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August 11, 2009 07:00PM EDT

Discuss: District 9 and Peter Jackson

So District 9, opening this Friday, is expected to be the science fiction sleeper hit (made for just $30M) of the summer. The film is directed by newcomer Neill Blomkamp. And yet, everywhere we look, we see Peter Jackson's name above the title. (Jackson even gets first billing in the Wikipedia entry.) Duh, Jackson's got mad clout, and Blomkamp's claim to fame (so far) is making a fantastic short film that grabbed Jackson's attention and admiration. (Kudos to him!)

It's a recurring trend in Hollywood to give prominence to the name of a producer with game: think Judd Apatow with Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Year One. Other examples? Steven Spielberg, Adam Sandler... all involved to various degrees (some quite deeply) in the projects they produce.

What we want to know is threefold:

1. How apparent are Jackson's fingerprints on District 9?
Our sources tell us it's most reminiscent of Jackson's Dead Alive (aka Braindead; watch the trailer), in terms of the over-the-top (almost comical?) gore and the transformation of a meek character into a heroic figure (without giving more away).

2. Does association matter?
Are you more likely to see a movie if it has the perceived stamp of approval of someone whose other movies you've liked? Does it raise your expectations?

3. Does it work?
What filmmakers can you think of whose careers have been launched by their association with a mentor?

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Posted By Kristin McCracken | Permalink | E-Mail This | 3 Comment(s) | Click to Comment

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DirkRidge on August 12, 2009 05:17 AM

Its funny that you compare District 9 to Dead Alive. I was at an advance screening and DA flashed into my head. I had not seen or thought of that movie in 15 years. While its nowhere near the same movie or even same amount of "comical gore" I did notice an influence... it also could have been homage to Jackson. Now I wonder what his hand in making this was.

D-9 & Peter Jackson by

billyrave on August 12, 2009 11:36 AM

I missed the 'sneak' at ComicCon so I cannot comment on 'fingerprints'. As for association, in this case I'd see the movie anyway because of the previews, though my expectations are higher given Jackson's stamp of approval. In general, 'association' only matters to me if the film looks sketchy, so to speak, which is not true of D-9, nor of the upcoming '9', where again, Tim Burton as producer merely raises my expectations for a film whose previews make it look Most Excellent.

District 9 by

trailer girl on August 18, 2009 04:40 PM

Gamers will give rave and praise to this film due to the fact of it's association with computer gaming. You know the way you feel when the roller coaster takes the dips and turns? Well, that is how it feels to be apart of this film as you grip on to the seat. Looks like a spin off video game is on it's way. Fun and quite surprising. As for mentors in filmmaking I feel each and everyone who finds his success by watching the mechanics behind the machine of film find the eye. Trailer girl

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