“Look,” director Adam Rifkin’s 2007 film about the prevalence of security cameras and their use in capturing the interwoven stories of, among other people, hot teens discussing asshole bleaching, is getting some great viral marketing for its May 5 DVD release, including a stunt involving the U.S. Post Office.
The marketing tells us that there are 30 million security cameras in the United States and that each of us is filmed constantly. To prove this, esteemed members of the media (such as myself) have been receiving postcards with increasingly risque security camera (-ish) photos letting us know that we aren’t as alone as we think we are.
Writer/director Rifkin (also responsible for “Detroit Rock City”) used actors for the feature and dirtied up footage in post production to make the characters’ scripted stories seem to have been captured on closed circuit TV.
And the image above was reportedly deemed too obscene by the United States Post Office, generating further hype for the movie when the information inevitably “leaked.”
According to the film’s publicity company (in the above staged video), its mailing house got spooked by postal regulations barring obscenity. I found this suspect because I receive far more envelope-pushing mail from companies like Hustler every day, inevitably delivered with a smirk to Gram Ponante Towers, Waffle House, Scallop Shuckerie, and Residence Hotel by my sticky-handed mail man.
“What’s the most obscene thing you’ve ever delivered without a brown wrapper?” I asked.
“The Tera Patrick FHM,” he said instantly.
I talked with the P.O.’s Inspector General’s office, and they said that they didn’t instruct anyone to not send the “Look” postcards, nor do they have restrictions in place about obscenity except as it regards to laws in other countries and/or our military personnel there.
“So you can mail a postcard with full frontal nudity?” I asked.
“It would be in your best interest to cover that up to deal with restrictions at the point of delivery,” I was told (the source asked to remain anonymous).
“So it’s the sender who usually does the censoring?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“And the Post Office didn’t ban the mailing of ‘Look’ postcards?” I asked.
“No.”
Initial reviews of “Look” have been excellent, but nothing generates interest in a crowded marketplace like the belief that something is Too Hot for your mailbox.
Previously on Porn Valley Observed: Coming to terms with your celebrity sex tape; Thomas Aquinas becomes Digital Playground contract saint
See also: “Look” website
You should review this movie.