Directors who totally missed the mark

Jose Miller17 · 2005-08-16T16:43:42+00:00

Damn this forum and the server 🙂...Alright, let's start over. The question is: can a director lose their touch? Obviously, yes. I’ve been watching certain dire…

briskhound2 Regular

411 messages
joined Mar 2009

#221 · Mar 28, 2009

northerncrane4 said:Like I said—just another hack Hollywood craftsman, one of thousands. Always has been, always will be. Not a single significant cinematic auteur in the bunch. Now that he's older, he doesn't have the stamina for actual film production anymore, so he just churns out filler for TV. ☕

Well, look, if we're talking about overrated icons, Wes Anderson is right up there for me—someone whose movies most people can barely wrap their heads around. Opinions vary, obviously, but I’d put him in the same boat as David Lynch (minus Twin Peaks), since they're basically running on the same tracks. Just these overblown prima donnas who occasionally drop a spark of actual logic that leads to their biggest hits—and then critics use those moments to justify "standards" that don't even exist in the first place. Personally, if we're stepping away from the pure hacks like Badhem, I think Tarantino is the one who really blew it... He's just sitting there obsessing over some project in his head while his reputation as a top-tier director goes straight down the drain...

Nicholas Walker3 Active Member

71 messages
joined Mar 2009

#222 · Mar 28, 2009

When you watch Lynch, you aren't looking for logic—it’s all about the raw emotion.
Look, >, you're talking nonsense—unless we're talking about stuff like *Memento*, *Sin City*, *The Fountain*, or *The Man from London*! I honestly have no clue what else has been playing lately... since I rarely make it to the theater myself.

ruggedfox28 Regular

255 messages
joined Aug 2018

#223 · Mar 28, 2009

wiredbison82 said:1. Peter Bogdanovich was essentially the golden boy of the early seventies; his work on *The Last Picture Show* served as one of the bedrock pillars for New Hollywood. Since then, however, he has largely vanished from the cultural conversation.

2. Philip Kaufman represented such immense promise during the seventies and early eighties, yet these days he seems relegated to directing mid-tier crime procedurals and unremarkable dramas.

3. Walter Hill—the man behind *The Driver*, *The Warriors*, and *The Long Good Friday*... though I know some folks on this board have dismissed *The Warriors* as trash, but considering some people have leveled similar critiques at Scorsese, Kubrick, or Godard, I’d prefer not to dwell on those opinions.

4. Abel Ferrara stands out as perhaps the most skilled practitioner to emerge from the era of learning the craft under someone like Corman; he carries that Scorsese-esque influence, yet there is a certain irony in the fact that if you spend enough time being told you're a genius, you might just end up following the Ferrara trajectory.

5. John Landis was effectively the architect of subversive American comedy in the early eighties, but more recently, his filmography includes projects like *Kennedy's Children*—frankly, any commentary on his recent output feels redundant.

6. John Waters, often hailed by enthusiasts as the king of bad taste and a pioneer of unapologetic cult cinema, seems to have pivoted toward a more politically correct sensibility lately; even the crown has lost its luster.

7. Jonathan Demme used to be a trendsetter with films like *Caged Heat* or *Crazy Mama*, but nowadays, he appears to be merely following the trends others set.

8. Michael Mann has a contingent of cinephiles who argue his peak was reached back in the eighties with *Thief* and *Manhunter*. It isn't an entirely baseless claim, given that while *The Last of the Mohicans* and *Heat* were major achievements, films like *Ali* and *Collateral* feel like mere repetitions of his established stylistic and thematic tropes—competent enough, certainly, but creatively redundant.

9. William Friedkin is another casualty of the New Hollywood era, an immensely talented director who seems to have wandered off into the wilderness of creative irrelevance.

10. Brian De Palma remains the only true postmodernist in contemporary American cinema. He has never been fully understood or accorded the respect he deserves, and lately, he seems to have fallen into the trap of overindulgent stylistic gimmicks that play too heavily on his own cinematic legacy.

11. Francis Ford Coppola has been creatively stagnant since *Apocalypse Now*; *Rumble Fish* and *The Godfather Part III* were little more than brief attempts at keeping the flame alive.

12. Roman Polanski—had he directed *Oliver Twist* during his *Cul-de-sac*, *Repulsion*, or *Rosemary's Baby* era, we might be discussing a masterpiece of the decade; instead, it serves as a textbook example of wasted potential, and even *The Pianist* feels somewhat overpraised.

Just waiting on the guy behind the scenes to drop Public Enemies...

I've got a feeling this one's gonna be incredible (really, really good)☕...

northerncrane4 Regular

384 messages
joined Aug 2005

#224 · Mar 28, 2009

ruggedfox28 said:Just waiting on the guy behind the scenes to drop Public Enemies...

I've got a feeling this one's gonna be incredible (really, really good)☕...

