Fan Rant: DirecTV, You're Killing Me
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Fan Rant
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First off I want it made clear: I'm not knocking the DirecTV service, which I have used in the past and had no problems with. No, what I'm talking about is the room full of marketing whiz-kids who got together and decided that wedging their sales pitches into well-known movies would be a good idea. I've seen the ads mostly during sporting events: There's the T2 one, which is obnoxious but not all that offensive. There's the Back to the Future one, which really gets under my skin. And then there's the National Lampoon's Vacation one, which is played during (literally) EVERY break in the World Series. (Hey thanks, ad-makers, for ruining an otherwise amusing scene in a movie I really like.)But both of these ads could be overlooked, ignored, dismissed as obviously tacky, and never thought of again ... but then there's the DirecTV "Poltergeist" commercial, which is in such poor taste that it boggles my mind. Here it is for those who haven't seen it yet -- and yes, I fully acknowledge the irony of sharing a clip that I actively detest, but let's see if you can figure out why it sickens me so much...
Yeah, it's because that little girl died tragically at 12 years of age. And everyone over the age of 20 knows it. So instead of thinking about how great Poltergeist is, or how maybe DirecTV is a cool service, all we're thinking is "Jeez, Craig T. Nelson should have known better. This is really uncool." And the same goes for Robert Patrick, Christopher Lloyd, and Christie Brinkley. (Monika B. shared her own thoughts on this ad campaign a few weeks ago.)
On top of all this stupidity is a bigger issue: If DirecTV is trying to appeal directly to hardcore movie fans, they should come up with a better approach than "Hey look, our ads have been inserted into your favorite movies!" Maybe something that actually, I dunno, shows a little respect for the act of film-watching. Like maybe the ad shows a bunch of people sitting down to enjoy Vacation on DirecTV, and someone keeps flipping the station to TV commercials, so in comes Chevy Chase to smack the guy. You can have that pitch for free if you promise never to exploit a dead child again.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-28-2008 @ 4:17PM
dukrous said...
I don't remember any bitching about the Singing in the Rain commercials as being in poor taste because Gene Kelly had died. A movie is a movie...there's lots of movies that have people who died tragically in them and if we go around trying to avoid any mention of those movies then it's no worse than people saying they should digitally alter the WTC towers out of old movies.
BTW, you forgot Shatner in that list of people to smack around for getting involved in these crappy ads.
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10-28-2008 @ 4:19PM
Liz said...
Talk about making a big deal out of nothing...
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10-28-2008 @ 4:22PM
Liz said...
Also, you linked to the wikipedia page but apparantly didn't read it, since it addresses this very topic and has a link to the following:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/business/media/27adnewsletter2.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Which has the following quotes:
“We secure all the footage rights through the studios and the talent featured in the spots before we even begin production,” Mr. Gielselman says, and in this case the family of the late child actor Heather O’Rourke “was involved in the spot from start to finish.”
“Heather’s mother not only approved” the commercial, he adds, “she also commented that Heather’s inclusion was a wonderful tribute to her daughter.”
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10-28-2008 @ 4:27PM
George McBain said...
Exactly, I remember reading that as well, though it never crossed my mind that this would/should be an issue. Besides these being over played, this is a non-issue, in my opinion.
10-28-2008 @ 4:29PM
George McBain said...
Exactly, I remember reading that as well, though it never crossed my mind that this would/should be an issue. Besides these being over played, this is a non-issue, in my opinion.
10-28-2008 @ 5:30PM
GL said...
Exactly.
10-28-2008 @ 5:50PM
Scott Weinberg said...
Aw, the parents approved of it. How cool. Bet the check cashes, too.
10-29-2008 @ 11:32AM
Kevin said...
Wow...Scott, for F#$#'s sake, how dare you man. You're saying the commercial is disgusting for showing a girl who tragically passed away, but then you claim that the parents were willing to sully and tarnish the memory of their own daughter in order to cash a check. Thats incredible man. Maybe the family knows better how their daughter should be treated and remembered then you do, and to imply otherwise seems to say that you think you have some sort of moral high ground that allows you to judge others who happen to be outside the realm of your own experiences. If the parents don't have anything wrong with these ads then I don't see any reason to attack them for it.
10-28-2008 @ 4:33PM
avant576 said...
based on your assumptions, every ad for The Dark Knight and the subsequent release of the film would be equally disrespectful to Heath Ledger
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10-28-2008 @ 4:56PM
BDUB said...
Spot on! Heath (RIP) has been all over the TV in 2008.
10-28-2008 @ 4:44PM
pwnicholson said...
I think we're all in agreement here: there's nothing wrong with these.
My biggest complaint with these commercials (and it is a very small one) is that some of them show very key points in classic movies that not everyone has seen. I feel like there should be a spoiler warning before each commercial. Overall i think they are pretty fun and most of them are done very well.
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10-28-2008 @ 5:21PM
MCW said...
I thought you were going to comment on the poor quality of DirecTV satellite service or it's products. I know I have a DirecTV DVR+ that decides what it wants to record and when, without telling me. Must be a poltergeist.
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10-28-2008 @ 5:32PM
Ethel said...
I cannot believe how gorgeous Christie Brinkley looks!!!! She is an eternal and internal beauty, I wish her well and I am grateful for the way she has put her name behind so many charities in need of such a radiant spotlight! You go girl!!!!
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10-28-2008 @ 5:39PM
Kaycee said...
Wah wah wah. People die. It's life. I think the commercial is hilarious.
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10-28-2008 @ 5:49PM
Scott Weinberg said...
OK, I have no problem being in the minority on the tackiness of the Poltergeist commercial. I stand by my opinion. But "HILARIOUS"? Really?
It's hilarious when she says "They're heeeeere," and Craig Nelson looks directly at the camera and says "Yeah, we gotta get DirecTV!"? Yikes.
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10-28-2008 @ 5:58PM
Mikey M said...
I wasn't offended by the Poltergeist ad anymore than I am watching the movie.
Are we never suppose to watch the movie again???
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10-28-2008 @ 8:03PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Weinberg, people die, we still watch the movies they were in. This girl dying means ZIPPO to the commercial or Poltergeist as a film. Adrienne Shelly was MURDERED before her film Waitress came out - yet still people decided to profit off her work and showcase her talent by releasing a really good film.
Egad, grow up. The girl died 20 years ago - find a real reason to be angry or offended. How about movies that are half-hearted remakes of superior asian films and win Oscars?
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10-28-2008 @ 9:44PM
Patrick said...
I agree in that I don't find these offensive, but I do think they're terribly annoying and that they suck.
You left out one, which features Ripley in the power loader from Aliens, thereby ruining maybe the movie's coolest surprise for those who haven't seen it, as well as just being lame in general.
I mean, come on, Sigourney. Really?
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10-28-2008 @ 11:10PM
Kaycee said...
"They're hereeeee"
"No, honey, they're not here"
Now thats funny.
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10-29-2008 @ 8:20AM
Robin said...
I hate all these commercials equally.
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