NationStates Jolt Archive

Got a favorite movie director? If so, who is it?

Either M. Night Shalyman, Quentin Tarantino, or Tim Burton.

One of those 3

Sir Alfred Hitchcock and Francis Ford Coppola.

I don't know. Scorsese's turned out some pretty consistently good movies, but he's done some crap too.

Got a favorite movie director? If so, who is it?

Difficult to say. I'm apparently missing something, but Scorsese never really did that much for me, and neither does Polanski. I haven't seen enough of Hitchcock to really say, and although I've liked the movies by Altman that I've seen, I haven't seen enough of them to really vote for him.

The one's I really like that I'm somewhat familiar with are Akira Kurosawa, Sergio Leone, Quentin Tarantino, and a lot of Spielberg. Each manages to put some really distinctive and vibrant work together time after time. Honorable mention goes to M. Night Shamylan, not just for the Sixth Sense but the criminally underrated Unbreakable and Signs, and Frank Capra.

You had to think a poll was just going to be slipshod. You go from Cecil B. DeMille to Kubrick to a bunch of modern cats, leaping over Welles, Ford, Kapra, Bergman...alright, to go much further is just showing off, you get the point.

Probably too late on that call. Though these always almost instantly become film nerds showing off, so let's get to it:

I do actually like Kubrick
I like a lot of the Oberhausen (eh? How's that for showin' off?) directors.
I dig Wim Wenders, Werner Herzog, Fassbinder.
I like Won Kar Wai, not enough to look up how to spell his name correctly, but there you are.
I like Welles. duh, I guess.
I like Otto Prelinger, more for what he did with his films than his films themselves.
I like Preston Sturgis, but mostly by association because Veronica Lake was in Sullivan's Travels

I'll leave some names for the other film nerds to drop.

I like Gilliam, Ridley Scott, Wes Anderson...I don't know-a few others that I don't feel like straining myself to come up with...

Terry Gilliam or Dario Argento. John Capenter, Michael Powell, Terence Fisher, Freddie Francis and Sergio Leone aren't half bad, either.

mel brooks :)

tho Terry Gilliam rocks

Ever since the LOTR trilogy, I've had to give more thougt to a director and what is it that they add to a movie. One does not really "see" a director in a movie, but it's more a case of seeing what a director sees. I would say that in order to be considered a great director, one has to be able to take a turd of an idea and polish it to the shine of a diamond. From what I've seen of "King Kong", that would demonstrate what I'm talking about.

mel brooks :)

tho Terry Gilliam rocks
Brooks is a bit patchy though: his best stuff is incredible, and his mid level is a lot better than most comedy directors could ever manage (his version of To Be Or Not To Be is pretty wonderful as well, so it isn't just comedies he has a flair for) but he has done some utter bilge as well. Robin Hood: Men In Tights and Spaceballs were both pretty grim.

Dead right about Gilliam, though. Tim Burton obviously admires him a lot, I'd've said.

Guy Richie = "Snatch"

Ever since the LOTR trilogy, I've had to give more thougt to a director and what is it that they add to a movie. One does not really "see" a director in a movie, but it's more a case of seeing what a director sees. I would say that in order to be considered a great director, one has to be able to take a turd of an idea and polish it to the shine of a diamond. From what I've seen of "King Kong", that would demonstrate what I'm talking about.
It's a fair point. I always suspect the main argument against auteur theory is that you don't necessarily need a director to make a film: as long there's a decent script to work from, the cameramen can construct a shot and the actors know what they're about, what do you actually need a director for?

I'm going with Hitchcock, some of his stuff is a little dated, but when you consider the shear amount of stuff he invented it is pretty incredible. Most directors have stolen his techniques, so you have to consider that to,
Also Psycho was the only horror movie that ever actually scared me, Jason Vorhees and that poser from Halloween are all just a bunch of losers.

I don't know. Scorsese's turned out some pretty consistently good movies, but he's done some crap too.
Who hasn't? Look at Spielberg, for instance--Schindler's List and 1941, Saving Private Ryan and Hook. Big difference in quality there.

My vote went to Kubrick, off that list, although I'm no great fan of Barry Lyndon.

Who hasn't? Look at Spielberg, for instance--Schindler's List and 1941, Saving Private Ryan and Hook. Big difference in quality there.

My vote went to Kubrick, off that list, although I'm no great fan of Barry Lyndon.
I prefer 1941 to Saving Private Ryan or Schindler's List, myself. Makish, witless nonsense.

Brooks is a bit patchy though: his best stuff is incredible, and his mid level is a lot better than most comedy directors could ever manage (his version of To Be Or Not To Be is pretty wonderful as well, so it isn't just comedies he has a flair for) but he has done some utter bilge as well. Robin Hood: Men In Tights and Spaceballs were both pretty grim.

Dead right about Gilliam, though. Tim Burton obviously admires him a lot, I'd've said.You're right about Brooks, although I loved Spaceballs for its sheer silliness. It's hard to complain about a guy who popped out The Producers, Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety and Young Frankenstein, but he really hasn't done much in the last twenty-five years.

Gilliam is another one who I really like, but who is also really patchy--he seems to me to be the kind of director who needs a strong producer to rein him in at times. When he's good, he's very good, but he overdoes it sometimes, as does Burton.

It's a fair point. I always suspect the main argument against auteur theory is that you don't necessarily need a director to make a film: as long there's a decent script to work from, the cameramen can construct a shot and the actors know what they're about, what do you actually need a director for?
I'm not going to spell this right, just deal.

What you are discussing (though I suspect at least one of you knows this) is the difference between the autuer and the metre en scene, or the director that simply serves the script.

But the presence of the director and the presumed absence of the director was something that theater had settled before Black Maria changed the story, so to speak.

Like theater, film is a collabrative art form-the main arguement in autuer theory hasn't so much been that the director isn't neccisary but rather who get's primary authorship of the movie. Since screenwriters sold themselves down the river long ago for money up front the director usually gets first dibs on that claim as s/he becomes the final word on most of the decisions about how the film comes together (even if they don't get 'final cut')

S/he shapes the performance of the actors, dictates the nature of the camera and by extention the audiences gaze etc. A movie does not simply make itself. While the AD 'makes' the movie (runs the crew in a foreman style fashion) it is the director who shapes the movie.

More, almost all work in film is best when it is done to the point where you do not notice. You're not looking at the direction, you are absorbed in the story and entranced by the characters etc., not knowing anyone did anything at all.

You're right about Brooks, although I loved Spaceballs for its sheer silliness. It's hard to complain about a guy who popped out The Producers, Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety and Young Frankenstein, but he really hasn't done much in the last twenty-five years.

Gilliam is another one who I really like, but who is also really patchy--he seems to me to be the kind of director who needs a strong producer to rein him in at times. When he's good, he's very good, but he overdoes it sometimes, as does Burton.
The only one of Gilliam's I've seen that I didn't like was The Fisher King, which just struck me as horribly soft centred (I don't watch Gilliam's flicks if I'm looking for a happy ending...) though Fear And Loathing was a bit self indulgent, you're right.
Brooks still gets off the odd decent attempt. I really enjoyed that Dracula film, though I'm probably in the minority on that one. His best stuff is incredible, though you're right. Possibly that leads to people holding him to a slightly higher standard than is fair.

The only one of Gilliam's I've seen that I didn't like was The Fisher King, which just struck me as horribly soft centred (I don't watch Gilliam's flicks if I'm looking for a happy ending...) though Fear And Loathing was a bit self indulgent, you're right.
Brooks still gets off the odd decent attempt. I really enjoyed that Dracula film, though I'm probably in the minority on that one. His best stuff is incredible, though you're right. Possibly that leads to people holding him to a slightly higher standard than is fair.
Wow, you got that right. Yeesh.

no poll option for Kevin Smith?! no fair!!! :mad:
although he is a writer/director I would guess that I like his writing more than his directing.

I guess I am going to have to choose Ron Howard, I mean face it he takes some really crappy actors and brings out thier best. Yeah I think he is my favorite. :)

You had to think a poll was just going to be slipshod. You go from Cecil B. DeMille to Kubrick to a bunch of modern cats, leaping over Welles, Ford, Kapra, Bergman...alright, to go much further is just showing off, you get the point.

Probably too late on that call. Though these always almost instantly become film nerds showing off, so let's get to it:

I do actually like Kubrick
I like a lot of the Oberhausen (eh? How's that for showin' off?) directors.
I dig Wim Wenders, Werner Herzog, Fassbinder.
I like Won Kar Wai, not enough to look up how to spell his name correctly, but there you are.
I like Welles. duh, I guess.
I like Otto Prelinger, more for what he did with his films than his films themselves.
I like Preston Sturgis, but mostly by association because Veronica Lake was in Sullivan's Travels

I'll leave some names for the other film nerds to drop.

