What Do Real Steel, Contagion and Rise of the Planet of the Apes Have in Common?
Well, for starters, aside from being past, present and future blockbusters, they’ve all gone in the Smackdown atom collider and become SmashUps!
We think we’re finding a groove on these video SmashUps! — the mixes we create by fusing a couple of studio trailers together. We’re definitely amusing ourselves but we can’t rest until we amuse you!
We’re finding that each SmashUp! is different, with its own set of challenges and opportunities and potential lurking disasters, mostly technical but occasionally comedic. You can see our complete collection over at our Movie Smackdown YouTube Channel! but, for now, we want to introduce you to our top three so far.
The SmashUps! are a collaboration between Smackdown guru and iMovie addict Bryce Zabel, who writes and produces them, and myself. I voice them and add what Bryce calls “the cool, weird stuff.” (I think that’s a compliment, but you never know with Bryce.)
So, please, take a look at our latest, the one that came from sticking the upcoming Real Steel in that particle acceler-o-meter or atomic whatsis with the classic Rocky film that won the Academy Award back in 1976. Given that our site has a couple of awards statues boxing each other in its banner, this one hits pretty close to home. This is its world premiere but, because it’s virtual, we don’t have to provide the hor d’oeuvres which, in this economy, means a lot.
BUMS OF STEEL
(Real Steel -vs- Rocky)
httpvh://youtu.be/cS2c5Hl_JJ4
A real popular SmashUp! for us, however, was this next one that took the creepy thriller Contagion and edited it against the ’90s thriller Outbreak, which is a completely different film, even though the characters, plot, tone and popcorn were identical. Anybody who claims that a global pandemic is no laughing matter has obviously not seen this video! In any case, this will make you feel better about our budding internet friendship — nobody has to shake hands, it can all stay very clean… and sterile.
MICROBES FROM HELL
(Contagion -vs- Outbreak)
httpvh://youtu.be/EQX7KsrXqUY
Bryce and I knew we were onto something with this early collaboration, pitting the hot new film at the time, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, against Will Smith’s mid-2000s I, Robot. (Rodney Twelftree did a fine job editing this one, keeping it a tight 1:37.)
If ever there were a couple of films that lent themselves to this kind of comparison, these two qualify. Just thinking about how those primates and androids were teaming up to create a new, hybrid species that would take over the Earth still makes my blood boil. Wait… Bryce says that’s not what was happening, but you better judge for yourself. I think he may be one of them. In any case, this one’s got robots, too. Coincidence? I think not…
DAMN DIRTY HUMANS
(Rise of the Planet of the Apes -vs- I, Robot)
httpvh://youtu.be/5LduqgExphk
When you stop by the Movie Smackdown! YouTube Channel, don’t forget to click on that “Subscribe” button. This lets us stay in touch, gives you a chance to see all of the videos we’ve done (somewhere between a dozen and 6,500 so far; okay, 13), and provides a warm, fuzzy feeling for lovers of democracy everywhere. So there’s that…
Finally, Bryce’s lawyer Morse Taylor — a pretty cool guy, even if he does have two last names — asked us to include this disclaimer in our post. Mostly we like to defy authority around the Smack offices, but not the authority types we’re actually paying, so here’s what Morse wants you to know:
This video “SmashUp” trailer promotes viewer interest in the two films being compared either in theatrical release or availability for pay as DVD/Blu-ray or On-Demand. It is “Fair Use” because of its inherent commentary and criticism of the two films and their similarity in plot, characters or theme. All images used are from studio and distributor released promotional trailers and publicity stills.
All right then, we’re out. Keep watching, and we’ll keep splicing them together. And watch out for those hybrid orangu-bots. I’m sure they’re contagious.
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