The common refrain for the past five years or so in the content business is “Print is dead.” And while that’s pretty much true across the board (or will be once digital tablets become commonplace amongst the masses), our print brothers can still impact the opening of a movie.
Well, let’s rephrase that. Our print brothers can still impact the opening of some movies catering to a highly targeted audience over the age of 65.
When you are playing the duplicate game of opening an awards friendly flick that skews older (think “The King’s Speech,” “War Horse,” “J. Edgar”), national magazines and newspapers can still influence a moviegoer (or encourage them to return to the theater). It’s a nice coup for “My Week with Marilyn” then that the romantic period piece landed a blurb (with photo mind you) on the front page of Newsweek along with an “exclusive” interview with star and best actress frontrunner Michelle Williams.
Back in the day, um, about a decade ago, getting placement on the cover of Time or Newsweek was seen as a huge coup. Many times, the first question out of producers or filmmakers mouth (many of whom believed they had the next “Citizen Kane” or “Titanic” on their hands) would be “Can we get the cover of [huge national magazine that has no interest in covering such film]?” Now, filmmakers first question — even for awards players — is “Do we have a TV spot on ‘Revenge’? Or ‘Walking Dead’? Or ‘Modern Family’?” How times change. Still, for “Marilyn,” which isn’t even The Weinstein Company’s primary best picture contender (that would be “The Artist”) landing a spread in Newsweek is nothing to thumb your nose at. Especially if you’re trying to reach moviegoers who might have known Marilyn Monroe personally (I kid. Sort of). They’ll reach all those young women who will swoon over the film with TV spots on “Vampire Diaries” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”
Thankfully, the article is also published online in The Daily Beast (so those 40 to 60-year-olds can read it) along with pretty pictures by Brigitte Lacomb which you can enjoy a taste of below and view here.
“My Week with Marilyn” opens Nov. 23.