Deborah Gibson is no stranger to the clever workings of the publicity promo machine. A pop star since her teens, the singer/actress – who used to go by the name Debbie Gibson – has long used the media to generate interest and buzz surrounding her music and acting projects. But now, in the age of instant news, and up-to-the-second internet communication, the machine almost propels itself. As a testament to this, witness the fast-moving groundswell which accompanied the online video trailer for Gibson’s latest movie. The quick-spreading, pre-release momentum which then ensued surprised many, including the star herself.
An Internet-Fueled Frenzy
Mega-Shark vs. Giant Octopus (Asylum Films, 2009) tells the sensational story of a group of oceanographers, scientists and military types determined to save the world from mutant sea creatures. Deborah Gibson, along with co-star Lorenzo Lamas, has tons of fun looking worried, stressed-out, and perennially on the verge of collapse as she battles government officials, and slimy monsters, in a schlock-fest of over-the-top acting and cheap special effects.
The real story here, however, is how interest in the movie, premiering at Cannes and scheduled for a May 19, 2009 release, has been spurred on by its online trailer. Within the first two days after showing up on the digital airwaves, the teaser received over a million hits on MTV.com, and close to half a million hits on YouTube. People even rushed to place advance orders for the DVD, all in anticipation of a movie no one within the general public had yet to see in its entirety.
Just A Girl Saving the World
Ms. Gibson spoke to People.com, saying "This movie isn't going to put me on the acting map, but it was so ridiculously fun. There's some absurd stuff going on, but I felt like my character had some good scenes. Besides, I got to be the badass girl who saved the planet.”
The Brooklyn, New York native started her whirlwind pop career at the tender age of 16, when she signed with Atlantic Records. Her debut release, “Out of the Blue” (1987) was recorded in only 4 weeks and featured a handful of Billboard Top 100 singles, including “Only in My Dreams” and “Shake Your Love.” During the 1990’s, Gibson expanded her focus to include musical theatre, achieving top-billing on Broadway in Les Miserables, Grease, Funny Girl, and Beauty and the Beast. During the 2000’s, she assumed more leading roles in touring productions of Cinderella, Chicago, Cabaret, and The King and I.
Gibson, it has been reported, expressed no indication that she felt the sci-role role was in anyway beneath her, or that it would detract from her ability to be taken seriously as a performer.
"If you realize that it's a fun science-fiction movie, you'll get it," she has said. "It's not a film where you ask a bunch of questions; you just enjoy it for what it is."
Mega-Shark vs. Giant Octopus is a straight to DVD, action/fantasy film. It is written and directed by Jack Perez (a.k.a. Ace Hannah).
Roxanne Blanford - Roxanne Blanford is a professional writer and marketing communications specialist with a B.A. in Communications.
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