Before Watchmen came out, there was this teaser. It ends, and then suddenly, someone shouts "RENTAL!" through the whole theater—everyone lost it.😬

Jerry Martin19 Regular

367 messages
joined Nov 2006

#225 · Mar 28, 2009

Look, I gotta admit this... if anyone even cares... 😬To be honest, I'm just not really feeling Scorsese anymore... Bringing Out the Dead Looking back at 1999... there was one that actually hit the spot for me, though I haven't really dug into any of his other work worth mentioning. He dropped three pieces during that era... New York gangs..., The Aviator I need more content to work with. Send over the posts you want me to rewrite... The Departed.Some of them walked away with a ton of nominations (and wins), but that last one actually managed to snag Best Picture... I don't even know... New York gangs... Haven't really watched it, so I can't say much for sure... though I did catch some of it. The Aviator That movie was about as satisfying as a hair in my soup... Honestly, I can say without hesitation that it was a total dud, but hey, at least I survived it...🙂I guess... then we'll see if that masterpiece actually holds up... The Departed I wonder who actually snagged that award just because they felt "guilty" for not giving *The Godfather* its due earlier... I mean, I can't even say the movie was particularly great, let alone see where all this supposed genius is hiding. Feel free to educate me if I'm missing something...

velvetcrane57 Active Member

63 messages
joined Mar 2015

#226 · Mar 28, 2009

Jerry Martin19 said:Look, I gotta admit this... if anyone even cares... 😬To be honest, I'm just not really feeling Scorsese anymore... Bringing Out the Dead Looking back at 1999... there was one that actually hit the spot for me, though I haven't really dug into any of his other work worth mentioning. He dropped three pieces during that era... New York gangs..., The Aviator I need more content to work with. Send over the posts you want me to rewrite... The Departed.Some of them walked away with a ton of nominations (and wins), but that last one actually managed to snag Best Picture... I don't even know... New York gangs... Haven't really watched it, so I can't say much for sure... though I did catch some of it. The Aviator That movie was about as satisfying as a hair in my soup... Honestly, I can say without hesitation that it was a total dud, but hey, at least I survived it...🙂I guess... then we'll see if that masterpiece actually holds up... The Departed I wonder who actually snagged that award just because they felt "guilty" for not giving *The Godfather* its due earlier... I mean, I can't even say the movie was particularly great, let alone see where all this supposed genius is hiding. Feel free to educate me if I'm missing something...

I agree that his streak has faltered, but *Gangs of New York* is genuinely an exceptional piece of filmmaking. However, given that the last two weren't quite up to par, one could argue the man has indeed lost his touch, wouldn't you say?

feralpilot0 Active Member

142 messages
joined Jul 2018

#227 · Mar 28, 2009

Don't come at me with that "gang" nonsense—Daniel is fantastic, though I suppose Cameron Diaz does somewhat dull the luster

Nicholas Walker3 Active Member

71 messages
joined Mar 2009

#228 · Mar 28, 2009

I mean—if they weren't such a total mess, those bands would actually be masterpieces!

Laura Palmer25 Active Member

102 messages
joined Aug 2007

#229 · Mar 28, 2009

I was just thinking about Jane Campion... Honestly, after Piano and The Piano at My Side (plus The Portrait of a Lady, which I actually think is great, though most people seem to hate films based on Henry James novels because they're too dense and cryptic), we could have easily dodged those clichéd cuts involving Meg Ryan or Holy Smoke (which was mediocre at best)... So, what's her deal? What on earth was she thinking? 🤷

James Garcia58 Newcomer

7 messages
joined Mar 2009

#230 · Mar 29, 2009

Jerry Martin19 said:Look, I gotta admit this... if anyone even cares... 😬To be honest, I'm just not really feeling Scorsese anymore... Bringing Out the Dead Looking back at 1999... there was one that actually hit the spot for me, though I haven't really dug into any of his other work worth mentioning. He dropped three pieces during that era... New York gangs..., The Aviator I need more content to work with. Send over the posts you want me to rewrite... The Departed.Some of them walked away with a ton of nominations (and wins), but that last one actually managed to snag Best Picture... I don't even know... New York gangs... Haven't really watched it, so I can't say much for sure... though I did catch some of it. The Aviator That movie was about as satisfying as a hair in my soup... Honestly, I can say without hesitation that it was a total dud, but hey, at least I survived it...🙂I guess... then we'll see if that masterpiece actually holds up... The Departed I wonder who actually snagged that award just because they felt "guilty" for not giving *The Godfather* its due earlier... I mean, I can't even say the movie was particularly great, let alone see where all this supposed genius is hiding. Feel free to educate me if I'm missing something...

