When I think of Gladiator I think Pizza!

[Narukami]

There is a new trend in Hollywood - Retroactive Product Placement.

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange/arc...orge-lucas

Some are blaming George lucas for this because of his retroactive editing of the original Star Wars films, but it is not his fault. Hollywood would have found a way to do this soon enough.

Just imagine the possibilities ... Why am I suddenly hungry for pizza every time I watch Gladiator ... ?

hock: :? :roll: :wink:

Narukami

[jkaler48]

Just wait until the guys with the time machines get involved:
Raybans on Mona Lisa
Beer ads on Tragen's column
Pompeii mosaics of the Golden Arches
etc

[Epictetus]

Talking about retroactive product placement, there was also the infamous Fred Astaire dancing with a vacuum cleaner advertisement.

[Gaius Colletti]

How exactly is George Lucas responsible for this? I must have missed the part where Luke and Obi-Wan crab Pepsis at the Catina in the original re-edited Star Wars?

And I'd hardly consider the barely noticeable small DVD in the corner as product placement, especially if I am sitting a good 15 feet away from the TV. Does that mean that in Seinfeld in Jerry's apartment that Porsche poster on his wall is product placement or just an "Easter egg" that coincides with Seinfeld's real life love or Porsches?

[Narukami]

Good points Matt.

It has become something of a "sport" in Hollywood to blame Lucas for any and everything. It is no exaggeration to say that Lucas has had an enormous impact on Hollywood and the way movies are made, but product placement has been with us almost from the start.

The Porsche poster is likely an inside joke in reference to the star's love of the cars more than an actual product placement. On the other hand, you might notice that in many films the characters are using Apple Mac computers, simply because Apple has a good marketing department making deals with film makers.

Famously, Spielberg approached Mars Candies about using their M&M's candy in a little Sci-Fi film he was making. They declined, not wanting to be associated with an 'Alien invasion' film. So it was that Elliot used Reese's Pieces to lure E.T. into his house.

As we all know, the bottom line in Hollywood is profit, not art. If art happens, then so much the better.

:wink:

Narukami

[Nurglitch]

Good points Matt.
It has become something of a "sport" in Hollywood to blame Lucas for any and everything.

And rightly so! He is guilty as charged

[Narukami]

Piotr, if you have not already, you should seek out the film The People Vs. George Lucas -- you might find it of passing amusement.

http://www.peoplevsgeorge.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1325014/

:wink:

Narukami

[Nurglitch]

I've heard of it, haven't seen it. But Plinkett's reviews of SW prequels are enough to sentence Lucas to death

[mcbishop]

Why am I suddenly hungry for pizza every time I watch Gladiator ... ?

In my case, it's because I always remember that, in Rome, opposite the Ludus Magnus (which is in Gladiator with a cod Latin inscription over the gate), there was a great little cafe that served fantastic pizza rustica. Yum!

Mike Bishop