1.18.08 - Untitled J.J. Abrams Project (2008)

[dgellis0907]

i believe i have a new movie obsession.
its an untitled movie which is using teaser trailers to cause a stir - and with me its working
here is the current trailer
RMF_lohzglY

you can see a high quality trailer here:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/11808/index.html

the way in which a monster is suggested but not seen is causing the greatest speculation into what it is

the film doesnt have a title, but yet the amount of theries and conspiricys is amazing!

has anyone heard any news about this film that may help me with my newfound addiction

[Ali]

I CANT WAIT. I hope it's only a 15!

[tamba]

That's look good :110:
Who's the hunk :blush:

[postie]

Wow i like the look at that

[gbm]

I liked the look of it when I saw the trailer a while ago, I think this whole naming it the same as the release date is a good idea - if it were to be released on the same date in the uk which I dont think it is. There are thoughts about a godzilla 2 and things like that but we will have to wait and find out. I hope they also dont use a different name at some point as that will just confuse the hell out of people they'll be like 'cloverfield wtf is that .... oh you mean 1.18.08?!' its also succeeded in being talked about because of this i.e. here and moyles show etc.

[dgellis0907]

ooh when was it talked about on moyles' show??

[Nic]

maybe a week or two ago...

[Terrier]

It's not Godzilla 2. The people that control the rights to the franchise have put a hold on any new Godzilla projects until 2013 and Sony have the rights to make any GZ films anyway (whereas this is a Paramount film).

There was a rumor this was going to be the monster...

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z68/godziboy1993/monster.jpg

But it turned out to be some fan concept art, at present the monster still hasn't been revealed, but apparently Abrams was inspired while in some Japanese toy store.

[postie]

it comes out a day before i fly off on holiday so i must see this before i go :)

[Terrier]

1-18-08 is the US launch, so far the launch over here isn't confirmed and is unlikely to be on the same day.

[postie]

1-18-08 is the US launch, so far the launch over here isn't confirmed and is unlikely to be on the same day.
oh bugger i will have to wait till i get back then

[denmengnash]

It looks amazing so far. Yet it reminds me of Lost.. with the whole mysterious monster thing attacking and scaring people. I dont care. Lost is amazing too :P

If it's a 15 or less then I'll definately gonna be going to see it.

It just looks so fresh and cool :) Hehe.. Im excited now!

[Terrier]

New info people!

have seen the trailer for the monster movie coming from producer JJ Abrams on January 18, 2008. The trailer, which was dated last week and lasts 2 minutes and 16 seconds, will debut in front of Beowulf on November 16th, and it's supposed to be when the title is announced. The version of the trailer I saw had the title attached at the end, so unless this title card was a temporary placeholder for the real title, this movie is called... wait for it...

Cloverfield.

Yep, the name we heard from the start. This does make me think that maybe this trailer, marked as Trailer #1, V.17, with "Newest FX Shots", could change between now and the 16th, especially in regards to the name. We'll see. In the meantime, here's a rundown of what I saw in the trailer (based on the notes I took when I was shown a poor quality copy of the trailer. I was only allowed to watch it twice):

It opens with text:

Multiple sightings of case designate 'Cloverfield'
Camera retrieved at incident site 'U.S. 447'
(Area formerly known as Central Park)

Then we see the footage from the teaser trailer, mostly fast forwarded up to the end, with the explosion and the Statue of Liberty's head landing in the middle of the street. Then there's a guy speaking into the camera.

Guy: My name is Robert Hawkins. Approximately seven hours ago, someTHING attacked the city.

There are flashes of chaos. Much of the trailer is made up of split second moments, and when combined with the fact that it's extreme shaky cam style and that I was watching a terrible copy, it can be hard to make things out. There's a helicopter shot of the headless Statue of Liberty.

Guy again: I have no idea what it is. If you found this,if you're watching this thing, you know more about it than i do.

