Comments on: Exclusive: ‘Dragon Tattoo’ Producer Scott Rudin Replies To David Denby’s Upcoming New Yorker Review Embargo Break

By: Gilbag

Gilbag — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

I was reading Gawker and it told me about how Scott Rudin's daughter is a lesbian who is involved with an "A-list" pop star. This led me here to the more interesting article at the Playlist where David Denby needs to get his teeth kicked the fuck in to teach him a lesson about discretion. What an asshole. No means no, and I think everyone's daughter will agree.

By: Honesty

Honesty — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

No one complained this loudly when Ben Brantley reviewed the Spiderman Broadway musical ahead of its opening, trashing it and, basically, forcing the hand of the producers who had $70 million on the line. As for the so-called marketing plan that may have been thrown a curve, as someone who once worked in the film business with some of the major studios and now works in the advertising business with major corporations, marketing in the film industry is infantile, at best. Rubin's so-called "strategy" most likely has more to do with what he ate for breakfast the morning his office had to put it together than with any science. Hollywood is, as ever, all about ego, and Rubin is just throwing his weight around for all to see. Really, who cares?

By: tkotl

tkotl — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Once looking at Denby's review, I have a feeling the controversy will die down. It's like reading the trailer, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

By: MDL

MDL — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Denby writes: "Grown-ups are ignored for much of the year" and then Rudin calls him "immoral" for writing a review. Unless this is some marketing trick this view is absurd and, yes, childish. Hey Rudin if you can't handle reviewers reviewing your film then why not just end critics' screenings all together and release your film to the public with no reviews? Is that what you want? Why Rudin thinks the movie will be "damaged" by an early positive is, in my opinion, also a joke. I predict when the movie hits the $200 million mark he'll forget what Denby did.

By: tristan eldritch

tristan eldritch — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Have you guys got any Climategate bombshells to go along with that?

By: Carey

Carey — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

This is a superb publicity stunt for the New Yorker, with nice benefits to David Denby, too. Bravo. Good one.

By: Chadd

Chadd — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Just because YOU don't understand why an early review might damage the movie doesn't mean Rudin doesn't have his reasons. It's HIS movie. If he wants an embargo, he gets one. He doesn't need to explain to Denby the complicated marketing and information release schedule he and the studio have worked out. He is obviously and completely right in being pissed off.

By: Zach

Zach — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

It's a little hard to take Rudin's fulminating seriously. He's a notorious schemer, and I wouldn't put past him the idea that he cooked this up himself, since as many have pointed out: this can do nothing but help the movie's box office haul, especially with all the hubbub now surrounding it.

By: Francola

Francola — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Even though Denby broke his word (which was wrong), this is really quite rich coming from Rudin. If we only had a nickle for all the times that Rudin lied and broke his word to actors, writers, directors or assistants, we would all have bloated bank accounts stuffed with checks even bigger than the ones that Rudin is cashing for "The Book of Mormon." Let's not even mention Rudin's use of gamesmanship-like and dastardly producing tactics by leaving early morning 6:30AM messages in untended voicemail boxes on either coast… "I have Scott Rudin for…"

But that's beside the point. For the unenlightened of us, can someone please explain how a positive early review hurts a movie like this? I realize that other reviewers will be compelled to release their reviews before 12/13 as a result of The New Yorker publishing the review early, but what are the specific consequences of this? But since the movie is released wide on 12/21, doesn't this positive review just build greater buzz for the movie? From a motion picture studio marketing and PR department point of view, what exactly does this early review do negatively for the film and how do they need to change their plans as a result? That's really what this is all about, isn't it? How this tempest in a teapot could negatively effect global box office or somehow cost the studio more money in marketing dollars?

I'm not excusing Denby's behavior, he broke the embargo and that was wrong, but beyond that transgression, what's the actual impact that this has on the film or the role of embargoes in general. Any studio marketing people care to give a coherent answer to this one?

By: Joe Sena

Joe Sena — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

This should have been a phone call, not a series of "leaked" emails. They're both grownups and apparently respect each other. One can only deduce that this was manufactured jut to get us to do what we're all doing this morning…talk about it.

