UNITED 300 Wins MTV Prize
Go Tell The Spartans...
MTV challenged viewers to create movie trailers spoofing their favorite films of the year, and the results may not have been, overall, as polished as the best mashups of 2007. But the clear frontrunner was the polished and borderline offensive UNITED 300, which had the Spartans fight back against German (!) terrorists who'd taken over commuter flight.
Director Andy Signore, in his acceptance speech, was quick to deflect charges of bad taste, dedicating the trophy both to Zack Snyder and Frank Miller's graphic novel thriller and those who'd fought back against real life tyranny.
Comments
I'd have to say the little spoof was in bad taste. Kid directors love to be "outrageous," but he could have had his 300 crew lampooning another film.
The incident portrayed in UNITED 93 was just too critical and heartfelt (let alone the devastating impact on world events and lives) to be made fun of. The victim's lives and heroism isn't a joke. This is a situation that the overused term "too soon" really applies.
Posted by: SeattleMoviegoer | June 6, 2007 10:36 AM
I have to admit I laughed when the Spartans and terrorists obediently sat down and buckled up when the Fasten Seatbelts Sign came on...but there was something more than a bit icky about parodying UNITED 93 (as you say, in an effort to be outrageous) and then not having the courage of one's "outrageous" convictions. The terrorists were re-cast as generic Euro-Villains so as not to offend anyone.
Some of the other trailers, though, I just didn't get the joke - they were all over the place or parodying too many movies. As rude as it was, the winning trailer juxtaposed two familiar movies and it did, I have to say, look awfully sharp for an "amateur" production.
Posted by: Justine_Film Fatale | June 6, 2007 04:03 PM
Come on now people. The movie spoofed two movies and did fine job at it. Yes, it may have been "too soon" but eventually we must all come to conclusion that we can't live in the past forever. The movie in no way demoralized the images of people who tragically lost their lives. In some cases, humor is a way for us to cope with loss, to forget reality and enjoy descent entertainment.
People loosen up, it was a genius spoof and a great "amateur" production.
End of Story.
Posted by: TokyoMoviegoer | July 3, 2007 09:19 AM
Come on now people. The movie spoofed two movies and did fine job at it. Yes, it may have been "too soon" but eventually we must all come to conclusion that we can't live in the past forever. The movie in no way demoralized the images of people who tragically lost their lives. In some cases, humor is a way for us to cope with loss, to forget reality and enjoy descent entertainment.
People loosen up, it was a genius spoof and a great "amateur" production.
End of Story.
Posted by: TokyoMoviegoer | July 3, 2007 09:19 AM