do. It was like 'Alright, let's figure this scene out together,' and 'the line's not working, let's-- you know, just change it. Make it your own.' I mean, that freedom, that sense of responsibility that you become endowed with is, was great." ACTRESS LIZZY CAPLAN TALKS TO PRESS. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS LIZZY CAPLAN SAYING: "I just hope that people walk away from this movie caring about the characters. Because in a lot of these huge disaster movies, it's all about the effects. And, uh, I just hope that this one brings an emotional element to it, because that's what we were really going for." ACTOR MIKE VOGEL POSES FOR CAMERAS. SINGER ASHLEE SIMPSON POSES FOR CAMERAS. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR MIKE VOGEL SAYING: "We've, over the last several years, we've definitely fallen into that, uh, that lifestyle of posting, posting wacky videos-- and now you're seeing people spring up in careers over those videos. Um, this is the first film that has really indulged that sort of, that sort of demographic of the audience. So, I think that's why we're, that's why we're having such a good time with this, is that, is seeing how those people have come out of the woodwork for this. And, it's fun to see." ACTRESS JESSICA LUCAS POSING FOR CAMERAS. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS JESSICA LUCAS SAYING: "When you have a movie on this grand of a scale that's an action movie, a lot of the times you can feel very detached as an audience member, that you're just watching an action movie, and like all this stuff's happening. But it's shot handheld, so you really feel like you're in the movie and experiencing all of the characters, um, so you feel-- it has a lot of humanity." PAN SHOT OF BLACK CARPET
- Embargoed: 8th February 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA2KEDSF0R3WTHEWKMS4YPVXL69
- Story Text: The new film "Cloverfield" follows a group of hip young New Yorkers as they document a huge monster tearing apart Manhattan. The movie is both a "creature feature" and a story about how people respond to a crisis of monumental proportions.
Producer J.J. Abrams said he believes the human element highlighted on the big screen in "Cloverfield" is what sets this motion picture apart.
"A certain commonality of successful movies is, uh, is ordinary people in extraordinary situations," explained Abrams, best-known for creating the popular American television series "Alias."
"And this movie is that, you know, like nuts. It's, it's, it's people, that, you know, are relatable - definitely prettier than normal - but they're relatable people, but they're in the most preposterous situation. But because of the style of the movie, which is the kind of handheld, you know, verite, you know, kind of found video style. It feels like it's legitimately happening. So, it's taking something that's absolutely insane and ridiculous and preposterous, and it's making it feel legitimized, you know. And that to me is the most exciting thing, so the outcome of the movie is that that worked."
The plot of "Cloverfield" has been a closely-held secret for months. Movie trailers were released under fake film titles, and actors had to audition and accept roles without actually reading the script. The motion picture was shot entirely on hand-held cameras to create a more realistic viewing experience. And, the cast was purposely comprised of relative newcomers to prevent one big name or another from overshadowing the screenplay.
Actor and stand-up comedian T.J. Miller said that in spite of the nail-biting plot, he was still able to insert a bit of humour into the storyline to balance the more terrifying parts.
"This was an opportunity for me to, you know, go the route of wherever this producer and director and writer, who's so well-respected, wanted to go," shared the Colorado-born Miller.
"And it ended up being great because I ended up being able to bring some comedy to the overall piece but still, um, you know, still be involved in something that is literally different than anything else."
Fellow actor Michael Stahl-David, who played the lead male character Robert Hawkins in his biggest part to date, credited the director, Matt Reeves, for inviting the cast to participate in the development of the dialogue and the other elements used to bring the script to life.
"The collaboration between, uh, the director and the actors was very open," smile Stahl-David.
"It was very much--he wasn't telling us what to do. It was like 'Alright, let's figure this scene out together,' and 'The line's not working, let's-- you know, just change it. Make it your own.' I mean, that freedom, that sense of responsibility that you become endowed with is, was great."
Actress Lizzy Caplan, who also starred in the movie "Mean Girls" alongside Lindsay Lohan, said the film is unique for its genre.
"I just hope that people walk away from this movie caring about the characters. Because in a lot of these huge disaster movies, it's all about the effects. And, uh, I just hope that this one brings an emotional element to it, because that's what we were really going for."
Actress Jessica Lucas -- originally hails from Vancouver, British Columbia -- agreed.
"When you have a movie on this grand of a scale that's an action movie, a lot of the times you can feel very detached as an audience member, that you're just watching an action movie, and like all this stuff's happening," added Lucas.
"But it's shot handheld, so you really feel like you're in the movie and experiencing all of the characters, um, so you feel-- it has a lot of humanity."
Meanwhile, upcoming actor Mike Vogel described why he thinks "Cloverfield" will also appeal to a new generation of internet-savvy consumers.
"We've, over the last several years, we've definitely fallen into that, uh, that lifestyle of posting, posting wacky videos-- and now you're seeing people spring up in careers over those videos. Um, this is the first film that has really indulged that sort of, that sort of demographic of the audience. So, I think that's why we're, that's why we're having such a good time with this, is that, is seeing how those people have come out of the woodwork for this. And, it's fun to see."
"Cloverfield" opens across North America on Friday, January 18th. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
