Bottle Shock II: Shilling For Swill

About a month ago, Bottle Shock's PR team started targeting Wine Bloggers to try and pump up buzz for the film.  "Disguised" as commenters, they weaved in praise for the targeted sites, and then tossed in plugs for the film.  

Craig at The Wine Camp Blog received a funny email from them and wrote a great response entitled "Do They Think We're Stupid"

"Hi Craig,

Firstlet me say I’m a big fan of your blog. It’s always really insightfuland has great information about the Wine world. I’m sort of new to theworld and am tryng to learn everything I can, so you’re blog isamazingly helpful. I’m writing because my friend just took me to aspecial screening of a movie called Bottle Shock. I don’t know ifyou’ve heard of it, but I thought it might be something you’d beinterested in. It’s about the bline taste test this guy had in the 70sbetween the French and the Americans, where the American wines won.Apparently it was a huge deal in the 70s and was all of the press. Thiswas a total surprise to me because I thought it was given that theFrench wines are the best of the best. Anyway, the movie is prettycool. It has the same affection for wine that Sideways had, but thestory is more focused on the wine itself. I thought I’d bring it toyour atttention in case you hadn’t heard about it. You can watch thetrailer on itunes or go to the website www.bottleshockthemovie.com. Anyway, thanks again for putting together such a great resourse for us newbies to check out. I really appreciate it!

Zack"

After Craig's negative reaction to the email (both content and grammar), the shills top it off with a comment from a fake investor

Good God! Thanks Craig for pointing this out. I'm an investor in this movie. I knew they had hired a marketing firm and that "blog outreach" was one of their programs. But this truly sucks! I'm going to try to head this disaster off at the pass, although I fear it's too late. 

I wouldn't blame you for never wanting to look at this movie ever again, but it is sporting a high IMDB rating (8.5) and the audiences we've screened the movie to have all liked it. Anyways, thank YOU for being so honest to post that amazingly bad email from "Zack".

Wow- The investor comment just cracks me up... "Good God!... head this disaster off at the pass.. I fear it is too late."  So much drama, then followed by more shill about ratings.  

Tom Wark's Fermentation had a similar experience (and I learned about "astroturfing")

Did Hollywood go into business with Nigerian Internet Scammers?

So I go see Bottle Shock.  It BLOWS- Not just due the bastardization of the story, but it is just a crappy movie.  The only positive- is that it is a crappy movie about wine.  (Actually it is really a movie about an blond intern who lives in an open air shack that sleeps with 2 guys making wine).  

I write up my review, and then get a wonderful comment.

"I completely disagree! Me and my fiancee loved this movie. It was so funny and really inspiring. It does have that "feel good" element at the end, just like those sports films you mentioned, but why is that a bad thing? I like it when a movie ramps me up at the end. I thought the movie was very funny. Alan Rickman is hysterical. There's also some beautiful shots of wine country. Made me want to plan a trip to napa asap!"

With a little combing around, that comment reads a lot like this one left on another blog.

 

Bottle_Shock_Why_I_loved_it_and_disagreed_with_the_review

"I saw Bottle Shock, and to tell you the truth I loved it. There is a feel good quality in the movie that keeps you smiling even after the movie. It was hilarious, and every song on the soundtrack was perfect for the scene. Plus, the shots they got of California wine country is breathtaking. A must see movie, I disagree with this review 100%, sorry." 

Then the same person who commented at Dirty South Wine, wrote the following in support of a positive review-  " http://dirtyharrysplace.com/?p=3674 

"I’m in agreement. I thought this movie was such a fun treat. I absolutely loved Alan Rickman and truely laughed out loud in a lot of places! I was touched by the father/son relationship, excited by the contest, and delighted by Rickman, Pullam, and Rodriguez. Chris Pine puts in a really good performance too, he’s one to watch I think. I strongly reccommend it…..so do the critics. = )"

The apparent shilling goes on-  Check out some of the comments on these other blogs.

http://www.metroactive.com/moviesandtvblog/?p=2591

http://www.flickfilosopher.com/blog/2008/08/bottle_shock_review.html 

http://www.matchflick.com/movie-review/19116-10402 

or read all the glowing & similar user reviews at Yahoo

Yahoo's Bottle Shock User Reviews

As I said in my original post, I do know people who legitimately liked the film, but with a shill campaign in hyperdrive, do you really want to give them your money?  

Comments

[MaryAnn Johanson]

Hey, Dirty. I'm the film critic whose reviews appear at FlickFilosopher.com (as well as in numerous alt-weekly newspapers around the U.S.), and I just wanted to let you know that my positive review of *Bottle Shock* is completely genuine, and not any kind of shill or paid PR.

As an independent film critic -- that is, not an employee of a high-circulation corporate magazine -- the only currency I have to trade on is my honesty. I'm not sure why you may have thought that I had thrown that away, but I can assure you that I haven't.

I respect that you did not like the film -- that's cool. And I understand your frustration with those fake commenters -- I get them at FlickFilosopher all the time, too. But I can assure you that at least some of us who profess to like *Bottle Shock* actually do.

[dirty]

Mary Ann-
Thanks for the comment, I apologize if it appears that I meant your review, which I did not.

One of the comments, reads just like the shill comments (and was done in the same hour as many of the others)

As mentioned, I know a few people who legitimately liked the film- but we're no longer friends... ; )

[Hikity]

Hiya Dirty, although I do understand your concern about fake postings with which we obviously have to live (how do you detect it?), I'd like to point out that the comments/reviews on BS are surely not fakes as I've already read more of these enthusiastic reviews since the opening of the film (unfortunately only in the US). There is a whole bunch of wonderful ladies in this world who are all (quite devoted) fans of the great Alan Rickman. Unmistakeably, we might be - at least sometimes - a bit biased, blinded, or see through rose-tinted spectacles, but I can assure you that we here in Europe are desperately waiting for Bottle Shock to be released :-)

[Amber]

hey Dirty, you sure you're not a private investigator? Cause if you are, why are you pretending to be a wine critic?

oh and, I love me some Alan Rickman (who is indeed great), but even he can't save a shitty movie. I'll be missing this one - and take your word for it, Mr. Dirty...or is it Private Eye Dirty?

[Dirty]

Amber-
PI is my middle name. When not in ATL, I spend my free investigating in Hawaii w/ Higgins, TC, and that sleezy Rick dude.