If you're a movie buff and/or a fan of simulation games, you'll want to try your hand at The Movies.
This 2005 PC game by Lionhead Studios (known for the popular Fable and Black and White series) puts you in charge of a movie studio where you build out a studio lot, develop the careers of your actors (while massaging their egos and keeping them off the booze) and ultimately create movies. In fact, this game can be used to create actual computer-animated films (aka machinima).
So if you really want to direct or just like games where you build and manage resources, this one's for you. System requirements are light, so odds are that your computer will support it. As a bonus, we'll throw in 2-3 actual movies on DVD (but they will be a surprise!). Feel free to guess or make suggestions in your comments. You might even influence the title selection.
Here's how to enter:
Simply post a comment on this page. Say whatever is on your mind as long as it's not an ad or profane. Be sure to read the Sweepstakes Rules to ensure you are eligible to win and don't get disqualified by double-posting or forgetting to provide an e-mail address.
You may also want to white list this domain; we've had several would-be winners lose out because they never responded to their prize notification! If you use TypeKey/TypePad, be sure your e-mail address will be shared. No e-mail address, no prize. (Don't worry, no one else will see it - and we'll only use it to contact you if you win.)
Note that unless you're an authenticated poster who has been active on the site and marked as trusted, your comment will NOT appear immediately. It will go into a queue for me to approve, which I'll do several times a day (except the first weekend, where comments may not be approved until sometime late on Sunday). Do NOT double-post. We'll extend the entry period for this until 5:01 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, June 25 to ensure you have plenty of time to enter and verify your entry was posted.
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We continue to stock up on cool goodies for Free Stuff Friday - and will keep doing so as long as there's enough response, even if we continue to lose money on the site. So tell your friends about this! And post comments wherever you see something interesting. Also, if you get a game code you don't need or have some other cool game-related prize you want to donate, we'd be grateful (we pay for most of this stuff ourselves).
Hey, if we get bigger, so will the prizes that YOU could win! Check back each Friday to see what's next.
Comments (41)
Haha, I still have this game sitting around. A great concept that just didn't work out. I played constantly with friends and family, meaning I would set up the movies and they would do voices. Hilarious... I miss those days.
Posted by Jared R | June 19, 2009 1:35 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 01:35
Awesome game. Remember it from the good old days.
Posted by Justin A | June 19, 2009 4:31 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 04:31
Man, I always wanted this game for the wife and I. Never picked it up due to waiting on the Xbox version, which of course got cancelled. Played around with it at a friends house and thought it was cool.
Posted by Onyx Primal | June 19, 2009 6:34 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 06:34
I've always wanted to be a director. Maybe with this I can make my big break!
Posted by Alan | June 19, 2009 7:09 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 07:09
enter
Posted by Elena L | June 19, 2009 8:42 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 08:42
I never got around to playing this game. I would guess something out of the $1 bin at Wal-mart. Something like Kung-Fu China takeout 71.
Posted by FatmanOSU | June 19, 2009 8:55 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 08:55
That's really cool, hadn't heard of this game before now. My wife loves the Sims franchise, and is elbows deep in Sims 3 at the moment, but I think she'd live this as a bit of a break every now and again. So this only came out for the PC?
Posted by JJ | June 19, 2009 9:08 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 09:08
Looks like a fun game!
Posted by Dayna | June 19, 2009 10:41 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 10:41
I would make a movie but i'm just too lazy to try.
Posted by CrunchbiteNuva | June 19, 2009 11:41 AM
Posted on June 19, 2009 11:41
wow, didnt know lionhead made the game. one more reason i really wanna play it now
Posted by dwb6
|
June 19, 2009 12:01 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 12:01
I remember the reviews of this game but never got around to picking it. I always thought it would be cool to play.
Posted by Barrett | June 19, 2009 12:38 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 12:38
Awesome. Could the movies be American Graffiti and Ed Wood and the possible third, The Dark Knight?
Posted by mr.me | June 19, 2009 1:55 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 13:55
dont know how i feel about this game but at $0 any game is worth a try
Posted by Daniel | June 19, 2009 2:40 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 14:40
What time is it....
MOVIE TIME!!
Posted by Kyle | June 19, 2009 3:11 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 15:11
My sister loves The Sims and these types of games. Wouldnt mind winning it and giving it to her.
Posted by Charles Ritter | June 19, 2009 3:24 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 15:24
Thanks
Posted by N | June 19, 2009 3:41 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 15:41
Would love to try this game out, I never even knew that it was made by lionhead though. For movie suggestions, how about dark Knight.