I like Gilliam, Ridley Scott, Wes Anderson...I don't know-a few others that I don't feel like straining myself to come up with...

Never a fan of Welles or Kubrick. Although "Spartacus" (not really Stan) and "Barry Lyndon" are amongst my favourites. Agreed with Preminger, Wenders, Herzog, Fassbinder, Scott, Gilliam, Sturges. Oberhausen? Not nerdy enough to know who you mean there :p

Undecided about Anderson. And never caught any Wong Kar Wassisface.

Leone floats my boat. Scorcese, natch (although he peaked with "Goodfellas"). Woody Allen, up until "Hannah and her sisters", then it was a slow slide into mediocrity. Powell and Pressburger. Curtiz. Tarantino. Singer. Danny Boyle. Fuller.

Yeah, that'll do.

I'm not going to spell this right, just deal.

What you are discussing (though I suspect at least one of you knows this) is the difference between the autuer and the metre en scene, or the director that simply serves the script.

But the presence of the director and the presumed absence of the director was something that theater had settled before Black Maria changed the story, so to speak.

Like theater, film is a collabrative art form-the main arguement in autuer theory hasn't so much been that the director isn't neccisary but rather who get's primary authorship of the movie. Since screenwriters sold themselves down the river long ago for money up front the director usually gets first dibs on that claim as s/he becomes the final word on most of the decisions about how the film comes together (even if they don't get 'final cut')
Y'see, I'm dubious of this claim. Since the '70s the producer generally has a far better claim to auteur status than the direct in most mainstream films. People who write their own scripts (Cronenberg springs to mind, but Crash and Dead Ringers are both as obviously his work as the stuff he's scripted himself) have a better claim to this perhaps. It's interesting that The Nightmare Before Christmas always gets claimed as a Tim Burton, when he didn't direct, script or provide much besides a rough plot outline and some character designs. You might as well claim that Batman Returns in a Bob Kane film...
As for scriptwriters, I'd like to see them get a lot more credit. There is no way in hell Spike Jonez could have come up with Being John Malkovitch on his own, put it that way.

S/he shapes the performance of the actors, dictates the nature of the camera and by extention the audiences gaze etc. A movie does not simply make itself. While the AD 'makes' the movie (runs the crew in a foreman style fashion) it is the director who shapes the movie.
The principal cameraman and the lighting director both have as much to do with this, though. Possibly even more in terms of framing shots and the physical look of a film.

More, almost all work in film is best when it is done to the point where you do not notice. You're not looking at the direction, you are absorbed in the story and entranced by the characters etc., not knowing anyone did anything at all.
Again, a fair point, but the bulk of directors who get picked out as auteurs are noted for an often intrusive and bombastic approach, that does intrude on the storey nearly as much as Martin Amis' overwritten prose style intrudes on his novels. Even the more restrained and flexible examples (Hitchcock springs to mind here) have mannerisms.

Wow, you got that right. Yeesh.
I loved it, to be honest. In a lot of ways it's far truer to the book than that ridiculous Copolla thing, and a lot of the scenes are great ("This isn't my first staking...", "Renfield, I meant for you to use the drainpipe...") though it probably doesn't hang together as well as it should.

no poll option for Kevin Smith?! no fair!!! :mad:
although he is a writer/director I would guess that I like his writing more than his directing.

I guess I am going to have to choose Ron Howard, I mean face it he takes some really crappy actors and brings out thier best. Yeah I think he is my favorite. :)
I'm a big Smith fan, but for his writing far more than for his directing--his writing is hysterical, and his directing is passable. I do respect the fact, though, that he decided long ago that he was going to make his own movies instead of writing them and giving them over to a director. He was my inspiration for my first (and thankfully, only) shot at writing a screenplay, for the first Project Greenlight contest--I decided that if I got lucky enough to win, I was directing the goddamn thing, and no one else. I sink or swim with my creation.

Thankfully, I never had the chance, because I look back at that thing now and shudder at how horrible it was. :D

that ridiculous Copolla thing

You mean "Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Keanu Reeves' Dracula"?

Christ that was an awful movie.

Nobody's mentioned Charles Laughton yet.
:eek:

Nobody's mentioned Charles Laughton yet.
:eek:

Thats a pity, Night of the Hunter is a masterpiece.

[QUOTE=Cahnt]that ridiculous Copolla thingQUOTE]

You mean "Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Keanu Reeves' Dracula"?

Christ that was an awful movie.
That's the one. Terrible film.
Did you know that they published a novellisation of it? "Bram Stoker's Dracula by Fred Saberhagen and somebody else, based on a screenplay by somebody else again, copyright Francis Ford Coppolla..."
Dearie me.

Thats a pity, Night of the Hunter is a masterpiece.
Isn't it just? One of the best films ever made, imo: Robert Mitchum is terrifying in that.

[QUOTE=HowTheDeadLive]
That's the one. Terrible film.
Did you know that they published a novellisation of it? "Bram Stoker's Dracula by Fred Saberhagen and somebody else, based on a screenplay by somebody else again, copyright Francis Ford Coppolla..."
Dearie me.

Heh. "How many people can we fit on the cover of one godawful novelisation?"

HOW ON EARTH CAN THEY PUBLISH A NOVELISATION OF A FILM BASED ON A NOVEL?

Jeezus. Just when i think humanity can't sink any further, "Celebrity Fat Camp" comes along.

Ahem, sorry, wrong rant :x

Isn't it just? One of the best films ever made, imo: Robert Mitchum is terrifying in that.

Did you ever hear the anecdote about Laughton, James Dean and a very drunk Mitchum having breakfast?

Kitano Takeshi (or Takeshi Kitano for purists)

...followed closely by Michel Carné and Akira Kurosawa

Did you ever hear the anecdote about Laughton, James Dean and a very drunk Mitchum having breakfast?
I don't think I have, no. What happened?

I don't think I have, no. What happened?

Well, Laughton and Dean were having breakfast in some swish Hollywood eaterie, when Mitchum turned up, was very drunkenly boorish and finished the meal by saying "you pair are fags, munch on this", pulling out his member and smearing it with tomato sauce.

Todays hellraisers? Pfffft. Lightweights.

Y'see, I'm dubious of this claim. Since the '70s the producer generally has a far better claim to auteur status than the direct in most mainstream films. People who write their own scripts (Cronenberg springs to mind, but Crash and Dead Ringers are both as obviously his work as the stuff he's scripted himself) have a better claim to this perhaps. It's interesting that The Nightmare Before Christmas always gets claimed as a Tim Burton, when he didn't direct, script or provide much besides a rough plot outline and some character designs. You might as well claim that Batman Returns in a Bob Kane film...
As for scriptwriters, I'd like to see them get a lot more credit. There is no way in hell Spike Jonez could have come up with Being John Malkovitch on his own, put it that way.


The principal cameraman and the lighting director both have as much to do with this, though. Possibly even more in terms of framing shots and the physical look of a film.


Again, a fair point, but the bulk of directors who get picked out as auteurs are noted for an often intrusive and bombastic approach, that does intrude on the storey nearly as much as Martin Amis' overwritten prose style intrudes on his novels. Even the more restrained and flexible examples (Hitchcock springs to mind here) have mannerisms.
I don't know so much about the seventies, since that was part of the fall of the autuer in some respects (Heaven's Gate), but there has been and continues to be a lot of debate over who gets the autuership. And yes, the DP is in charge of how the shot looks, but he takes his direction (eh?) from the director, same as all the other designers in the film. There are producers that feel the need to shepard directors and put a stamp of thiers (how autuership is generally determined, over a body of work) and by most arguments have claim to autuership.

I don't know that you could make a definitve claim on who gets that title or even if it applies to ever film made, but I do think that it hard to seriously claim that the director is an unnecisary or uninfluential element in the making and crafting of the movie.

The difference, why Batman and Robin isn't a Bob Kane film and Nightmare Before Christmas is a 'Burton' movie has a lot to do with what I had suggested, the comparitive body of work and how the film fits within it, so that even when he only gets 'story' credit it fits undeniably within his body of work, where as the other movie merely features characters copywrighted by the author.

