When I first saw the trailer it looked good. I had planned on seeing it, not necessarily in theaters but perhaps when it hit DVD. But then the rumors started circulating on Twitter. It’s a hoax. In all fairness the filmmakers have yet (or at least as far as I can tell so far) to admit it’s a hoax. This means I could be very, very , very wrong. And if I am, I will happily admit it when the time comes.

Google “The Fourth Kind A Hoax” and you get at least 4 websites claiming it is. It will be interesting to see who blogs about it after the first showings today and if we will ever get the official yay or nay on hoax-ery (is that a word?). Of the websites claiming hoax there are several factors in common. The alleged “actual footage” taken by the doctor was made by the filmmakers. And the doctor? Some say she doesn’t exist. Others say she only exists at one particular website. Said website was made recently and has absolutely no contact info whatsoever,and at some point someone will oust WHO made the site (it’s not confidential info!). even more interesting is the fact that Mila comes on screen and claims she is playing the actual doctor. Mila, Mila, Mila….I hope for your sake she exists because people don’t like this kind of shenannigans! It would suck for your reputation to be tarnished because of this.

So if all of these claims are true and the movie really is a hoax, they just copied Blair Witch Project. Having grown up in Maryland I KNEW that story was fake as hell but everyone bought into it. And that poor town of Burkittsville had to get military people in to kick out all these idiots roaming the woods looking for the Blair Witch. Marketing scheme was unique, but it backfired….watch out Nome, Alaska!

Filmmakers need to consider their marketing schemes carefully. Sure we want something exciting that makes us pee ourselves in anticipation. But do you have to go to an extreme that leaves your movie looking worse than the marketing technique? Filmmakers can now thank the people over at Paranormal Activity. Due to me falling for their marketing scheme I now will be VERY careful with any movie I choose to see. And I am not the only one, many who have read these sites claiming a hoax will now avoid the theater like the plague. We all want an amazing experience, we don’t want to feel like we are getting scammed.

related post