Posted by deadbodyman11 | June 19, 2009 4:31 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 16:31
Seems like it would be a pretty cool game...and if the system requirements are as light as you say I will think its even cooler
Posted by Rob Way | June 19, 2009 5:07 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 17:07
Very fun, we enjoyed the demo a lot, great give-away!
Posted by Larry perlman | June 19, 2009 5:20 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 17:20
hey never played this game but looks good if there is any way to get some ideas out there this is one way to do it!
Posted by sylvestre | June 19, 2009 7:23 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 19:23
As much as I like the Sims, I didn't give any thought to The Movies. This could be my chance to give this a try.
Posted by Daniel | June 19, 2009 7:54 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 19:54
In.
Posted by Darklighter | June 19, 2009 11:27 PM
Posted on June 19, 2009 23:27
Hey, that game actually looks like it could be fun to play.
Posted by Akari | June 20, 2009 12:22 AM
Posted on June 20, 2009 00:22
Always wanted to try this game... Hope I win. :-)
Posted by David Powell | June 20, 2009 4:41 PM
Posted on June 20, 2009 16:41
Wow I haven't played this game in forever... Good 'ol Lionhead. Most anti-climactic company out there when it comes to how fun their so called ambitious games are. The Movies is fun at least in short spurts =).
Posted by John Getty | June 20, 2009 5:15 PM
Posted on June 20, 2009 17:15
I know my sister would love this game, count me in on this weeks contest!
Posted by Playing Mantis | June 20, 2009 5:17 PM
Posted on June 20, 2009 17:17
I've always wanted to play this, but never got around to it! So i'd love to win it!
Posted by Kara Poulios | June 20, 2009 8:00 PM
Posted on June 20, 2009 20:00
A friend of mine had this game and said it was pretty fun.
Posted by solid-alchemist
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June 20, 2009 8:33 PM
Posted on June 20, 2009 20:33
Waited for the XBox version which never showed. I'd like to give it a try for now.
Posted by Vector Scalar | June 21, 2009 9:58 AM
Posted on June 21, 2009 09:58
This will make things much easier for me when I'm making videos for fun. =D
Posted by Philip | June 22, 2009 10:45 AM
Posted on June 22, 2009 10:45
I remember wanting to try this game before it came out, then I never got around to it. I'd probably make a sci-fi type of movie, if it's possible.
Posted by Daniel | June 22, 2009 3:01 PM
Posted on June 22, 2009 15:01
I remember when this game came out awhile ago, However I never had a PC at the time that could run it. Though How many customizable options was there for making your own films, I heard there was a bit but I'm uncertain of how much content this game had.
Posted by Mike | June 22, 2009 9:31 PM
Posted on June 22, 2009 21:31
Can't say I ever played Sims or any other simulation game much. I have a copy of The Sims 2 for Xbox sitting around, maybe I'll crack it open.
Posted by Kyle | June 22, 2009 10:43 PM
Posted on June 22, 2009 22:43
Wat?>
Posted by Kurt | June 23, 2009 8:31 PM
Posted on June 23, 2009 20:31
This game would have had huge possibilities if they had let you own the movies you made with it.
Posted by Kevin | June 24, 2009 8:21 PM
Posted on June 24, 2009 20:21
Id definitely make a movie similar to some major blockbuster with a certain flying mammal. Nothing you could guess though.Maybe I'll ecolocate my way to picking up the Sims 3 since I've heard good things about it though.
Posted by Lando | June 25, 2009 11:49 AM
Posted on June 25, 2009 11:49
A really fun game. My younger brother has it. Its addicting too so be careful.
Posted by Coyotezeye | June 25, 2009 1:49 PM
Posted on June 25, 2009 13:49
I wonder if I can make a movie better than Transformers... what am I saying of course I can.
Posted by The Wolfkin | June 25, 2009 2:19 PM
Posted on June 25, 2009 14:19
Count me in.
Posted by Joe L. | June 25, 2009 2:20 PM
Posted on June 25, 2009 14:20
The winner is: 23. Akari
Congrats! The three bonus DVDs are: Bottle Rocket, Run Lola Run (please watch with subtitles, not the horrendous dubs) and My Super Ex-Girlfriend.
The next giveaway is a great, somewhat overlooked first-person shooter on a second gen platform.
Posted by Gamewatcher | June 25, 2009 6:50 PM
Posted on June 25, 2009 18:50
Count me in - quick comment
Posted by S. Bains | June 25, 2009 7:03 PM
Posted on June 25, 2009 19:03