Then there's a shot of jets flying overhead, in daylight.

A title card reads 'From producer JJ Abrams'

There's more flashes of chaos, there's a guy on a cellphone trying to find out where 'Beth' is, and then there's a girl yelling, 'We cannot go in the middle of the city! we've got to get out of here!'

More chaos. More quick shots. I imagine this stuff will be picked apart when the trailer debuts online.

Over this is what seems to be a conversation between an Army guy and a girl.

Army dude: There's nothing we can do right now

Girl: do you know what that thing is?

Army dude: Whatever it is, it's winning.

More flashes. An argument:

Guy 1: We have no idea what's out there!

Guy 2: I don't care what's out there. Listen to me - she's dying!

Then there's footage of army guys running and shadows on a wall. Shadows of a screaming woman being attacked by a small monster (possibly two - either she's being pulled away from the monster by someone behind her or there's another monster behind her). It's confirmed: the movie has a big beast and small ones. Like the American Godzilla.

People are hiding in a store, and there are huge thumps making everything shake. The windows of the store explode in.

The big sequence is next: Army guys running up a street, firing into the air. Tanks come up behind them, firing. Rockets launch up.

We see the big monster briefly passing between two buildings. I couldn't make it out at all, but it appeared to be HUGE.

Characters race down subway steps, there's a giant explosion, the cameraman is down, there's a figure in a tunnel, people are yelling 'Run!' and running through the tunnel.

Outside of Central Park, a horse drawn carriage goes by.

Guy: Are you still filming?

Cameraman: Yeah. People are going to want to know... how it all went down.

Shot of the Brooklyn Bridge. A helicopter taking off. Some chaos. Then inside the copter girls screaming as the copter spins out of control.

Cut to black, then the title comes up: Cloverfield.

Then the text: End of tape

Then the release date: 1-18-08

So the info I gleaned from this:

The title is Cloverfield.
There are smaller monsters.
This movie will quite probably make a lot of people motion sick.

From: http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=12367

So a large monster and smaller monsters with it, interesting.

[Ali]

Cloverfield.... Where have i heard that name before...

[Terrier]

Cloverfield is the code name the movie has been working under (for booking areas to shoot in etc) for a good while now.

[Terrier]

New trailer here http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/11808/

[postie]

ooo this is looking even better to go and see i cant wait till it comes out here then

[Terrier]

According to this (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1060277/releaseinfo) the UK launch is Feb 1st

Good for me too is as this is a paramount film it should come out on HD-DVD.

[postie]

great that means im back off hols to see it :D

[gbm]

OH MY GOD, this film looks amazing, to start off, I dont really like horror and scary films, I know this isnt quite a thriller or horror but it is quite shocking and stuff. The name - Cloverfield, I dont quite understand which I suppose is the whole point of it, I think I'm going to make an early guess and say that in the film there is a 'project cloverfield', perhaps a research facility thing (sounds kind of logical to me). Next are the graphics - they seem really good to me so far, flying head from the statue of liberty seems all good. I think for me the teaser trailer has worked, I think you can understand the trailer more if you've seen the teaser, they are both good and worked- they promoted the film well for me and have made me want to go and see it.

[Console]

I thought that 'Cloverfield' was just the development name for the film (in the same way that Longhorn was the development name for Vista, and Cairo for NT 4.0); I thought that the name of the film was part of the mystery-esque viral campaign.

[Terrier]

I think it started off that way, but looks like they just decided to stick with it.

It'll probably be explained away as the name of the millinery operation to get rid of the monster. I think they've done the right thing keeping the monster under wraps too, makes me more curious about the film.

[dgellis0907]

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Im pretty desprate now to see this flick!

[Terrier]

Just a reminder folks - it's out today!

[Shuyen]

OMG This film is amazing. I can't wait to watch it again and again. My favourite film at this precise moment in time.

