3 Aug: The Fake Critic
Eyebrows were raised when Dave Manning – a previously unknown film critic – was suddenly receiving star billing on Hollywood movie posters. He turned out to be fictional. This climaxed with a lawsuit, settled by Sony on 3rd August, 2005.
Manning had been created by Columbia Pictures executive Matthew Kramer, who’d co-opted the name David Manning from a friend in his hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut. The public were entitled to a $5 refund if they’d attended a movie as a result of the fraudulent posters.
In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion reveal what the ‘real’ Dave Manning REALLY thought of ‘The Animal’; explain how press junkets seduce otherwise unimpeachable journalists who just want a free sandwich; and sharpen their editing scissors for some selective quotation…
Further Reading:
• ‘Remembering David Manning, Sony’s Fake Film Critic’ (Mental Floss, 2021): https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/645297/david-manning-sony-fake-film-critic
• ‘Inquiry into fake film critic’ (BBC News, 2005): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1374866.stm
• How To Design A Movie Poster’ (IGN, 2013):