Posted 5:13 PM by Gene

And further on the subject of selling movies, THE CORNER's DIRECT CONNECTION to THE CONSPIRACY has an EXHIBITOR RELATIONS MOMENT:

THE DVC MOVIE WILL BE HUUUUGE!!!!! GIANT OPENING WEEKEND, BIG BUSINESS ALL SUMMER LONG!!!!!!!!!! [Overemphasis added.]

Perhaps, but it's been quite a while since a big "mainstream" hit novel translated into a big hit movie. (We do not include CGI Tolkien's Ring cycle, a cartoon series translated into another.) Most book buyers are women; most of the movie S&M phreaks are teenaged males. Those few adults who go to movies may not read. We also remember how the hacks oohed and aahed the APE, and look what happened. Moreover if a writer as knowledgeable and erudite as Terry Teachout can resent being spun to be sold -- and what is most show-biz reporting but a sales pitch? -- perhaps others can resent it too. (Prediction: One of the newsrags will have A MOVIE on tomorrow's cover.) We hope DVC!!!!! underperforms, but we do not underestimate the moviegoers' stupidity.