By: PK

PK — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Videogame websites and magazines face the same problems. The holiday season sees a huge tide of all the best games releasing near the same time. Why is this relevant? You need to actually play the videogame in order to review it. A process that takes slightly longer than watching a movie.

Denby used a lame excuse and I hope he understands that now. If he doesn't, I urge him to try and review a small handful of videogames in November. Full reviews, with him completing every game.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

I can understand why this controversy would matter if you're David Denby, a Hollywood producer, or movie critic, but to the rest of us, it's probably a gift. The embargo system perpetuates Hollywood's ability to release one crappy movie after another, knowing that if it has a big star, a great trailer, or is a sequel of some kind, it will probably do very well on opening weekend. Then they capitalize on the opening weekend hype to sell even more tickets for their (mostly) lousy movies. If more movies were judged on merit rather than all of this hype, we'd all probably have a more enjoyable time at the movies more often…

By: phoneitin

phoneitin — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Leak?

What a fantasy. What was it?

An unmarked envelope hand-delivered to The Playlist?

A bcc? or forward from Scott?

By: dragon

dragon — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Whatever reputation Rudin has, there is generally an unwritten and in this case signed agreement not to review the film until Dec. 13. The tone of the review is irrelevant. And, with a little more time Denby could have written a more thoughtful and longer review, the kind of fine writing we have come to expect from him.

By: padre

padre — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

I thought that was a picture of Edward Scissorhands as I scrolled by.

By: CK

CK — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Rudin needs to get a grip, he is treating this movie like the second coming of Jesus. How exactly does a good review "very badly damage the movie"? The intended audience for Tattoo will either see it no matter what because they are fans of the books and/or Fincher OR they will wait for reviews to come in before deciding to see it. His "embargo" has no purpose but to build hype. So much damn arrogance.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

I'm with Rudin on this one. Stick to your word! If u want to see the movie early, honor the embargo.

By: Sonia Black

Sonia Black — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

My girlfriend and I already made plans to go see this movie on the day it opened because we are big fans of the books. But now we feel Rudin is absolutely ludicrous with his panties in a bunch over an early review. It has taken the lustre off of the plan and neither one of us feel the same about going to see it because of Rudin. We are not sure if we will go anymore on the first day. Or even the first weekend because he makes us feel disgust toward him. The "embargo" is manipulation of the press. Screw him. All these arguments about what day to release the review is just plain stupid. You make the movie you stand by it. You don't want critics to review it, don't invite them early. It's not rocket science. The press's right to inform the public trumps the studio's right to wring as much money as possible out of the public.

By: chaz

chaz — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

The remarkable thing here is that a critic and a producer are corresponding at all – and on a first name basis. This is of course the norm for American journalism these days — it's all one big cozy club, with lots of back scratching and mutual admiration — which also accounts for all the lies and piffle one finds in the American media today.

By: Roger Ellman

Roger Ellman — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Breaking ones word is dishonest. The world progreses based on trust not doubt as to whether to trust…
So this agreement broken, was a breach of trust.

If Scott Rudin has ever broken his word, that too would have been a breach of trust. But the two events if true cannot compensate, justify or amelirote each other.

What is….is!

Best wishes and good business
Roger

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Scott Rudin is notorious in the film biz for his temper flareups and his treatment of his assistants. His rather unreasonable response to Denby's email isn't a surprise (nor does it even come close to the nasty streak that Rudin has shown behind closed doors).

By: oize

oize — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

If anything, this minor controversy will generate more interest for the movie. Bravo.

By: hank

hank — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Now the playlist is publishing private emails. I might as well start reading Gawker.

By: add_bot

add_bot — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

Sony obviously has been paying attention to Apple. Everyone knows that after Gizmodo leaked the original lost iPhone 4, they couldn't give the things away once released. I mean c'mon who even remembers what that thing is let alone having seen one. As a result, due to Gizmodo's immoral damaging actions those unleaked Windows Phone 7 handsets just destroyed Apple. Sad.

By: cory

cory — Fri, 13 May 2016 13:18:23 +0000

The real loser in all this? Cameron Crowe. The funniest part is how Denby pretends not to know the name of "We Bought A Zoo" as if a 2 second google search wouldn't have confirmed his suspicions on that title.