Newswise — Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda, perhaps some of the best-known characters in recent television history, will move from syndicated reruns to the big screen when "Sex and the City: The Movie" debuts May 30. Central Michigan University's Patty Williamson, a film expert and self-admitted obsessive fan is available to comment regarding the movie and its anticipated impact and popularity.
Williamson's thoughts:
Regarding why "Sex and the City" is an unusual summer movie:"The film version of 'Sex and the City' is a bit of a marketing anomaly. Although it has a built-in audience, it is an audience that will mainly be comprised of women. Most summer blockbusters are aimed squarely at the male, 15- to 24-year-old 'fanboy' demographic. It will be interesting to see the big-screen version of SATC compete with testosterone-filled action flicks and comic-book adaptations."
Regarding the risks associated with turning a TV show into a movie:"Continuing the trials and tribulations of a group of beloved characters from television on the big screen is always a bit risky. The audience holds certain narrative expectations, and they're likely to be turned on their head when any series moves from the small screen to the big screen. The film version of 'Sex and the City,' for example, spans a year in the life of the main characters, while most small-screen episodes of the series took place over the time span of a few days or perhaps a week. How will these types of changes impact viewers' enjoyment of this new installment of the series?"
Regarding why the TV-to-movie transition can be difficult for viewers:"When we watch television we form parasocial relationships with characters. We suspend our disbelief for a half-hour every week and forget that these are actors playing make-believe. We come to form a one-sided relationship with these characters and look at them as beloved members of our social circle. That's why film versions of TV series are popular. There is a built-in audience of devoted fans that want to know what's going on in the lives of these 'friends.' However, that can backfire on producers. What if fans don't like the direction producers go with the characters' lives? It can hurt not only the success of the film at the box office, but it can impact the way the audience views the characters when watching reruns of the series."
Williamson, a media critic and pop culture commentator, is an expert on reality television, among other media-related topics. Her additional areas of expertise are audience research and the film and television rating systems. Williamson specializes in film criticism and theory and also can talk about television and radio programming.
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