What if this movie were not directed by acclaimed filmmaker Gus Van Sant? What if it had not been honored with a special prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival? What if it had not been an official selection of the Toronto and New York Film Festivals? What if it wasn’t nominated for three (Independent) Spirit Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Producer? What if Manohla Dargis didn’t consider it, “one of the most moving and delicately felt films of Gus Van Sant’s career”? Would Paranoid Park still seem that appealing?
Not to me, but then I’ve seen enough films involving teens covering up an intentional or accidental murder. And that’s despite having enjoyed most of them, including Mean Creek, Bully, George Washington and even (though much, much less so) I Know What You Did Last Summer. Honestly, if this new domestic trailer for Paranoid Park didn’t mention all its prestigious claims, I probably wouldn’t be that compelled to see it. In fact, even if it simply mentioned that it was directed by Van Sant and featured one or more positive review blurbs, that wouldn’t be enough to sell me. Van Sant did direct such lame films as Finding Forrester and Even the Cowgirls Get the Blues, so he’s not a name that is completely synonymous with greatness. And this specific film has received enough negative reviews that critical acclaim is also not constant enough to attract my attention.
Certain specific praises (not related to the trailer) have wet my own appetite for the film, but I wonder what regular moviegoers are thinking when they see this movie trailer. Is it the plot or the prestige that ultimately appeals to them? And is it the same choice with any movie? I’m sure a lot of people are still interested in seeing this sort of plot again (or more likely for the first time since Mean Creek, Bully and George Washington just barely grossed a million bucks combined) more than they’re necessarily interested in seeing a Cannes winner or a new film from the director of Elephant. But then, I do wonder how many people would see Paranoid Park if the trailer omitted every caption highlighting its achievements and gave us only the film footage alone. It’s times like this I wish I was still working in an art house box office, so I could ask ticket buyers what drew them to the film.
