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 The Cooler - long post, EC, 26. Aug 2003 10:41 | ||
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| Hi, I have something of a marketing question below that relates to my job, feel free to ignore if such a question bothers you. I work for Lions Gate Films, we are releasing a movie this fall called "The Cooler." William H. Macy stars in it as a man with such bad luck that he is hired to "cool off" the hot streaks at an old-Vegas type casino, where he is employed by casino boss Alec Baldwin. His luck starts to change when he falls in love with a cocktail waitress played by Maria Bello. The film is set in Vegas, most of it takes place in the fictional Shangri-La Casino, clearly modeled on Binion's. The film has been getting critical raves and was a big hit at Sundance this year. My question is this- the film is a noirish black comedy as well as a love story, heavy on old-Vegas style and charm, with a reverent but also realistic view of both old and new Vegas. That being said, does this type of movie as I've described it appeal to the average poker player? For myself, being someone who is very much a gambler and a "Vegas person" as well as a poker player, it has tremendous appeal to me (even if I wasn't working on it) but what I'm wondering is if marketing the film to the large community of poker players out there (being that poker players have some key differences from the typical "Vegas weekender playing craps" crowd) would be a good idea. In other words- are you someone who is interested in all things gambling/Vegas-related, or do you see poker as a more clearly defined, separate entity that doesn't color your views/interests in other tangentially related topics? Any thoughts will help, this movie is a good one and needs all the help it can get. If you have more questions, feel free to ask. Thanks Eli | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, Brian462, 26. Aug 2003 10:58 | ||
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| I probaly wouldn't go see the film but I think it is unrelated to my playing of poker and has more to do with it not being my type of film. | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, 4 POKER, 26. Aug 2003 12:04 | ||
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| Personally?..........because I am in the "gambling scene", (but really just as a poker player though).......I tend to find many of the gambling type movies to be a little off base when it comes to reality. Though a movie that is put together well would definitely interest me! "The Sting" was one of my favorite movies for along time and when I first saw it on the big screen, I couldn't have been more than ten years old. Still love it to this day! But when I saw "Casino", I hated it! I was ready to walk out after the first 20 minutes as I found it to be totally ridiculous. Sharon Stone throwing all of those chips up in the air and noone diving for em'? Yeah right! But I was with 2 other couples and they were ALL glued to the screen, so I guess it just depends on what interests you and what you personally are expecting when watching any movie. I'm a little critical when I watch a movie and for that reason alone, I don't go to many of them. If I can relate to it enough (when talking about a gambler type film), then I would probably be entertained by it, even if it's a game that I don't take part in. I enjoyed "Rounders" though...........especially being from Atlantic City and listenening to all the "poker terms" used by Matt Damon! It held my interest long enough to last through the entire movie, and I really thought it was quite entertaining but everyone has different tastes. I don't particularly like Alec Baldwin though, but would I go see it?...........probably!........just out of curiosty if anything else! And as long as it wasn't so far fetched that I couldn't even relate to it, and may cause me to walk right out! If it's done in a cheezy manor with a cheezy plot, it won't appeal to me, (like the show "Lucky" which I thought was awful, but hey........that's just MO)!!! 4P- | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, EC, 26. Aug 2003 12:13 | ||
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| Thanks for the reply. I think you'll enjoy 'The Cooler'- nothing about the gambling scenes are unrealistic, and despite the cheesy sounding plot premise, it's actually very well executed, a great movie for grown ups. I agree, we've all seen too many cheesy, unrealistic gambling portrayals on TV and in movies. I've always appreciated movies like "Swingers" and "Go" because they at least accurately portray Vegas. I'm sick of movies where the writer clearly doesn't know Vegas well. Eli on 26. Aug 2003 12:04 4 POKER wrote: > Personally?..........because I am in the "gambling scene", (but really just as a > poker player though).......I tend to find many of the gambling type movies to be a > little off base when it comes to reality. Though a movie that is put together well > would definitely interest me! > > "The Sting" was one of my favorite movies for along time and when I first saw it on > the big screen, I couldn't have been more than ten years old. Still love it to this > day! But when I saw "Casino", I hated it! I was ready to walk out after the first 20 > minutes as I found it to be totally ridiculous. Sharon Stone throwing all of those > chips up in the air and noone diving for em'? Yeah right! But I was with 2 other > couples and they were ALL glued to the screen, so I guess it just depends on what > interests you and what you personally are expecting when watching any movie. I'm a > little critical when I watch a movie and for that reason alone, I don't go to many of > them. > > If I can relate to it enough (when talking about a gambler type film), then I would > probably be entertained by it, even if it's a game that I don't take part in. > > I enjoyed "Rounders" though...........especially being from Atlantic City and > listenening to all the "poker terms" used by Matt Damon! It held my interest long > enough to last through the entire movie, and I really thought it was quite > entertaining but everyone has different tastes. > > I don't particularly like Alec Baldwin though, but would I go see > it?...........probably!........just out of curiosty if anything else! And as long as > it wasn't so far fetched that I couldn't even relate to it, and may cause me to walk > right out! If it's done in a cheezy manor with a cheezy plot, it won't appeal to me, > (like the show "Lucky" which I thought was awful, but hey........that's just MO)!!! > > > > 4P- | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, 4 POKER, 26. Aug 2003 12:17 | ||
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| Okay..........then count me in for the $8!............sounds good. 4P- | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, MsMaudie, 26. Aug 2003 12:38 | ||
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| Poker and Bill Macy - count me in! | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, EC, 26. Aug 2003 12:56 | ||
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| well...craps/BJ and Bill Macy. Are you still in? on 26. Aug 2003 12:38 MsMaudie wrote: > Poker and Bill Macy - count me in! | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, Radman, 26. Aug 2003 16:28 | ||
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| Sounds interesting. If Alec can keep his mouth shut about politics between now and release I'll probably go see it. 4Poker- no love for Casino? damn, I thought it was a very good movie, more of a mob flik than Vegas though. 2 great scenes- the eye pop out, and the ball bat beatdown at the end, Awesome! | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, kellian, 11. Sep 2003 09:24 | ||
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| I'm in... as long as Mamet didn't write it... | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, Jav, 26. Aug 2003 16:46 | ||
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| I would agree that "Swingers" and "Go" portrayed Vegas fairly accurately. Though the strip club people chasing the guys back to LA was a little silly. But I loved the movie. But to answer your question, I think there is some overlap between typical Vegas interest and poker interest. But they are different, and it might make sense to market to both groups. I'm hardly a marketing expert though! The movie sounds interesting enough for me to give it shot. I really like Macy as an actor, so that helps. | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, Andrew Wells, 26. Aug 2003 16:36 | ||
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| I'd be more inclined to wait until it hits the shelves at the local Blockbuster. | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, Kurt Abele, 27. Aug 2003 09:02 | ||
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| The movie sounds cool - I would want to see the previews before I decided if it was a blockbuster movie or a $8 movie... | ||
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| Reminds me of "Intacto", clovenhoof, 27. Aug 2003 22:17 | ||
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| Hi, The initial description sounded a bit like a spanish movie called Intacto that I think Lion's Gate had a piece of. I couldn't watch "Rounders". It was the most accurate poker movie I've ever seen (except some b.s. dialogue like "I don't think you've got the flush" -- that would never be said in that situation), and that was the problem. It brought back too many memories of missing classes or family functions because I was caught in a game too good (or too stuck) to leave. As unlikely as the whole story of Intacto was, I really enjoyed it. Good characters, and more importantly, I didn't know what was going to happen next. I've seen maybe five American (studio) movies in the last 15 years where I could say that. In terms of marketing, I don't think poker forums are the right place. The kinds of people who follow these forums all understand that success is found by exploiting weakness in other players, and in the math of the game. Where you can make some inroads is with people who are constantly looking for the lucky seat, the lucky charm, the hot streak, or what have you. That means casino players (though not blackjack card-counters) and live players in poker games, who generally don't know these forums exist. If any of that is helpful, drop me a line at clovenhoof@telus.net; I have a couple of other ideas that might help. 'hoof | ||
