Dark Water Web Site Clicks in a Big Way With Users  6/15/05

Touchstone Pictures' 'Dark Water' Web Site Clicks in a Big Way With Users;

Joint Yahoo! and Buena Vista Effort Is Most Successful Online Entertainment Promo on Yahoo! Since 'The Matrix Reloaded'

LOS ANGELES, June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Yahoo! and Buena Vista Pictures Marketing have delivered the most successful online entertainment promotion on the leading portal's homepage since 2003's "The Matrix Reloaded" with their current joint efforts on behalf of Touchstone Pictures' upcoming psychological thriller, "Dark Water." Buena Vista ran a "Dark Water" ad on the Yahoo! Homepage on May 19th, seven weeks in advance of the movie release, generating awareness and buzz for the film.

More than 1.6 million impressions have been registered on the "Dark Water" web site (www.darkwatermovie.com), which has become the most successful for any Buena Vista site with a single-day record of more 600,000 clicks. These figures surpass Buena Vista's previous high-traffic records for "The Village" and "Finding Nemo."

The alliance between Yahoo! and Buena Vista represents an important part of the film's marketing campaign, and provides viewers with the movie trailer, cast photos, video clips and other information about the movie. Commenting on the announcement, Jack Pan, vice president of Buena Vista Pictures Marketing, said, "We are thrilled with the incredible response that the 'Dark Water' Web site is generating with moviegoers and internet users. Yahoo! has been a great partner in helping us get our message out to the target audience for this film, and has delivered hundreds of thousands of viewers to our homepage. Online marketing is a great way to provide moviegoers with information about films and the success of this promotion for 'Dark Water' proves just how valuable a medium this is."

Doug Hirsch, general manager for Yahoo! Entertainment added, "Our online movie community is very enthusiastic about getting advance images and information on major new releases, particularly sophisticated thrillers with elements of surprise like 'The Sixth Sense,' and 'Ring 2.' I think this 'Dark Water' promotion is a huge hit with viewers for the same reason, and because it has an amazing cast and director."

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Walter Salles ("Central Station," "The Motorcycle Diaries") helms and starring Academy Award(R)-winner Jennifer Connelly, "Dark Water" is a psychological thriller based on a film by the creators of the Japanese version of "The Ring." Dahlia Williams (JENNIFER CONNELLY) is starting a new life; newly separated with a new job and a new apartment, she's determined to put her relationship with her estranged husband behind her and devote herself to raising her daughter, Ceci. But when the strained separation disintegrates into a bitter custody battle, her situation takes a turn for the worse. Her new apartment -- dilapidated, cramped, and worn -- seems to take on a life of its own. Mysterious noises, persistent leaks of dark water, and strange happenings cause her imagination to run wild, sending her on a puzzling and mystifying pursuit to find out who is behind the endless mind games. As Dahlia frantically searches for the links between the riddles, the dark water seems to close around her. But one thing trumps all others in Dahlia's world: no matter what it is that's out there, she'll stop at nothing to find it. Academy Award(R) nominees John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, and Pete Postlethwaite also star, along with Dougray Scott and newcomer Ariel Gade.

SOURCE Buena Vista Pictures Marketing

-0- 06/14/2005