2008 Woodie Awards
Crossing mediums take movies to the next level
Stephanie Hall
Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: TruLife
Angelina Jolie's saunters, dripping in gold, as her computer-generated character steps on screen to play the anything-but-matronly character of Grendel's mother in the new movie, "Beowulf."
In addition to "Beowulf." Many other movies actually are based on video games like "Silent Hill" or "Hitman." Book series like Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings have found their way to the big screen. Companies capitalize on the diversity of their audience's interest by recreating their products in several different genres. However, people more closely associated with these products often have their own unique viewpoints.
Becky Lehr, store manager of Movie Gallery in Kirksville, has seen many movies and video games cross mediums. Lehr helps gamers and movie fans alike on a daily basis through her job.
"With these types of movies there is already a fan base in place," Lehr said. "These ready-made fans are more likely to go out and play the games or watch the movie."
As for the fans, Lehr said most people renting video-game-inspired movies are the typical college-age male, and most female patrons are buying them for their husbands or boyfriends.
The most common complaint about these mediums is that they do not stay true to their original story, but Lehr said she thinks it all depends on the writing and directing of the story and most diehard fans will see it regardless.
"As for the most of the series like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia, most fans will go anyway to see them first hand," Lehr said. "Today, critics can tell anything they want good or bad, but I have found that most fans want to go see for themselves."
Junior Matthew Perry is president of the Computer Gaming Association at the University and, as an avid gamer, has seen many video games change to movie form.
"[Movies to games] is interesting in theory. I'd say in practice, though ... it hasn't turned out quite as well as gamers had hoped," Perry said. "A lot of these movies, the audience they are intended to be marketed to, are the kind of people most likely to nitpick it compared to the average."
In addition to "Beowulf." Many other movies actually are based on video games like "Silent Hill" or "Hitman." Book series like Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings have found their way to the big screen. Companies capitalize on the diversity of their audience's interest by recreating their products in several different genres. However, people more closely associated with these products often have their own unique viewpoints.
Becky Lehr, store manager of Movie Gallery in Kirksville, has seen many movies and video games cross mediums. Lehr helps gamers and movie fans alike on a daily basis through her job.
"With these types of movies there is already a fan base in place," Lehr said. "These ready-made fans are more likely to go out and play the games or watch the movie."
As for the fans, Lehr said most people renting video-game-inspired movies are the typical college-age male, and most female patrons are buying them for their husbands or boyfriends.
The most common complaint about these mediums is that they do not stay true to their original story, but Lehr said she thinks it all depends on the writing and directing of the story and most diehard fans will see it regardless.
"As for the most of the series like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia, most fans will go anyway to see them first hand," Lehr said. "Today, critics can tell anything they want good or bad, but I have found that most fans want to go see for themselves."
Junior Matthew Perry is president of the Computer Gaming Association at the University and, as an avid gamer, has seen many video games change to movie form.
"[Movies to games] is interesting in theory. I'd say in practice, though ... it hasn't turned out quite as well as gamers had hoped," Perry said. "A lot of these movies, the audience they are intended to be marketed to, are the kind of people most likely to nitpick it compared to the average."
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