I don't know so much about the seventies, since that was part of the fall of the autuer in some respects (Heaven's Gate), but there has been and continues to be a lot of debate over who gets the autuership. And yes, the DP is in charge of how the shot looks, but he takes his direction (eh?) from the director, same as all the other designers in the film. There are producers that feel the need to shepard directors and put a stamp of thiers (how autuership is generally determined, over a body of work) and by most arguments have claim to autuership.

I don't know that you could make a definitve claim on who gets that title or even if it applies to ever film made, but I do think that it hard to seriously claim that the director is an unnecisary or uninfluential element in the making and crafting of the movie.

The difference, why Batman and Robin isn't a Bob Kane film and Nightmare Before Christmas is a 'Burton' movie has a lot to do with what I had suggested, the comparitive body of work and how the film fits within it, so that even when he only gets 'story' credit it fits undeniably within his body of work, where as the other movie merely features characters copywrighted by the author.

"Heavens Gate" is a bloody good movie though. Unlike 95% of Tim Burtons work.

"Heavens Gate" is a bloody good movie though. Unlike 95% of Tim Burtons work.
But it was the runaway production of Heaven's Gate that ended the romance with the major studio financed artists. It was what they considered indulgent and dangerous, and since peaking it's laser firing shark nose over the horizen was the blockbuster, films like Heaven's Gate and The Conversation (a personal favorite) gave way.

For me Burton misses far more often then he hits.

Well, Laughton and Dean were having breakfast in some swish Hollywood eaterie, when Mitchum turned up, was very drunkenly boorish and finished the meal by saying "you pair are fags, munch on this", pulling out his member and smearing it with tomato sauce.

Todays hellraisers? Pfffft. Lightweights.
Can't see Sean Penn doing that, can you?
Supposedly he got half of the filming crew pissed on absinthe before one day's filming started.

HTDL: I just don't see how a film that's far more about Danny Elfman's soundtrack and somebody else's script and direction that Burton's character designs (I don't believe he had anything to do with how they were executed, either) is considered one of Burton's films. Scriptwriters never get accorded auteur status, so why are a few illustrations and a plot outline considered adequete for that?
I just suspect that North By Northwest and The Sweet Smell Of Success have a lot more in common than Ed Wood and Edward Scissorhands...

But it was the runaway production of Heaven's Gate that ended the romance with the major studio financed artists. It was what they considered indulgent and dangerous, and since peaking it's laser firing shark nose over the horizen was the blockbuster, films like Heaven's Gate and The Conversation (a personal favorite) gave way.

For me Burton misses far more often then he hits.

Yeah, but...Ishtar lost as much money(?), and was artistically barren to boot.

The studios seemed quite happy to fund the follies of actors and directors after Ishtar, see "Showgirls" and "Hudson Hawk" amongst (many) others. I think in reality, the truth is somewhat more complex - i think the studios AND auteurs both got scared and backed off.

(although i admit a very shameful love for every minute of "Hudson Hawk", it's James Coburn's grin, gets me every time)

Burton just does the kooky goth thing to death. "Beetlejuice" was good, "Mars Attacks" i enjoyed whilst realising it was toss, "Ed Wood" was over rated and slow and dull, both Batman movies were ludicrously overpraised, "Planet of the Apes" was a truly abysmal movie and made me realise what a dependable actor Charlton Heston was in his prime, "Sleepy Hollow" was passable, i have no wish to see "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". In fact, i've wasted far too much of my time when i could have spent it rewatching "Hudson Hawk" :)

For me Burton misses far more often then he hits.
No argument with that. What the devil was that Mars Attacks flick supposed to be?

"Mars Attacks" i enjoyed whilst realising it was toss
Ah. Oh well.
(I did rather like Martin Landau in Ed Wood: he made a fine Bela Lugosi.)

Can't see Sean Penn doing that, can you?
Supposedly he got half of the filming crew pissed on absinthe before one day's filming started.

HTDL: I just don't see how a film that's far more about Danny Elfman's soundtrack and somebody else's script and direction that Burton's character designs (I don't believe he had anything to do with how they were executed, either) is considered one of Burton's films. Scriptwriters never get accorded auteur status, so why are a few illustrations and a plot outline considered adequete for that?
I just suspect that North By Northwest and The Sweet Smell Of Success have a lot more in common than Ed Wood and Edward Scissorhands...

Agreed on Burton and his supposed "auteur" schtick. He's a facilitator who gets designers involved a lot of the time (in my eyes, anyway).

My favourite hellraiser anecdote, btw, is John Boorman and Lee Marvin...heard that one?

I'm a big Smith fan, but for his writing far more than for his directing--his writing is hysterical, and his directing is passable. I do respect the fact, though, that he decided long ago that he was going to make his own movies instead of writing them and giving them over to a director. He was my inspiration for my first (and thankfully, only) shot at writing a screenplay, for the first Project Greenlight contest--I decided that if I got lucky enough to win, I was directing the goddamn thing, and no one else. I sink or swim with my creation.

Thankfully, I never had the chance, because I look back at that thing now and shudder at how horrible it was. :D
yeah I was similarly inspired. Clerks showed me how well an extremely low budget movie could play. I have since began writing a screen play. (or am writing after 8 years it is still developing) My husband is an actor so of course I have a lot of input at home, since he has spent a lot of time "on set" he kinda knows what is going to transfer well and what won't.

I made some good connections with some important people from the last movie he was in, one of them an exec, with warner brothers, so I am hoping that all my schmoozing will pay off and they will read my script( but I am trying not to get my hopes up too high....)

Burton is mostly a sort of smudgy photostat of Terry Gilliam for people who can't deal with a bit of content along with their visual fodder, to be honest. He has done some good films (I loved Batman Returns and Beetlejuice) but he's done a lot more codswallop.

Is that the "I've made loads of films, what have you done?", "I've made a couple of good ones." story, or was that Terence Fisher and Vincent Price?

Yeah, but...Ishtar lost as much money(?), and was artistically barren to boot.

The studios seemed quite happy to fund the follies of actors and directors after Ishtar, see "Showgirls" and "Hudson Hawk" amongst (many) others. I think in reality, the truth is somewhat more complex - i think the studios AND auteurs both got scared and backed off.

(although i admit a very shameful love for every minute of "Hudson Hawk", it's James Coburn's grin, gets me every time)

Burton just does the kooky goth thing to death. "Beetlejuice" was good, "Mars Attacks" i enjoyed whilst realising it was toss, "Ed Wood" was over rated and slow and dull, both Batman movies were ludicrously overpraised, "Planet of the Apes" was a truly abysmal movie and made me realise what a dependable actor Charlton Heston was in his prime, "Sleepy Hollow" was passable, i have no wish to see "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". In fact, i've wasted far too much of my time when i could have spent it rewatching "Hudson Hawk" :)
I didn't mean to imply that nevermore was there the studio financed art and/or vanity project, but for a time coming in through the seventies it was more the norm. I'm not doing a great job of putting this up because I haven't slept since yesterday for no good reason, but there it is. (what's sad is I'm actually waiting to hear if I'll be TAing a class partially on this very subject...I'll have to make sure to sleep before having to grade anyone's papers...)

yeah I was similarly inspired. Clerks showed me how well an extremely low budget movie could play. I have since began writing a screen play. (or am writing after 8 years it is still developing) My husband is an actor so of course I have a lot of input at home, since he has spent a lot of time "on set" he kinda knows what is going to transfer well and what won't.

I made some good connections with some important people from the last movie he was in, one of them an exec, with warner brothers, so I am hoping that all my schmoozing will pay off and they will read my script( but I am trying not to get my hopes up too high....)
Do any of them know any agents? That could be a more useful connection to make.

Burton is mostly a sort of smudgy photostat of Terry Gilliam for people who can't deal with a bit of content along with their visual fodder, to be honest. He has done some good films (I loved Batman Returns and Beetlejuice) but he's done a lot more codswallop.

Is that the "I've made loads of films, what have you done?", "I've made a couple of good ones." story, or was that Terence Fisher and Vincent Price?

Must have been Fisher and Price, no, mine is:-

Boorman and Marvin are out on the razz in Hollywood, getting absolutely pissed as rats. At some point, they have a stand up fight, which ends with Boorman storming out of the bar they are in, getting in his car and driving away.

He's driving along, drunk, when he see's a police car in the rear view mirror and hears a siren
"Shit shit shit, i'm going to get pulled over, i'm going to get arrested, deported, end of my career in Hollywood"
He stops the car, police car stops behind him.
Police man comes over. Taps on the window. Boorman winds it down.
Policeman says:-

"excuse me sir, do you realise you have Lee Marvin on your roofrack?"

