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Snapshot of ClOVERFIELD(2008).
© Paramount Pictures

Let's Talk CLOVERFIELD, Maniacs

By: Jarrod Sarafin, News Editor
Date: Saturday, July 07, 2007

It's been a slow news week for obvious reasons. Today is no different when it comes to news and I'm sure Sunday will be no different. So why not bring up a discussion about something which we can discuss... One such topic is this ultra-secretive CLOVERFIELD project on the horizon from Paramount and producer JJ Abrams (LOST). I'm willing to bet you saw TRANSFORMERS this week and if you did, you saw the trailer for the JJ Abrams "un-named" project currently titled "Cloverfield" or "Parasite" depending on your sources. I revealed earlier in the week that 1-18-08.com went live (though of course no one credited me when they published it later that day). I'm not going to worry about it because honestly it's just a site with a picture and a time stamp. Oh well, right?

Later on, Film Ick revealed that two new websites were launched, ethanhaaswasright.com and ethanhaaswaswrong.com. Did you even bother with the puzzles over at ethanhaaswasright.com?

I'll let you know as far as I went...I stopped at Puzzle 4.

Puzzle 1: Just copy the buttons on the "Pod". They pop up in order. Just hit those buttons in order and a new star will appear in the sky. This will be the first movie.

Puzzle 2: Click on the far right star in the sky. It will give you an Alien alphabet from A-Z. On the second puzzle, spell out the word HAAS. The two vertical alien letters should be HA....the horizontal alien letters should be AS. A new star will appear in the sky and a new movie clip will play.

Puzzle 3: Play checkers with the lights on the "Pod". There are two empty spaces at the bottom. Start there...Jump over each light (like Checkers) until there is only ONE light on the board....A new movie clip will play and a new star will appear in the sky.

Puzzle 4: You have 3 green balls and one blue ball. Use your direction keys on your keyboard to guide the blue ball. The blue ball controls all 3 green balls. Your goal is to get all 3 green balls into the 3 slot spaces for the puzzle. (I haven't completed this one yet.)

Obviously, this is a new game of "marketing" and it spells out something related to LOST's JJ Abram and his plans for CLOVERFIELD. Viral marketing and secrecy is much more entertaining than blasting news about it every single day. I've seen the same kind of reaction since THE DARK KNIGHT hits online news outlets everyday. Sometimes "less is more".

Still, what do you think about this new film project? What do you think about the rumors over it whether they range from it being about a Parasite to the other rumors about it being an ultra secretive Godzilla sequel?

Is your interest piqued? Let's have a discussion on a slow news weekend.

Jarrod's Note: Don't worry, entertainment news will pick up next week...

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Comments/Responses

almostunbiased • Jul 07, 2007, 06:37am •

I'm hoping for a big monster, but I have a feeling it's just invading aliens.

fourtwenty • Jul 07, 2007, 07:08am •

its a remake of The Blob, lol

Brendan • Jul 07, 2007, 07:22am •

or a Cthulhu movie.
I don't know if this MYSPACE page is the work of a fan or a work in progress of one of the many pages the studio will have to tease or spread disinformation.

http://www.myspace.com/ethanhaaswasright

jppintar326 • Jul 07, 2007, 07:36am •

I remember watching a preview for this movie waiting for the title and it never came. I'm willing to bet the mystery will be better than the movie itself, just like the overrated Blair Witch Project or Eyes Wide Shut.

Jakester • Jul 07, 2007, 09:05am •

Blair Witch delivered exactly what it said it would. I loved it. Plus, I live a few miles from Burkittsville, so it was hysterical watching kids on opening night thinking that it was real. I also saw it on business in Tennessee, and had a blast convincing people there that it *was* real. "Oh, it was all over then news years ago..."

EWS has grown on me quite a bit, but I was like "WTF" at first.

The marketing for this thing is pretty good -- just like NIN's "Year Zero" campaign. I got the puzzles sorted and it asks for your email and gives you a code word to be entered on 8/1/07.
Haven't checked out the myspace page yet, but I expect we'll see an update or two a week on the various sites (or the addition of new sites) that may or may not relate directly to the plot of the movie.

creamygnome • Jul 07, 2007, 10:19am •

I'm not interested simply because it's being shot with handheld cameras of that quality. It just looks annoying to watch for 1.5 to 2 hours.

GentlemenDeath • Jul 07, 2007, 10:54am •

I agree Jakester...The marketing is being done very well I am getting very interested in the film, as it develops....

This better not be a sequal to Godzilla....That was one of the worst movies I have ever seen, and given it a sequal is far to generous.

Blair Witch was good and so was EYW.. The thing with Blair Witch, is that as soon as everyone found out it was not real, they replied with, Oh it sucks. And, oh this is the worst idea ever...yeah, well why is it ONE of the top grossing films?? Riddle me that, you dick....

jrjedi • Jul 07, 2007, 11:06am •

I think the smoke monster escaped from the lost island. lol

gutsmgee • Jul 07, 2007, 11:12am •

I really liked everything about The Blair Witch except for the OVER shaky camera movements. I know it was intended to be more realistic, and I accept that, but it didn't make for very comfortable viewing for me personally. Perhaps even though this film is shot in a similar fashion does not have to mean it will be as hard to watch? I was really moved by this trailer. I can't stop imagining the possibilities, and unfortunately I think the worst kind of hype, is self created, not created by studio marketers. This doesn't have to be a Godzilla sequel as much as it could be another "reboot".There are several Godzilla flicks that have nothing to do with each other, so, maybe this is another "re-imagining" ? I just hope it lives up to the hype in my own mind....lol ( Film goers die of self inflicted hype wounds, Marketers ponder the laws of unintended consequences....I can see the headline now..lol) There's only so much you can infer from a vague 2 minute movie trailer that's intended to spur over analysis and speculation.

jedi4sshield • Jul 07, 2007, 11:15am •

I would find it hard for a monster to be at two places at once. With the major explosion of the city in the background and the head of the statue of liberty followed closely behind. This tells me two distinct and close moments. Unless the monster held the statues head in it's mouth or tentacle or something. If it was in the vicinity of that explosion it could very well cause damage to itself. This might indicated that it either threw something that was highly explosive in that vacinity or consider the fire breathing scenario (Waka Waka). If its invading aliens (aka Monsters) that would be cool. Am I over analyzing. Whats your opinion?

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