[Adam]

I've seen it, it is a little short, but it gets a hell of a lot in. Furthermore, I was a bit freaked out by the night vision shots in the tunnel!

Aled, in the last scene, did you spot something hitting the sea?

<Spoiler> http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj17/mosai89/IMG_0235.jpg <Spoiler>

[Ali]

I'm going Sunday :D

[Terrier]

Seen it today

Spoilers

It's very very good, but not great as I'd hoped it would be. The Monster looks too computer generated to me, in fact I was surprised that really the SFX looked a few years out of date, I imagine in the sequel (which will no doubt have a budget the size of the monster) will fix that.

Also the scene where Hud dies is a little rubbish. Given that thing made the earth tremor with every footstep, It's unlikely it could sneak up on you. Obviously the entire point of the scene was to get a good shot of the monster, but when it spat the guy out surely he should have been at least a little mangled? or covered in monster spit or something? Personally that's a scene I would have done without.

It's almost a shame this wasn't a godzilla movie, had it been then I would have been praising JJ Abrams even more than I am now, as it would have been a great interpretation of an old story. It still works very well on it's own merits though but you just know that this should have been a giant dinosaur and not a.... well whatever the hell the monster is.

Any problems are just nit-picking though it's a very good film with some great moments (the helicopter and the tunnel especially) and well worth the price of admission. I'll also be getting the DVD when the time comes too.

[xvxSeanxvx]

its cloverfield and its meant to be rubbish an alien goes to america :/

[Terrier]

We know what it's called, it's not confirmed to be an alien (or anything else for that matter) and it's far from rubbish.

[dgellis0907]

saw it a day later than i anticipated but oh my god it was worth it!
loved the hand held camera perspective !
also the unexpected comedy elements in the film made it so different from your typical monster movie.

Adam!
thank god i wasnt the only one to see that..my mates thought i was makin it up!


Will probs go and see it again!

[Console]

in the last scene, did you spot something hitting the sea?

<Spoiler> http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj17/mosai89/IMG_0235.jpg <Spoiler>

If you mean that thing of the right-hand side, then I think that's just a ship.

As for the film, it was alright. It was actually pretty much what I was expecting, but it wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be. I think I wanted more explanation to be honest and it had very little (or none) - it just felt like a B-grade monster movie.

Still, 21, Iron-Man and the new Hulk films are coming out later this year, hopefully they'll be fantastic.

[Riz]

Im off to see it on tuesday. Few days later than i had wanted to, but i hope its as good as people are saying it is.

[Terrier]

There is something falls from the sky and hits the water in the last scene, it's a real blink and you'll miss it thing.

[Console]

I didn't see it, but apparently it's a satellite; it's supposed to be callback to the viral marketing, but could also explain why the monster awoke.

[Terrier]

I'd like to think it was the monster itself. Nothing of this Earth could take the sort of punishment that thing took and keep going.

Hopefully they'll explain it all in the sequel. I wonder how they'll approach that - mockumentary maybe?

[Console]

They may just do the same time-line, but from a different point-of-view. Would be nice to actually learn something about the monster though...

[Chongster]

I actually really liked that they took the risk of not explaining much, it really embodied the feeling you were on this journey with them, That you literally knew exactly as much as they knew. Sure it leaves for questions, but I just really enjoyed that.

[xvxSeanxvx]

We know what it's called, it's not confirmed to be an alien (or anything else for that matter) and it's far from rubbish.
:P OK Ok ok lol jeez

[Terrier]

They may just do the same time-line, but from a different point-of-view. Would be nice to actually learn something about the monster though...

There is a scene in the movie (on the bridge) where Hud briefly looks at another guy with a camera who looks back with his, that could be something they work with.

I find this quote from one of the designers interesting too...

The key idea behind the monster was that he was an immature creature suffering from "separation anxiety". This recalls real-life elephants who get frightened and lash out at the circus, because the director felt "there's nothing scarier than something huge that's spooked

Makes me wonder if the monster we met in Cloverfield is the baby and in the next movie we might meet a slightly peeved Mom and Dad looking for their kid? Just imagine if that was the "little one".

