Viral video: ‘Carrie’ prank has coffee shop customers shrieking
Let’s get the fine print out of the way: Yes, this YouTube video is a crafty little piece of marketing for the remake of “Carrie.†And some suits have no doubt been paid wads of cash to get viewers to do what we’re doing right now -- passing this along.
Have we covered everything?
Great, now, let’s get to it: Check out the video of this elaborately choreographed stunt that took place at a West Village coffee shop, ‘sNice Cafe.
PHOTOS: Jonathan Gold’s 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles
What happens next is intended to conjure up the supernaturally gifted young woman in “Carrie.†(We won’t say any more, so you can enjoy it all for yourself.)
A hidden camera captures the reactions to the telekinetic freak-out, and they are, in a word, priceless. (Assuming, you know, that they aren’t all actors themselves.)
“What if telekinesis was real? How would you react? Our hidden camera experiment captures the reactions of unsuspecting customers at a New York City coffee shop as they witness a telekinetic event,†the video’s information page says.
The video was posted online Monday and is rapidly closing in on 4 million views. Nicely done, movie marketers!
In the past, some movies have gotten a bad rap -- or worse, hardly any attention at all -- for trying too hard to create a viral video and online buzz.
The geniuses behind this video smartly let viewers in on the prank, and offer a bit of the behind-the-curtain magic involved with bringing a movie such as “Carrie†to life.
I already planned on seeing the “Carrie†remake when it opens Oct. 18. Now I want to see it even more. How about you?
ALSO:
PHOTOS: 11 brownies and bar cookies
Eat your way across L.A.
Get our weekly Tasting Notes newsletter for reviews, news and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
