Michael Buffington

"David Manning of the Ridgefield

Thursday, April 25 2002

"David Manning of The Ridgefield Press is one of Columbia Pictures’ most reliable reviewers, praising Heath Ledger of A Knight’s Tale as this year’s hottest new star! and saluting The Animal as another winner! The studio plastered Manning’s raves over at least four different movie advertisements, including Hollow Man and Vertical Limit. But Manning’s own life story should be called Charadebecause he doesn’t exist

. Challenged last week by Newsweek about the reviewer’s authenticity, Columbia parent Sony Pictures Entertainment admitted that Manning is a fake, a product of the studio’s advertising department." Sent by coworker Michael Kitzman.


I almost went to work for Sony Columbia Tristar. I always looked forward to the day when I could meet movie critics like David Manning while on the job and say “Hey man, we’re kind of in the same business. I make websites for movies, you say what you think of a movie, let’s go play air hockey.”


My dreams of air hockey with David Manning were obliterated this morning. I can barely go on. I’ll never watch a Sony movie again, not simply because of Hollow Man. Well, yeah, because of Hollow Man mostly. 97% Hollow Man, 3% David Manning scam.


Update: This story is nearly a year old. I feel that much more stupid for not hearing about it until today.

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