Robert Rodriguez took a page from John Waters and used the marketing strategy of billing his fourth installment in the Spy Kids franchise as a “4D” flick by adding scratch-and-sniff scent cards for audiences. It’ll be interesting to see if this add-on “Aroma-Scope” value increases moviegoing beyond just the 3D higher ticket prices when the pic opens Friday. ”When it came time to do Spy Kids 4, I couldn’t just go back and do 3D like everybody else is now. I had to bring something extra,” Rodriguez told the AP. “Just watching my own kids with interactive gaming, you ask them to watch a movie, it just feels so passive to them. I thought, this helps bridge the gap. It’s an interactive thing, almost like playing a game while you’re watching the movie.” In 1981, Waters released Polyester in “Odorama,” while the 2003 toon Rugrats Go Wild also used scented cards. One of the Rodriguez smells is a spy baby’s diapers. ”Originally, we didn’t have any really rancid smells, but kids wanted something really stinky in there,” Rodriguez told AP. “It really doesn’t smell that bad. No one’s going to get sick in the theater.” Now let’s bring back “Sensurround”.






Hey Robert, here’s an idea. Maybe if you want to swim upstream, how about a quality 2D film instead? By handcuffing your film with the 4D gimmick, you’ve pretty much eliminated the potential for PPV, cable, then broadcast showings. And will the Blu-ray include a whole bunch of scratch-and-sniff cards too? Otherwise, what’s the point of watching it at home.
Robdriquez has demonstrated his lack of business sense by pursuing this silly gimmick, let alone 3D. Ask John Waters how Polyester works with this gimmick (hint: not very well).
This should have been released in February – which most critics call Bad Movie Month.
Hey Carthy– it’s a kids movie. Try to have fun with it. This place is getting worse than the AintItCool talkbacks…
s
Absolutely! This is a stinker in every sense of the words.
Carthy, I 100% agree with your sentiment. However I don’t think scratch-and-sniff cards will be required to enjoy the movie, only a bonus. Similar to how 3D movies are fitted for DVD and shown on 2D televisions.
Agree with the above post. 4-d is even worse 3-d. I expected the 4-d will actually cause the film to make less, not more. Right now I’m expecting the film to bomb this weekend. Respect the guy for taking a risk, but I don’t think it will pay off.
Hey Carthy,
You must be not be an outside the box thinker, it’s hard to get any parent to into a theater with prices these days. Consider this just an additional incentive because the kiddies want to check out something no one else is doing.
Your lack of business sense is evident because you’re assuming that a piece of paper with some scratch and sniff scents is too expensive to shove into a dvd or blu ray case. Maybe there is already too many pieces of paper in those cases.
And comparing a niche cult film like Polyester starring a guy in drag named Divine to the 4th addition of a kid friendly franchise isn’t exactly brilliant thinking either.
Stay in that box, it’s too scary for guys like you out here.
Hey Robert,
Shout out to BS.
Actually he’s a pretty savvy businessman. when it comes to peddling his movies–especially these spy kid films which make a lot of money and cost very little. I wouldn’t be surprised if he cut some deals with McDonalds and has a few ads places on those smell’ o’ cards of his.
Why didn’t anyone tell him that smell isn’t a dimension?
I never comment, but this one was good. Had me chuckling.
If the 4D is any bit as godawful as the 3D he foisted on my kids, which was akin to looking through an ashtray for the duration of his “film”, then I think I’ll pass. Maybe try slowing down the pace and focus on quality instead of quantity. It’s not a race, it’s an artform.
When I first read that headline I thought it was him talking about how bad the movie looks.
Seriously, people. Why the hate? It’s a goddamn kids movie. Remember when you were a kid? Sheesh. We all used to love scratch and sniff stickers.
Robert, if you are trolling these boards. Please don’t. Too many injured souls who traded their imaginations for Blackberrys.
s
“We all use to love scratch and sniff stickers?”
Did we?
I don’t think you’ll need a scratch card to smell the stink from this movie.
It’s not a race, it’s a very simple add-on. Basically, he made a movie, and to help market it, he’s adding some fun cards that kids can grab on their way into the theater and have some fun with. Many of the above criticisms are unbelievable. What risk is Rodriguez taking, exactly? He didn’t add any shoddy-looking 3-D after the fact. I’m sure the film, if it is good, can be enjoyed without a scratch-and-sniff card just like any other movie.
I don’t think my nephews would think this is a good movie…for that money, they would prefer to watch a decent film, something like toy story, or something like that. Rodriguez sucks as a director, he lost his ability to direct a while back. Sorry, it’s true…Machete is terrible! This is his follow up? What an ego!
He mentions that his kids are so passive when looking at movies. Scratch and sniff cards aside, I think that’s because the special effects type films he makes don’t allow for that. When visual effects are too perfect the viewer isn’t allowed to participate. When they’re less than perfect the viewer subconsciously fills in the gaps. It’s like watching theater. You know that the room on stage isn’t real, but your brain settles in and starts to accept it.
Try it. Without any nostalgia, watch a Ray Harryhausen film and a modern effects extravaganza. Which one will you find yourself more visually involved with? Which one will you remember?
I would be pretty certain that James Cameron would be rolling his eyes at Rodriguez.
Whilst Cameron set out to be a pioneer for all things 3D, I don’t think this is what he had in mind in regards to following his footsteps.
Rodriguez, whilst a talented shooter, is a one dimensional director (Pun not intended) and he clearly clarifies this by following in good friend Tarantino’s footsteps by copying someone, whilst just slightly adding his own touch to it.