LOL: Netflix Bug (Or Marketing Stunt) Creates Movies We'd Love To See
It's a favorite complaint of cinephiles that there just don't seem to be any original ideas left in Hollywood anymore. But Netflix, it seems, has plenty to spare. Or at least a bug within the service's works does.
A glitch has led the system to combine synopses of completely separate movies, leading to delightfully bizarre mash-up summaries like "A reprogrammed Terminator arrives from the future to protect young John Connor from a relentless shape-shifting cyborg gumball machine." How's that for an unexpected plot twist? Read some of the bug's greatest hits after the jump.
From there, he launched a whole Twitter account, @SummaryBug, devoted to finding the best in inaccurate plot summaries. Some are disturbing, many are surreal, and a few are downright poetic. Here are some of our favorites in no particular order:
— Summary Bug (@SummaryBug) May 18, 2014
— Summary Bug (@SummaryBug) May 20, 2014
#godzilla pic.twitter.com/TRD3Ttb6X2
— Summary Bug (@SummaryBug) May 17, 2014
James Patterson you magnificent bastard pic.twitter.com/GF1Frk8u7n
— Summary Bug (@SummaryBug) May 17, 2014
— Summary Bug (@SummaryBug) May 17, 2014
Hm! pic.twitter.com/67ZEJ2Q4Bm
— Summary Bug (@SummaryBug) May 17, 2014
it's not a duplicate tweet, twitter. each one is a snowflake pic.twitter.com/SuBnvTQN3g
— Summary Bug (@SummaryBug) May 17, 2014
Jackie Chan vs. LHC. taking all bets. pic.twitter.com/Go90Fok840
— Summary Bug (@SummaryBug) May 20, 2014
Of course, in this post-"Twerk Fail" era, it's hard not to wonder if the wonderful Netflix bug is just another publicity stunt. But for what it's worth, the company has assured Slate that the error is real. "Indeed this bug has given us a few chuckles, too," said a rep. "We are looking to fix it as soon as we can, though. We have confirmed the issue, it happens rarely, and are working on a solution."
And sadly for us, it seems they've found one.
The @SummaryBug is officially squashed. Luckily we had a can of Raid handy.
— Netflix (@netflix) May 22, 2014
But the fun doesn't have to end there, does it? I'm dying to see which filmmaker wants the dubious distinction of making the first-ever movie based on a Netflix glitch. I'll contribute to the inevitable Kickstarter, too. Because as promising as Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs biopic sounds, the version that ends with Steve going off to be an alien is way better.