Buffista Movies 5: Development Hell
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
I despise Tarantino's casting of himself (and anyone else casting him too) because he's a hugely awful actor. That's the other reason that sucks.
The irony there is, if he's to be believed, is that he got into writing/directing because he really wanted to act. He started writing scripts and thinking about directing them so that someone would cast him in a movie. I actually find him enjoyable in small doses, like the TOP GUN riff in SLEEP WITH ME, and even the slightly larger one on ALIAS, but he seems at his worst in his own movies.
I do think he is a much, much better director than he is a writer, and it wouldn't surprise me if he felt just the opposite.
Yeah, I can grant that he has a flair for gray atmospheric films, but that may be because he has good taste in cinematographers. I knew there was a twist going into The Sixth Sense, and figured it out fairly early on. I didn't see the twist coming in Unbreakable, but I also couldn't understand why the movie was shot in hushed, mute tones. I thought it might be another ghost story because of the cinematography and editing, and I'm still not sure why that movie was so elegaic. I thought Signs was utterly ridiculous and failed at everything but the short footage of carnage around the world on the TV (the birthday party where the aliens first appeared in particular). Didn't see The Village. Don't plan on seeing Lady In The Water.
The irony there is, if he's to be believed, is that he got into writing/directing because he really wanted to act.
He gave me
Reservoir Dogs.
For that I'll always be grateful. But I don't like most of his work, in front of or behind the camera.
Oh, I get why Shymalan's role in Lady in the Water is eyerolly. But Zenkitty seemed to be saying that giving yourself a major role is always bad.
minus talent
I think he has talent. That's why I think it's a shame what he's doing with it.
a director has the power to cast himself as an actor
A star has the power to say "I'll only be in this if I can direct." Or "I'll do this for your studio if you'll produce this other movie I want to direct."
A star has the power to say "I'll only be in this if I can direct." Or "I'll do this for your studio if you'll produce this other movie I want to direct."
I think your average director of note (if that's not too oxymoronic for you) has more power to appear in their films than your average actor of note has to direct--it's possible to cast yourself in varying size roles, but directing is directing--the guild doesn't even like to admit it's a task that can be split over more than one person.
He gave me Reservoir Dogs. For that I'll always be grateful. But I don't like most of his work, in front of or behind the camera.
Well, that's how I feel about PULP FICTION, which I know you've got a large hatred for, but it's also how I feel about JACKIE BROWN. Just giving Pam Grier and Robert Forester (and where the hell are the Karen Sisco dvds, I ask?) those great roles earn a huge deal of gratitude from me.
I am similarly grateful for
Jackie Brown,
but not in a way that makes me think more than idly about rewatching the film. I'll give him half a point for that, since I'm in a generous mood.
a director has the power to cast himself as an actor
A star has the power to say "I'll only be in this if I can direct." Or "I'll do this for your studio if you'll produce this other movie I want to direct."
I can think of one actor who does this (Clooney); I doubt there are more than half a dozen who could. If a studio wants to sink $20-30MM dollars on a movie I won't see so it can make $200-300MM on another, that's a business decision. If a good director uses nepotism to put a terrible performance in the middle of a good movie, that's more irritating.
I think he has talent. That's why I think it's a shame what he's doing with it.
This. And double this for QT. I love his geekitude and willingness to flaunt it shamelessly, but oy. Powerdown, dude.
Another director who's cameos I've enjoyed is Sydney Pollack. Pretty much always plays himself, but that booth scene in "Tootsie" cracked me up. Plus, I thought he was the best part of Eyes Wide Shut...though he was not directing himself.
Based on Tootsie and Will & Grace, I'm of the opinion that Pollack has some pretty decent acting chops.
