D Movies

‘The Gotham Times’ Now Online!

I checked “Hollywood Chicago” earlier today, in what has been a regular checkup since last Saturday / Sunday. Usually they are good about breaking any news related to “The Dark Knight” viral campaigns.

The last viral campaign for the movie was “Rory’s Death Kiss.com”, a website dedicated to taking photos of Batman fans dressing up a Joker’s and taking photos of themselves all over the world. From group photos of Joker’s to single Joker’s, there were a ton of submissions, and a lot of them were really fun. The whole Dark Knight campaign was to end at 11:59 on November 17th, the last time anyone could submit a group Joker photo. So everyone anticipated that on the 18th, something new would happen. Well, I was up at Midnight, and there was a message on the website. Those Joker photos that were chosen as the best would be receiving something in the mail. Regular mail.

Today, I finally heard what that object was. It was a fully mocked up “Gotham Times” newspaper! How lucky for those Batman fans. I had thought about trying to submit something, and now I wish I had.

So, photos went online of the “Gotham Times” newspaper that the fans got, with a message saying that the new www.thegothamtimes.com website would go online today, November 23rd.

I just check five minutes ago, and it is now online. I should be doing something else, but I will be reading this 4 page Batman Dark Knight newspaper first! Viral marketing is awesome, this has taken some great creativity.

I am sure the main point of interest in the Batman themed newspaper is the next charge for those who have participated in the campaign up to this point. There is an ad in the newspaper that reads;

Correction
A classified ad in our last issue was incorrect. It should have read:

Charming, handsome man with dazzling smile seeks amateur clowns for discreet encounters. No previous sense of humor necessary. Criminal record a plus. Interested? Write to humanresources@whysoserious.com in the full understanding that we have your email address and might send you alarming, disturbing, or annoying material at any moment.

Hollywood Chicago reports when e-mailed, the following auto-reply message is returned:

See you found my little message. So, do you think you have what it takes to be a part of my circle of friends?

Are you a backstabbing, self-promoting, ambitious clown who will do anything to prove yourself to me?

If so, the first step of your application process awaits … if you know where to look.

In the style of the other websites, there is a tear you can pull back on the front page of the Gotham Times. It has a bunch of “Ha Ha’s” written underneath. Seems odd to me that there is only one Joker touch that I could find, but maybe that will come to light in the next couple of hours.

~Edit www.wearetheanswer.com is now online as well. The Gotham Knight newspaper mentioned this website, and it wasn’t online at all until the paper went online. The website is dedicated to Harvey Dent’s crusade to take back the corrupt Gotham Police Force, offering this website as a annoynomous website to submit your tips through.

Also now online, an IMAX featurette on The Dark Knight 7 minute prologue debuting in front of I Am Legend on December 7th.

~Edit - 2:20 I sent a letter to the email address for “Letters To The Editor” (letterstotheeditor@thegothamtimes.com), a section in the Gotham Times. Here is the automated response I got back;

Dear Contributor:

Thank you for submission. Although we cannot run all letters we receive, please be assured that we read all letters. If we do use your letter in an upcoming edition of The Gotham Times, we may edit it for space considerations. We appreciate your letters and hope that you will continue to submit to us. And thank you for your support of The Gotham Times.

Sincerely,

The Editors

I also sent a tip through the wearetheanswer.com website. I didn’t get the automated response back that was mentioned above. That is promising.

There will be some clues in the newspaper about the next campaign. I have noticed some asterisks above random letters that may spell some sort of Dark Knight themed message. Will I investigate it all? I doubt it. I am done time wise for now. It also could be some website being launched about Gina Tortericci. Who knows. I just know I want to be involved in the next viral thing, and not miss out like I did on dressing up like the Joker.

~Edit - 6:25 I did end up getting an answer from wearetheanswer.com. It was just a confirmation email to make sure that I wasn’t posing as someone I wasn’t. I tried to write some really creative things, alluding to former Batman artists and the facts that were presented in the paper. I imagine everyone will get a response either way, whether they were creative or not…

Since earlier in the afternoon, the dedicated individuals at Hollywood Chicago.com have uncovered (as I figured they would pick everything apart) a number of other website launches. They are;

• http://www.thehahahatimes.com
• http://www.gothamnationalbank.com
• http://www.gothampolice.com
• http://www.rememberinggina.org
• http://www.gothamcityhall.com (Under Construction Still)

I was right about the website about “Gina”, just couldn’t find the address. The best site is probably the Ha Ha Ha Times website, with is just a copy of the Gotham Times website, with Joker’s special touches:)

I read about 60% of the paper, but apparently missed the phone number, 866-237-6480. If you call it, I guess it just directs you to visit The Gotham Times website. I will have to try it later.

~Edit - 11/24 10:45 AM - Got an email back today from wearetheanswer.com Tips line. I had used a cop with the name “Bolland”, just for a test, as a tip to the well known Batman comic artist Brian Bolland. This is what I got back;

The District Attorney’s office is not aware of an officer by that name.

Please be assured that the Gotham City DA takes all information seriously and confidentially.

Thank you for doing your part in making Gotham City better, safer, stronger. Together, We Are The Answer.
Reply

Thanks to Matt! for the great tip on entering in the cops names from the Gotham Times at wearetheanswer.com, should have been obvious….I will have to try and see if I get the same message.

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Halloween reveal of Two-Face at Why So Serious.com?