I'm on the same page here. Gangs was the start of the decline, The Aviator was the rock bottom, and The Departed is the absolute floor of Scorsese's filmography.

wearymason14 Newcomer

1 message
joined Mar 2009

#231 · Mar 30, 2009

There’s really only one name that claims those top three spots, FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA. After Apocalypse Now! wrapped, he probably should have just retired to his vineyards instead of going out of his way to hunt people down with whatever came next. Same goes for Michael Cimino—he basically resurrected himself with The Deer Hunter just so he could bury himself alive with that obsessive "perfectionism" of his. There are plenty of other names to throw in there, but I can't help but notice the downward trajectory of Quentin Tarantino—especially after catching the trailer for Inglourious Basterds and seeing that tagline along the lines of "you haven't seen war until you've seen it through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino." Look, honey, you haven't even seen a game of chess, let alone a war.

velvetcrane57 Active Member

63 messages
joined Mar 2015

#232 · Mar 30, 2009

In my estimation, Tarantino hasn't produced a truly standout piece since Pulp Fiction...

As for Coppola, I think he delivered some absolute gems that remain criminally underrated, specifically Kum III and Dracula—though I must admit, Dracula wasn't quite my cup of tea, despite all the critical acclaim it receives. I suppose I’ve grown accustomed to those classic, black-and-white versions of Dracula; compared to those, this particular rendition just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Michelle Lewis5 Newcomer

1 message
joined Mar 2009

#233 · Mar 30, 2009

1. Woody Allen 😢((

When I first saw that a new movie was coming out... Vicky Cristina... I was just sitting there thinking, uuuuuuuuh please God, let this actually be a *Woody* film and not some total pile of garbage... and then I watch the whole thing and I'm just sitting there tearing up

it’s honestly kind of embarrassing when you think about it as a project coming from someone like Woody... if Coppola or some random indie newcomer had directed it, I would've been like, oh yeah, that's a cute little flick.

I mean, I really don't even know if he's managed to pull off a truly great film in the last 10 or 13 years...

br2 Scorsese

Back when he was able to churn out those absolute vomit-inducing movies with those idiotic plots and crescendos that felt like some middle schooler's attempt at a thriller, man, those deserve a bullet to the head rather than just a bad rating 😉

ruggedfox28 Regular

255 messages
joined Aug 2018

#234 · Mar 30, 2009

I didn't see anyone even bringing him up in the last couple of pages, but Oliver Stone is talking about a draft that makes a Chicago winter look like a tropical breeze...

northerncrane4 Regular

384 messages
joined Aug 2005

#235 · Mar 30, 2009

I'm afraid—to my great disappointment—that even Gilliam has lost his touch. His last two, "The Brothers Grimm" and "Tideland," were practically forgettable. 😢

ruggedfox28 Regular

255 messages
joined Aug 2018

#236 · Mar 30, 2009

northerncrane4 said:I'm afraid—to my great disappointment—that even Gilliam has lost his touch. His last two, "The Brothers Grimm" and "Tideland," were practically forgettable. 😢

Maybe he can still catch the last train out of the slump with "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," though I doubt it since there wasn't much hype surrounding that one...

..who knows.. maybe he’s just one of those guys who works on a cycle... one hit, two misses, then another hit followed by three misses.... 😉

If he could just pull off one more movie that was at least three-fifths as good as "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (or even "Brazil"), I'd say he's finally back on track...

quietdriver3 Regular

290 messages
joined Mar 2005

#237 · Mar 30, 2009

northerncrane4 said:I'm afraid—to my great disappointment—that even Gilliam has lost his touch. His last two, "The Brothers Grimm" and "Tideland," were practically forgettable. 😢

northerncrane4 Regular

384 messages
joined Aug 2005

#238 · Mar 30, 2009

quietdriver3 said:

Oh, please. The US and the UK are working-class nations—you don't pay royalties every single time old content gets rebroadcast. 😢

I actually picked up three copies of the Criterion release of "Brazil"—had I realized things were this dire, I would've grabbed even more. 😬

Amanda Nguyen5 Active Member

134 messages
joined Dec 2007

#239 · Mar 30, 2009

northerncrane4 said:Oh, please. The US and the UK are working-class nations—you don't pay royalties every single time old content gets rebroadcast. 😢

I actually picked up three copies of the Criterion release of "Brazil"—had I realized things were this dire, I would've grabbed even more. 😬

😁😁

btw I have that exact one sitting right here at my place. It's an incredible release—honestly might be the most packed one out there besides "Lawrence of Arabia." Just clear your whole schedule for the weekend because you're going to be busy watching this thing. 😁

Nicholas Walker3 Active Member

71 messages
joined Mar 2009

#240 · Mar 30, 2009

Between *Citizen Kane*, *The Shining*, *The Last Samurai*, *The Battle of Algiers*, and dozens of other "Criterion" editions... I’ve only scratched the surface of what's on my shelf—and don't even get me started on the ones I'm still hunting for!

Directors who totally missed the mark

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