THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD (2011)

Genre: Documentary
Director: Morgan Spurlock
Cast: J.J. Abrams, Peter Berg, Paul Brennan, Brett Ratner, Antonio Reid, Quentin Tarantino, Donald Trump, Morgan Spurlock
RunTime: 1 hr 29 mins
Released By:  GV
Rating: PG13
Official Website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/

Opening Day: 6 October 2011

Synopsis: Boundary-pushing Oscar-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock explores the world of product placement, marketing and advertising in POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, a film that was fully financed through product placement from various brands, all of which are integrated transparently into the film. While using brands in film promotion is not new for Hollywood, it certainly is new territory for the documentary format. Spurlock exploits the phenomenon to new heights, with everything from branded pizza boxes and in-flight film promotions to branded-everything in-film. With humor and insight, POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold unmasks the marketing process to bring audiences behind closed doors directly into the pitch meetings and marketing presentations which ultimately inform our everyday entertainment decisions. Sponsors were provided with brand category exclusivity. The brands that agreed to sponsor the film placed Spurlock front and center in their brand campaigns and advertisements, both on and off-line. Partners have the unique right to promote themselves in association with Spurlock and the film as “The Greatest.” The agreements also stipulate that Spurlock maintains creative control of the film’s content and final edit..

Movie Review:

Dear Mr. Spurlock,

The team at Moviexclusive.com is deeply saddened by the fact that you had not contacted us during the production of your latest documentary. We would very much have loved to be involved in the film. After all, it explores product placements, marketing and advertising in movies and TV shows, a topic which we feel strongly for. And, being one of Singapore’s (we thought an Asian flavour would have added that edge to your documentary) most recognised movie websites, the collaboration could have been one that benefited both parties.

To further illustrate how your creations have inspired us, we would like to tell you how your 2004 docudrama Super Size Me has made us decrease the consumption of fast food. Your second feature documentary Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden (2008) reminded us how terrorism will forever be a relevant issue for decades to come. We are, in fact, most impressed by the segment you directed in Freakanomics (2010) where names play a significant role in personal development and social advancement.

If that’s not selling out, we don’t know what is.

Oh, we realised that while you were making this documentary, you were not “selling out”, but “buying in” (at least that’s what the slogan on the movie poster tells us) – maybe that’s the reason why you didn’t hunt us down to discuss how we can play a part in your 88 minute film. Essentially, you were going around looking for sponsors to finance your film, and we follow you on your journey as the managements of companies like Hyatt, Merrell, JetBlue and Mini agreed to pay for your production - as long as you feature their products and services in the documentary. In fact, we are glad that Pom Wonderful (a brand of beverages and fruit extracts which is unfamiliar to viewers residing in this part of the world) said yes to paying one million dollars for above the title billing.

The result? An official title that reads: POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.

For an hour and a half, we were greatly entertained with your antics as you visited one company after another, proposing creatively outrageous ideas, hoping that they will finance your production. We were also impressed with how you managed to get filmmakers like J.J. Abrams, Brett Ratner and Quentin Tarantino to share their opinions about corporate branding in media productions. And it was really a treat to see the renowned Noam Chomsky being interviewed in the film.

Having rock band OK Go to create the theme song “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard” specially for the documentary? Genius.

However, amidst this flurry of activity, we couldn’t help but feel that there is a lack of focus. The viewpoints and perspectives presented in the film are not particularly new to those who are familiar with such issues. The interviewees’ sound bites, though amusingly at times, do not shed much new light on the implications of sponsorship in movies and TV programs. It just wasn’t the eye opener we hoped it would be,

However, your latest work is yet another testament how you are able to smartly capitalise ideas to yoru advantage, and is one documentary we would highly recommend to our readers. Heck, you know what? If we can somehow get involved in the movie’s DVD marketing, we will up movie rating to give it a perfect score.

Do consider that, Mr. Spurlock.

Movie Rating:

(A very entertaining documentary that looks at how selling out can actually get you far in the world of filmmaking)

Review by John Li