Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Mockbuster

     A mockbuster is a movie that is a thinly veiled copy of an actual blockbuster film.  These films are essentially rip offs of real movies and they are even named similarly, and one man has stood out as the creator of these hollywood knockoffs, Shane Van Dyke. Shane is the grandson of the famous Dick Van Dyke. He has created such films as Titanic 2, Transmorphers, Super Shark, an Paranormal Entity.  

     These Films were not cheap to make, most filmed on Red One cameras and with expensive, yet mediocre effects.
      So the question is, why make these movies, why not make a new idea, why make bad copies of already famous movies?  Some people think that these movies are made to trick people. They plan on making their money by DVD sales from people who are confused as to what they are buying. A grandma trying to buy Transformers for her grandson will accidentally buy Transmorphers.  This idea makes sense   when you look at the titles and covers of the movies, they are almost identical to the real version, in color and fonts.

    It seems like an extravagant trick to play on people, but it is happening all the time. Asylum the production company behind nearly all these films also came out with Allan Quatermain and the Temple of Skulls, a clear copy of Indiana Jones. I guess it is safer to expect money from accidental DVD sales of rip offs than from a possible flop of a fresh idea.  I will let you judge for yourself whether or not what they are doing is right, but I find it amazing that anyone would willingly attach their name to such blatant forgeries.

No comments: