View Full Version : Films you wish had never been made
What are they?
I don't mean films that are just plain bad, but films based on books you love that just didn't do them justice.
An obvious candidate is Bonfire of the Vanities. Apart from being just plain bad, it murdered a great novel.
My biggest peeve is probably Shogun, which was made into a TV mini-series in the 1980s. It wasn't dreadful, but I thought it completely failed to do justice to James Clavell's incredible book about 16th century Japan. With the right budget and director, this could be an awesome film.
I'm on the fence about Catch 22. I thought the film was somewhat disappointing, but a valiant effort given how difficult it must have been to turn into a screenplay.
Zakaree Sandberg
06-07-2007, 07:44 AM
its not from a book but.. "OPEN WATER" the ONLY movie i have ever walked out of!!! or should i say sleep walked out of.
kinda off topic.. but id really like to see a Gilligan's island movie anyone know of one? feature length?
Stephen Webb
06-07-2007, 07:48 AM
"Straightheads", a currently on-release (in the UK) film funded by the UK Film Council and Film4, starring Gillian Anderson and Danny Dyer.
I simply CANNOT believe that this film was ever funded, developed or produced. It is awful in every department - script, direction, cinematography, pacing, characterisation, acting, editing, music - the works.
Mark Kermode (UK critic) summed it up by saying "I can't believe the funding or the will to make this movie existed".
'nough said.
Graeme Nattress
06-07-2007, 08:14 AM
I'd like to add in another category of films that should never have been made, and that's modern versions of old films that did not need remaking - for instance Get Carter, where the original was superb and did not need a remaking.
As for movies that murder books - Starship Troopers is a classic example of not only completely destroying the movie plot, but also subverting the subtext to try and parody a incorrect interpretation of the original books message.
Jaime Vallés
06-07-2007, 08:27 AM
The Hulk. I loved the character as a kid, and that movie was so absolutely boring that I kept wishing Batman would show up and actually DO something. I had high hopes for it because of Ang Lee directing, but seriously... wtf?! How can Hollywood ruin a movie that's supposed to be all about a big green monster breaking things?! That's what they do best!!!!
Thoroughly disappointing.
Kenn Christenson
06-07-2007, 08:28 AM
I'd like to add in another category of films that should never have been made, and that's modern versions of old films that did not need remaking - for instance Get Carter, where the original was superb and did not need a remaking.
Bad News Bears - with Billy Bob (although he wasn't bad.)
Psycho - "It's kind of like remaking 'Psycho' - oh wait, they did!"
Point of No Return (La Femme Nikita) - Bridget Fonda???
War of the Worlds - Tom Cruise & Dakota Fanning - 'nuf said
Graeme Nattress
06-07-2007, 08:33 AM
Then there's remakes that have the name of an original movie, but have completely new plot - Rollerball and Italian Job come to mind.
Graeme
Jim Arthurs
06-07-2007, 08:40 AM
Oh, The Postman. The first novel I ever wanted to personally adapt to the screen (In my dreams, anyway).
Heckva good story, destroyed by the star treatment of Costner and the re-jiggered love story centric plot...
Hrvoje Simic
06-07-2007, 08:43 AM
The Fog. Remake.
I'd like to add in another category of films that should never have been made, and that's modern versions of old films that did not need remaking
Too true. Some do work, however. I really enjoyed the remake of Thomas Crown Affair, it's one of my favourite films. Better than the original IMHO.
John Moores
06-07-2007, 09:08 AM
[/QUOTE]I'm on the fence about Catch 22. I thought the film was somewhat disappointing, but a valiant effort given how difficult it must have been to turn into a screenplay.[/QUOTE]
In my book one of the best films ever made ;)
Films that never should have been made; Flyboys, Pearl Harbor, and too many more to list...
OH, Don't forget Battlefield Earth.
Jason Murphy
06-07-2007, 09:36 AM
Abel Ferrara's New Rose Hotel. Took a great William Gibson short story, and even with Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe and Asia Argento on board, managed to completely bastardize it.
Zk2007
06-07-2007, 10:11 AM
The Hulk. I loved the character as a kid, and that movie was so absolutely boring that I kept wishing Batman would show up and actually DO something. I had high hopes for it because of Ang Lee directing, but seriously... wtf?! How can Hollywood ruin a movie that's supposed to be all about a big green monster breaking things?! That's what they do best!!!!
Thoroughly disappointing.
I actually enjoyed it. I rather have a movie that aspires to something than a plain dumb action flick. That is actually the problem with most superhero films out there, too much action and too little plot and characterization.
I think the Hulk smashed enough for an origin film.
