Yahoo’s Health Expert Blog had this to say about the holidays:

That said, if this holiday season finds you alone under the mistletoe, that doesn’t mean your mood has to be lower than the box-office numbers for Snakes on a Plane.

Zing.

A few people have been lobbying for some upcoming films to receive the SoaP treatment. Bojac Redleif suggests

I was looking at next year’s films and the next film we all should over hype should be “The Astronaut Farmer“. Look up a few of the pictures from it and you’d agree.

Oh and you suck for not selecting my entry.

Yours Truly
The Honorable Bojac Redleif

And, in a similar vein, Matt Barr pointed out that:

Does everyone know about SOAP’s influence on the Transformers movie? If you go to transformersmovie.com/ you can type a quote for Optimus Prime to say in the movie. Then everyone will vote and…….well we know the rest!

Sadly Armitage112 sort of kicked the legs out from under Matt, though:

**doesn’t know how to break it to Matt that not only is the contest for the Transformers movie over, the 10 finalists were chosen and recorded already. The winners can be found at here**

BTW–as part of the voting audience, I can tell you that someone DID submit something along the line of “Enough is enough! I have had it with these M-F’ing Decepticons on this M-F’ing planet!” Sadly, it didn’t make it to the finals. :-(

Tough luck for all of us, I suppose.

It’s actually rather interesting that Paramount is apparently attempting to learn from its mistakes this summer.  They proved themselves to be decidedly unhip when dealing with the internet fan community… instead of embracing the interactivity that the web allows, they attempted to shut down sites catering to people’s excitement about their film.  They’ve apparently taken a step back and realize that encouraging fan enthusiasm will indeed help them in the long run. Did they take a look at the attention Snakes on a Plane garnered? Or did they simply look at the bad PR they received for going in the opposite direction?

But, then again, this level of interactivity is being controlled entirely by Paramount with no honest/open level of control by the fans.  Perhaps Paramount didn’t learn, perhaps they still feel that they need to control the online community and make sure that the ‘fun’ only takes place in a walled garden, with guards at the gates.

Well, either way, it may be a somewhat cheesy contest, but HOPEFULLY it shows the right attitude.

Now, I’ll admit that the chances of a Snakes on a Plane sequel seem somewhat grim at this point (that’s based on no inside information, just a general hunch), but Daniel has put together this petition to help bring one about:

To: Robert Shaye co-ceo of New Line Cinema
To: New Line Cinema

This petition is regarding the making of a sequel to snakes on a plane. although we am sure the prospect of a sequel has probably already been raised we would respectfully request that a sequel is made for this truly great movie and that some of the fans can be included in the pre-production phase of any sequel you are considering. We the fans would like to see a sequel made and would appreciate if you would entertain some of our more serious suggestions and include some of our ideas for the proposed sequel

By signing the following form, you are requesting that new line cinema create a sequel to their hit film snakes on a plane and also allow fans to sit at production meetings and give their input to various ideas for a sequel to snakes on a plane.

It currently has an uninspiring 1 signature, but presumable my current readership can bring it up to at least 10.

I foolishly announced a contest to give away DVDs in which authors were allowed to submit mini-essays of up to 500 words each. I, in my short sightedness, hadn’t really anticipated that 500 words is considerably more than a short paragraph. I’ve spent the last few days mulling over the submissions. I first narrowed the list by removing any submissions that were over 500 words, and then picked my ten winners. Some were selected because they were unique, some because they showed impressive writing skills, some because they included Indiana Jones, and some for no discernible reason whatsoever… Ok?

I had a hard time narrowing the 40 submissions to 10 winners, but I finally came up with a good cross section.

The winners are below the jump:

Read the rest of this entry »

Samuel Jackson was shot in the head. Now, I know what you’re thinking, that it couldn’t have done any damage… not to Samuel Jackson. Well, you’d be right. He was shot in the back of the head and is just fine:

Samuel Jackson is walking around with a small caliber bullet lodged just underneath his scalp. He talked exclusively Sunday to WSFA 12 News.

Who fired the weapon and how all of this began is still a mystery. The 67-year-old man went into the greenhouse in his backyard Saturday and picked up a bucket to water the plants. Just before he finished, a bullet came through the greenhouse door.

“All of a sudden, something hit me. It felt like someone just took a board and hit me across the head,” Jackson said. “Of course, I dropped the bucket immediately. I felt my head and I could feel something wet and I said, ‘that’s blood.’”

Snakes couldn’t stop him, a bullet to the back of the head couldn’t stop him. Nothing can stop him.

I have gotten SLIGHTLY better at working with video clips and I have posted two new clips on YouTube. One is a repost of an earlier clip from the Gilmore Girls. The other is a longer clip from the second season finale of Weeds which I was unable to get online the first time. You know, if you’re still interested in such things.

Here we go:

Snakes on Weeds

Snakes on the Gilmore Girls

All previous Videos.

