The latest film to be garnering strong interest is known only as Cloverfield. Or Slusho. Or 1-18-08. The reason for this buzz is because of an untitled trailer (which you can see in glorious quicktime here) that appeared before the US release of Transformers.

The trailer shows a leaving party for a fella called Rob which is interrupted by an unearthly noise and what appears to be a slight earth tremor. Moments later, everyone is in the street watching a huge explosion and then running away as a huge projectile flies through the air, demolishing buildings and is then revealed to be the head of the Statue of Liberty. Oh my! Giant monster ahoy! More excitement about the project stems from the fact that J J Abrams, creator of Lost, is attached as producer. Yes, because everything he touches turns to gold - witness “Alias” and “Mission Impossible: III”. Oh, and it should be mentioned that the footage in the trailer is entirely shot from the POV of a person holding a video camera, which, allegedly, is how the whole film is going to be shot.

The trailer isn’t bad at all and snarking aside, it does the job and gets people enticed. Not to mention the fact that there are already clues scattered around the internet in a grand marketing scheme to build up the antici…..pation for this relatively modestly budgeted film. Hell, it’s worked. Do a technorati search and you’ll see a spawn of sites and blogs all about the film (and more in relation to a chappie called Ethan Haas which was viral marketing for an entirely different project, one called Alpha and Omega, a game by Mindstorm Labs who are probably creaming themselves with the free publicity they’re getting). Even Gordon blogged about it (and provoked an entirely unrelated discussion that extended to over 30 comments). And yes, the trailer has got me interested. But it’s an interest that’s dubious about the film.

You see, the idea of a monster in Manhattan is one that I can buy. The idea of the film being told from the point of view of people just trying to survive I can buy. What’s not doing it for me right now is the idea that the film will be told entirely using video cameras as if it were people documenting the event. You see, the idea that a normal person would be able to keep the camera rolling while all around there was disaster and destruction and a giant monster had just risen from the depths intent on devouring anything in its way is just stupid. Anyone who does that deserves to get eaten immediately. Remember the footage from the collapse of the Twin Towers? People filmed what was happening and that was one thing but as soon as the towers collapsed and the wall of dust and debris came hurtling towards them, the filming stopped and they legged it. That’s what happens.

Of course, I could be wrong and I hope this is the case. I hope that if the film is told this way then it’s told properly and that people behave like they should behave. I hope that we get to see very little of the monster and only the effects of its presence. I hope we see ordinary peoples reactions to extraordinary events (a little like the promising but ultimately disappointing Signs). I just think that in this case, more conventional cinematic means would be preferential.

Then again, perhaps I’m stills scarred by the atrocious and overhyped monstrosity that was The Blair Witch Project. We’ll find out in January.