Films that shouldn't have been made...but thank gawd they were:
Apocalypse Now (many stories of how the thing almost fell apart; saved in edit)
The Fountain (studios knocked Aronofsky around for several years; he persisted)
Spirited Away (Mikazaki was about to retire; he didn't)
The French Connection (studio pulled the plug; Friedkin finally got $1.8M)
Leaving Los Vegas (Figgis couldn't raise money after his previous film tanked)
The list goes on...and I guess it just reminds me that both "bad" movies and "good" movies get made because somebody has huge passion for it, and it's always a game of chance. So many "sure things" don't make it either (despite attaching Tom Cruise or Spielberg). I don't think anyone's being an idiot for making anything. Travolta really believed in Battlefield Earth. Maybe it could have been great. I'm glad it was made, even as bad as it is, because it's a part of the equation. Can't have light without dark and all that philosophy. On some level, it's art, and art is about taking chances, and sometimes we miss by a mile.
Kenn Christenson
06-07-2007, 10:30 AM
Although, it's hard to believe anyone had a passion to make "The Beverly Hillbillys" or "The Dukes of Hazzard" other than the passion to make money.
scriptor
06-07-2007, 10:43 AM
hell,
for me "the black dahlia" by brian-where was he?-de palma represent the dark side of hollywood, dunno about a book or not, i think about a book itself about a true story
and all movie that are well produce with a lot lot lot of money but finally sucks just like "Ghostrider", it's a scandal!
++
Steven M. Bailey
06-07-2007, 11:03 AM
How about the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate factory, and the rapping umpa-loompa's. It was definitely different. (not in a good way)
Premonition(2007) probably the worst let-down movie in history. The concept had unlimited potential. The director/writers had to have weighed the absolute worst way to execute the film, and went with that one.:angry02:
The Terminator series should have ended with 2:angry2:
Anything by Rob Zombie.
Starship troopers.
Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas. :huh:
Graeme Nattress
06-07-2007, 11:11 AM
I liked the Chocolate factory re-make - but it's more of a new book translation to scree rather than a re-interpretation of the original movie.
dalemccready
06-07-2007, 04:09 PM
What about films that could have been great, but fell short?
I've alway thought Barry Levinson's Toys could have been wonderful but just didn't work, slight tweaking and it could have been terrific.
Casey Green
06-07-2007, 04:24 PM
The Hulk. I loved the character as a kid, and that movie was so absolutely boring that I kept wishing Batman would show up and actually DO something. I had high hopes for it because of Ang Lee directing, but seriously... wtf?! How can Hollywood ruin a movie that's supposed to be all about a big green monster breaking things?! That's what they do best!!!!
Thoroughly disappointing.
Think Ed Norton might do a better job with Louis Leterrier directing? (Not a bad supporting cast... hmmm.)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800080/
TimothyD
06-07-2007, 04:59 PM
Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas.
Couldn't agree more, anyone who has ever seen "Where the Buffalo Roam" with Bill Murray knows that Bill is the best H.S. Thompson ever...
Not that I don't like Johnny Depp, just didn't like that movie. I also thought the guy that played the lawyer was better in "Where the Buffalo Roam"...
Come to think of it, another terrible movie was Blow, and again, not to knock Johnny Depp, but when I walked out of that movie my wife asked me what I thought, and all I could say was: "It blew".
Worst movie I can remember though was "An American President". I liked Annette Benning years later in "American Beauty" but I thought that her performance was one of the most terrible I have ever seen in "An American President".
In terms of good movies and actors/actresses, I think that Ornella Muti is one of the greatest of all time, definitely my own personal favorite. This opinion is based almost solely around "Tales of Ordinary Madness" (not Flash Gordon), "Tales of Ordinary Madness" by the way puts Barfly to SHAME... Italian director/crew, filmed in LA, Ben Gazarra as Chinaski, outstanding film, one of my all time favorites. Beautiful in every way... To anyone who hasn't seen it, put it in your Netflix list, you won't regret it. Seriously...
Tim
Dan Blanchett
06-07-2007, 07:33 PM
Matrix sequels
Star Wars prequels
Alien 3+
Highlander sequels
Exorcist sequels
Die Hard sequels
--all of the above tainted the original, at least for me
Pretty much any remake of any TV show
Remakes of classic horror (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hills Have Eyes, upcoming Halloween, etc)
Most Michael Bay films
Burton's Planet of the Apes remake
Japanese horror knock-offs (Ringu 1 was enough)
Point of No Return remake of La Femme Nakita (w/ Bridget F*cking Fonda)
Oh man, the list goes on...
Adrian Correia
06-07-2007, 07:51 PM
actually one of the worst is one of the best for me in terms of remakes.
The Wicker Man with Nicolas Cage.
One of the best times I have ever had at a theater. I laughed for hours! You haven't seen a good bad movie until you've seen Nic Cage beat the hell out of somebody in a bear costume....no joke. Brilliant, terrible, horrifying car wreck type of stuff...you can't look away!
chuck colburn
06-07-2007, 07:53 PM
I liked the Beverly Hillbillys and on second viewing, The Hulk. The one I wished that was never made was the one where I forgot to put a piece of tape over the telly light on the Hi Eight camera sitting on the book shelf.
