Hissy fit

Snakes on a Plane — another sign of Hollywood’s demise or the triumph of the blogosphere? The essay is not at all about the merits (ha!) of the film, and all about the title choice:

“The underlying assumption here is that if a movie is an underwritten, overproduced turd kept afloat by an evil and powerful network of producers and distribution studios, the title has probably been expertly cleaned and perfumed to a degree greater than or equal to the shittiness of the film itself. A good title is the smooth gelatin capsule within which the feces will be swallowed. Conversely, the assumption about the art-house film title is that it was revealed by the Muse and banged out on an old typewriter by a frenzied author clutching a cigarette in one hand and a bottle of Jack in the other. Thus when people see a super-slick title, they are understandably wary. Like Indiana Jones’ Holy Grail, good things almost never come in good packages.” (Salon )