Good script, shame about the directing.

R

Rashdan

Active member
Can anyone think of instances where a film with a good script is hampered by bad directing.
In my opinion: Murder By Numbers (2002)
This film just felt weird. Good story, good dialogue, logical progression of events interesting characters but everything else felt wrong. Which is surprising because Barbet Schroeder directed Barfly which is one of my favorite films.

Are there any films with bad scripts that are rescued by good directing?
 
I would guess I, ROBOT (written by Jeff Vintar and Akiva Goldsman) and RESIDENT EVIL 3 (written by Paul WS Anderson) are two really mediocre films written by people who continuosly write bad genre scripts, that probabbly were saved by really good directors that doesn't get enough work - Alex Proyas and Russel Mulcahy.
 
The Astronaut's Wife.

Believe it or not - and given the dreadful mess that finally hit theaters, it's probably tough to believe - the script was great. I mean, a real page-turner.

At the screening it was hard to accept that what was on the screen had originated on the same pages that I had read.
 
While I do like Tombstone, what was on the page was even better, and it's a shame the studio didn't put more faith in writer Kevin Jarre and keep him on the film as director instead of hiring George P. Cosmatos. It's an entertaining film but it could have been a masterpiece. Was better than Wyatt Earp anyways.
 
Rashdan said:
Are there any films with bad scripts that are rescued by good directing?
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While I wouldn't call Casablanca a "bad script"
When production began the script was only half completed, near the end of production the script was literally being written the night before, and in the final days of filming, the dialogue for some scenes was written while shooting was actually in progress and then rushed to the set. Dialogue for the final seconds of the film was even added well after production had been completed.
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Not the way you want to run a production but you can't argue with the results.
 
not sure if it was the script or the director, but i've read that Dune (1984) by Lynch was pretty bad. don't think i've seen that movie in years, though.
 
Fahad said:
not sure if it was the script or the director, but i've read that Dune (1984) by Lynch was pretty bad. don't think i've seen that movie in years, though.
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I wouldn't call it downright bad. It had good things about it, and the makings of something great, they just jammed too much narrative into too little time. I thought the production design was great and the casting mostly spot on (Sting excluded). Had they spread the story over several films and given Lynch more time I think that film could have been something. It's a noble failure.
 
i've got another one:

"A Perfect Getaway"

i don't know what happened, but the twist, rather than being surprising, left me feeling like i was cheated.

it was a good twist, but i don't know if it was pulled off well.

any of you guys see it?
 
Sad Max said:
Dune may be both the noblest and failingest film ever made, in that regard...
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True...I blame Dino DeLaurentis. His cheeseball stench is all over the bad choices. Witness Flash Gordon, which I know I'm supposed to enjoy as high camp, but I just can't do it.
 
I feel like Mulholland Drive, on the page, must be pretty horrific, right? It's one of my favorite movies of all time, but everything that's great about it is in the directing and the performances. I can't believe that if anyone else had shot that film that it would have even been watchable.
 
Batutta said:
True...I blame Dino DeLaurentis. His cheeseball stench is all over the bad choices. Witness Flash Gordon, which I know I'm supposed to enjoy as high camp, but I just can't do it.
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I've never been sure exactly what I'm expected to enjoy Flash Gordon as...but I do enjoy it.
 
talking about lynch. although i don't like his work that much, i respect him as an artist. for what it's worth, he's eccentric. maybe a genius, maybe not, but his art is mad.

like this => :2vrolijk_08:

i still watch bits of eraserhead from time to time just because it fascinates me. from a production and artistic perspective.
 
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