'MacHeads' movie seems a realistic look at cult of Mac

Apple's Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan is a center of Machead lust, something the new film 'MacHeads' will explore.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

This afternoon, I heard about the forthcoming film, MacHeads, for the first time.

My first thought was, huh, someone has made a movie based on Leander Kahney's book, The Cult of Mac.

I watched the trailer, and sure enough, Kahney--a former editor of mine when I wrote for Wired News--was in it. But it didn't look at all like it was his film.

Rather, it appears to be a similar look at the cultlike community and emotions that surround Apple, the Mac, and all things non-Windows.

For me, the trailer itself was gratifying enough, as from the very first frame, I recognized someone I know and it only went on from there. All told, five of the people they used in the trailer were friends or acquaintances of mine.

But more to the point, I think it's an interesting idea, making a movie like this. Obviously, I don't know anything about the film beyond what I saw in the trailer. But it seemed like they captured the sense of charged emotions that Mac users have about their computers and the company that makes them: devotion, excitement, reverence, frustration, betrayal, and so forth.

For it's abundantly clear that while Apple is a consumer-focused company, it doesn't really care about you as a customer. That is to say, its products are well-thought out; they are made with the consumer in mind. But as a consumer, you aren't treated any better--or worse--than you would be by other companies.

Either way, I'm very interested in this film. I think it will be a valuable cultural examination, and I hope that the filmmakers stayed true to the sense conveyed in the trailer that they--and Macheads--can be enamored of the Mac but also be highly skeptical of Apple.

Time will tell. There doesn't appear to be any info available about when the film will be released. So, stay tuned. I'm sure we'll have more as the film gets closer.

[Lee in San Diego]

Calling all trolls!

n/t

[close5828]

:: Eye Roll ::

I'll put this right up there w/ the next Tom Cruise film I plan to not see.

Unless of course Jobs bursts into flames in the end...that would be cool.

Even cooler would be an investigative reporter showing a secret video recording of Jobs telling one of his friends, "I can't believe anyone buys this crap."

Now THAT I would pay to see!

[rbannon]

What?

Obviously you're not in the cult-of-Mac.

[Seaspray0]

But who will it star?

Is one of the co-stars the cnet blogger who got snubbed by Steve?

How about William H. Macy, the nerd in wild hogs?

Cameo appearance by the three stooges?

[ewelch]

No, but trolls will be seen

Like you

[maccam--2008]

connoisseur

"I can't believe anyone buys this crap."

Your comments imply that you are a Windows user, and, therefore,
a connoisseur of crap.

[xxxmaxximusxxx]

seriously now

it's just another of those semi-documentaries like on the Masons,
or Scientology, someone just interviews a few members Ordinaire
of the Hoi Paloi and never gets beyond the 32nd Degree or the OT
XV Level or into the Upper Sanctum Sanatorium... and they never
get to the actual password and handshake or even a photograph of
an Apple board meeting with the Tri-Lateral Commission...

[johnxtampa]

Seriously... Steve Jobs is a Scientologist, right?

I watched the Tom Cruise Scientology recruitment video, and the similarities to Jobs, all the way back to the 80s are stunning... the attempt to look intense and intimidating via crazy eyes, the hand gestures, the speaking style.. the turtleneck sweater... everything...

This isn't even about being a hater or not, or necessarily implying that Mac users are cultlike... (who needs to imply? heh, heh)... It's that Jobs truly looks and acts just like Tom Cruise in that Scientology video. Use a search engine, find it, and watch it... you'll be stunned at the similarities.

[zato_3]

Scientology=Microsoft

Both run by supreme egoists who want to rule the world.
Both are about using tech to kill aliens.
Both operate a vast Black PR apparatus to destroy "enemies".
Both attacked by Feds for illegal activities on a worldwide scale.
Both universally hated except by true believers.

[K.P.C.]

Re: johnxtampa . . . Jobs acts like Cruise? (0_0 )

Umm. . . you might want to check your time lines

Tom Cruise just recently made that video so - just using your
flawed comparison - it would seem to me that Tommy Boy is trying
very hard to represent himself as the scientologists version of Steve
Jobs.

But thats what actors do.

[hanobi]

There's a poll on the subject the authenticity of the movie

take the poll here: http://hanobi.wordpress.com/2008/01/29/poll-take-side-in-the-emerging-discussion/

[technewsjunkie]

This Mac user says this film reinforces negative stereotypes.

With all due respect to these eccentric people, most Mac users are
put their pants on one leg at a time - like everyone else.

Also, a lot of new Mac users, were Windows users.

People are people. Minorities tend to have to be more vocal to be
heard.

[technewsjunkie]

HAve yo ever seen early pictures of Microsoft crew?

If you put those pictures in this movie but didn't identify them, you
would get the impression that they were Mac fanatics. Just the
opposite, they were Windows (actually DOS) programmers.