Selling pix in English & Japanese
Eastwood films present challenges to WB, Par
There is no rule book to follow for the marketing and publicity execs at Warner Bros. and Paramount who are charged with opening his two Iwo Jima films. Even the rollout campaign is still being worked out.
Execs believe it's critical that the two movies be released within a short time of each other in the U.S. and Japan. However, they don't want the films to crowd each other out.
"Each movie needs its own space. It can't be seen as a stunt," one marketing vet says.
There are also a lot of generals in the mix. DreamWorks and Warner Bros. were the original partners on the films, but once DreamWorks was sold to Paramount, Par became involved.
Par bows "Flags of Our Fathers" (the battle from the American viewpoint) next month in the U.S., while Warners begins opening "Letters From Iwo Jima" (told from the Japanese side and shot entirely in Japanese) in December. Warners is releasing "Flags" overseas, and "Letters" everywhere.
Challenges involved are a far cry from the campaign for the two "Matrix" movies that opened within the same year.
In the U.S., the test will be getting younger auds to care about a historical piece, from whatever perspective. Steven Spielberg's World War II epic "Saving Private Ryan" did big business in 1998, but it boasted star power in Tom Hanks and Matt Damon.
"Flags" must take hold and pave the way for the companion film "Letters," whose foreign dialogue presents an added challenge in the U.S. and other English-speaking countries. In marketing "Flags," there is sure to be lots of talk about "Letters."
Eastwood began showing "Flags" to key studio suits late last week. Two weeks ago, his production company Malpaso released the first trailer, which was a combination of footage from both films.
Warner Bros. Intl. execs are working hard on the overseas campaign, but believe Japanese auds will embrace both films because of their ultimate message.
"It's the first time an American director has shown Japan defending its homeland without being the aggressor," one Warners suit says.
Eastwood began reaching out to the Japanese while still shooting that film, holding a press conference in Tokyo. And a Web site there offers advance tickets for both pics. While that's fairly common there, it is unusual to sell tickets 3½ months before a film's bow.
Warners has reason to do such heavy courting. The Japanese box office is second only to the U.S. in terms of might. In 2003, the Japanese proved their appetite for historical epics when "The Last Samurai" grossed $115 million in Japan, more than the U.S. cume of $111 million.
Eastwood also wrote an open letter that is now posted on the official Japanese Web site plugging the two films. In mid-August, Warners Japan took out ads in 18 Japanese newspapers reprinting the letter.
It says, among other things, "Those who lose their lives in war, on both sides, are fully deserving of honor and respect. These two films are my tribute to them. Through these films that tell the story (of Iwo Jima) from both the U.S. and Japanese sides, I hope that you will be able to see a new perspective on an era that the people of both countries share -- and has made a deep impression on their hearts."
"Flags" was adapted by Paul Haggis from the bestselling book by James Bradley and Ron Powers. It follows the six U.S. Marines who raised the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima, resulting in one of the most iconic photographs of World War II.
Eastwood came up with the idea for "Letters" while in the midst of shooting "Flags." He became interested in the story of Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi, who led the Japanese troops at Iwo Jima.
Warner Bros. Intl., which had gotten the greenlight to do local production in Japan, liked the concept. WB Intl. exec VP Richard Fox and William Ireton, head of Warners' Japan arm, were among those who arranged to have Kuribayashi's diary and letters translated for Eastwood.
Eastwood talked to Haggis about also penning "Letters." Haggis suggested a Japanese screenwriter be brought aboard. Eastwood hired Iris Yamashita, with Haggis getting a story credit.
DreamWorks and Warner Bros. equally co-financed and co-produced both films.
The Japanese-language pic bows Dec. 9 in Japan. Warners hasn't set a U.S. release date, but buzz is that the studio could mount a qualifying awards run in December before going wide domestically early in the year.
Early opinion on the films is strong, but in awards season, would the films be competing or complementary? And which studio gets bragging rights?
"Flags" is without doubt the bigger movie, costing under $55 million, while "Letters" cost under $15 million. "Letters" arguably has the bigger star in Ken Watanabe, while "Flags" toplines Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach and Barry Pepper.
One exec who worked on the project acknowledges the challenges, but has nothing but admiration for Eastwood. "He's 76 years old, and he rose to a challenge that most guys couldn't get out of bed to do. And he does it with such ease," says one exec who worked on the project.
"Nothing ruffles him. He's not histrionic. He does his job and is efficient. He comes in under budget. Some days, he even stops shooting at noon. He's doesn't wake up every morning worrying about what table he's going to get at the Grill."
(Mark Schilling in Tokyo contributed to this report.)
