Oh, he must be a bad guy...

Jon Starr

Jon Starr

Veteran
Yes Hollywood is scared to do something different, and yes things come out as cliche. However lately one thing has been bugging me the most, because it's not only cliche, but idiotic.

Here's the scenario:

The bad guy (who we suspect is the bad guy already) is doing his bad guy thing, talking it up, or is just enjoying a relaxing time, whatever. One of his servants/workers shows up with something slightly unsatisfactory. Not even anything to really get mad about. What does said bad guy do? He takes out a gun and shoots this servant/worker. Bam, we know he's a bad guy and we're now supposed to hate him, if not hate him even more, for his disregard for human life and aggressive nature... especially to those that worship him or do his bidding.

Who are we kidding!? This is almost as bad as the good guy that pets a dog or gives a kid some candy as if we need to be spoon fed who the bad guy and good guy are...

Not to mention, sooner or later just killing for no reason will most likely bite him in the ass further down the road, at least that's how it should be in real life. I mean killing is messy, people ask questions, loved ones come looking for answers, law enforcement may start knocking on your door asking questions (which can reveal your bigger operation).

IMO, these senseless killings of your minions should be left to Darth Vader, because at least with him it's all about power, and the the way he gains more power through fear.

Sorry for the rant... phew...
 
Certainly is no more annoying than the mob boss who goes on a long speech about how he isn't going to hurt the guy who betrayed him, but he needs to get out of town immediately -- and then kills the guy before he reaches the door.
 
I agree. It's situations like the one mentioned above that are written in only for the audience (why would he say everything is okay if he just decides to shoot him moments later?). It's only to bring the audience on a roller coaster ride with emotions. Only problem is that it's so predictable and cliche, that it just doesn't work.

Anyone else got any similar annoyances?
 
Jon Starr said:
Anyone else got any similar annoyances?
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Lots of them. It seems to come down to industry filmmakers abandoning subtlety because most people apparently do not want to use their brains at all. I prefer to have to think about things, and I like characters who are painted in shades of grey. Of course, I don't usually go to first-run films, either. I don't like to pay so much for my cliches.
 
Hollywood isn't scared to do something different. They simply follow the money, and they have better odds of turning a profit by reshooting proven stories and concepts than they do with something new and different and unknown. Makes sense. Hollywood is a business.
 
My favorite is the bad guy who mercilessly mows down servant and in the next scene is seen playing with a basket of puppies.
 
Snazzy Flapper said:
Hollywood isn't scared to do something different. They simply follow the money, and they have better odds of turning a profit by reshooting proven stories and concepts than they do with something new and different and unknown. Makes sense. Hollywood is a business.
Click to expand...

Well if that's not being scared to do something different, than what is? Obviously the motive is money, and they're afraid to lose money with something unknown and new.

Look at Kick Ass, no studio would green light it, they were too worried about the content, the characters, etc. So they made it independently in the UK. Not sure how it did in the box office, but it did well enough to warrant a sequel.
 
You can call it fear if you want, but businesses will always go where the proven money is when they have the choice. Anything else is foolish from a business standpoint.
 
Well from a filmmakers standpoint it's fear. People are ready for something different. But this is an age old debate.
 
And that's exactly the opportunity that's afforded to the independent filmmaker. They can go and do things that Hollywood wouldn't.

That's why I always say - don't try to compete with Hollywood. Don't try to do what they do -- you'll lose. Instead, do what they won't. That's been the secret behind every indie breakout hit - they didn't try to be a pale no-budget imitation of a hollywood film, they instead broke new ground.
 
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