I’m just going to reprint an email I sent to New Line a few days ago to explain the current situation in regards to people who appeared on the DVD. Sorry for this:

Ok, I’m bringing you all in one email just so I can give a quick recap of what happened. I’ve been emailing with a few of you on an individual basis, but it seemed easier to lay out the whole story one time for everybody. If you’re not interested in this, feel free to delete.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by [an employee] at MPRM with an offer to give away DVDs to correspond with the premiere of the film. You can see how that’s proceeding here:

http://www.snakesonablog.com/2006/12/18/snakes-on-a-final-contest/

Later, on December 15th the following posting appeared on my website (notice that it has [a New Line employee]’s correct email address:

> > New comment on your post #2693 “Snakes on a DVD”
> > Author : New Line Cinemas (IP: 71.98.190.150 ,
> > pool-71-98-190-150.tampfl.dsl-w.verizon.net)
> > E-mail : [employee email address]@newline.com
> > URI : http://www.snakesonaplane.com
> > Whois :
> > Comment:
> > Hello Snakesonaplaniacs,
> >
> > We would personally like to thank everyone for
> > supporting and attending snakes on a plane. We
> > all had a blast with the film. From the youtube
> > videos, to the pictures, and the blogs. The
> > fans of Snakes on a Plane will never be
> > forgotten at New Line Cinemas or Hollywood
> > for that matter.
> >
> > So on that note….
> > Since everything about snakes seems to
> > leak out anyway. We at New Line would
> > like to be the first to put out on the
> > blog that all of the fans on the fan
> > featurette of the DVD will recieve a copy
> > of Snakes On A Plane for free. Just as a
> > way to say thanks for the success.
> >
> > Don’t worry about anything we have all
> > addresses from the release forms that
> > you all signed.
> >
> > And Brian thanks for the site and
> > all you have done.
> >
> > Thank You and Happy Holidays,
> >
> > New Line Cinemas
>>

I assumed it was real and highlighted it on my site. I also received similar comments from this site on YouTube at my account:

http://youtube.com/profile?user=SnakesOnABlog

From this user, calling itself NewLineCinemaPR:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=NewLineCinemaPR

Again, I assumed that these postings were from you guys. A few people asked me for confirmation and when I asked [the New Line employee] about it, [he or she] had no idea what I was talking about. Something appears to have gone awry. Evidentally all of this was fake. Someone must have [figured out the correct email address].

Anyway, at that point I became concerned that the [MPRM representative] who I had been dealing with on the DVD giveaway front may have been the same person trying to fool me a second time, so I asked her to get someone at New Line to confirm that MPRM was indeed legit. She had [someone at New Line] email me, but at this point I was having conversations about this with a few people, and I figured it would be easier to explain one time to everybody.

So, that’s the story. I was hoping I’d be able to pin down who posted the fake announcement based on their IP address, but the best I could do was that it was somebody in Tampa, Florida.

Anyway, I’m rather annoyed at myself for being fooled.

So, there’s what happened. Sorry to bother everyone with this.

Brian

Anyway, I’ve pulled down the original posting and I apologize for any confusion/misinformation. It was rather mean spirited.

I mentioned a few times that I was going to be having one final contest for the true Snakes on a Plane fans out there. Those of you who have kept reading this site even though the movie came out four months ago deserve a little reward. So, here we go, the last contest:

Prizes:

1. Ten Snakes on a Plane DVDs (courtesy of New Line’s marketing people),
2. One Snakes on a Plane fan prize pack, which includes one original shirt, one additional shirt of your choice, one snakes in the rain umbrella, one snakes in a can, one snakes on a wristband, one different snakes on a wristband and three snakes on a thing tickers (courtesy of the awesome Damnation Inc).

How to win:

Imagine yourself a passenger on Pacific Air Flight 121,
calmly enjoying your flight across the Pacific. Suddenly,
and without warning, there are snakes all around you.
In less than 500 words, describe what happens to you.
You can live, you can die… you can nap through
the whole thing — it’s up to you.

Please don’t feel like you need to fill up the entire 500 words, short and sweet is a perfectly valid option here. I will chose the 10 most original, interesting, gorey, funny or otherwise entertaining submissions and each will receive a Snakes on a Plane DVD courtesy of New Line Cinema. The BEST submission will also receive a prize pack from Damnation Inc.

Rules

1. Post your submissions in the comments below.
2. Please begin submissions with the word ‘SUBMISSION’.
3. One submission per person, please (but feel free to lobby for yours all you want).
4. Include your correct email address so I can get in touch with you.
5. If you live outside the United States I’ll need to check with New Line to see if they can ship you the DVD before I can award you a prize, so please let me know if that’s the case.
6. On Friday, December 22nd at noon EST I will stop accepting submissions.
7. I’ll post the winners by Christmas at the latest.
8. DVDs will ship from New Line’s people after the street date of January 2nd (so sadly you won’t get them the day they’re released, but you will get them for free, so that’s better).

Any questions? Good.

Get writing.

