David Lynch on Product Placement

[tpaladino]

Money has to come from somewhere. It's great if he can self-fund his films, but others need to be more creative with their budget.

If you're writing a character that smokes, and Marlboro offers you a million dollars to have him smoke Marlboro's, then you'd be a fool not to at least try to make that work.

Some films are nothing but product placement vehicles, but those suck anyway. But you cant make a blanket statement that all product placement ruins films, because it's just not true.

[bushrayasin]

the movements he does with his fingers is kinda creepy

[headthemeatgrinder]

Anyone else think that he really sounds like the Joker?

[890slay]

What is that language the interpreter is talking?

[tiagojmcruz]

@890slay Portuguese (Brazillian portuguese, actually)

[MalaklypsetheElder]

@archer1949

Except that some pay content these days now has ads that you are paying to watch, IFC cable network, Comcast web based email etc. So you know what? Even if you pay for the content now or in the future (when it will get worse I am sure), they are still going to try to double their money. These are the ways of the capitalist whore class (as opposed to the true capitalist class, who are not whores), who will stop at nothing to own your mind.

[MrSmeven]

Sweet haircut bro.

[Diakron79]

He's gotta point. Product placements are for TV shows on flat screens @ home, not for movies in a theatre.

[mistabook]

David Lynch is one of my hair heroes, 100% serious.

[Kelmo17]

It's one thing for branded items to be used in movies as props, it's another thing for characters to slowly drink a Coke with the logo always facing the camera, then getting into their Volkswagen after a zoom out from the VW logo and commenting how easy to use their new iPhone is. There's movies nowadays that are just 2 hour commercials.

[samfilmkid]

flawless logic

[poisonproductionzz]

Creating an advert and being forced to place product in films are TOTALLy different things... His adeverts are GREAT. POETRY. Gucci by Gucci is probably the best add ever made... but there's a stretch from that to being forces to write in products into a storyline for money,,,, can you imagine Charlotte Brönte writting in Singer sewing machines to get the book published?!?!? Bull Shit. Well said, David.

[mercutt1peabody]

it is a fair point to make that to say "pay for it yourself" instead of product placement but there are plenty of other alternatives to product placement for studio funding and film in general, before the this era there were plenty of huge budget films without any product placement that made back massive returns, if we carry on at this rate we will have people drinking pepsi in 18th century historical dramas and cowboys going to pizza hut in between gun fights.

[carpet691]

fucking hypocrite

[MightyQuinn2021]

I guess I'm the one who has to say it: 'Heinkein? FUCK THAT SHIT! PABST-BLUE-RIBBON!'

[CapeCoop]

@MightyQuinn2021 exactly, Mr. Lynch has never addressed the Heineken reference.

[MightyQuinn2021]

@CapeCoop I just think it's a funny way of skewing obvious product placment. Or maybe he's not Heineken's biggest fan? We'll never know

[oObadphishOo]

with out product placement in movies what products are they supposed to use. no brand? and if they do just choose upon a brand then it means accidental advertisement which is weird and unfair.

[samfilmkid]

why are there commercials in movies? why is there so much trouble in this world?

how Jefferey Beaumont would feel about it, right after getting a Heineken.

[ExploringProphecy]

Do not challenge the omnipotence of David Lynch and his invisible, levitating typewriter, which has more processing power than your fucking iphones.

[lepouletnoir]

If that isn't a terrible wig, it's a haircut brilliantly designed to look like one.

[slangshotstudios]

@lepouletnoir AHAHAHAHA



[DeviousTelevision]

HEY GUYS! DON'T FORGET TO BUY DAVID LYNCH BRAND COFFEE FROM HIS WEBSITE! davidlynch*com

[MrACP5]

I like the way Lynch says product placement in a film is putrid yet in Blue Velvet the main character orders a Heineken and asks the girl he is with if she likes Heineken.

[jegerbims]

@MrACP5 Correct me if im wrong, but i seem to remember the line; "Heineken!?? FUCK THAT SHIT!" from the very same movie.

[mort1990]

@MrACP5 Actually the whole Heineken/PBR stuff in Blue Velvet had symbolism, that wasn't product placement

[CapeCoop]

@mort1990 BS. BS. BS. to quote Mr. Lynch.

[alkalinecuban]

I'm starting to think hes wearing a tupee

[HotBroodish]

WHAT KIND OF A WORLD IS THIS? IT'S KIND OF CRAP.

