Successful Movies With Crappy Scripts

The best script I've read in a long time is about these two guys on a message board that get to aguing about computer animated movies and end up in a bloody shoot-out in a warehouse. Throw in a car chase and a lesbian sex scene and you'd make a bizzilion $$$!
 
PurposeDriven said:
Listen to finding nemo before you say the script wasn't well done. Pixar (not disney) comes up with the entire story. They write intelligent scripts that entertain kids and relate to adults. They are going to do even greater things as time goes on. (free from the Mickey organization of crime)
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I agree with you... but you'll eat those words once you see Cars.

Though everything up til now (Toy Story - The Incredibles) has been great.
 
The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones
Revenge of the Sith


...hey, somebody had to say it.
 
Fight Club.

Oh wait...it has to be a good movie too?

Nevermind then. Cuz..ya..know...that movie was ****.

Yeah, I said it.

The Usual Suspects too.

What are ya gonna do about it?

Wanna fight?

Yeah, I didn't think so.
 
Blair Witch Project? Did it even HAVE a script? I mean, back in tha' day it was hip and *indie* and all that jazz....then went on to make 140.5 mil domestic. I'll definitely give it credit for the being the greatest marketing ploy ever with the use of the internet + word of mouth to gain such popularity and an instant cult status.

~reservoir~
 
That's exactly right, reservoir. It DIDN'T have a script. The actors were given rough direction that was hidden from the other actors. It made a shitload of money, so that should probably be at the top of the list.
 
Owen said:
The Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones
Revenge of the Sith


...hey, somebody had to say it.
Click to expand...

Yeah the script was just horrible for this second trilogy, what a shame :cry: I thinkt he world was so excited about it, I know I was and it was just all downhill. Out of obligation I had to see them. My childhood memories brought me to them, but after seeing Menace I knew they would all be bad.

I feel Lucas just got comfortable or lazy, I've even speculated that he wanted to make a point, "I could make crap and make bank at the same time." Or maybe he just wanted to test out some new technology or just capitalize off his success to advance ILM.

In either case, they all pretty much sucked (even the acting was bad).
 
I have to disagree slightly Rasq. Every one of the Star Wars movie has AWEFUL dialogue. While the overall story lines and characters were okay in the first three movies, the dialogue has always been laughable. George Lucas should be prevented by law from ever writing dialogue.
 
"We all agree that the script is critical . . .

But is it always? Here's a start of a list of movies which did well in the varying ways that movies can do well, but had lousy scripts:"

Yes it is. What you are referring to is a genre of moviemaking that has always done well regardless of how bad the film is, partially because they spend between 70 and 100 million dollars marketing it, and partially because they use big stars. Well I take that back. Actually big stars have little to do with it, it's more the genre that Spielberg started with Jaws that every movie since in that genre imitates; mystery, conflict, and suspense blown out of proportion. Flight Plan got panned horribly (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/reviews/?id=1902&p=.htm) but it stars Jodie foster and this is the fall season of these blockbuster films. It did $24,646,000 this weekend. The worst film with a big star draws crowds but it's really the Mo of this method of moviemaking that has folks coming back. At the level of the people here, it is a comparison that has no relevance. If you don't have a good script all you have is a DVD no one wants to watch or does because they are your relative and feel guilty.
 
Gents,

I would like to throw another name into this hat...
Cocktail.
Cruise, at the height of his fame, picked a **** script as his next vehicle. Amazingly the resulting film was none too shabby. (It's ok to admit it...who among us, after all, could resist the sacred canon that is " Coughlin's law"?) :thumbsup:
 
What defines a bad script exactly? Another very subjective subject matter.

I see films listed here that I personally dug:

Titanic and Cocktail (no not the fockin GODFATHER but enjoyable no less)

Why are we so hard on films; crap is one thing but I see films being thrown out that are good entertainment.

Walter? You know TOM CRUISE?

I love Cruise; I can care less about his personal religious beliefs. The guy is a great talent.
 
Walter_Graff said:
I think Cruise is a good actor. His best work was Magnolia. He played himself.
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Here, here!! I couldn't agree more, Walter. He's definitely underrated. Like you said Magnolia was an excellent performance. As was Jerry Maguire (which he got some credit for); and Rain Man (for which he got none.) Personally I have always been partial to Interview With the Vampire (and I always loved how Anne Rice had to eat her own words regarding his being "too all-American" and "totally wrong" in being cast as the vampire Lestat.)

Anyway, my $0.02 worth. :beer:
 
yes I do. The person who wrote the movie knows a lot about how real world people act and wrote some fantastic characters. Cruise was cast as the same personality fixation he is in real life so he could only play the role well.

Crusie's template for how he reacts (3 with a four wing) to the world is here:

http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/TypeThree.asp
 
"What defines a bad script exactly? Another very subjective subject matter. "


Exactly. The truth is no blockbuster ever had a great script but that didn't stop folks from running out to see it. This genre of movies is about escapism. It's about fantasy more than reality and most of the summer and winter blockbusters are exactly that.
 
I do not know Cruise personally but have worked with him on a number of projects. He is the same enneagram as my wife so I see his clearly. He is a good actor. he hasn't always been in the best films, nor cast well, but when he is, I think he is great.

Unrelated: Who was it here that pointed out that a TV program I shot is included on the Casino DVD.
 
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