Dominique Grenier
06-07-2007, 09:18 PM
Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy... They might be great if you haven't read the book, however I did, and I've rarely seen a movie based on a book that was so far away from the original story... I really like the books and I was really disappointed with the movies... the second one (supremacy) doesn't even have something to do with the books apart for some characters!
jaadgy akanni
06-07-2007, 09:28 PM
I thought the american versions of many foreign films are just horrible 'cause they kind of lose their souls, they become hollow, but I think VANILLA SKY was a notable exception. The american version was actually better IMHO.
Movies with Ben Affleck should never be made, ever! I got nauseous watching PAYCHECK Ben Affleck has the same this-person-should-never-act curse that Madonna has.
Jim Arthurs
06-07-2007, 09:43 PM
OH, Don't forget Battlefield Earth.
God, I almost did forget about it! The irony is that I almost worked on it, not once, but TWICE!
Back in the mid '80's it was going to be produced as a theme park and movie, done here in Colorado Springs. I was signed up to build these wierd battle tanks and misc props with some friends. Still have the original art design and plans somewhere.
It fell through and left lots of folks hanging. Then when it picked up again, I had to turn down some VFX work due to scheduling with CafeFX who did a couple CGI sequences... it wasn't meant to be... thank goodness!
Jaime Vallés
06-07-2007, 09:44 PM
Think Ed Norton might do a better job with Louis Leterrier directing? (Not a bad supporting cast... hmmm.)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800080/
Hmmm, interesting. I really like Ed Norton. I haven't seen either "Transporter" film, so I don't know Leterrier's work. I'll hope for the best and expect the worst.
I actually enjoyed it. I rather have a movie that aspires to something than a plain dumb action flick. That is actually the problem with most superhero films out there, too much action and too little plot and characterization.
I think the Hulk smashed enough for an origin film.
Oh, believe me, I would LOVE it if they made a brainy Hulk movie. I absolutely agree that dumb action flicks are pretty much worthless. The problem I had with this one was that IMHO it couldn't decide which it was trying to be. If it's just an action movie, fine. Don't bore me with the melodramatic nonsense, just blow some shit up, and don't pretend it's anything deeper than that. Or, if it's a straight-up drama, fine also. Play the drama of a tortured soul trying to reconstruct his life while his body refuses to obey. That's interesting. But then they threw in the giant mutant dogs and Nick Nolte raving about who knows what... And don't get me started on the Hulk looking like Shreck on cocaine withdrawal! :biggrin:
(You can see that I get worked up about these things a bit. Nothing personal, just ranting... :ranting2: :help: :innocent: )
Rob Lohman
06-08-2007, 02:39 AM
Mysterious Island
jaadgy akanni
06-08-2007, 02:44 AM
BTW, I think it's a shame that Anthony Quinn passed on the part Don Vito Corleone. It may sound like blasphemy, but I think he would've done an even better job. Alright, I said it!
PaulClements
06-08-2007, 02:44 AM
Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy... They might be great if you haven't read the book, however I did, and I've rarely seen a movie based on a book that was so far away from the original story... I really like the books and I was really disappointed with the movies... the second one (supremacy) doesn't even have something to do with the books apart for some characters!
I haven't read the books but I enjoyed the movies quite a lot actually. Better than a lot of the tripe coming out.
I believe, and I may be incorrect that the books were based in the cold war and for some reason the execs didn't want to make a cold war movie and so it was updated, subsequently the story vastly altered away from the book because of this decision. Supremacy was an almagamation of the last two books a bit, and ultimatum is a problem since they basically have to write an entirely new story. If I get the chance I'll read the books and maybe then I'll agree.
John K
06-08-2007, 04:42 AM
:alien: Enemy Mine!:alien:
The original Barry B Longyear short story had a perfectly satisfactory plot that could been turned into a perfectly satisfactory script without really needing to change much at all. In the original story the human (Davidge) and the enemy alien (Shigan) crash landed on a small rocky atoll a few hundred yards from an ocean beach and they had to co-operate to survive when a storm came. How hard would that be to translate to the big screen?
But no, apparently that didn't sound "spacey" enough for the producers, so Davidge and the alien had to co-operate to survive a meteor storm instead. How? Making a shelter out the shells of a lot of turtle-like things they'd been chowing down on!
Later the alien dies in childbirth leaving Davidge to raise its offspring Zammis. In the movie they get separated and Zammis is eventually found working as a slave laborer in a mining operation. How this is supposed to fit into the story is not clear, unless this is the "Enemy Mine"? There was no f*cking mine in the original story!!:help: