back to article Love Bug malware-inspired film gets big screen premiere

A film inspired by the infamous Love Bug computer worm is due to premiere on Friday. The Love Bug (AKA I love you or LoveLetter) clogged up inboxes and email servers worldwide as it spread rapidly in May 2000. The virus, which came packed in a malicious attachment with the subject line "I love you", overwrote multimedia on …

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  1. kororas
    Paris Hilton

    Sophos

    But what they're really thinking is 'sales should go up after people see this' whilst metaphorically washing the hands, Mr Burns style.

  2. Gulfie
    WTF?

    Who was it who said...

    Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story.

  3. Not Fred31
    Coat

    Which version of reality?

    I wonder which version of reality the film uses - the one where the FBI "tracks down" the source of the virus to the Philippines (as per the press of the time), or the one where his school's address is written in plain text in the code of the virus (as per reality).

    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      FAIL

      Re: Which version of reality?

      For that level of detail to matter at all you'd have to assume that the remainder of the plot bore more than a passing relationship to actual events.

      Fat chance there then.

      1. bluesxman
        Stop

        RE: Re: Which version of reality?

        If it's anything like the vast majority of "based on a true story" films, the similarity will begin, and end, with the words "I LOVE YOU" in the subject line of the first email sent.

  4. LesC
    Coat

    Salmon Days

    El Reg beat them to it of course - anyone else remember the Prawnikova virus? Betcha it won't be half as funny either.

    Mines is the one with A Bird called Hope in the pocket.

  5. Barry Tabrah

    Intensive research for this movie

    Bloke in pub: You hear about that love bug computer virus that happened a few years ago?

    Hollywood hack: Hey, that's a good idea for a movie.

    Research complete.

  6. M7S
    Unhappy

    Another "re-imagining" that sticks two fingers up at our cultural heritage

    No mention of Herbie whatsoever

  7. The Fuzzy Wotnot
    Coat

    Problem is...

    No one will hear about it as all the AV software will block the emails and messages telling us about the film especially when the software sees the film's title! No? Suit yourselves!

  8. Paul Crawford Silver badge
    Gates Horns

    Did thery mention MS?

    Did they cover how dumb Outlook Express' design was?

    How easy it became to spawn a tsunami of crap by using a really, really stupid feature that some wonk at MS though was cool?

  9. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    THE MOVIE EVENT OF THE SUMMER

    "action-packed romantic drama"

    What?

    "drama is based on ... computer virus"

    What?

    "Sometimes ... "

    <girl screaming obscenities at fucked computer, dramatic music>

    "... the one virus you can't kill ..."

    <car chase>

    "... is the one in your heart."

    <music volume increase, people running down a corridor in slow motion, passionate kiss on a rooftop>

    "LOVE BUG"

  10. schnide
    FAIL

    I couldn't get through..

    ..that trailer. That film looks utterly, utterly poo.

    From the people who brought you: Step Up 2?!

    1. Peter Murphy
      FAIL

      Well, that's because the trailer is utterly poo as well.

      A good trailer should get people wanting to see MORE of the film it's promoting.

      A good trailer is part of the reason that Trainspotting did so well. Who would want to see a movie about Scottish junkies anyway? Well take Ewan McGregor's "Choose Life..." speech, set it to one of Iggy Pop's more danceable tunes, and _at the same time_ show Ewan and the boys running for their life down the streets of Edinburgh. Suddenly the makers have a worldwide hit on their hand!

      Compare and contrast, people: you have two pretty but forgettable Filipino youths, who seem to spend the whole time looking dreamily into each other's eyes. Bo-RING! Then there are rapid cuts to US news anchorpeople - with rare exceptions the most overhyped and overcoiffured people alive today. They're a major turnoff in foreign markets, folk. Finally, there's the soundtrack, which Yanni would turn his nose up at as being too insipid.

      Redo the trailer, definitely. Redo the movie, maybe. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to recruit all the old cast from Trainspotting. Have McGregor as a suave but sleazy journo, Kelly Macdonald as a more competent and determined reporter, Johnny Lee Miller as a investigating detective, and Ewen Bremmer as the geek who works out what is happening with the virus. Last but not least: Robert Carlyle as the Bastard Operator from Hell. Watch him get his radge on as the virus hits his workstations and servers. I'd pay money to see that!

  11. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Honestly though

    Honestly though, the trailers for movies these days are so long, it's hardly worth watching the film afterwards...

    1. Michael Chester

      To be fair

      this one just doesn't look worth watching anyway

  12. Petrea Mitchell
    Boffin

    Actually the second movie to pay homage to it

    Summer Wars features a malicious program called Love Machine which brings down massive amounts of Japanese electronic infrastructure (this being a Japanese movie). Unlike the "I love you" malware, though, Love Machine is actually written to do that.

  13. FozzyBear
    FAIL

    Amazing

    They were able to take that and stretch it out to movie length feature, sort of like.. what was that movie based on facebook? Neither of which are on my to watch or even to preview list

    Hollywood are certainly scrapping the bottom of the barrel of movie ideas

    1. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: Amazing

      It was based on the business behind Facebook and the skulduggery and all that and was very good. Good grief, you lot need to get out more. Or possibly stay in more.

  14. Colin 4
    Thumb Down

    one to miss

    well, that looks crap.

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