April 1, 2002

'Walk to Remember' breaking new ground in Hollywood
___By Marshall Allen
___Associated Baptist Press
___PASADENA, Calif. (ABP)--The new movie "A Walk to Remember" is breaking new ground not only in Hollywood's portrayal of Christians on screen but in unprecedented recognition of the audience potential of the faith community.
___The movie, released Jan. 25, stars 17-year-old multi-platinum recording artist Mandy Moore playing a Baptist preacher's daughter.
___Moore's character, Jamie, is portrayed in a flattering light. She is prudent, smart and willing to live according to her faith, even if she's made fun of for it. The audience is encouraged to emulate Jamie's character, and her life seems to be consistent with the Bible she carries.
___For these reasons, the movie based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks is being marketed to Christian audiences like no release by a major studio ever before.
___Producer Denise Di Novi said she had to show Warner Bros. statistical evidence that a large Christian audience exists before the studio would agree to make the film.
___Executives hope Jamie's character will be attractive enough to Christians to bring in big box office profits. The studio has gone to extreme lengths to get the word out to Christians.
___"This is the broadest and largest campaign targeting Christians ever by a major studio," Di Novi said.
___It remains to be seen whether the gamble will pay off among the audience normally drawn to Christian films, however. While "A Walk to Remember" clearly affirms Jamie's beliefs, it never fully explains what those beliefs are.
___Jamie carries a Bible with her to class, but the name of Jesus is never mentioned in the movie. Landon--a bad boy in the movie--is transformed into a better person. He gives the glory not to God, but to Jamie and the "faith" she had in him.
___The publicity campaign included special screenings for Focus on the Family and a Christian radio advertising campaign. A Christian publicist, Jonathon Bock of Grace Hill Media, was hired to help create a buzz in the Christian media. Bock even viewed early cuts of the movie, at one point advising that several curse words be removed so as not to offend Christian audiences.
___And in the boldest move to target the Christian audience, the studio sponsored a Bible study based on "A Walk to Remember." About a month before the movie opened, the study was sent to about 10,000 youth pastors around the country, along with a movie promotion kit.
___The Bible study promises to help leaders "integrate the movie into a solid, biblically based discussion that will reinforce your young friends' faith in God and their understanding of his transforming power."
___Even a surface reading of the material, however, reveals the studio's motives aren't completely altruistic. The Bible study recommends that youth leaders hang the "A Walk to Remember" movie poster that came with the study. Then, it says they should show the promotional trailer to their youth group and encourage kids to bring their friends when the youth group sees the movie. Information for ordering group tickets, naturally, is included.
___Given the hard sell, some Christian viewers are likely to walk away feeling the film is more an effort to cash in on the Christian audience than a portrayal of the Christian faith.
___To their credit, even if their marketing suggests otherwise, the film's makers don't pretend it's a Christian movie, per se.
___Di Novi said "A Walk to Remember" is not a Christian movie, but a film for young people with a Christian character. She said the first aim of the film is to be a hit and make money.


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