MovieChat Forums > Fascination (2004) Discussion > Caution: user comments reflect shills fr...

Caution: user comments reflect shills from interested parties

posted 19 years ago by BornJaded
14 replies | jump to latest

Just a word of caution:

Some of the user comments posted for 'Fascination' (2004) are actually shills from producers and others who are associated with the film.

How do I know this? Well, for one, it is impossible for anyone to think this is a good film, unless they are mentally retarded or have never before seen a movie and understand nothing about human behavior. More importantly, the early comments are by people from Los Angeles (after I observed this in my user comments, subsequent shills simply cited 'Unites States' as their location), they all stress the same 'perks,' they read like marketing ploys, they are similar in content to the movie's production notes (which are as unintentionally funny as the film), and finally, the user names are pretty similar to the names of some of the individuals listed under Full Cast and Crew.

Am I being unreasonable or overzealous here? Not at all. I have no problem with investors and filmmakers excited about their own work and openly promoting it, even if the work is unmitigated garbage (which 'Fascination' unquestionably is), but there is something deeply objectionable about the same individuals clandestinely advertising the film in a free and public forum such as the IMDb, masquerading as everyday folks like you and me and singing the film's praises. (One comment urges, "Bring a date!," which pretty plainly translates into "Buy more than one ticket to increase Box Office take!"). Worse, one of the film's associate producers posted a comment directly attacking my own credibility, incorrectly guessing that I was a 40-year old male (I'm roughly half that) and this is why I couldn't connect with the film. Of course, she adopted the guise of an ordinary moviegoer in doing so, which is, at the very least, deceptive, and represents the kind of interests behind this film. Perhaps the worst aspect of her comment was the line "For me [the movie] was the foreplay to an evening of PASSION." I almost gagged. I guess she really got off on the dailies, huh?

The kind of desperation and deceptiveness on exhibit in the filmmakers' user comments speaks volumes about this film.

[–] jmail-10 19 years ago

I absolutely second that and, in fact, had tried to post much the same suspicion as an addendum to my original posting but it never got posted. The marketing stategy is neither sophisticated nor unique, just devious. It is clear what the agenda is here by these flacks posing as your average everyday movie-goer. Bombard the target audiance, young men, with promises of cinematic hot sex, that will really get their date in the mood for some, oh, I don't know... real hot sex! Give me a break. Unfortunately, you would have had to have seen this movie (or at least as much as you could physically stand) to know just how ridiculous some of the straight-from-the-publicity-release assertions are. For example, one of these "objective reviews" hyping the "top notch" supporting cast featuring one of the more recognizable names in the Cast, James Naughton. One small problem: Naughton is on screen for about 15 seconds and never utters a word. Oh, but the way he takes his morning vitamins and swims in the ocean is surely Oscar worthy!

[–] BornJaded 19 years ago

Update:

The latest comment, dated February 3rd, highly recommends the movie to "all friends of Hitchcock" (haha!), and reads:

"I give the film a10 for the acting by all principle actors, for its production values, beautiful locations, excellent cinematography and for the unusual storytelling, which made me, discuss the movie with all my friends. I just saw it a second time. It still kept me on my toes, and I discovered many things I overlooked the first time. I highly recommend it to all friends of Hitchcock who was the best in mixing suspense and romance into a potent combination of erotic chills. He also used elements of the film noir even though none are core examples of noir movement. "Fascination" also has those plot twists, surprising performances and a wonderfully ambiguous, sexy femme fatale in Alice Evans. - Also, I predict that Adam Garcia will be a superstar soon. Every girl younger than 25 loves to see him on the big screen..."

It is written, by the way, by a user named "Rayteam." Oddly enough, "Rayteam" is the nickname/middle name of the movie's cinematographer, listed in the credits at IMDb as "Reinhart 'Rayteam' Peschke." Come now. Is this shameless or what?

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sacto-da 19 years ago

Thanks for the heads up. I have seen and read things from these people. They do over do it.
Donna A.

Life it to short to be crabby.

[–] JakeDarko 19 years ago

thanks for the heads up, I had never even heard the word "shill" before. Hmmm, you sound pretty knowledgeable in the film industry... are you perhaps working for a competitor to these guys? could it be a CONSPIRACY?!!

kidding..

k, off to take my meds.

"To be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is to apply it."

[–] oyster_without_soul 19 years ago

Ha, ha, ha, wonderful strategy! I hope the film sells, so these marketing experts finaly get a sex life of their own.

[–] Dylan_Gilliam 18 years ago

bump

[–] swayback80 18 years ago

Thanx for the "heads-up"! I just watched this garbage today, & after I stopped laughing, I couldn't wait to look at the board. Those posted comments about this unadulterated tripe of a movie, only made me laugh harder! You've restored my faith in human nature! Fair warning- THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST MOVIES EVER MADE!!!!

[–] saneman1 18 years ago

I agree that the user comment are more entertaining than this forgettable direct to video movie. Watching it on Showtime. While there doesn't seem to be as much as sexuality as I hoped for, one of the user comments repeatedly stressing what a great family movie it is is hilarious.

Also the quality related comments crack me up.

[–] mssam1-770-295688 14 years ago

Swayback, not sure if other other real reviews were what restored your faith. Is very sad to see that movie marketing has deteriorated into covert postings on movie boards, but not surprising.

I'm not sure this is one of the wort movies ever made, but it's probably only middling, saved by some of the production - photography and sets. Acting was OK at some points, but this one seemed close to higher production porn. I don't have lots to compare it to - maybe they were going for a Basic Instinct - the orig feel? maybe this version was the one released overseas (aren't those versions much "steamier"? Anyway, it just seemed pretty frig-g ludicrous at a lot of points. So much so that reviewing this movie as a must-see could only come from an interested party.

This is a movie that I'd be embarrassed to tell anyone I know that I watched the whole thing. It kind of sucks you in & you watch the whole thing (@ least I did) just to see if you're right. "Plot twists" were not unpredictable & in some ways I'd like a refund for my time.

[–] mssam1-770-295688 14 years ago

[–] rajanxxx 18 years ago

It is amazing that a movie like this has got so many favorable reviews.And even more amazing is that these reviews have got people commenting that these comments were useful to them.

Although most of the people (including me ),who have actually watched it ,have claimed it to be one of the worst movies of all time, still the commercially motivated have managed to get their reviews on the front page.Shouldn't something be done to put this movie where it belongs(the trash can)?

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] hoov-4 14 years ago

Music was very good and I can't find out what songs were used. To me Alice Evans as a brunette is hot but not as a blond. Nice, I mean superb body at least back then. I'm not a paid shill either. Movie was a 4 or 5. If more money was put into it could have been a 7. I just liked Alice Evans body and dark hair. Nice perky nipples too.