Do any of them know any agents? That could be a more useful connection to make.
actually I know quite a few agents as I am working now as my husband's agent, I get to talk to the others in the area about open calls and such (since I am doing it for free and most of the time you actually have to have a store front for casting directors to pay any attention to you)

I have one in mind when my husband's career gets boring to me, and he has read my script and said when I am ready he will help me shop it. I am more interested in feed back though because I am not going to try to sell it until it is perfect (or really close)

I didn't mean to imply that nevermore was there the studio financed art and/or vanity project, but for a time coming in through the seventies it was more the norm. I'm not doing a great job of putting this up because I haven't slept since yesterday for no good reason, but there it is. (what's sad is I'm actually waiting to hear if I'll be TAing a class partially on this very subject...I'll have to make sure to sleep before having to grade anyone's papers...)

Fair enough!

I will offer the career of Spielberg as an example of the backing off though. After making a series of intelligent, well thought out blockbusters in the seventies, he retreated into infantilism for over a decade. If anyone sums up the soul of Hollywood it's him - you'll note come the 90s, he started making more morally complex movies, with more grey to replace black and white, just as the whole infantilistic eighties big budget culture fell apart (well, i say fell apart, what i mean really is "went two ways - either into overload, or was poo-poohed")

actually I know quite a few agents as I am working now as my husband's agent, I get to talk to the others in the area about open calls and such (since I am doing it for free and most of the time you actually have to have a store front for casting directors to pay any attention to you)

I have one in mind when my husband's career gets boring to me, and he has read my script and said when I am ready he will help me shop it. I am more interested in feed back though because I am not going to try to sell it until it is perfect (or really close)

"Did you hear about the really stupid Hollywood starlet? She slept with the WRITER"

Hurr.

"Did you hear about the really stupid Hollywood starlet? She slept with the WRITER"

Hurr.
yeah I make that joke with my hubby sometimes. How he is just sleeping with me to get a part in my movie.... he hasn't denied it yet :eek:

yeah I was similarly inspired. Clerks showed me how well an extremely low budget movie could play. I have since began writing a screen play. (or am writing after 8 years it is still developing) My husband is an actor so of course I have a lot of input at home, since he has spent a lot of time "on set" he kinda knows what is going to transfer well and what won't.

I made some good connections with some important people from the last movie he was in, one of them an exec, with warner brothers, so I am hoping that all my schmoozing will pay off and they will read my script( but I am trying not to get my hopes up too high....)
Just getting through 'the readers' is something. Though I had a classmate that worked as a reader who said that the bulk, the predominant bulk, of what she had to read was completely unworkable and ridiculous scripts. Makes ya wonder.

One thing you might want to consider is competitions. It's like a little stamp that seperates you from the guy who 'totally has this kickass idea about a ninja werewolf whose addicted to drugs and is coming out to his parents.' (guess my amauter script pet peeves...)

Also, though I haven't really made use of it, you might want to try triggerstreet.com. It's a place to get some feedback from people not afraid they'll have to sleep on the couch ;) And it's a bunch of people banded together in the same boat as you.

Jim Sharman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rocky_Horror_Picture_Show)
:rolleyes:
:p

Just getting through 'the readers' is something. Though I had a classmate that worked as a reader who said that the bulk, the predominant bulk, of what she had to read was completely unworkable and ridiculous scripts. Makes ya wonder.

One thing you might want to consider is competitions. It's like a little stamp that seperates you from the guy who 'totally has this kickass idea about a ninja werewolf whose addicted to drugs and is coming out to his parents.' (guess my amauter script pet peeves...)

Also, though I haven't really made use of it, you might want to try triggerstreet.com. It's a place to get some feedback from people not afraid they'll have to sleep on the couch ;) And it's a bunch of people banded together in the same boat as you.
awesome advice. thanks :D

actually I know quite a few agents as I am working now as my husband's agent, I get to talk to the others in the area about open calls and such (since I am doing it for free and most of the time you actually have to have a store front for casting directors to pay any attention to you)

I have one in mind when my husband's career gets boring to me, and he has read my script and said when I am ready he will help me shop it. I am more interested in feed back though because I am not going to try to sell it until it is perfect (or really close)
Good luck with that, then. You might be better off trying to shop it around a bit if you've already got it in working order, though. Seriously, you can spend forever trying to polish these things, and there's no damn point if the first person who can actually do anything with it insists on changing this that and the other.

HTDL: I like that one. Did you ever hear the story about John Martyn waking up after a heavy evening drinking with Danny Thompson to find that his bassist had stuffed him under the carpet in the hotel room and nailed it back in place? Not film sorts, but it's still a fine one.

Do any of them know any agents? That could be a more useful connection to make.
You need producers more than you need agents. Agents just get the scripts in the hands of producers, if you can skip ahead-by all means...

HTDL: I like that one. Did you ever hear the story about John Martyn waking up after a heavy evening drinking with Danny Thompson to find that his bassist had stuffed him under the carpet in the hotel room and nailed it back in place? Not film sorts, but it's still a fine one.

Never heard that one, but i do love a bit of the old John Martyn. On more filmic level, there's the old Richard Curtiz/David Niven "Bring on the Empty Horses" anecdote which Niven slightly tailored for his autobiography (he missed out the obscene last line).

Man, i love films. Whats on Sky Movies tonight?

You need producers more than you need agents. Agents just get the scripts in the hands of producers, if you can skip ahead-by all means...
I actually do know quite a few producers (okay like 10) but most of them are of the TV variety (Gilmore Girls, Without a Trace, CSI, ect.) I don't know how much help they could really be for me but they are great at getting me "in the loop" with casting directors for TV for my hubby. ;) I guess I need to work on my career just as hard as I am working on his.

I actually do know quite a few producers (okay like 10) but most of them are of the TV variety (Gilmore Girls, Without a Trace, CSI, ect.) I don't know how much help they could really be for me but they are great at getting me "in the loop" with casting directors for TV for my hubby. ;) I guess I need to work on my career just as hard as I am working on his.
Well...you could hook a brother up, I ain't too proud to work in TV as a writer for a little bit. Worked out for Alan Ball ;) :D

Martyn does seem to have been a bit of a lad in his day. Probably why he doesn't get taken as seriously as Nick Drake.
No idea if there's anything on tonight.
There's a story about the extras on Aguirre ofering to kill Klaus Kinski because they could tell that he was getting Herzog down and herzog turning the offer down because he still needed the bloke for another four or five scenes. (You wonder what he'd have said if they'd asked him the week after...)

As far as producers vs agents go, I vaguely know a producer who's been trying to get some films funded for four years now and not getting anywhere. Mind you, he does want to do horror rather than mockney gangsters, which isn't helping the poor sod's cause any. Weird how a pile of shit like Snatch didn't convince the British film industry that gangster films were over, but that stupid werewolf flick (I forget the title, it had Connery's kid in it) convinced everyone it was a bad idea to stump up any money for horror films.

I actually do know quite a few producers (okay like 10) but most of them are of the TV variety (Gilmore Girls, Without a Trace, CSI, ect.) I don't know how much help they could really be for me but they are great at getting me "in the loop" with casting directors for TV for my hubby. ;) I guess I need to work on my career just as hard as I am working on his.
Perhaps they could get you a few telly script gigs in the meantime? Didn't do Joss Whedon any harm...

Sergio Leonii (sp?)

Sergio Leonii (sp?)

Leone.

:)

Martyn does seem to have been a bit of a lad in his day. Probably why he doesn't get taken as seriously as Nick Drake.
No idea if there's anything on tonight.
There's a story about the extras on Aguirre ofering to kill Klaus Kinski because they could tell that he was getting Herzog down and herzog turning the offer down because he still needed the bloke for another four or five scenes. (You wonder what he'd have said if they'd asked him the week after...)


That wasn't Aguirre, that was Fitzcaraldo and it was the natives that where pulling the ship over the hill. That's also the same film where Herzog had to threaten to shoot Kinski and then himself in order to get him to come back to work. (Mick Jagger was originally cast in that movie...I've seen footage...eek...)

Martyn does seem to have been a bit of a lad in his day. Probably why he doesn't get taken as seriously as Nick Drake.
No idea if there's anything on tonight.
There's a story about the extras on Aguirre ofering to kill Klaus Kinski because they could tell that he was getting Herzog down and herzog turning the offer down because he still needed the bloke for another four or five scenes. (You wonder what he'd have said if they'd asked him the week after...)

