Archive notice: This article was originally published on August 7, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The monster movie begins harmlessly enough with a farewell party in New York. Rob is celebrating his transfer to Japan, and his friend Hud records the event on a video camera. Suddenly all hell breaks loose: tremors and explosions startle the young group, skyscrapers collapse, and the power fails. When the head of the Statue of Liberty, marked by strange scratches, lands beside them, it becomes clear this is more than an earthquake or terrorist attack. A monster is destroying the city and turning New York into an apocalyptic war zone. The group tries to escape while recording its struggle for survival on video. The unusual perspective, through which viewers follow the frantic chase, feels even more authentic on a television screen than on the big screen.
Cloverfield will be released by Paramount on DVD on August 22 with extensive bonus material, including a making-of, an audio commentary by director Matt Reeves, alternate endings, and featurettes. The title will appear on Blu-ray in high-resolution picture quality on October 6.
Rumors Surrounding “Cloverfield”
The film’s creation was characterized by absolute secrecy. After the go-ahead in February 2007, not only was casting kept completely secret, but candidates received neither the screenplay nor other information about the film. Even the title was withheld for a long time. The first teaser showed only the date “January 18, 2008,” which later proved to be the premiere date. With a budget of US$30 million, filming began in New York and Los Angeles in summer 2007. Producer J.J. Abrams and director Matt Reeves completed the film in just 34 days.