UPDATE 12/22/06 at 12:30pm: the submission period is officially closed.  I regret giving you guys 500 words, I’ve got a million pages of submissions to read through.  I’ll announce the winners as soon as is plausible, hopefully by Monday.   Anyone wishing to offer suggestions as to whose is the best is welcome to do so.

Good job.

Mentions of Snakes on a Plane in both the New York and Los Angeles Times today. First the NYTimes is kind enough to let us know that some NBA players is CERTAIN that the situations in the movie couldn’t happen in real life. Second, the LATimes let’s us know that Snakes on a Plane was one of the Ten Moments that Shook the World (in 2006):

No, “Snakes on a Plane” did not go on to challenge “Titanic’s” box office record, but it did become the first studio release entirely championed, developed and, for a time it seemed, directed by film fans on the Internet. The moment when the movie’s cast and crew went back to the cameras for Internet-ordered, gore-boosting re-shoots will go down in history as the first time the Web grabbed the production reins away from movie producers.

Also, Time announced it’s person of the year as “YOU” (referring to me). In reality, I’m a tad disappointed that this site wasn’t mentioned. Clearly this was my ONLY shot to be person of the year… it’s not like I’m going to cure cancer anytime soon. If you can mention LonelyGirl15 a dozen times, surely you can mention me once. Oh well.

Who’s jealous? You’re jealous! Here’s what came in the mail this morning:

I admit I never thought I would type that headline. As you might recall, 50 Cent is famous for having been shot 9 times (non-consecutively?) and, then, I guess, not dying. He’s also been stabbed. Anyway, he’s in an upcoming movie called Home of the Brave starring him, Christina Ricci, Jessica Biel (hey, I went to college with her for TWO semesters) and, of course, Samuel L. Jackson. Mr. Cent was recently interviewed about the experience of working with Samuel L.:

We actually talked about his film ‘Snakes on a Plane.’ And I told him I’m absolutely not goin’ to see that one. Snakes and planes at the same time? It’s a super duper phobia, for that one. He laughed at me, he said ‘all right, I’ll see you at the box office. You’re gonna go see it with everybody else.’

Samuel L. Jackson wasn’t afraid to tell ANYONE to see Snakes on a Plane.

CBS News interviewed Ben from the Church of the Customer about Citizen Marketers. I actually talked with Ben and his associate Jackie for about an hour this summer for a book that they’re working on. If I hadn’t had an exam today, I would have been a show and tell item for them at the Word of Mouth Marketing Association Summit (I bet I would have been a hero over there!).

Anyway, CBS asked him a question about Snakes on a Blog, so I figured I’d post the clip. For easier viewing, here it is on YouTube:

The Today Show is having an end of the year poll to determine which news event was their most “memorable.” Quite the exciting poll, eh? Anyway, one of the ten clips is mine from oh so many months ago (sadly I don’t have the clip online). If you’re feeling adventurous, head to the voting site before 9pm tonight to cast your vote. It’d be really sad to lose to “Dangers at Home,” or “Killer Whale,” or “Dog Hotels.”

I guess I wouldn’t mind losing to “Halloween Costume Trends.”

UPDATE: I lost to the Killer Whale.  Comme ci, Comme ça.

Did you think New Line had forgotten about me?

I admit, now that the movie is over and done with, now that the throngs of visitors have moved on, now that the reporters have stopped calling, I assumed that I wouldn’t be hearing from New Line again. Sure, I might get a nod when the DVDs come out (and stick around, I’ve got a give away next week for that), but I figured that would be it. Well, New Line proved me wrong. Below are images of my actual, official, personalized and autographed New Line “Season’s Greetings” (read Christmas) card.

Signed by all my favorite New Line people. The amazing thing is that I’m not even being sarcastic. I was genuinely moved to receive it. So, thanks New Line. Glad you’re still thinking about me.

You see, when this sort of problem gets posed by the New York Times, nobody ever considers the snake factor:

Imagine a plane is sitting on a massive conveyor belt, as wide and as long as a runway. The conveyor belt is designed to exactly match the speed of the wheels, moving in the opposite direction. Can the plane take off?

The weird part, (ignoring the total lack of snakes in the scenario) is that people seem to think the plane is able to take off without air passing over the wings, which is totally impossible, right?  Anyway, I’m sure throwing a few snakes onto the plane, or even the treadmill runway, would dramatically alter the math involved.

Don’t leave, I’ve got something to give away next week.  Something DVD-related.  Posting have been slow, it’s finals time again, but don’t wander too far.

This one’s actually pretty amusing.  Kevin sent in a link to this movie quote generator that allows you to substitute a random phrase into a series of movie quotes.  Anyway, the phrase “motherfucking snakes” provides some amusing possibilities:

I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little motherfucking snakes, too!

I’m looking for the Army of the Twelve Motherfucking Snakes.

Motherfucking Snakes? We ain’t got no motherfucking snakes! We don’t need no motherfucking snakes! I don’t have to show you any stinking motherfucking snakes!

Keep your friends close, but your motherfucking snakes closer.

There’s a lot more, keep refreshing and they’ll just keep coming.