As far as producers vs agents go, I vaguely know a producer who's been trying to get some films funded for four years now and not getting anywhere. Mind you, he does want to do horror rather than mockney gangsters, which isn't helping the poor sod's cause any. Weird how a pile of shit like Snatch didn't convince the British film industry that gangster films were over, but that stupid werewolf flick (I forget the title, it had Connery's kid in it) convinced everyone it was a bad idea to stump up any money for horror films.

"Dog Soldiers"? Did that have Connerys kid in? I never saw him (Jason, we are talking, right?).

Oh, man, Kinski was insane. I read bits of his autobiography once, stone cold barking.

I think Drake being a suicidal posh kid gave him far more kudos. Although "Things Behind the Sun" and "Black Eyed Dog" are wonderful.

Perhaps they could get you a few telly script gigs in the meantime? Didn't do Joss Whedon any harm...
That's actually a good serious suggestion, as opposed to my self serving little joke.

That wasn't Aguirre, that was Fitzcaraldo and it was the natives that where pulling the ship over the hill. That's also the same film where Herzog had to threaten to shoot Kinski and then himself in order to get him to come back to work. (Mick Jagger was originally cast in that movie...I've seen footage...eek...)
My mistake.
If it was a choice between shooting people or casting Jagger, I'd probably shoot meself if it came to that. It must take quite an effort to be the worst thing in Freejack, put it that way.

That wasn't Aguirre, that was Fitzcaraldo and it was the natives that where pulling the ship over the hill. That's also the same film where Herzog had to threaten to shoot Kinski and then himself in order to get him to come back to work. (Mick Jagger was originally cast in that movie...I've seen footage...eek...)

Jagger? I cannot for the life of me see how he would have fit in.

He hasn't made a good film since "Performance". Thats from someone who once sat through "Freejack" or whatever it was called. And marvelled how much better an actor Emilio Estevez is.

Perhaps they could get you a few telly script gigs in the meantime? Didn't do Joss Whedon any harm...
yeah but television disgusts me. (maybe it wouldn't if I was writing)
There are only 2 really acceptable shows on TV now but you can tell when they switch writers, and I really hate a lack of continuity.... ;)
off topic sorry.


I thought of something though, has anyone ever noticed that when ever Burton comes on board, no matter what movie it is, that it gets just like really disturbing. (Charlie and the chocolate factory ect.)

oh and that whole corpse bride thing, necrophelia for kiddies I think not :(

My mistake.
If it was a choice between shooting people or casting Jagger, I'd probably shoot meself if it came to that. It must take quite an effort to be the worst thing in Freejack, put it that way.

Jinx. We both made virtually the same remark at the same time :p

"Dog Soldiers"? Did that have Connerys kid in? I never saw him (Jason, we are talking, right?).

Oh, man, Kinski was insane. I read bits of his autobiography once, stone cold barking.

I think Drake being a suicidal posh kid gave him far more kudos. Although "Things Behind the Sun" and "Black Eyed Dog" are wonderful.
I think he's talking about Cursed (http://imdb.com/title/tt0257516/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnx0dD0xfGZiPXV8cG49MHxrdz0xfHE9Y3Vyc2VkfGZ0PTF8bXg9MjB8bG09NTAwfGNvPTF8aHRtbD0xfG5tPTE_ ;fc=1;ft=32;fm=1)

yeah but television disgusts me. (maybe it wouldn't if I was writing)
There are only 2 really acceptable shows on TV now but you can tell when they switch writers, and I really hate a lack of continuity.... ;)
off topic sorry.


I thought of something though, has anyone ever noticed that when ever Burton comes on board, no matter what movie it is, that it gets just like really disturbing. (Charlie and the chocolate factory ect.)

oh and that whole corpse bride thing, necrophelia for kiddies I think not :(

What are the 2 acceptable shows, in your eyes?

I think he's talking about Cursed (http://imdb.com/title/tt0257516/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnx0dD0xfGZiPXV8cG49MHxrdz0xfHE9Y3Vyc2VkfGZ0PTF8bXg9MjB8bG09NTAwfGNvPTF8aHRtbD0xfG5tPTE_ ;fc=1;ft=32;fm=1)

Oh, never saw that. I was thinking "Dog Soldiers wasn't THAT bad...i've seen far worse British movies".

Usually involving Helena Bonham Carter in a bustle.

"Dog Soldiers"? Did that have Connerys kid in? I never saw him (Jason, we are talking, right?).

Oh, man, Kinski was insane. I read bits of his autobiography once, stone cold barking.

I think Drake being a suicidal posh kid gave him far more kudos. Although "Things Behind the Sun" and "Black Eyed Dog" are wonderful.
That's the one. I thought he was in it, but it may have been somebody else. I wasn't watching the film that closely to be honest (the only real reason it isn't the worst British horror film of all time is Razor Blade Smile, to be honest).
It was a bit embarrassing that one coming out at the same time as Ginger Snaps, wasn't it?

Kinski was raving mad by every account I've ever read: even Natassja seems to think he was out to lunch.

Isn't there some doubt whether Drake meant to kill himself? I like Pink Moon a lot, but it's hardly Solid Air...

That's the one. I thought he was in it, but it may have been somebody else. I wasn't watching the film that closely to be honest (the only real reason it isn't the worst British horror film of all time is Razor Blade Smile, to be honest).
It was a bit embarrassing that one coming out at the same time as Ginger Snaps, wasn't it?

Kinski was raving mad by every account I've ever read: even Natassja seems to think he was out to lunch.

Isn't there some doubt whether Drake meant to kill himself? I like Pink Moon a lot, but it's hardly Solid Air...

Yeah, sorry, i should have said "Depressive posh kid", that would have covered my arse, as it's pretty much accepted it was an accidental overdose.

Natassja isn't exactly sane herself, so for her to think daddy was bonkers says something.

And, sorry, "Razor Blade Smile"? You haven't seen Hammer's nadir then? "The Vampire Lovers", with two lesbian vampires and Ralph "Dear John" Bates? An atrocious lump of early seventies soft porn/horror nonsense.

off topic sorry.


(
Pff, we haven't been on topic since the half way through the front page. Now it's evolved into "Great Hollywood Ancedotes" and "How We're Trying to Get Into Hollywood" by way of 'remind CToaN how much of his Film Authors and Hollywood Structures classes he can't currently articulate'

We should form some sort of NS Film Club, so when one of us makes it we take everyone with us.

Oh, never saw that. I was thinking "Dog Soldiers wasn't THAT bad...i've seen far worse British movies".

Usually involving Helena Bonham Carter in a bustle.
No, I did mean Dog Soldiers. Absolutely hated it. (The Brotherhood of the Wolf came out at much the same time as well, didn't it?)
I'd sooner Helena Bonham Carter in a bustle to her in a remake of a '70s SF flick (though if she wanted to take a stab at Barbarella, I'd probably sit through that...)

Smunkee, it has to be worth a try. If you can overlook it being work for hire, it's pretty good money (I'd imagine rather better over there than it is here), and even if it does turn to out to be a hassle and the final result is an abomination, it's still something you can add to your resume. If you know people who can hook you up, you should definitely give it a shot.

No, I did mean Dog Soldiers. Absolutely hated it. (The Brotherhood of the Wolf came out at much the same time as well, didn't it?)
I'd sooner Helena Bonham Carter in a bustle to her in a remake of a '70s SF flick (though if she wanted to take a stab at Barbarella, I'd probably sit through that...)

Smunkee, it has to be worth a try. If you can overlook it being work for hire, it's pretty good money (I'd imagine rather better over there than it is here), and even if it does turn to out to be a hassle and the final result is an abomination, it's still something you can add to your resume. If you know people who can hook you up, you should definitely give it a shot.

Yeah, i only saw a dubbed version of "Brotherhood of the Wolf" which ruined it for me.

I like Helena Bottom Carnal physically, but she's been in an awful amount of stiff upper lipped tosh, all heaving bosoms and repressed Edwardian sexuality. HOWEVER, she's the prompt for the best anecdote ever...have you heard the Bottom Carnal/Kathy Burke/Time Out story?

No, I did mean Dog Soldiers. Absolutely hated it. (The Brotherhood of the Wolf came out at much the same time as well, didn't it?)
I'd sooner Helena Bonham Carter in a bustle to her in a remake of a '70s SF flick (though if she wanted to take a stab at Barbarella, I'd probably sit through that...)

Smunkee, it has to be worth a try. If you can overlook it being work for hire, it's pretty good money (I'd imagine rather better over there than it is here), and even if it does turn to out to be a hassle and the final result is an abomination, it's still something you can add to your resume. If you know people who can hook you up, you should definitely give it a shot.
Seriously-the year that American Beauty came out a show that Alan Ball wrote for came out-the tv show was panned to all hell and American Beauty was praised to the skies. He marveled at symultaniously being called the best and worst writer working.

