Comments on: Vertical (Not Necessarily Sideways)

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:11:24 +0000

Miles and Maya meet in Vertical, but nothing blooms. Sorry to disappoint you! Of course, the film (if there is one) could be different.

By: Barry Acker

Barry Acker — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:56:29 +0000

in the new movie, will the relationship with Miles and Maya ‘bloom’?
the scene where Miles gets the phone message from Maya, and his subsequent trip to her garage apartment and the knock on the door leaves so many hopeful possibilities

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:31:04 +0000

I agree with your assessment, Dennis. I focused on the film because that’s what set off the phenomenon. I suspect that people will buy the new book based on their experience with the film, not the original novel.

By: Dennis Schaefer

Dennis Schaefer — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 05:43:24 +0000

Mike, did you actually read “Sideways,” the novel? It was poorly written, for a number of reasons I won’t detail here. Director Alexander Payne saw the seed of something bigger and more profound in the book and then he took those themes to a more coherent and interesting level. I suspect “Vertical” is more of the same, only more profane and then switched to different venues for the sake of variety.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:21:45 +0000

I saw an enormous change in pinot noir in San Francisco. I was repping at the time and a wholesale case of excellent napa merlot went from $360 to $144 and I still could not move it. but I could move an unbalanced pinot from ventura with out them tasting it or trusting my word that they ‘needed’ to taste it. The entire market changed here and I see it in Pittsburgh, Pa (Wine Mecca) in each and every restaurant including friends in the state run wine industry. I think it still has a profound effect today. I too did not run out to see the movie; friends rented it and forced me to watch it – and it was entertaining even though it had little to do with wine.

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:25:13 +0000

I’ve already watched the film, Blake, so it is too late to help me, but others will benefit from reading your blog post. Thanks!
(P.S. One of my students used a clip from the film as the basis for a popular culture presentation to her Japanese class.)

By: Blake Gray

Blake Gray — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:19:59 +0000

Mike: I suffered through the entire Japanese version of “Sideways” so you don’t have to. I posted a blow-by-blow here:

http://wblakegray.blogspot.com/2009/09/sideways-gets-lost-in-translation.html

There wasn’t a “Sideways effect” in Japan because the movie made wine intimidating. But anyway, read the post, you’ll see what I mean.

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:48:11 +0000

I heard that they did some “location” scouting in Oregon this summer, but I do not know if there is serious interest in a film.

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:44:20 +0000

So we won’t see a sideways (movie) sequel any time soon right?

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:37:47 +0000

Thanks for commenting!
I agree that the small base of Pinot buyers (then and now) magnified the Sideways Effect.
Bottle Shock annoyed me because many of my friends assumed that it was a true account of the Judgment of Paris, which it certainly was not! But it was a fun movie.