I've actually been a big supporter of Turn Off the Dark and have sincerely been rooting for them (and am looking forward to seeing the revised version after having seen 1.0 twice, etc., notwithstanding the carping that has persisted on this board )...However, I have to say that I'm quite turned off by how cynically they distorted this review from the Chicago Sun-Times (particularly annoying since there were actually plenty of "sincerely" positive reviews or at least potential quotes for them to use without having to resort to this). Is this truly how things are "normally" done? It certainly makes me as a consumer feel manipulated (again, to me unnecessarily):
Here's whats on the Spiderman webpage:
A visual feast! Unquestionably spectacular! – Chicago Sun-Times
and here's the original actual review (the "pulled quotes" in caps):
"With crushingly weak and puerile writing, an almost total lack of storytelling momentum, a numbingly bland score by Bono and the Edge, but UNQUESTIONABLY SPECTACULAR sets by George Tsypin that only underscore the puniness of the material, “Spider-Man” is like a giant insect hopelessly thrashing its legs, yet unable to spin the crucial web of awe and wonder."
(later):
"But you can’t just eat the scenery, even if Tsypin gives us quite A VISUAL FEAST. "
I mean that publication did use those words in reference to the production.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
Sorry, that pull quote is beyond shady - it gives shady a whole new meaning. He is NOT talking in reference to the PRODUCTION - he's talking very specifically about the sets. Period.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
Yeah, OP, you're right that's really ridiculous. People don't get called on that? That's totally deceptive. The New York Post ought to write about that.
If you're going to give a scathing review you should at least be able to write it in a way that you won't give them possible pull quotes. It's the product of failure of the reviewer & good marketing.
People would flip if David Merrick were still alive.
Well, I don't think people are going into Spidey thinking that they're in for some kind of sophisticated, intellectually satisfying show. They go for the spectacle and bragging rights. The pull quote is about the spectacle that the audience will experience, and I think it's fair.
^ Exactly. If the critics say something positive and rave about a certain element of the show, then the show has all rights to use those words to promote their show.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
I don't see what the big deal is. It's industry standard to find positive pull quotes from reviews no matter what. And I'm sure there have been worse offenses than this. Wasn't there an issue recently regarding a show that simply pulled words and turned it into a quote?
"The show is a mess and I would go to great lengths to stay away from it" becomes "The show is great".
But honestly unless they're totally fabricating quotes I don't think there is anything to get our panties in a twist over. It's been done before and it'll be done again.
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".
The tv ad that kind of irks me is the one for Priscilla that says it was nominated for best musical. It gives the impression that it may be for a Tony but it says in small lettering what awards it was actually nominated for.
I don't actually thing the pull quotes from this one are terribly bad...they did use them in a positive light for the sets and the visual aspects.
We've all seen far worse. It's not like the critic if you were expecting something VISUALLY STUNNING (or whatever the quote was) you will be disappointed. They were meant as positive, albeit limited, remarks.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
The pull quote certainly doesn't convey the tone (or point) of the review--i.e., it doesn't say "This critic actually hated the show"--but I don't think it's misleading as to what the reviewer DID like.
It in no way implies that he liked the writing, direction, acting, singing, music, etc.
If somebody calls a show a "visual feast" I pretty much assume they mean the sets. I suppose it could mean the costumes, but I think I'd expect them to say that specifically.
WONDERLAND did a lot of those deceiving pull quotes (including somehow calling themselves "Inspirational" from the NY TImes), and the NY Post responded by saying that it was not a good show! That one was a worse offender than than the Spider-man one... it clearly referred to the original plot of Alice in Wonderland: WONDERLAND is not a good show
Broadway critics are very careful about the words they use. Every writer with an ounce of experience knows that every word in his or her piece is available for advertising. If he was not OK with Spidey using those words to promote the play, trust me, he would not have written them.
That's why most of the critics who panned the musical save the superlatives for the negative thoughts and use double negatives for the positive thoughts. For example, Jonathan Mandell says, "while Spider-Man is no longer a catastrophe, neither did I find it the thrill that the hype would have you believe."
What's Spidey going to use? "NO LONGER A CATASTROPHE!" *L*
It's a business. Reviewers know that everything they write is fair game for a pull quote. This happens all the time, unless the writer really has it in for the production. Like what Brantley did with the Ragtime revival. He went out of his way not to give them any pull quotes.