Late last week I had seen posts about Why So Serious.com pop up on my radar. If you remember, this is the website that has had a couple of different “Dark Knight” viral marketing campaigns.

The newest addition was a Joker Jack-o-latern, with a creepy grin and a burning candle. I visited the site and didn’t think too much of it.

But then, the Joker pumpkin’s candle kept burning further and further down, and it was obvious something was going to happen. What new inside bit would we see about The Dark Knight movie coming up.

Well, on Friday and over the weekend, the pumpkin started to rot! I know it sound stupid to get so excited, but for a Batman geek this is a big deal. All of us are excited about Christopher Nolan’s treatment of Batman, and all of the photos of the movie we have seen so far. We’ve already seen the joker, and Heath Ledger looks awesome. But what about an image of Aaron Eckhart as Two-Face?

Here are some progression images showing the original pumpkings, and then the pumpkin rotting on only one side. The pace of the changes makes it appears as if the final reveal will take place on Halloween. How cool, something for the geeky comic book legions to look forward to!

(I know this is mostly re-regurgitating information from a ton of blogs, like HollywoodChicago…but not all of my readers visit those sites:)

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“Dark Knight” Chicago filming completed

According to a couple of sources, including “Batman On Film”, the filming of The Dark Knight in Chicago has wrapped. They finished sometime in early September, don’t really have the time or the inclination to search for an exact date.

Kind of bummed. I had intentions to get up there to try to see something from afar, but the cost of gas kept me home. I will always probably be “I wish I would’ve”. I was kind of hoping to tie a trip to Chicago to try to catch Dark Knight filming with a couple of others things:) But they didn’t shoot long enough.

Well, now I guess I’ll just have to look forward to December for the trailer. It should be attached to Will Smith’s “I Am Legend”.

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New Joker Images from The Dark Knight

Were these leaked? Probably. It makes me a little sad to look at them, but I can’t hide my excitement either. I don’t want to have to wait until December to see something big.

~Edit - You can also view them at John Bierley’s Flickr page if Warner Bros starts taking them down from either site.

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The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Who’s Voice is in it

Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci

Should you see this movie?

I think so. It was funny, heartwarming, bitter, and surprising all in one. I think there may be a lot of different cliches wrapped up in a different setting in this movie, but I think both Hathaway and Streep did an awesome job, and it was an entertaining movie. It’s like one big long cat fight, but with wounds a little more deep, and with fashion men. None of the stars are first rate so you may not go to just see one of them, but it is fun for the guys to see Hathaway go from a regular girl next door to a real hottie by the end of the movie.

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The DaVinci Code (2006)

Who’s Voice is in it

Tom Hanks, Ian McKellen, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina

Should you see this movie?

That is a good question. It was one of the two real blockbusters of the year based closely on one of the best sellers of a few years, a few years back. But if you have strong views on Christianity and can’t step aside for some fiction, they you won’t want to see this. Granted, it does mislead those who don’t know about Christianity, which is bad, and I can’t argue that really, so, I won’t. This movie follows the book very well. One of the few reads I’ve made in recent years, but I wanted to evaluate the movie based on the media and not listen to the stupid critics. I thought it was a good translation except for some small details they changed at the end that seemed to be strange details to change. But, it is a good story if you can enjoy it for that, and if you think you can, you may want to see this. But like Harry Potter, it is made for the book fans more, so you may feel a little lost watching it.

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Domino (2005)

Who’s in it

Kiera Knightly, Mickey Rourke, Ian Ziering and Brian Austin Green of Beverly Hills Fame

What was good

How they made fun of Ziering and Green, for starters. The style of the movie, the color, the elements and how it was shot was different and engaging. The opening sequence was really sweet too. The story was pretty good, pretty basic and quite a stretch to believe at times, but still something you don’t see everyday. Girl from preppy family goes awol and becomes a hot bounty hunter.

What sucked

The movie didn’t really keep my interest in a lot of ways, the characters were hard to relate to, everyone was a tough guy and the interaction didn’t seem very genuine. Knightly looks good with a couple of guns, but you never believe she is the character. Plus, you have seen the previews where they keep repeating the dialogue “My name is Domino. I am a bounty hunter.” It’s annoying in the previews and equally so in the movie. It just seems to be a lot of disjointed violence, double crossing, and stupid characters that don’t know which way is up.

Who should go see this

If you thought the previews looked interesting, you probably should feed the need and just see it. But I think the previews were a tell all, and if you weren’t hooked then, then you probably wouldn’t be at all. I can’t think of anyone but college guy friends I might recommend this one to, otherwise this movie barely got three stars for me. I wouldn’t watch it again.

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The Deal (2005)

Who’s in it

Christian Slatner, Selma Blair

What was good

Selma Blair. She was cute, likeable, a sweet girl that you wanted to believe could exist on Wall Street.

What sucked

Slatner’s acting. I don’t think that Hollywood knows what to do with him now that he is clean, I am surprised he even gets roles. In this movie you don’t get any background about him, you are left trying to figure out throughout the movie if he is a tool, or a nice guy trying to do something good, every other minute or so.

Who should go see this

No One. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone. Neither casting is big. The plot is kind of interesting to think about, it is a few years in the future, gas prices are over 6 per gallon and it is illegal to trade goods with the arabs states. What would politicians do to get the gas supply to people, and who would they kill? The movie is really disjointed and told not shown, so by the time you figure out what is going on, you don’t care.

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