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 Kester Pelagius |
When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? |
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Posts: 920 (10/19/07 06:20:32) |
I know it's not Alpha Video's fault (they're hardly the only one's to use 'Grindhouse' as a marketing gimmick) but, as I point out in my most recent rant, some things are just baffling. Like pairing "War of the Robots" with ANY movie and calling it a "Grindhouse Double Shock Show".
Is it just me? Am I the only one confuddled? |
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luisj40 |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 2873 (10/19/07 09:38:20) |
When I hear the word Grindhouse I think of Exploitation Cinema you know the good old dirty movies filled with nudity (preferably female) and/or violence that most of us here like.
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Latarnia |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 12298 (10/19/07 15:01:31) |
I guess I was around during the "grindhouse" days, but no one that I knew called such theaters "grindhouses"... just "your local/neighborhood theater."
Mirek |
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luisj40 |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 2873 (10/19/07 15:33:21) |
I can't remember when I first heard the term Grindhouse but my guess it was after such theaters had closed down. I recall seeing such theaters (when I was too young to go into them) which were primarily located in Downtown LA and the Hollywood area and I recall people referring to them as the "dirty movie theaters" or some even called them "porn houses" although I doubt any of them showed any hardcore stuff.
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bgart13 |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 1919 (10/19/07 17:38:16) |
The people that are coming up with this wonderful marketing term obviously don't understand the concept of "grindhouse". They are the same people that think grindhouse means horror and gore movies (see the Fangoria forums for more info). They just don't get it. They will act like they know everything and won't admit to being wrong either, but they just don't get it. And never will.
Related to this, did anyone else hear that the Weinstein Co. are trying to make the word "grindhouse" theirs? Yep, apparently, they want to sort of "copyright" it, and keep all of these little companies trying to make money off of their product. Lawyers and whatnot are supposed to be working on this one. On another forum, I suggested that if anyone should get the rights to the word (?!), it should either be Roger Corman/AIP, Sam Sherman or Bill Landis & Michelle Clifford. The mind boggles, even in this day and age... Ben |
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Latarnia |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 12298 (10/20/07 02:45:33) |
And the Weinsteins may win this one. Wasn't Universal successful in copyrighting/trademarking the word "Dracula," so that no film may now be titled with just that name?
Mirek |
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Howling Beast |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 2243 (10/20/07 04:15:00) |
Quote: That is so ridiculous. How any court could allow a company to trademark a name that was developed by someone else, years earlier is beyond stupid. I'm not sure why the Weinsteins would want to trademark Grindhouse, since the film(s) were huge failures (unless they are doing better on DVD). Brant |
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Kester Pelagius |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 920 (10/20/07 06:36:53) |
Now that's a good question Brant.
Has anyone actually bought any of these 'grindhouse' releases. If so what was your primary motivating factor? I haven't bought any, besides the Grindhouse Double Shock Show of The Day Time Ended/The Doomsday Machine. However that's mostly because I already own most of the titles being re-packed as 'grindhouse' releases. As for why I bought the Alpha release. . . 1) I'm a sucker for sci-fi. 2) Their DVD quality tends to be better than most PD companies, so I trust them for blind buys more than I would most. EDIT: Sans screen bugs. I hate screen bugs. They are an loathsome ungoldy pestilence that must be eradicated!!!! Did I mention they are a pet peeve of mine and we hates them, gollum? |
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bgart13 |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 1919 (10/20/07 09:22:05) |
I'm tempted to get more of the BCI Grindhouse dvds, especially after the positive experience with The Bodyguard/Sister Street Fighter. (here's hoping they somehow nab Street Fighter & the other sequels too...they clearly would put a lot of heart into them). I would like to get the newer one with Chain Gang Women (I love the audio from the trailer for it).
I've seen plenty that I would like to get, but just haven't been due to other releases being higher on my priority list. Again, September & October saw some heavy hitters hit the shelves. I was tempted to get the one from Alpha (I think it was) with Undertaker & His Pals/Carnival Of Blood. Was also nice to see that SWV didn't feel the need to pander with the grindhouse phenomena that took off with dvd companies. Yay! for them. And good question about those Weinsteins, especially with how poorly the Grindhouse movie went, with making significant money in the theaters. Seems like they don't learn their lessons very well. We already know that they talk out of both sides of their mouths. Ben |
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Howling Beast |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 2243 (10/20/07 18:47:54) |
Quote: Not I. I have most of these films already on various PD releases, but even if I didn't, I probably wouldn't get them. Most of these releases don't really represent the types of films they are trying to cash in on. I do like Alpha, however, and think their quality is better than most, as well as their covers are a lot of fun. Brant |
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Atomic Mystery Monster |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 932 (10/23/07 20:59:59) |
Quote: Yeah, kinda like how the term "b-movie" has drifted away from its original meaning. Quote: I believe you mean trademark (Although that's a pretty commom mistake, so it's quite forgiveable). Unlike a copyright, trademarks have a "use it or lose it" limitation on them, so you can't just sit on a trademark. If the trademark "dies," then it's free to use until the next time someone trademarks it. Trademarks are not all encompassing, either. Marvel comics trademarked "Daredevil" (applied in 1967, got it in 1970). However, I believe this means that someone couldn't make a comic book or superhero named "Daredevil" and that the general term was still okay. In fact, playing around with this website reveals that other companies have trademarked the term for use with certain products. One should be able to make a movie with the title "Daredevil," but you'd have to make sure that it couldn't be mistaken for a movie featuring the Marvel superhero. Like say, if you churned out a cheap superhero movie with the name "Daredevil II" and released it at the same time a Marvel-approved "Daredevil II" came out. Then you could get sued for unfair competition. The magazine/newsletter "Imagine" has a very informative article on the matter called "Protection of Titles" (by Mark Litwak) in their September 2006 back issue. Also, you know how sometimes cheap DVD releases edit out a studio logo or put a black bar over it? It's because the logo is trademarked and they could get sued for using it without permission. I'd imagine that the Weinsteins got wind of all the indie movies that trumpet their "grindhouse style" and are vaguely aware of the various "grindhouse collections" put out by other DVD companies, hence their desire for a trademark on "grindhouse". Their desire to trademark a term linked to a movie that didn't do well at the box office might also tie into their belief that Quentin Tarantino can do no wrong/equals profits. This is why they had him "present" the movie HERO and why they originally wanted him to translate/create the English script for PRINCESS MONONOKE. |
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Atomic Mystery Monster |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 932 (11/05/07 21:37:40) |
This site details the wide variety of movies that played at grindhouses. Also: Language (and some pictures) that'd definitely get you in trouble at work and will offend many. You have been warned...
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Latarnia |
Re: When did 'Grindhouse' become a marketing catch-all? | ||
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Posts: 12298 (11/05/07 22:25:00) |
I used to pick up the Gore Gazette in NYC when it was around. Had a lot of issues, then I sold them on eBay, except for a couple.
Mirek |
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