All speculation of course, I guess it shows the upside of not explaining much because it gets you thinking about all the ways it could go.

[Terrier]

For anyone who hasn't seen the monster (or wants to see it again) there's now a TV spot from somewhere or other that shows it (the scene where they get trapped in the firefight) and it's right here: http://www.movieweb.com/video/V08B67abxABGOR

[Console]

NB: This post may contain some spoiler-esque bits. Not really spoilers (in so far as they don't reveal anything that you'd find out in the film), but makes assumptions of things drawn from the film.

The key idea behind the monster was that he was an immature creature suffering from "separation anxiety". This recalls real-life elephants who get frightened and lash out at the circus, because the director felt "there's nothing scarier than something huge that's spooked

Makes me wonder if the monster we met in Cloverfield is the baby and in the next movie we might meet a slightly peeved Mom and Dad looking for their kid? Just imagine if that was the "little one".

If that is the case then that should debunk all the rumours/ideas of it being an alien.

I really hope it isn't an alien - it would be a complete cop out - I would much rather it either be an experiment (although I don't think that'd work too well) or a freak of evolution.

If it was just the baby though, why weren't the parents with it? If they were asleep, then why weren't they woken up along with the baby?

I think it's more likely that either the creature itself has had a baby recently or is still alive, and that a sequel would either be about either (or possibly, both) of them, or would be the same time-line, but with a different perspective.

[Terrier]

Well the thing kept making those Whale-type noises which could be played off as being a call for its parents to come and get it? Maybe the fallen satellite was giving off some kind of signal that attracted the baby while its parents were off hunting for food?

I suppose they could play off it's toughness by saying it came from the bottom of the ocean and it's evolved to be super durable to survive the pressure down there.

If they want to do something else on the same time line I'd rather see that as some kind of spin off (maybe a TV series?) as I'd like the next movie to explain things a little more. Either way I'd love to read some of the scripts they're getting ready at the moment.

[Terrier]

By the way

At the end of the credits apparently they play a bit of audio backwards which is supposed to be someone over the Military radio saying "It's still alive"

[Console]

Well the thing kept making those Whale-type noises which could be played off as being a call for its parents to come and get it? Maybe the fallen satellite was giving off some kind of signal that attracted the baby while its parents were off hunting for food?

A possibility, I guess...but I still that that it's parent coming for it are unlikely.

I suppose they could play off it's toughness by saying it came from the bottom of the ocean and it's evolved to be super durable to survive the pressure down there.

It if evolved purely in that high-pressure, underwater environment, then how the hell can it survive (and not only survive, but take great punishment) in a far lower-pressure, non-water environment. It can stand, climb, breathe and run around in an environment that, unless we've somehow missed a huge walking death-machine running around, it hasn't been on before.

If they want to do something else on the same time line I'd rather see that as some kind of spin off (maybe a TV series?)

Maybe they can have it solve murders and crush the criminals under it's mighty feet...or, maybe the monster can be a matchmaker. Going around finding the perfect partners for other people (or maybe other monsters), but never being able to find the perfect someone for itself.

I'd like the next movie to explain things a little more.

Definitely. The idea of having just a single perspective of an event is a good one, but as it stands it's just a little too 'dumb' for me. I need an explanation, a 'how'.

By the way

At the end of the credits apparently they play a bit of audio backwards which is supposed to be someone over the Military radio saying "It's still alive"

Why was it backwards? Anyway, it at least gives credence to one set of possible sequels.

[Terrier]

It if evolved purely in that high-pressure, underwater environment, then how the hell can it survive (and not only survive, but take great punishment) in a far lower-pressure, non-water environment. It can stand, climb, breathe and run around in an environment that, unless we've somehow missed a huge walking death-machine running around, it hasn't been on before.