[hattrickster33]

So true...rather than watching the next transformers film you might as well go sit at home, turn on the TV, and make sure that you watch ONLY the commercials for 2 hours. That's how bad it's gotten, especially with the Transformers movies.

[queiloroincontri]

why didn't she ask him about Heineken and Bud and Pabst Blue Ribbon? It putrifies the environment David? yes it does. Except for Heineken and Bud and Pabst Blue Ribbon right?

[MikeH1986MikeH]

it would be "YOU'RE young and ignorant". This guys is a tool. There is nothing wrong with product placement. So someone does something to make a bit more money, who cares, it doesn't hurt anybody. Stupid old fartknocker, he's such a pretentious old twat who seems to think that he is an authority over morality and humanity, when really he's just a twat.

[fetishisticrose]

@MikeH1986MikeH wow , jealous much? ....I think you take him wayyy too seriously ...just an opinion.

[MikeH1986MikeH]

Fucking hypocrite, anyone who allows product in their film or whatever does it for money too, he's just a stupid old cunt who makes nonsense bullshit films and tv

[ActualBird]

@MikeH1986MikeH You're an idiot.

[BakerBadBrains]

@MikeH1986MikeH and your young and ignorant

[JAKKU94]

thank god for the loud translator or i wouldn't have understood a thing.

[Ichiboy900]

This is very true, product placement is ruining film and society as we know it. Btw, I just found out Subway is selling 5 dollar foot long subs again, I just thought you all might like to know that.

[EyEnOtgAy]

I can't watch casino royale due to every cell phone being Sony excession. Pc monitor sony.. Sony blu ray disc.. Sony blu ray / DVD players.. Sony tvs it's like Sony royale or some dumb shit

[Ampex101]

Let's just beat YT then by getting Ad-blocker and Noscript.

[ASDMarauder007]

that hand....

[vlaSINda]

David Lynch: Film Philosopher

[archer1949]

You don't like ads?

Then pay for the content.

That's your choice.

You think that they are giving this site free bandwidth?

All the "NOLOGO" types are living in a dreamland.

Lynch can get away with saying this because his films are pretty inexpensive and his latest works are self-funded. Fair enough.

If you don't want your art to be sullied, pay for it yourself.

[marvelswe]

His hands got a mind of his own!

[coverscopyer]

I love him, i wanna mary a man like him, anyone got some ideas for where to look?

[KleWdSide]

@coverscopyer I guess if you see a guy buying red curtains would be a start, haha

[coverscopyer]

@KleWdSide yeah good idea, ill go hide behind them in IKEA:)

[bunkafashioncollege]

you go David! Product placement in movies is B******T! Its so obvious and obnoxious

[arklop5]

"Here's the deal, folks...You do a commercial and you're off the artistic roll call FOREVER. End of story. Okay? You're a corporate fucking shill, you're another whore at the capitalist gangbang, and if you do a commercial, there's a price on your head, everything you say is suspect, and every word that comes out of your mouth is now like a turd falling into my drink." -Bill Hicks

(Not directing anything at Lynch. I just like that quote.)

[Baphomet417]

As much as I agree w/ Lynch, a point can be made that in order for movies to create an authentic world for their characters to live in, certain "everyday" products should be used in order to enhance the realism. However, I don't think that a production company should be a whore for whichever company is willing to be the highest bidder...the particular product that appropriately suits the particular scene should be used, as in the case of Heineken and Pabst in Blue Velvet.

[alienpicnic]

Hey David, you are wrong. Product placement is done to make money, so art placement should be the counter measure to make art.

[lonelysock]

i want hair like david lynch. so alt.

[kerrie1234567890]

I love David Lynch as much as the next person, but he too is guilty of product placement. Blue Velvet is full of Heineken beer in the most obvious of ways, in fact it makes an amazingly nerdy drinking game...

[jamesoblivion]

@kerrie1234567890 Heineken didn't pay Lynch to include their product. Nor, for the record, did Pabst Blue Ribbon. That's not product placement...it just something that Lynch wrote into the script because he thought it was funny and/or made his characters more (or less) "human."

[Rhoadhead]

@kerrie1234567890 Did you actually finish watching Blue Velvet? I'm pretty sure David Lynch didn't get paid by Heineken to put the line," Heineken? Fuck That Shit..." in his film. It is in the same manner that Tarantino will occasionally include a full shot of a Wild Turkey bottle in his film. Maybe it symbolizes something or maybe they just personally like the product. All I'm saying is I'm pretty sure Lynch didn't get paid for product placement.

