tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594191000962107206.post1999957303638664165..comments2024-02-23T02:51:15.687-06:00Comments on Michael's Telluride Film Blog : Chang and Variety Dissect Telluride and Toronto (And Venice Too)/Not So Fast on "Foxcatcher"/New Views of Stewart's "Rosewater"/"Also New Looks at "Kill the Messenger"Michael Pattersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390400380332835906noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594191000962107206.post-16693647410457718672014-08-21T18:25:01.860-05:002014-08-21T18:25:01.860-05:00FrownUPSIDEdown...
Thanks!FrownUPSIDEdown...<br /><br />Thanks!Michael Pattersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03390400380332835906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594191000962107206.post-80802919161602525502014-08-21T15:11:53.962-05:002014-08-21T15:11:53.962-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Michael Pattersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03390400380332835906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594191000962107206.post-29708673875910888642014-08-21T12:57:07.833-05:002014-08-21T12:57:07.833-05:00Michael--
Something to maybe keep in mind (in cas...Michael--<br /><br />Something to maybe keep in mind (in case you already haven't!) with Kill the Messenger and Telluride is the fact that Focus has been turned completely inside out at the start of the year; none of the executives responsible for Brokeback, DBC, Lost in Translation, Hyde Park etc. are still there. As a result, I'm not 100% sure we can look to Focus' sometimes-there-sometimes-not presence at Telluride in the past as a predictor for it this year. One thing that we can tell for sure is that new-Focus has a strategy for its films, wise or not, that suggests it came to play the field. Theory of Everything is probably most telling--it's by far Focus' most sellable film and, given new-Focus' emphasis is on money-making and less art house (see: 50 shades of grey), TIFF should be the perfect fit with all the mega-press. However, it still didn't get a run at Telluride first...or anywhere else. The same thing can be said for Boxtrolls at Venice, Telluride and AFI withstanding. Considering new-Focus is carrying their heaviest slate of oscar contenders into one season that I can remember, I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to play (or try to play) at least one at Telluride this year. The fact that they've set a lot of restrictions on it's other 2 films is what makes me wonder whether KTM is not festival-friendly or just the last piece of Focus' festival puzzle. <br /><br />I'm not claiming to be right by any capacity! I know there are no other festival labels we can infer KTM by, but Focus' slate and strategy don't exactly say nothing. <br /><br />Just to add--While new-Focus hasn't had a lot (any) luck with their film releases since DBC (where old-Focus ended) it's also important to note that Kill the Messenger and Boxtrolls (I think) were purchased and made under old-Focus, and were promised to be distributed by new-Focus (along with Black Sea, which<br />New-Focus will distribute in dump<br />month, Jan of next year). Given old-Focus' heavier emphasis on the craft and oscar-quality risk takers, I don't doubt that KTM was always likely to be marketed to the more oscar-prone crowd. I'm personally 60/40 on KTM making a festival run especially because of that "risk taking" characteristic, esp when Gary Webb was such a polarizing figure himself. But nevertheless, the fact that new-Focus gave both of the films oscar-friendly dates after their respective screenings, and then followed it up with a public-friendly purchase of Theory of Everything and it's highly-publicized TIFF debut, it seems like (IIIIFFFFF KTM were going to go the festival route) that a smaller festival would be preferable given the content. <br /><br />This is just my educated guesses! I don't have huge hopes for KTM at Telluride, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did. The change-up at Focus will become very clear at some point in this oscar season, I'm just not sure when. :)FrownUPSIDEdownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16039239211196290956noreply@blogger.com