I think we've seen this before? In which case, that wouldn't make it an exclusive...

or maybe I'm just thinking of another movie poster which has an object in an eye... hmmm.

edit- I have to smile though... there's four cast listed and two of them are Australians!

[ edited by aapac on 2006-08-25 13:37 ]

aapac | August 25, 15:36 CET

Bleh. PG-13? I'm still going to see it though.

Brisco | August 25, 16:57 CET

Cool, Shane from Neighbours is in it (bet he loves constant references to his work from 20 years ago too, no really ;). Not sure I knew that previously.

I quite like that poster. Pretty creepy. And it looks like there may be other embedded images/messages in it too.

(even if the tagline does remind me of 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' and Iolas's refrain 'Cautious dies, reckless kills'. Not that I ever watched it. Ever. Honest)

Saje | August 25, 16:57 CET

I saw the trailer on Apple's trailer site. It looks ok. It's hard to believe SMG in a victim role after seeing her so strong as B. for so many years.

proximityeffect | August 25, 17:10 CET

So from the trailer, I get these quotes: Long after a murder was committed, the terror lives on...touching anyone who gets to close...The past never dies, it kills.

God, that sounds SO like a movie I've already seen...if I could only recall the name...

Rogue Slayer | August 25, 18:15 CET

Full title: "The Return of the One-Eyed Poster"

Attention movie marketers: Sarah Michelle has an entire face. One that people can't take their eyes off of, not just because of its physical beauty, but because of what she can do with it. And a lot of what she does with it, she does with her eyes. So don't mess with her eyes. Not even one of them. Let her do that thing she does better than anyone else. That You-Can-Tell-What-I'm-Thinking-and-Feeling-Just-By-Looking-at-My-Face thing. If you must put a not-so-special effect on the poster so hormone-addled teens can tell it's a horror movie, put it next to, not on top of, her face. Especially not on top of her eyes. Remember what you hired her for. Don't make me send this memo again.

Pointy | August 25, 18:51 CET

Is that Sarah's eye? I assumed it wasn't.

Simon | August 25, 18:56 CET

Pretty sure I read in interview that SMG has a tiny hand in her eye though in fairness I could be making that up.

Saje | August 25, 18:58 CET

The fact that the second R in Return is back to front is just.... inspired. Tagline is veeeery Grudgelike

gilesno1fan | August 25, 19:07 CET

Oooooh, eye action! Not bad, as far as thriller movie posters go.

Tonya J | August 25, 19:23 CET

I'm not getting a great vibe from this film. The marketing appears to be banking on SMG's success in The Grudge - both in the trailer voiceover and in this image, - which I suppose is genre-worthy . . . except that folks keep saying that this isn't a horror flick a la The Grudge, but more of a psychological thriller. If so, I'd really like to see more imaginative/accurate images being put out there. Additionally, the Grudge II is on its way (and at least one advance look was not hugely favorable - that link is hugely spoilerly, BTW), and that could also muddy the waters.

As with Pointy, I'd like to see more marketing use of SMG and the other actual human beings in the movie, and more clues as to the style of the film, if it isn't, in fact, a horror. Otherwise, the whole thing is becoming very blah for me. (Whereas, I'm quite excited about both Southland Tales, despite - or especially - because of its Cannes reception, and The Air I Breathe.)

SoddingNancyTribe | August 25, 20:42 CET

Sorry, but I don't think there's any way that that's Sarah's eye. She has very distinctively shaped (and very lovely) eyes and there would be no doubt.

I had been looking forward to this film, but recent news about it, and now this poster, have me turned off, as I'm not a horror fan at all. I had thought it was going to be more of a thriller.

pillboxed | August 25, 23:01 CET

I agree with Pointy. Has anyone seen Kapadia's awarding-film The Warrior? The user comments for that film on imdb are very encouraging: focus on storytelling, atmosphere, pacing and letting the actors communicate with their facial expressions.

On the down side, the writer has only one other credit on imdb, and, hopefully not a harbinger of what we'll see, the director was born in Hackney.

Oh, and I zoomed way in on the poster to find, nestled in the left side of the eyeball, what to my admittedly strange brain appears to be a headless man holding his head in his left hand.

jaynelovesvera | August 25, 23:04 CET

melanie, you're right. Besides the points you mentioned, I counted eyelashes.

jaynelovesvera | August 25, 23:06 CET

I've seen it once. I thought is was superb, nicely paced and very distinctive in style. Some of it was breathtaking visually. My understanding from reports of early test screening of 'The Return' is that Asif Kapadia had gone for a slow-moving and atmospheric narrative, with long wordless sequences, but it doesn't seem to have tested well. I suspect the film has been re-edited to make it more generic, perhaps explaining the change of release date from September to November. A pity, but I'm still looking very much looking forward to seeing it.

alien lanes | August 25, 23:18 CET

I see Mr. T.

Who would (1) include Mr. T's head in a poster and (2) leave out Sarah Michelle's?

I fear that my verbal imprecision left a misimpression. I think The Return is a supernatural thriller that's being marketed as a horror, perhaps to attract teens who will bitterly resent being fooled, while repelling adults who might actually love it.

The Return's preview actually gave me a good feeling. It focuses on the central character's state of being, which seems to be in avoidance/denial/repression of some important life issues, using the supernatural stuff as a metaphor for the dangers of not dealing, in a way that is slightly reminiscent of one Ja Whed-mon.

On dashboardprophet's rec, I've sent The Warrior to the top of my Netflix Q.

[ edited by Pointy on 2006-08-25 23:35 ]

Pointy | August 26, 00:10 CET

Unfortunately, this has The Grudge written all over it, even if the end result is very different. If it walks like The Grudge (movie poster, one eye), talks like The Grudge (taglines), then the public is going to think "oh no, not another Grudge." It doesn't help that it's starring SMG, who I know can do better than another Grudge-type movie.

YellowBear | August 26, 01:13 CET

I think Browncoat's comments indicate the problem with the marketing campign for "The Return "in giving a Grudge vibe when according to test reports it most decidely is unlike "The Grudge"

With the delay in releasing this even though it had a distributor in place before it was made 16 months ago and the marketing campign thats happening now I'm convinced that Rogue pictures got a movie that they didn't know how to deal with

garda39 | August 26, 01:26 CET

SNT, have you got the first prequel book of Southland Tales yet? Admittedly, I'm probably more interested in this movie because of having more interest in Donnie Darko. But check it out, if you haven't. It's really excellent.

dreamlogic | August 26, 03:32 CET

Yup, I've got the ST book. And you're right, dreamlogic, it is excellent. Love the dreamy artwork style, and the intelligence of the writing. Licking my lips about the movie.

To be clear, I really enjoyed The Grudge. But SMG doesn't need to repeat herself. And if The Return isn't another Grudge, as garda39 and others have said, then it badly needs a marketing make-over.

SoddingNancyTribe | August 26, 04:17 CET

I'm going to be seeing the Grudge 2 and the Return. Can't wait for either. I do agree that the poster could be better. Putting SMG on the poster might help. She has a lovely face. It wouldn't hurt to use it for the promotion of this film.

cheryl | August 26, 15:56 CET

Good grief that is an ugly poster. Makes me want to stay as far away from the movie as possible.

newcj | August 26, 18:12 CET