Well it managed to sneak up on Hud in a giant open area like Central park (I do love the image I get of the monster on its tip-toes creeping up to them, giggling to itself the entire time)- so anything's possible.

Maybe they can have it solve murders and crush the criminals under it's mighty feet...

Now that would just be ****ing awesome....Seriously though a 12 part series from another POV of people getting out of NYC on that night? Or maybe even from the POV of a soldier sent in to the city? That could be great (and with the extra time could allow for some more explanation)

Why was it backwards? Anyway, it at least gives credence to one set of possible sequels.

Have you seen lost? It's not like Abrams ever likes to be direct and to the point.

[Console]

Well it managed to sneak up on Hud in a giant open area like Central park (I do love the image I get of the monster on its tip-toes creeping up to them, giggling to itself the entire time)- so anything's possible.

Good point, I did find that scene to be rather unlikely. Originally they had felt the thing move from a couple of miles away.

Seriously though a 12 part series from another POV of people getting out of NYC on that night? Or maybe even from the POV of a soldier sent in to the city? That could be great (and with the extra time could allow for some more explanation)

That format could work quite well, maybe have a different perspective each week in which we learn a different side to what is going on, and more out about the monster, of course.

Have you seen lost? It's not like Abrams ever likes to be direct and to the point.

Ok, good point, but what's the explanation for it being backwards then? All rather odd.

[Ali]

I think it's a great film and want to go see it again! :D I was sick half way through for no reason, but i doubt it was the filming...

[Terrier]

If anyone else is like me and couldn't fully get their head around what the monster looks like in its entirety, the official action figure is being released soon.

http://media.movieweb.com/news/02.2008/clovermonster2.jpg

http://media.movieweb.com/news/02.2008/clovermonster1.jpg

http://media.movieweb.com/news/02.2008/clovermonster3.jpg

So there we have it

[Shuyen]

This monster is suppose to be an underwater sea creature. Still enjoyed the movie anyway.

[gbm]

I watched this earlier and thought that I'd wake this thread back up, I thought it was an absolutly amazing film, I can see me watching that again soon, just to see the bits I may have missed - subtle hints that make sense now I've seen it.
After I'd finished it I jumped on the net and found plenty of spoiler and sequel information - and that was a simple Google, more in depth stuff could be found easily me thinks.

Apparently there will be a sequel filmed from a different POV although I'd like it to be non-shaky cam, perhaps a film or news crew are the ones doing it - therefore better cameraman (I do also like the 12 part series idea), heres where the proper spoiler kicks in -
The Japanese oil company TAGRUATO drops a satellite (Chimpanz III) into the ocean as part of viral marketing (shown at the end of the movie when Rob and Beth were on the ferris wheel). TAGRUATO works with SLUSHO (a slush company), as the main ingredient for SLUSHO is found at the satellite dropzone (deep ocean). While searching for satellite and ingredients, they woke Cloverfield (the monster).

The main ingredient of Slusho apparently turns a tiny fish into a HUGE whale, which explains the size of Cloverfield.

Rob apparently was going to be the Vice President of TAGRUATO in Japan.



From what I've read, I get the feeling there's a lot more out there to be read on speculation about what happens next and what caused it - and now I have shivers running down my spine from the background theory rather than the film :rolleyes:

[postie]

will the next film be a sequel or a pre-sequel

just saw it yesterday and loved every min

[gbm]

I believe it'll be the same story from a different point of view so I guess it would class as a sequal

[bbb]

i just got this on dvd and seen it was quite good not as good as all they hype made it out to be it could have been better

also it reminded me of a movie from japan with a sea monster thing and the monster in this movie looked a bit like it
i think the movie was called the hive or something

any ways i still enjoyed cloverfield

[postie]

I believe it'll be the same story from a different point of view so I guess it would class as a sequal

i will look forward to the sequel then :)