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USA Today; Arlington, Va.; Sep 21, 2001
Claudia Puig
Start Page: E.06
ISSN: 07347456
Abstract:
[Megiddo] -- Har Megiddo (Armageddon in Latin) is Hebrew for Mount Megiddo,
a place in northern Israel "where strategic battles have taken place over
time," says Crouch -- stars Michael York and Michael Biehn. It's based
on the Book of Revelation, and centers on "an Antichrist character rising
to power and using his military capabilities to control the world," Crouch
says. In the movie, rated PG-13 for violence and warfare and not screened in
advance for critics, the world unites against this figure.
He wrestled with whether to delay Megiddo. But, he says, "God has an answer for hurting people everywhere. God prepared Megiddo to be the answer."
PHOTOS, B/W, Justin Lubin, 8X Entertainment (2); The final battle: Megiddo, the sequel to 1999's Omega Code, tells an apocalyptic tale based on the Book of Revelation. The marketing plan focuses on pastors. Minion from hell: One of many shadow demons that perpetuate evil and battle for world control.
Full Text:
Copyright USA Today Information Network Sep 21, 2001
Weekend; At the movies
Out of respect for a grieving nation, Hollywood has postponed or abandoned movies with explosions or references to terrorism. But Megiddo: Omega Code 2, a Christian-themed movie about the end of the world, has clung steadfastly to a plan set in motion long ago.
Producer Matt Crouch sees today's limited release as prophetic.
"Who could foresee that on Sept. 21 we would release a picture that rallies the resilience of the American people?" he says. "When President Bush read the 23rd Psalm, what was he doing? He was offering words of hope and comfort to the world. I am doing the same thing the president of the United States did in his address to the nation. This entire movie is built upon Scripture, and it offers the message of a future with no hurt, no sorrow, no pain."
Megiddo -- Har Megiddo (Armageddon in Latin) is Hebrew for Mount Megiddo, a place in northern Israel "where strategic battles have taken place over time," says Crouch -- stars Michael York and Michael Biehn. It's based on the Book of Revelation, and centers on "an Antichrist character rising to power and using his military capabilities to control the world," Crouch says. In the movie, rated PG-13 for violence and warfare and not screened in advance for critics, the world unites against this figure.
It's the sequel to 1999's The Omega Code, a movie that took Hollywood by surprise when it landed at No. 10 at the box office on opening weekend with a $2.4 million gross. (It went on to take in $12.6 million.)
Crouch, the son of televangelist Paul Crouch of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, is convinced that his new apocalyptic tale offers the nation a spiritual salve.
He wrestled with whether to delay Megiddo. But, he says, "God has an answer for hurting people everywhere. God prepared Megiddo to be the answer."
The sequel is repeating the Omega Code strategy. While the budget has grown to $22 million, the movie will go to only 400 theaters in specific regions. Instead of mounting a traditional ad campaign, Crouch took the film on the road and showed it to 4,400 pastors.
To get the word out, filmmakers reached out to Christians via the movie's Web site to create a team of "marketers" who would download posters, stickers and church bulletin press releases.
"The marketing plan is unique in all of Hollywood history," Crouch says. "Our main marketing effort is through an e-mail volunteer list, 10,000 strong. We have a specific church trailer that we will send via FedEx to a volunteer who will hand deliver to a pastor who can show it on Sunday morning. That's kind of our grass-roots secret weapon."
The filmmakers acknowledge that the violence could prove upsetting, but say such scenes "serve as a catalyst for the people of America and the world to proclaim that they aren't going to let this stop them from uniting together to overcome adversity."
Is the opening wise or exploitative?
"The audience has the choice," says Paul Dergarabedian of Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc., a box office tracking firm. "If they put the message out there and people go, that's freedom of choice. Somebody who is offended can vote by not putting down their dollars."
[Illustration]
PHOTOS, B/W, Justin Lubin, 8X Entertainment (2); Caption: The final battle:
Megiddo, the sequel to 1999's Omega Code, tells an apocalyptic tale based on
the Book of Revelation. The marketing plan focuses on pastors. Minion from hell:
One of many shadow demons that perpetuate evil and battle for world control.