[emidore]

Sometimes true artists need to "sell out" to get their real projects funded. On the other hand, Lynch helps make commercials more interesting. It confounds me to think that the commercial business hasn't already imploded. Who watches the typical commercial when you can mute the set, take a dump, put clothes in the dryer, clip your toenails, fill the birdbath, or take out the trash?

[HungerCultFilms]

A wonderful attitude. Such a shame most directors have neither the sensibilities nor the morals to match Lynch.

[mcgrawHNIC]

i love him and agree

thank you for everything Mr Lynch

[peterphilip]

Blur the line between art and advertisement until one is indistinguishable from the other and culture is DEAD.

[creampackage]

Except for Heineken and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

[MaghoxFr]

@creampackage ouch, that's true.

[BankruptMonopoly]

hes a total genious

[underyourskindvd]

nice one.

[2ndsB4]

PUTRIFIKA xD

[marcbinkley]

doesn't the saying go "art imitates life" or was it "Life imitates art"? Brands are all around us and we as a society are completely ignorant to think that "art" such as movies wouldn't want to imitate the viewers surroundings. Lynch himself admits he makes commercials to make money. I hate to break it to David, but the goal of most studio movies is to make money. It's marketing 101, speak to the right people, the right # of times, with the right message and the wallets open.

[jumpoutatree]

"It is happening.... again"

[econometricsly]

Right on man, capitalist mind control has gone too far

[dilps]

smartest guy out there

[youngdones]

This guy is mentally disturbed. Have you ever seen any of his movies?

[PezunaProducciones]

@youngdones fuck you

[guybear30]

@youngdones

man, you'r mentally  amazing

[TheDigo]

david lynch sounds like heath ledgers joker

[charliechutney]

I don't see the problem with product placement in movies as long as it's in the background, doesn't detract from the story and the film-makers don't LIE about it being there - like Zemeckis and Hanks did with Cast Away. That film was clearly a huge ad for FedEx, but they keep denying FedEx gave them any money. Just be honest and admit you're a corporate slut whore, then you may get a modicum of respect in return.

[Ashogo]

@charliechutney I agree to an extent, but you have to admit that product placement does further validate and support the American ad industry, which already has way too much social swaying power. It's just another way of fetishizing brand names and bullshit products.

[charliechutney]

@Ashogo  Advertising is all around us, on the street, in our homes, at sports games. We'll never escape it. There's even evidence Roman Gladiators were sponsored by brands of olive oil. So long as the product in question benefits us as people, advertising is just one of those evils I'm prepared to live with - after all, it's my choice whether I buy the soft drink or not.

[eraserhead321]

@charliechutney it never is in the background though dude. you always notice it and it wrecks any kind of realism.

[charliechutney]

@eraserhead321 You've contradicted yourself. Advertising is a major part of our lives, so to remove it from the movie screen is like creating an unrealistic parallel universe.

[help4343]

@charliechutney

Why do think the are lying but believe that Lynch didn't get money from Pabst Blue Ribbon?

[charliechutney]

@help4343 I never said Lynch didn't get money for Pabst Blue Ribbon.

[herbal1971]

The Terminal has to be the most blatant example of product placement I've seen.

I still like the film, though!

[4jonah]

@herbal1971

I think Mr Deeds is worse. I hate Sandler, but the movie had HUGE shoutouts to Wendys, Pepsi, and others. The film was one long commercial, like most films these days.

[TimLivelyUnearthed]

I'm going to be a happy idiot And struggle for the legal tender Where the ads take aim and lay their claim To the heart and the soul of the spender And believe in whatever may lie In those things that money can buy Thought true love could have been a contender Are you there? Say a prayer for the pretender Who started out so young and strong Only to surrender

[dingles69]

incredible

[hottieho13]

oh my goodness i love this man!!!! i love his hair,i love his voice ,i love his wit ,i love his smile ,i love his personality i just love everything about him!......ok that just came out soooo stalkerish lol!

[moolotovzz]

@hottieho13 why don`t you marry him?

[phille22]

seems like the audiance doesn't need a fucking... eh,,, what do you call it? translator?

[TimLivelyUnearthed]

Speaking of Commercial Whores. How about the way youtube is now putting commercials in videos? Youtube will become just another form of TV, It really sucks. I cut all the logos off my clothes too. Im not a billboard for Nike or anyone else. Yet some people love to walk around with brands all over them. Fools! And if its only David Lynch, Neil Young and Me that care, well at least Im in good company.

[MarquisdeBarrabas]

'some people love to walk around with brands all over them'

I never understood that either.

