So Cheesy It Hurts
February 25, 2009 
7 Comments
First we have Tribute to Spokane, a rather uninspired and lengthy slide show featuring a funeral sound track and every last digital image transition known to humankind.
Then there is the slightly shorter Spokane Downtown, with music that sounds more “retirement party” than “funeral” – sorry Kevin! The image quality is worse than before, and the “up close and in your face” photo framing makes you wonder what is lurking around in those unidentified black margins…
Perhaps the most authentic and forgivable of Spokane’s tourism videos is Tour of Spokane – our city through the eyes of a troupe of 14 year old boys (as clearly dictated by the requirements of a school project). This opus speaks for itself. I’m actually rather partial to this one, in a sympathetic and understanding kind of way that only a Spokane native can afford.
In the professional category we have Our Place, NOT to be confused with Our Place. Is it just me or does it seem just a wee bit forced to stage a Native American in front of the subjugated Spokane Falls claiming “our power”? With music reminiscent of StarTrek, there’s no doubt left in your mind about the spirit of industry and Empire inherent to the region. Other than that and the creepy “come see us” voice crying out at the end, this clip seems to be fairly well meaning and representative of the people involved.
Last we have the latest and greatest of the Spokane tourism shorts. There is a lot to like here, so don’t take my skepticism out of context. First, I really like the use of antiquated video. As anyone who has watched a significant amount of City Cable 5 knows, we have a virtual treasure trove of marketing material in old city promotional footage just waiting to be rediscovered. Second, I like the shout outs to our local history, it is important to have a sense of where we came from. Finally, I applaud the celebratory nature of the film (despite the fact that shooting it was interrupting a Terrain planning meeting we were having at Zola). The “cheers to us” angle avoids pandering and is the kind of “hell yeah!” Spokane needs and deserves. Quite a few people work tirelessly around here on behalf of the common good and they deserve mad props for what they do.
Two themes in this clip, however, rub me the WRONG WAY. First is the car-centric view of downtown. Kicking it off with “traffic to be watched out for” the overview of modern Spokane is delivered from the hood of a car. If mining and timber are on their way out due to natural resource depletion, should we really be perpetuating our transit culture of “driving shiny motor cars” that require petrocarbons to keep “rollin’ on through”? It’s weird to me that the filmmakers even included footage of a gas pump with the price meter racking up fast. Was this meant to be ironic? Surely it must be intentional?
The second reservation is only subtly reinforced. That is the message that drinking is at the heart of having a good time in Spokane. While alcohol is a popular commodity everywhere, Spokane’s drinking culture is so unconscious it reinforces young adult alcoholism that goes far beyond fun and games. While its great to support our favorite local watering holes, our creative culture should not solely depend upon or revolve around the bars. Because of this posing drinking as an integral part of our local identity is problematic, especially when combined with driving.
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Can’t get enough of these clamoring attempts for your approval? Check out the rest of the Downtown Spokane videos here. Our advice to the regional marketing mavens that be: Don’t try and make a movie that appeals to everyone, there is no such thing. It is better to customize your message and target key demographics, including those under 35.
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I love how the newly released HD country pop video “c’mon everybody” makes us look like a bunch of drunks driving around.
I would like to defend Star Trek music a little by quickly listing the composers and a few of thier credits in the hope to show that it may not be easy to regard it as cheese, in my opinion, according to Websters definition of cheesy which is shabby or cheap.
Jerry Goldsmith: Composer of Star Trek the Motion Picture,Final Frontier, First Contact, Insurrection, Nemesis, Voyager.
4 Emmys, 5 Grammy nominations,
1 Academy award and 16 nominations
composer of 243 movies and television shows.
James Horner: Composer of The Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock.
14 ASCAP awards, 3 Grammys
1 Academy award and 5 nominations
composer of 138 movies and television shows.
Leonard Rosenman: Composer of The Voyage Home.
1 ASCAP award, 2 Emmys
2 Academy awards and composer of 103 movies and television.
Dennis McCarthy: Composer of Star Trek Generations,DS9,Enterprise.
15 ASCAP awards, 1 Emmy.
composer of 73 movies and television shows
Cliff Eidelman: Composer of Star Trek VI the Undiscovered Country.
composer of 32 movies and television shows.
there was a tweet from @visitspokane with a link to this lovely site today http://www.visitspokane.com//visitor-info/spokane-insiders-blog/index.cfm/2009/2/25/Pub-Crawl-vs-Martini-March/
I thought of your comments about Spokane and alcohol the second I saw it..
Re: taylor
No need to defend Star Trek music, I’m actually a huge trekkie myself. It’s just a little out of place, however, when the subject is Spokane instead of spaceships and otherworldly civilizations.
For an antidote to the awkwardness above, try watching this.
Yikes…
“yah yah yah! rock out baby”
what could have been a kitchy fun way to show Spokane’s progress just gets worse as it becomes a crappy music video taking place in pub. It shows more pub action and “raising one up” than the City of Spokane. The car perspective was really cheezy as well. Cars and bars do not qualify as culture.
I don’t want Spokane to try to be an Inland Seattle. Let’s create our own unique culture. If I want Seattle I’ll go there.