Hayao Miyazaki. He writes the screenplays for his movies and he can fill a movie up with action and still maintain a family-friendly rating.

Kubrick!

Yeah, sorry, i should have said "Depressive posh kid", that would have covered my arse, as it's pretty much accepted it was an accidental overdose.

Natassja isn't exactly sane herself, so for her to think daddy was bonkers says something.

And, sorry, "Razor Blade Smile"? You haven't seen Hammer's nadir then? "The Vampire Lovers", with two lesbian vampires and Ralph "Dear John" Bates? An atrocious lump of early seventies soft porn/horror nonsense.
Talented guy, but I'm not crazy about his stuff. Pink Moon's about the only one I can listen to all the way through. Some of his other stuff would have a lot better if he'd just done it with a guitar insted of overdubbing strings and jazz musos all over it.

If natassja was sane, she's hardly have agreed to star in harem, would she?

There's no lesbian vampires (in rubber, yet!) in Razor Blade Smile? I just absolutely hated it, thought it was complete drivel. Did you know that the chap who runs Redemption films (I forget his name) is Eileen Daly's other half, so he made a point of informing all the horror magazines and small press that if they gave his girlfriend's starring a debut a bad review thewy wouldn't get anymore review copies?
I've seen a lot of the late Hammer stuff (including two or three lesbian vampire films) and rather enjoyed some of it. Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter is pretty stylish, and I really like Demons Of The Mind as well. I even like the second modern dress Dracula (I suspect somebody at Marvel enjoyed that one as well...)

I loved Brotherhood of the Wolf. It goes on a bit too long, but the good bits are incredible. Shame the monster isn't very convincing, but you can't have everything.

I haven't heard that anecdote either. (I need to find more anecdotes, damn it!) Is this anything to do with the comic relief thing she did a few years back? I think Kathy Burke was in on that.

Hayao Miyazaki. He writes the screenplays for his movies and he can fill a movie up with action and still maintain a family-friendly rating.
What in the blazes are you ta-...oh, right-the actual topic...

Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, some Kubrick (I only like Doctor Strangelove and Full Metal Jacket), Mel Brooks, and Sophia Coppola stand out.

What are the 2 acceptable shows, in your eyes?
Gilmore Girls isn't too bad, I don't like the direction they went season before last , but they are starting to recover from it. I felt it was really out of character for Rory to sleep with a married man.
I really love it mostly for the film/music/book/pop culture references they are hilarious. I read an article that said they were obscure but how obscure can they be if I get all of them. (although I am really into film/music/books/pop culture)

Smallville is pretty good. (If you don't pay much attention to how they are straying from Superman comics) It is really hard for me to deal with the lack of continuity when you have something like Superman that has numerous books, movies, tv shows, comic books ect. I have the same problem with Star Wars, Star Trek, Batman, Spiderman, and Hitchhikkers Guide. My attention to detail annoys all who know me. (it was especially annoying to the script supervisor on the last feature film my husband was in. :))

Seriously-the year that American Beauty came out a show that Alan Ball wrote for came out-the tv show was panned to all hell and American Beauty was praised to the skies. He marveled at symultaniously being called the best and worst writer working.
It didn't do his career any harm though, did it? I don't think anybody expects much from television, which is probably why so much of it is crap. It's a shame, really.

Nidimor: the name rings a bell, but I can't place it. Care to name a film or two?

G. Lucas is the Best

Talented guy, but I'm not crazy about his stuff. Pink Moon's about the only one I can listen to all the way through. Some of his other stuff would have a lot better if he'd just done it with a guitar insted of overdubbing strings and jazz musos all over it.

If natassja was sane, she's hardly have agreed to star in harem, would she?

There's no lesbian vampires (in rubber, yet!) in Razor Blade Smile? I just absolutely hated it, thought it was complete drivel. Did you know that the chap who runs Redemption films (I forget his name) is Eileen Daly's other half, so he made a point of informing all the horror magazines and small press that if they gave his girlfriend's starring a debut a bad review thewy wouldn't get anymore review copies?
I've seen a lot of the late Hammer stuff (including two or three lesbian vampire films) and rather enjoyed some of it. Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter is pretty stylish, and I really like Demons Of The Mind as well. I even like the second modern dress Dracula (I suspect somebody at Marvel enjoyed that one as well...)

I loved Brotherhood of the Wolf. It goes on a bit too long, but the good bits are incredible. Shame the monster isn't very convincing, but you can't have everything.

I haven't heard that anecdote either. (I need to find more anecdotes, damn it!) Is this anything to do with the comic relief thing she did a few years back? I think Kathy Burke was in on that.

Yeah, i think Pink Moon is the only one i've got original any more. I mean, the best of is all you need really. I'm more a Roy Harper man when it comes to that early-mid 70s semi folk stuff anyway.

Ok, hands up, i haven't seen "Razor Blade Smile". I went through a period of avoiding anything made in Britain because it seemed to be all about fellating Guy Richie. Which i find saddening, especially when we have talent like Lynne Ramsey on the same island ("Ratcatcher", now THERE is a debut movie to die for).

Yeah, as i said, i would have enjoyed BOTW if it wasn't dubbed. Teach me to live in the welsh valleys, where "art house cinema" is a dirty word.

Well, the basic Kathy Burke/Helena story is (it's not so much an anecdote, more proof of why i adore Kathy)...

Helena is promoting "Fight Club" and gets interviewed by Time Out. In the interview, she says something along the lines of:-
"As a pretty member of the upper classes, i find it terribly hard to get work without being typecast"

Next week, Time Out has a letter from Kathy:-
"Dear Ms Bonham Carter,
As a non pretty member of the working classes, i'd just like to say, shut your stupid f*cking mouth, you posh c*nt"

Priceless :)

Bonham Carter is WAY posh as well, descended from Asquith as i recall.

It didn't do his career any harm though, did it? I don't think anybody expects much from television, which is probably why so much of it is crap. It's a shame, really.

Nidimor: the name rings a bell, but I can't place it. Care to name a film or two?
That's what I'm sayin'.

Smallville is pretty good. (If you don't pay much attention to how they are straying from Superman comics) It is really hard for me to deal with the lack of continuity when you have something like Superman that has numerous books, movies, tv shows, comic books ect. I have the same problem with Star Wars, Star Trek, Batman, Spiderman, and Hitchhikkers Guide. My attention to detail annoys all who know me. (it was especially annoying to the script supervisor on the last feature film my husband was in. :))
It's probably a bad idea to get too purist about that, though. (Admittedly, I know comics fans who'd shoot me through the lungs for saying that.) There's a lot of stuff where fifty or sixty years worth of comics are not going to boil down neatly into a couple of hours of film or a bunch of fifty minute episodes very handily. I mean, which Superman comics are they straying from? There's at least four versions of the character...
What do you make of Birds Of Prey?

Gilmore Girls isn't too bad, I don't like the direction they went season before last , but they are starting to recover from it. I felt it was really out of character for Rory to sleep with a married man.
I really love it mostly for the film/music/book/pop culture references they are hilarious. I read an article that said they were obscure but how obscure can they be if I get all of them. (although I am really into film/music/books/pop culture)

Smallville is pretty good. (If you don't pay much attention to how they are straying from Superman comics) It is really hard for me to deal with the lack of continuity when you have something like Superman that has numerous books, movies, tv shows, comic books ect. I have the same problem with Star Wars, Star Trek, Batman, Spiderman, and Hitchhikkers Guide. My attention to detail annoys all who know me. (it was especially annoying to the script supervisor on the last feature film my husband was in. :))
And one of the producers you know is the Gilmore Girls. Your in sister, don't forget us when you get huge.

And, it seems that you have a future as a script supervisor, like you where born to it. You got work coming out of your ears. Damn, I'm jealous.

Gilmore Girls isn't too bad, I don't like the direction they went season before last , but they are starting to recover from it. I felt it was really out of character for Rory to sleep with a married man.
I really love it mostly for the film/music/book/pop culture references they are hilarious. I read an article that said they were obscure but how obscure can they be if I get all of them. (although I am really into film/music/books/pop culture)

Smallville is pretty good. (If you don't pay much attention to how they are straying from Superman comics) It is really hard for me to deal with the lack of continuity when you have something like Superman that has numerous books, movies, tv shows, comic books ect. I have the same problem with Star Wars, Star Trek, Batman, Spiderman, and Hitchhikkers Guide. My attention to detail annoys all who know me. (it was especially annoying to the script supervisor on the last feature film my husband was in. :))

I do hate continuity mistakes with established source material, agreed. Like in the first Batman movie, where Harvey Dent was played by Billy Dee Williams, i mean, WTF, Two Face isn't BLACK DAMMIT. And the whole Hitch-hikers movie, which frizzled the continuity so much that there wasn't any actual point to it - why exactly does Zaphod visit Magrathea in it unless it's part of his plot to find the ruler of the universe? Etc etc etc.