[VyRuZ666]

You're such a rebel.

[Nicolaslopezw]

@TimLivelyUnearthed amen, its sad how people will pay more money to become an advertisement, shirts should cost 10 or fifteen bucks, but all of a sudden when you can become a free ad, wer willing to pay 30 or 40. Its ridiculous, people are being extorted for doing companies a job for them

[raymondleeleggs]

@Nicolaslopezw A good quality name brand shirt is worth paying extra for it will not shrink fade or fray as fast as a cheap wal-mart grade shirt.

[Nicolaslopezw]

@raymondleeleggs Ok that's nice, but after saving money on labour and manufacturing by moving their factories to countries with less strict labour legislation (or lack thereof) they are then ratcheting up the price by virtue of your advertising for them. Everybody loses except nike (or insert whatever brand you buy from) They are hindering humanitarian progress, economic progress, and political progress. So yea its nice to have a good shirt, but i dont think its worth it.

[playadominical]

@TimLivelyUnearthed people who complain about the ads are weak minded. are you so weak that a commercial will infiltrate your mind and control your thoughts?  i've never so much as glanced at an ad, let alone click on one, so it really doesn't bother me. if the first 20 seconds of a video is an ad, i think it's a small price to pay. i'd rather ignore an ad than have to pay for this service... do you think you are somehow entitled to free youtube and they shouldnt get anything out of it? tool

[Baphomet417]

@playadominical well, said. There are so many fucking cretins on this site that have entitlement issues and who don't understand the way a market economy functions...clearly in order for youtue to exist, it must have employees, and in order to pay said employees, money has to come from somewhere, hence advertising. Apparently the childish little "anti-corporate" douchebag would rather pay for this himself. That being said, I DO agree w/ Lynch on product placement in movies! 

[playadominical]

@Baphomet417 absolutely. product placement affects the integrity of the art. but having to sit through a commercial or close a pop up is no big deal

[CopyriteInfringement]

@TimLivelyUnearthed.. so you buy nike, then cut the logos out....when not just not buy nike.

[bullitmore]

@TimLivelyUnearthed yeah bro fight the man you against the rest of the capitalist dogs

heres a tip to save you the bother of cutting out your labels why dont you just not buy nike

[Poleschs]

@TimLivelyUnearthed Are you paying for YouTube?`I don't think so. So stop complaining. Some platforms can only exist because of advertisement.

[NodrogTrax]

@TimLivelyUnearthed You are in better company than you think. Ralph Nader, Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, Robert Crumb, Thom Yorke, and Theo Adorno all comment on the cancerous nature of corporate branded culture, and those are just contemporary examples I can think of off the top of my head. They represent a small fraction of contemporary examples, not to mention the past philosophers and artists who would be right on board with this sentiment had they experienced our current circumstances.

[Hyman74Roth]

@TimLivelyUnearthed TELL ME ABOUT IT! You took the words right out of my mouth!

[MAJORdorMo1992]

@TimLivelyUnearthed The people who uploaded the video decide whether or not there are commercials or ads in their videos. If they choose to have commercials or ads, the uploader gets money. Youtube is allowing people to make a living off doing videos.

[waldomademedoit]

@TimLivelyUnearthed Clothes with brand names all over them are a way for a company to advertise to the peers of who wears the clothing so those peers will also buy it and the company will make money. Advertising = more money = better economy = live with it or go live naked in the forest by yourself. You even said you still BUY the brand names, you just cut the logos off: They already have your money, but OOPS Nike might have lost a customer because you didn't have the swoosh on your Nike shirt.

[N30wolf]

@TimLivelyUnearthed Well maybe Youtube also needs a way to make money so that it can keep on being a free service rather than having you pay for it.

[dilps]

@TimLivelyUnearthed It's like watching an ad in an ad in an ad. OH SHI-

[misterbarbister]

@TimLivelyUnearthed No shit! I always get so furious when I see a youtube advertisement, ESPECIALLY the ones you can't cancel after 5 seconds... but as soon as my clip starts I totally forget I even saw the commercial. I bet they're gonna slowly add more and more advertising at a rate where we barely even notice. Something needs to be done

[TimLivelyUnearthed]

I always notice product placement in a film. For a moment it takes me out of the scene. I think thats what Mr. Lynch has a problem with. It sacrifices something. Most people can handle it fine but it irritates the hell of me. Im one of those guys who always mutes commercials when I watch tv. Some people just talk right over commercials and that makes no sense. Thats what the mute button on the remote is for. The problem with product placement is that I cant mute it during a film. Its Bullshit !!

