WoW Moviewatch: Warcraft Political Ad: Rend Blackhand '08
by Natalie Mootz 
Oct 2nd 2008 at 12:00PM
In case you haven't had your fill of political attack ads this year, check out this ad for Rend Blackhand '08 created by Gape/Horn Productions. This video, produced for an Orc who apparently wishes to overthrow Thrall, is a virtual Threat Down of everything wrong with Azeroth. PvP is terrorist activity. The Venture Company exploits our natural resources for profit. Trolls are illegal immigrants and Goblins benefit from the outsourcing of our jobs. And you won't even believe what he blames Blood Elves for.
Although this video features some epic music (from Psycho, John Philip Sousa, The Right Stuff) and one of the most amusing knock-offs of Rosie the Riveter I've ever seen, the satire is only 50 percent effective. Gape does a good job of winding up but can't seem to throw the pitch over the plate when it comes to the final payoff at the end. I'm not sure if he loses his nerve or if he only had a half-formed idea, but I wish he'd gone for the jugular at the end instead of just quitting.
[Via Warcraftmovies.com]
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Filed under: Machinima, Humor, WoW Moviewatch
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tony Oct 2nd 2008 12:11PM
I'd vote for him if his voice didn't sound like a kidnapper.
offday Oct 2nd 2008 12:45PM
I'd still vote for him before Obama.
Keyra Oct 2nd 2008 2:00PM
Beats voting for McCain any day...but then who/what doesn't?
anonymoose Oct 2nd 2008 10:34PM
Moo, I loved this selection--thanks. But you have me curious with your review...you mentioned wishing he had gone for the jugular (apologize for spelling)--what would that have looked like? This sounds like a great further development, and I'd love to know more!
KeithCarroll Nov 10th 2008 2:04PM
Damn those Blood Elves!!!
DigitalMonitor Oct 2nd 2008 12:37PM
A perfect mix of fear mongering and innuendo. I approve this message.
TotalBiscuit Oct 2nd 2008 12:48PM
Another video with an unregistered versions of FRAPs?
The problem with a video like this is the majority of the humor comes from the voice-acting. The overly processed narrator lacks presence, comedic timing and any real sense of impact. It sounds like it's being read dead-pan off a script, there is no passion, indeed no emotion at all, the delivery is totally off.
A quick tip for those dealing with the audio side of your machinima. Unless you're using a semi-advanced program like Premiere or better, do your editing in a proper package like Audition, Cubase or if you want something free, Audacity. The attempt at time-stretch in the disclaimer is riddled with artifacts and sounds terrible, clearly whatever package was used here was not up to the task. Use the right tools for the job in future and you'll have more success.
The visual quality is par-the-course at best, the choice of scenes were obvious, lacked subtlety and were entirely predictable, which when trying to associate visual comedy with a voice-over, is a recipe for disaster.
The satire itself bore very little similarity to any real political satire, or indeed, the subject it was supposed to satirize, which is why it's not an effective satire. None of that looked like a political ad, at all.
A nice concept, poorly executed.
Bosswally Oct 2nd 2008 5:58PM
Really TB, you are going to critisize someone for using an overly processed voice over, EPIC!!!, i mean really Tb
TotalBiscuit Oct 2nd 2008 6:03PM
You've got some real balls to try and compare the two. Pistols at dawn sound good to you?
Bosswally Oct 3rd 2008 5:13PM
Bring it on OLD MAN!, why dont you take you trousers down from over you head so you can see it comin
ian Oct 2nd 2008 12:53PM
gape/horn production.
read it.
and think.
Macgayver Oct 2nd 2008 1:42PM
Shhhh ;)
Bill Oct 2nd 2008 1:30PM
Theat was awful, the couldn't understand anything the VA was saying and I didn't notice anything because I was wondering why the fraps mark was there.
Besides, Rend's a communist he would feed all the 2nd borns to the Black Dragonflights.
zymry Oct 2nd 2008 1:42PM
Where precisely are you getting your information on Communism from ? because I see nothing in
"Communism is a socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production and property in general."
That promotes the feeding of anything to dragons.
svenhoek06 Oct 2nd 2008 2:02PM
Its a well documented fact that next to sending a person to Siberia with some shorts and a tank-top, Stalin would feed people to his pet dragon for fun. 33% of the people who died in Soviet Russia, died from ducumented dragon related injuries.
And he wouldnt feed them to the black dragonflight, he would feed them to the red. Alexstraza is a commie sounding name to begin with.
Dobmeister Oct 2nd 2008 1:21PM
"And you won't even believe what he blames Blood Elves for."
Here's some advice - don't click that linked text in the article.
William Oct 2nd 2008 3:36PM
I'm scarred... i didn't take this guys advice. IT's horrible. Just horrible. /cry /pour cleaning chemicals in eyes
CvijaFaQ Oct 2nd 2008 5:21PM
'' This video is not available in your country. ''
/cringe
W.T.F?
schwonga Oct 2nd 2008 2:37PM
Damn you rickrolling Moozt, DAMN UUUUUUUUU!!!
Also, voice acting could have been help by simply slowing down and perhaps watching more real political ads to teach him how they like to emphasize certain words through out the commercial.
Also the ending fine print bit could have been better if was more of a short, punchy type of thing as opposed to the long, drawn out clutter angle he was going for. Hell, I would have liked it better if he just ripped off Monty Python and only said half the stuff on the screen and inserted complete relevant rants which he would not read off.
A for concept, C for execution.
Rua Oct 2nd 2008 10:16PM
lolol
"12 flightless birds were harmed in the making of this message"
"You now have Gape/Horne on your computer"
I approve.