I guess thats why i do still have a sneaking adoration for comics, despite not having bought any for a good few years. When you havea good writer - like Grant Morrisson - he can not only pay homage to the continuity thats gone before, but fiddle with it to create something beautiful and shocking.

It's probably a bad idea to get too purist about that, though. (Admittedly, I know comics fans who'd shoot me through the lungs for saying that.) There's a lot of stuff where fifty or sixty years worth of comics are not going to boil down neatly into a couple of hours of film or a bunch of fifty minute episodes very handily. I mean, which Superman comics are they straying from? There's at least four versions of the character...
What do you make of Birds Of Prey?
Comics are notoriously pliable in thier interpretations. Just think what they'd have to do to Venom to get him in a Spiderman movie. (because no one caters to me so we won't get Kraven the Hunter before then. Sulk.)

Comics are notoriously pliable in thier interpretations. Just think what they'd have to do to Venom to get him in a Spiderman movie. (because no one caters to me so we won't get Kraven the Hunter before then. Sulk.)

Surely we are going to have the Green Goblin mark II next?

Kinda limits the shelf life of the series, killing off the villains at the end of each movie mind you. I'd like to see the odd one scuttle away bwahahaing.

Surely we are going to have the Green Goblin mark II next?

Kinda limits the shelf life of the series, killing off the villains at the end of each movie mind you. I'd like to see the odd one scuttle away bwahahaing.
One of the things I liked about Batman Beyond, the villians didn't die.

Yeah, I think we're getting Hobgoblin next time 'round, but I've heard the rumor mill of them setting up Venom or even (bad ideas of bad ideas) including him. Just rumors, and rumors on things like this aren't worth much. Though I'm still pretty sure that they'd go to Venom before Kraven. sniffle.

EDIT:I have to go wathc a movie no (Everything is Illuminated) This has been pretty cool, even if I never did sleep.

It's probably a bad idea to get too purist about that, though. (Admittedly, I know comics fans who'd shoot me through the lungs for saying that.) There's a lot of stuff where fifty or sixty years worth of comics are not going to boil down neatly into a couple of hours of film or a bunch of fifty minute episodes very handily. I mean, which Superman comics are they straying from? There's at least four versions of the character...
What do you make of Birds Of Prey?
ah I think that is a discussing with me that you don't really want to start... ;)

I try not to get too upset over little things, but for example Clark Kent's dad is supposed to die when he is a teenager (it was generally accepted, and a huge thing for Clark) but in Lois and Clark he is still alive, big things like that annoy me.

The whole Spiderman movie annoys me but it is mostly little things (take what we like from this story line and mesh it with another) kinda like the HHGTG movie did. If I wasn't such a comic freak I probably wouldn't have noticed.

Continuity between movies is what annoys me the most, like in Batman twoface's character was a black man and in one of the sequels he was played by Tommy Lee Jones. On what planet would we believe that they were the same guy? Although people whose first batman experience was the movies they probably wouldn't notice (not knowing the back story of all the villians.)

Yeah, i think Pink Moon is the only one i've got original any more. I mean, the best of is all you need really. I'm more a Roy Harper man when it comes to that early-mid 70s semi folk stuff anyway.
He's the man for that, no question, though I like Richard and Linda Thompson's stuff a lot. And John Martyn, obviously.

Ok, hands up, i haven't seen "Razor Blade Smile". I went through a period of avoiding anything made in Britain because it seemed to be all about fellating Guy Richie. Which i find saddening, especially when we have talent like Lynne Ramsey on the same island ("Ratcatcher", now THERE is a debut movie to die for).
It was pre lottery funding, in fact (when he was trying to get a sequel together Jake West was coming out with this nonsense about it being the last gasp of british underground filming. This was, of course, shortly after Urban Ghost Story came out...) and you haven't missed much. It's main selling point seems to be Eilleen Daly running around in a rubber catsuit. I just find it a bit strange that somebody who's supposed to be sneaking about so she can kill people on quiet is going to be wearing a costume that squeaks when she moves and a pair of Bettie Page's old stilletto boots...

Yeah, as i said, i would have enjoyed BOTW if it wasn't dubbed. Teach me to live in the welsh valleys, where "art house cinema" is a dirty word.

Well, the basic Kathy Burke/Helena story is (it's not so much an anecdote, more proof of why i adore Kathy)...

Helena is promoting "Fight Club" and gets interviewed by Time Out. In the interview, she says something along the lines of:-
"As a pretty member of the upper classes, i find it terribly hard to get work without being typecast"

Next week, Time Out has a letter from Kathy:-
"Dear Ms Bonham Carter,
As a non pretty member of the working classes, i'd just like to say, shut your stupid f*cking mouth, you posh c*nt"

Priceless :)

Bonham Carter is WAY posh as well, descended from Asquith as i recall.
Dubbing can be irksome, but it's easier than trying to read subtitles when you've been drinking.
That is something of a brush off, isn't it? Did Bonham Carter ever reply?

One of the things I liked about Batman Beyond, the villians didn't die.

Yeah, I think we're getting Hobgoblin next time 'round, but I've heard the rumor mill of them setting up Venom or even (bad ideas of bad ideas) including him. Just rumors, and rumors on things like this aren't worth much. Though I'm still pretty sure that they'd go to Venom before Kraven. sniffle.

EDIT:I have to go wathc a movie no (Everything is Illuminated) This has been pretty cool, even if I never did sleep.

While we are talking comics in a movie thread, the singlemost worst abortion of a fantastic comic book into a dire movie:-

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen".

Even Constantine was better.

The whole Spiderman movie annoys me but it is mostly little things (take what we like from this story line and mesh it with another) kinda like the HHGTG movie did. If I wasn't such a comic freak I probably wouldn't have noticed.


It should have been Gwen Stacey and she should have died!!! Garrrrrrr!!!!


ahem. Sorry.

It should have been Gwen Stacey and she should have died!!! Garrrrrrr!!!!


ahem. Sorry.
exactly. Thank God someone else knows my misery..... :D

While we are talking comics in a movie thread, the singlemost worst abortion of a fantastic comic book into a dire movie:-

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen".

Even Constantine was better.
Volumnes could be written about that dropped ball, both of them really. I'm bracing for V for Vendetta...I wanted to do that movie (I never believed I actually would, just wanted to...)

ah I think that is a discussing with me that you don't really want to start... ;)

I try not to get too upset over little things, but for example Clark Kent's dad is supposed to die when he is a teenager (it was generally accepted, and a huge thing for Clark) but in Lois and Clark he is still alive, big things like that annoy me.

The whole Spiderman movie annoys me but it is mostly little things (take what we like from this story line and mesh it with another) kinda like the HHGTG movie did. If I wasn't such a comic freak I probably wouldn't have noticed.

Continuity between movies is what annoys me the most, like in Batman twoface's character was a black man and in one of the sequels he was played by Tommy Lee Jones. On what planet would we believe that they were the same guy? Although people whose first batman experience was the movies they probably wouldn't notice (not knowing the back story of all the villians.)
It's a long while since I've read any Superman comics, but weren't both his parents still alive when they doing that stupid Death of Superman story?
I still think the best Batman film is the second one, myself, and that's the one that takes the most liberties with the comics. Danny Devito is pretty alarming in that one. You're right about Batman and Robin, though I found the spectacle of Tommy Lee Jones camping as Jim Carrey's sidekick more distatseful than any continuity flaws.
The Hitch Hiker's Guide film shouldn't be held to the same standards: I think the only two versions that actually match are the books and the comics.

I don't think taking liberties with the occasional character detail is that big a deal if the story still works. (That said, I was not at all impressed by Elektra becoming the love of Matt Murdoch's life after a one night stand in Daredevil, and don't even get me started on that Judge Dredd film...)

While we are talking comics in a movie thread, the singlemost worst abortion of a fantastic comic book into a dire movie:-

"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen".

Even Constantine was better.
Have you not seen Captain America?

He's the man for that, no question, though I like Richard and Linda Thompson's stuff a lot. And John Martyn, obviously.

