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It's Not A Spoiler, It's In The Title: John Dies At The End Trailer

By Rob Payne | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (21)

pajibajohndiesattheendtrailer.jpg

John Dies at the End is an independent horror comedy that has quite a few things going for it, first and foremost that it’s directed by splatter film icon Don Coscarelli, of Phantasm and (one of my favorite movies of all time) Bubba Ho-Tep fame. Though he sometimes has questionable taste, Paul Giamatti excels in these kinds of movies, as do Clancy Brown (Highlander, “LOST,” the animated Lex Luthor) and Guillermo del Toro alum Doug Jones (Hellboy I & II, Pan’s Labyrinth) who seems to have the rare opportunity to act without hours of make-up effects. And though I haven’t read it (yet), the book of the same name was written by Cracked.com columnist David Wong, so it’s got that going for it, which is nice.

It’s also got a pretty wicked trailer, and no, I don’t totally understand it, or the header image, but I like them both regardless. The film’s synopsis doesn’t really help unravel the bizarre narrative and meta-textual (the main character is also named David Wong) twists and turns, either:

It’s a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. On the street they call it Soy Sauce, and users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can’t.

Here’s the trailer:

I can reconcile the Stephenson-meets-Lovecraft synopsis with the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by way of Gilliam trailer, but I’m still not sure what that was, other than radass. It felt like a Cracked article come to life, and I mean that in the only way possible: the best way.

Rob Payne also writes the indie comic The Unstoppable Force, co-hosts the podcast We’re Not Fanboys, and tweets on the Twitter @RobOfWar.









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Comments

yes.

Posted by: gp at September 27, 2011 10:29 AM

Huh. I haven't been paying much attention to all the mentions of John Dies at the End on Cracked, but now I kinda wanna read it and then see the movie. So I guess the trailer has done its job. But was that a dog I spy in some of the scenes? Yes, I'm one of THOSE. I need for the movie to be called John Dies at the End but the Dog's Okay.

(Also, a slight correction if I may? Duncan Jones is the director of Moon and Source Code, Doug Jones is the actor you're talking about.)


(Whoops. In a fit of pique I racked my brain to remember his name, "...Jones, Jones, Something Jones... D. Jones... Duncan Jones!" And I was so excited that I remembered I didn't even bother to double check. It's even more embarassing because I really like his work and have actually met him before at a comic convention. That'll learn me to trust this ol' noggin'. Thanks, and fixed! -RobP)

Posted by: Nat Kittyface at September 27, 2011 10:41 AM

Stop. Go read the book at once.

You'll want to do a review. We'll wait, go ahead. Particularly when you want to ask 'how would anyone think this could be filmed?'

I'm changing my cellphone ringer to the 'Phantasm' theme in honor of this.

Posted by: Corvus at September 27, 2011 10:41 AM

Header image: It's a dude in a novelty welding mask.

Posted by: Adem at September 27, 2011 10:53 AM

This does indeed look like fun. I think I'm going to have to check out the book, too.

Posted by: Paultera at September 27, 2011 11:00 AM

It's delightfully fucked up.

Posted by: admin at September 27, 2011 11:04 AM

I agree with Corvus, go get the book now. It's great (although it goes a bit off the rails at the end). And I'm also in agreement that this seems impossible to film. But damn if that trailer don't make it look like they pulled it off.

Posted by: Travis at September 27, 2011 11:12 AM

Book completely falls apart at the end as it looks like he couldn't come up with a good way to resolve it. It's . . . okay.

Posted by: ponch at September 27, 2011 11:15 AM

Header image: It's a dude in a novelty welding mask.

Posted by: Adem at September 27, 2011 10:53 AM

I have found my husband's Halloween costumer/Christmas present...he can scare the bejesus out of his coworkers while studiously welding the crap out of stuff.

Posted by: latvianluck at September 27, 2011 11:16 AM

In the diner scenes, that glass of water next to David...
Those are seriously the fakest ice cubes i've ever seen.

Posted by: Scott at September 27, 2011 11:48 AM

it's confusing because the two white dudes in the movie look exactly the same.

Posted by: susie derkins at September 27, 2011 12:18 PM

Most white dudes in movies look exactly the same to me. Except Robert Downey Jr natch.

Posted by: cinekat at September 27, 2011 12:41 PM

For some reason that header pic reminds me of a Doctor Who episode, but at the moment, aside from it being David Tennant, I can't remember which one it was...

Posted by: bleujayone at September 27, 2011 12:53 PM

Posted by: Steph at September 27, 2011 1:02 PM

Admin read and reviewed this for CBR a few years ago. Sounds like the sick, twisted shit a dude like that would enjoy, but I can't help notice the lack of sparkles:

http://www.pajiba.com/book_reviews/john-dies-at-the-end-by-david-wong.php

Posted by: Internet Magpie at September 27, 2011 1:27 PM

the book is fucking genius. I want the tie-in 'They China Food' shirt.

Posted by: twig at September 27, 2011 2:01 PM

Well, that settles it, Magpie, I was going to wait for the movie, but I'm ordering the book off Amazon as soon as I get home.

I'll go ahead and pre-thank everyone else here for recommending the book, too. Pajibans are the (sparkle)tits.

Posted by: RobP at September 27, 2011 2:15 PM

This was a fast, entertaining read. Can't help but think they picked the perfect director for the material.

Posted by: Smatt584 at September 27, 2011 5:13 PM

They Live for realz?

Posted by: Protoguy at September 27, 2011 6:02 PM

I read this book (and the sequels) as they came out originally on pointlesswasteoftime.com ... I'm not a horror fan, and they were pretty unflinchingly graphic in some ways (I was 17 so it felt like a lot at the time) but honestly I couldn't walk away.

They stories were impossible to predict, but kept me on the edge of my seat. The trailer seems like it might keep true to that balls-to-the-wall vibe, and even though i'm sure i still can't handle it, i'll probably be in line for a ticket.

Posted by: kat at September 27, 2011 11:02 PM

Adored the book and have been dying for this movie. The visuals are fantastic!

But where's the humor in this trailer? The book is hilarious/horrifying; this is nothing but grim/serious. They'd better put out a funny trailer next.

"Now prepare to meat your doom!"

Posted by: Joanna at September 28, 2011 12:08 PM