[JacksInn]

I envy his hair.

[standupstella]

Having products in a film is not product placement—if a character like Frank Booth drinks PBR then fine. But Lynch put it in because it was correct, not to get budget support. The point is that with PP you are giving up control of the film to advertisers—Lynch won't do that because he's an artist, unlike Richard Donner. Superman was fine, but it's not a great film. Blue Velvet is.

[eddyp60]

eraserhead also

[BlogSnob]

Lynch was very obviously making fun of product placement in Blue Velvet. The scene with them drinking heinekan made the audiance think hmm look at this disgusting product placement. Only to have his characters say F THAT a few scenes later. Perfect

[jkhgsdhgdhgjklsdhfgj]

well, as far as the gucci commercial goes, its a masterpiece, I remember the time i got a glipse of the end, when the lights gos VSSHHHHH and was stunned, and at the same time quite impressed, it takes you places, so even a comercial by david lynch is still a david lynch creation, under that perspective, I find no hypocrisy. You gotta get the money sometimes, but he is, and most people see that right away, a genuine artist, and hes excused in my book at least.

[smilingdata]

I call that being a hypocrite !

[J20M07]

I'm confused. He says product placement is bullshit, but hasn't he done it himself?

In Blue Velvet for example - Heineken and Pabst Blue Ribbon?

[superwolf76]

If this has to be explained to you, you won't understand., J20M07.

I'll just ask you, do you think he got paid for that and do you think that any product that is mentioned or seen in a film is automatically product placement?

[J20M07]

You don't have to patronise me, superwolf. It was a simple question.

I understand that David Lynch has this little cult following of which you are probably a member, but still, I do not understand where the guy is coming from and he does seem quite hypocritical. I left Blue Velvet, with as I say, Heineken and Pabst Blue shoved in my face so in answer to your question, yes, I do believe it was product placement. If you would like to explain to me otherwise, politely may I add, then feel free :)

[superwolf76]

I will apologize for seeming a little flippant, but it is not that black and white concerning a mention of products in a film. I'll try to explain, since you asked me to. Not claiming the whole "it's art" thing, but, take Andy Warhol for example. Is it considered product placement on hi part for painting/screenprinting the famous Campbell's Soup can? Lynch also mentioned Budweiser "King of Beers" in the film, too. It's an absurdist's indulgence, no more no less. He didn't get paid for it!

[OLTJOE]

I'll answer you.

There is a difference. The 'product placement' you are referring to in Blue Velvet is an organic one that was not paid for by either Pabst or Heineken. The product placement that he is referring to is a calculated investment by a company (or group of companies) that will portray their product in such a light as to enhance profitability for the company. There was no money changing hands, and, simply put, a cultural backdrop that screams 'Americana'.

[OLTJOE]

This was a response for J20m07

[J20M07]

Good analysis, Thanks.

[reviewitorhateit]

Buddy it's not PP. he just like heineken beer, that's all he could have put coors light or whatever

[J20M07]

I know that now. I had an idea, but I wasn't entirely sure. I enjoyed Blue Velvet though which surprised me, coz quite frankly I was traumatised after Eraserhead lol

[colalight71]

No, he hasnt. He directed commercials, thats something else.

[Neonman78]

I hate product placement as much as any film lover, but I find it interesting in films set in the future such as Minority Report and I,Robot. These films have a large amount of product placement in their universes, but it is to show us how far our society is taking advertising.

[WallyWadeMovies]

I can't believe that people find product placement so shocking. The fact of the matter is that movies are expensive. Lynch did have PP on Blue velvet, and that was back in his hayday. You will see product placement on something recent as Transformers (GM cars everywhere, and a xbox360 transformer. Even cellphones) But i will take you back to a Richard Donner's superman movie where you see Phillip Morris products everywhere. You forgot when Superman gets thrown into a Malboro Truck?

[elunicocalvo]

I live in Chile. Here there is a character called "Papelucho", an almost obligatory reading on schools. They made a movie of it...damn...David Lynch...you are right....I mean, product placement can work, if done well, but I don't pay a movie ticket to watch a damn commercial (they screwed Papelucho! :D).

[limpicatto]

Papelucho???

[limpicatto]

Por cierto, David Lynch no dijo que estaba bien el "product placement", es decir, el introducir publicidad dentro de una película. De hecho dijo que putrifica el ambiente.

[jerrylentz]

I don't want to live in that world! Wait, I am living in that world already... Ouch!