I keep meaning to download some Robert Wyatt actually. I remember being profoundly moved as a young teen watching his performance of "Shipbuilding" on totp

It was pre lottery funding, in fact (when he was trying to get a sequel together Jake West was coming out with this nonsense about it being the last gasp of british underground filming. This was, of course, shortly after Urban Ghost Story came out...) and you haven't missed much. It's main selling point seems to be Eilleen Daly running around in a rubber catsuit. I just find it a bit strange that somebody who's supposed to be sneaking about so she can kill people on quiet is going to be wearing a costume that squeaks when she moves and a pair of Bettie Page's old stilletto boots....

Oh, i dunno, that sounds quite good. In a car crash way.

Thing is, the british film industry supported shite for years. Everyone rambled on in the 80s about how it died when Goldcrest folded. But surely any industry that kept giving money to both Micheal Winner and Ken Russell needs to learn some serious lessons. Not to mention Derek Jarman.


Dubbing can be irksome, but it's easier than trying to read subtitles when you've been drinking.
That is something of a brush off, isn't it? Did Bonham Carter ever reply?

To be honest, i'm unsure she's ever given a British interview since.

exactly. Thank God someone else knows my misery..... :D
I take Spiderman and The Shadow very seriously. I don't even want to talk about the latter's movie...

Have you not seen Captain America?
Oof. The most forgetable movie in existance. Literaly. I know I've seen it but I can't recall a damn thing...

Volumnes could be written about that dropped ball, both of them really. I'm bracing for V for Vendetta...I wanted to do that movie (I never believed I actually would, just wanted to...)

Nah, Constantine was passable in comparison. Whilst the main character was...very much a missed ball...and the plot was a little bit...rubbish...the supporting cast ALMOST made up for it.

But The League? God, such a literate, intelligent, Alan Moore piece of work. Replaced by THAT?

I've hopes for V. The cast looks good, and whilst the Matrix movies were...not all they were cracked up to be...the directorial duo still have talent. Even if a lot of that talent involves "ripping off the Invisibles"

Ahem.

Have you not seen Captain America?

Worst. I've seen Swamp Thing.

I keep meaning to download some Robert Wyatt actually. I remember being profoundly moved as a young teen watching his performance of "Shipbuilding" on totp
I've never looked into Wyatt myself, to be honest. Apart from one of the Soft Machine albums, I haven't heard much more than the odd song here and there.

Oh, i dunno, that sounds quite good. In a car crash way.

Thing is, the british film industry supported shite for years. Everyone rambled on in the 80s about how it died when Goldcrest folded. But surely any industry that kept giving money to both Micheal Winner and Ken Russell needs to learn some serious lessons. Not to mention Derek Jarman.
I suppose it has a certain camp value but I just watched it (after reading a foaming write up in the Dark Side or somewhere) and thought "is that it?" It's like there's not a few flaws: almost everything that can be wrong with it is wrong, and they've given poor Eileen Daly a dental prosthetic she can hardly talk through...


To be honest, i'm unsure she's ever given a British interview since.
Maybe she's scared Kathy Burke will come after her if she does...

As far as films of comics go, am I alone in liking Howard The Duck?

Worst. I've seen Swamp Thing.
That wasn't good either. It barely qualifies as bad.

The League film was absolutely terrible, but I don't think From Hell was much better, to be honest. There was this great interview with Alan Moore somewhere: the interviewer mentioned that he'd spoken to Johnny Depp on the set of the film the week before and how it looked like it was going to be great and all this. Moore's riposet? "I don't care. It isn't my book, it's their movie. I don't give a shit if they make Carry On Ripping."
Healthier attitude than these tantrums his mate Gaiman is throwing over the Sandman film, really.

It's a long while since I've read any Superman comics, but weren't both his parents still alive when they doing that stupid Death of Superman story?
true. but the comics lack continuity also, so I don't know why I expect continuity when crossing mediums at all.... ;)

true. but the comics lack continuity also, so I don't know why I expect continuity when crossing mediums at all.... ;)
They were changing the background every time somebody else started writing it at one point, weren't they?

They were changing the background every time somebody else started writing it at one point, weren't they?
yeah. annoyed the crap out of me.

To be fair, he isn't really the sort of character who needs a vastly detailed and consistent backstory to work.
(I'll still take Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow over most of the nonsense they were doing in the '90s, though.)

That wasn't good either. It barely qualifies as bad.

The League film was absolutely terrible, but I don't think From Hell was much better, to be honest. There was this great interview with Alan Moore somewhere: the interviewer mentioned that he'd spoken to Johnny Depp on the set of the film the week before and how it looked like it was going to be great and all this. Moore's riposet? "I don't care. It isn't my book, it's their movie. I don't give a shit if they make Carry On Ripping."
Healthier attitude than these tantrums his mate Gaiman is throwing over the Sandman film, really.

Oh, From Hell was awful, and the comic was so damned good. And you'd think the two forms were so matched, words and images, film, words and images, comics, but nooo, add a soupcon of intelligence to the comic and the film adaptation is SHITE. Oddly, the big dumb comics usually make quite good (and quite intelligent) movies - see "Mutant Hills 90210", aka the Chris Claremont X Men, which made good movies.

The best ever film director ever is Derek Jarman. He made films that no one else HAD THE BALLS TO MAKE. He was also a lot more highbrow than, say, John Waters (but then, what isn't?). What Jarman is able to do is communicate the suffering of the righteous and innocent through his portrayals of such iconic figures as Caravaggio and St. Sebastiane.

The second best film director is Gus Van Sant. Mala Noche and Drugstore Cowboy, brilliant. He probably wins the award for most "cool" director.

The best director out of the breeders (straights) would have to be Ingmar Bergman, the fact that he's Swedish already sets a precedent for him being cool but my God, his films are out of this world, along with Michaelangelo Antonioni, he has possible given us the most beautiful imagery committed to film.

That's of course not to say that I don't appreciate French New Wave. I'm an admirer of Jean Luc Godard and Eric Rohmer but Truffaut does nothing for me.

Nah, Constantine was passable in comparison. Whilst the main character was...very much a missed ball...and the plot was a little bit...rubbish...the supporting cast ALMOST made up for it.

But The League? God, such a literate, intelligent, Alan Moore piece of work. Replaced by THAT?

I've hopes for V. The cast looks good, and whilst the Matrix movies were...not all they were cracked up to be...the directorial duo still have talent. Even if a lot of that talent involves "ripping off the Invisibles"

Ahem.
I don't have faith in the Wachowskis. Further, there was a murmer that they where going to take out blowing up Parlament, which of course makes the whole Guy Fawlkes thing sort of irrelevant. We'll see. If they do that or show what V looks like under the mask, it's not the book.

I don't have faith in the Wachowskis. Further, there was a murmer that they where going to take out blowing up Parlament, which of course makes the whole Guy Fawlkes thing sort of irrelevant. We'll see. If they do that or show what V looks like under the mask, it's not the book.
Weren't they doing statements back in July saying "Terrorism is a fact of life, this stuff happens, deal with it" and insisting that they weren't taking of that out? Maybe they've taken offense at Alan Moore resenting them trying to co-opt him by making incorrect statements about him having read and approved the script.

Nah, Constantine was passable in comparison. Whilst the main character was...very much a missed ball...and the plot was a little bit...rubbish...the supporting cast ALMOST made up for it.

And I was hoping Constantine would be a scouser.

Not sure how that would play in the US though. They might need subtitles :p

Oh Dear... I'm way too fond of way too many movies and way too many directors to pick just one.

Currently active it's Scorsese, and Tarantino. Coppola, Francis Ford is working on an "indie" Pre-WW2 era flick. The script is awesome. I'm confident in this movie. I knew he had at least one more classic in him.

Of all time I think it's probably Sergio Leone.

It's so difficult to place my vote, I love so many.

Here's a ridiculously limited shortlist.

Werner Herzog
Fritz Lang
Jean-Pierre Melville
Krzysztof Kieslowski
David Lynch
Frederico Fellini
Akira Kurosawa
Robert Altman
Sajit Ray
David Cronenberg
Luis Bunel
Mike Leigh
Jean-Luc Godard

Weren't they doing statements back in July saying "Terrorism is a fact of life, this stuff happens, deal with it" and insisting that they weren't taking of that out? Maybe they've taken offense at Alan Moore resenting them trying to co-opt him by making incorrect statements about him having read and approved the script.
You're probably (hopefully) right, you know the reliability of the rumour mill. I'll hold my breath and see.