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| Re: Reminds me of "Intacto", EC, 28. Aug 2003 10:02 | ||
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| Yes, Intacto was our film as well. The Cooler is a very different type of film, the idea of someone having good luck/bad luck carries over but tonally and plot-wise the films are exact opposite. I do think you'll like The Cooler if you liked Intacto though, they both are very different from a typical studio film. Thanks Eli on 27. Aug 2003 22:17 clovenhoof wrote: > Hi, > > The initial description sounded a bit like a spanish movie called Intacto that I > think Lion's Gate had a piece of. > > I couldn't watch "Rounders". It was the most accurate poker movie I've ever seen > (except some b.s. dialogue like "I don't think you've got the flush" -- that would > never be said in that situation), and that was the problem. It brought back too many > memories of missing classes or family functions because I was caught in a game too > good (or too stuck) to leave. > > As unlikely as the whole story of Intacto was, I really enjoyed it. Good > characters, and more importantly, I didn't know what was going to happen next. I've > seen maybe five American (studio) movies in the last 15 years where I could say > that. > > In terms of marketing, I don't think poker forums are the right place. The kinds of > people who follow these forums all understand that success is found by exploiting > weakness in other players, and in the math of the game. Where you can make some > inroads is with people who are constantly looking for the lucky seat, the lucky > charm, the hot streak, or what have you. That means casino players (though not > blackjack card-counters) and live players in poker games, who generally don't know > these forums exist. > > If any of that is helpful, drop me a line at clovenhoof@telus.net; I have a couple > of other ideas that might help. > > 'hoof | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, stdioh, 28. Aug 2003 09:42 | ||
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| Nonpoker gambling movies have little interest for me. Poker movies have much interest for me. | ||
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| Re: The Cooler - long post, gary ford, 28. Aug 2003 13:52 | ||
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| on 26. Aug 2003 10:41 EC wrote: > Hi, > > I have something of a marketing question below that relates to my job, feel > free to ignore if such a question bothers you. > > I work for Lions Gate Films, we are releasing a movie this fall called "The > Cooler." William H. Macy stars in it as a man with such bad luck that he is > hired to "cool off" the hot streaks at an old-Vegas type casino, where he is > employed by casino boss Alec Baldwin. His luck starts to change when he falls > in love with a cocktail waitress played by Maria Bello. The film is set in > Vegas, most of it takes place in the fictional Shangri-La Casino, clearly > modeled on Binion's. The film has been getting critical raves and was a big hit > at Sundance this year. > > My question is this- the film is a noirish black comedy as well as a love > story, heavy on old-Vegas style and charm, with a reverent but also realistic > view of both old and new Vegas. That being said, does this type of movie as > I've described it appeal to the average poker player? For myself, being someone > who is very much a gambler and a "Vegas person" as well as a poker player, it > has tremendous appeal to me (even if I wasn't working on it) but what I'm > wondering is if marketing the film to the large community of poker players out > there (being that poker players have some key differences from the typical > "Vegas weekender playing craps" crowd) would be a good idea. In other words- > are you someone who is interested in all things gambling/Vegas-related, or do > you see poker as a more clearly defined, separate entity that doesn't color your > views/interests in other tangentially related topics? > > Any thoughts will help, this movie is a good one and needs all the help it can > get. If you have more questions, feel free to ask. > > Thanks As you can see,the posters on this forum have as many differemt opinions on this as they do on how to play AK UTG. Your question was phrased as a marketing question and i'm unsure what you are asking. You seem to be asking if 'poker players " are different from the general population. The answer is no. Are pros and semi-pros different? The answer is yes. In this weeks TIME magazine, there is a full-page article entitled " Decks, lies, and videotape " The startling interest in poker on TV is the subject of the article. To be specific, if you marketed this movie on WSOP and WPT your money would be well spent. Another point; at the recent Las Vegas film festival, the poker movie " Stuey " was shown. Hundreds were turned away at the original showing ( I know i was there, early thankfully )and 2 additional showings had to be scheduled. .Another "poker movie, starring Sylvester Stallone was also shown. ( saw it too ) it was dreadful--no additional showings necessary. If this is a good movie it will succeed. Back to your marketing question, promoting the film on WSOP and WPT would be target marketing at its best. Fuel the boom---Gary > | ||
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