"Cloverfield" Article From The New York Post & A "Cloverfield" Mention On VH1

Dear Constant Reader,

Now we know that the New York Post is good for more than just wiping your ass with :


BAIT BALLS OF FIRE
MORE CLUES TO HELP SOLVE MYSTERIOUS FILM PUZZLE
By FARRAH WEINSTEIN

In the cryptic trailer for J.J. Abrams' new film, NY1's Roma Torre reports trouble afoot . . .
. . . then folks head to the rooftop, where an explosion lights up the Manhattan skyline.

July 16, 2007 -- IT'S alive. It's huge. And it's top secret.

That's about all we know about pro ducer J.J. Abrams' latest pet project.

"Transformers" theatergoers have been scratching their heads in frustra tion at a grainy, "Blair Witch"-style advertisement for a movie that doesn't even have a name.

Working titles include "The Cloverfield Experiment," "Slusho!" and "1-18-08" (the day the movie will be released).

Last week, the trailer went up on YouTube, and Paramount Pictures was quick to take it down - only to launch its own Web site, 1-18-08.com, which features three overlapping pictures that can be turned upside-down or sideways.

Weird clues such as an imp or a demon can be seen between the faces of two girls. The No. 9 is weirdly placed on a woman's chest in one of the party pictures. Another features people walking through a white cloud of smoke with their noses and mouths covered.

In the trailer, seemingly shot on a shaky, handheld camcorder, Manhattan friends are at a going-away party for a guy named Rob, who is leaving for Japan.

The band Wolfmother blasts in the background, and in a flash the lights go out and a painful background howling is heard. On the TV screen, NY1 reporter Roma Torre reports a "thunderous, roaring sound."

Partygoers head to the roof, where fireballs attack. On the street, the Statue of Liberty's head is thrown to the pavement.

The Hollywood Reporter describes the scene as " 'Armageddon' meets 'The Blair Witch Project'." But there also might be an amusement park twist reminiscent of "Final Destination 2."

A few weeks ago, the movie was shot in Coney Island on the blocks contained by West Eighth Street, West 17th Street, Surf Avenue and the Boardwalk.

A small crew, including Abrams (co-creator of "Lost") and director Matt Reeves ("Felicity"), along with up-and-coming actors Blake Lively and Mike Vogel (both from "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants") came into the park with hand-held video cameras.

They shot several scenes at Deno's Wonder Wheel, a scary swinging Ferris Wheel in which patrons ride in cages as they look out over Brooklyn. They also went on the Scooter bumper cars, played some ticket-stub games in the arcade, and rolled some skee ball.

A member of the Vourderis family, owners of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, gave authorization to the film crew to shoot there.

"It's about an alien that wipes out all of New York City," says one of the owners, who wants to remain anonymous. "The footage is taken the day before everyone dies. A bunch of kids come to Coney Island with a video camera. The movie is a flashback to that day."

It is reported that they have only a $30 million budget, not a heck of a lot for a monster movie.

They also filmed a few scenes in front of the now-defunct and chained-up B&B Carousell.

The crew steered clear of Astroland and The Cyclone, but shot some scenes on the Boardwalk by Nathan's and the booths selling hot buttered corn.

"They told me I could be in the movie," said Eric Gonzalez, an 18-year-old kid who plays the freak in the paintball game "Shoot the Freak."

"I wanted to be in it so bad and I gave them my number, and they never called. I got new shoes, a hat and a whole new outfit."

NY1 reporter Torre, on the other hand, was lucky to get plucked to star in the flick, and shot "a lot" more scenes than the one you see in the trailer.

"This whole thing was cloaked in mystery," Torre told The Post. "We weren't given any names. They made me sign a nondisclosure agreement, and I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"It was so mysterious that I had no idea that this was going to be a big-budget film or an independent type movie. So I was shocked to hear about the trailer and the buzz it's getting. I'm hearing from friends across the country. It's fun."

Many theories are floating around the 'Net about what the movie could really be: Godzilla, Cthulhu, the Parasite or a movie version of "Lost." Fans have also linked it to puzzle-based Web sites such as EthanHaaswasright.com. But Abrams was quick to correct that.

"The only site of ours that people have even found is the 1-18-08.com site," he told writer Harry Knowles of Web site Ain't It Cool News. "The others . . . have nothing to do with us."

He continues: "Thank you for your support of our little movie. I can't wait to talk to you more about it - of course, knowing you, by the time we talk you'll know more than I will.

"Regarding the online stuff you posted: Yeah, we're doing some fun stuff on the Web. But, obviously, if the movie doesn't kick some massive ASS, who gives a rat's about what's online? So as you can imagine, we're focusing mostly on THAT."

Extra :



Arthur
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