🚀 go-pugleaf

Except when you look at his CV, there are not alot of good films on it.
 For example, Inspector Gadget, Last Action Hero, Elektra, and Behind
Enemy Lines.  Sometimes the enthusiasm that a writer may have for a
project doesn't translate into a great film.  And considering how much
control Ratner is gonna have, (I'm surprised Jessica Simpson wasn't
asked to audition or given a part), the signs seem ominous.

Would have been bolstered by the presence of Tom Desanto on this one
but...

M.O.R wrote:
> Except when you look at his CV, there are not alot of good films on it.
>  For example, Inspector Gadget, Last Action Hero, Elektra, and Behind
> Enemy Lines.  Sometimes the enthusiasm that a writer may have for a
> project doesn't translate into a great film.  And considering how much
> control Ratner is gonna have, (I'm surprised Jessica Simpson wasn't
> asked to audition or given a part), the signs seem ominous.

Yes, but if you look at the fact that Penn co-wrote X-Men 1 and 2,
doesn't that give you hope?

On 5 Sep 2005 19:23:28 -0700, "M.O.R" <predator@esatclear.ie> wrote:

>Except when you look at his CV, there are not alot of good films on it.
> For example, Inspector Gadget, Last Action Hero, Elektra, and Behind
>Enemy Lines.  Sometimes the enthusiasm that a writer may have for a
>project doesn't translate into a great film.  And considering how much
>control Ratner is gonna have, (I'm surprised Jessica Simpson wasn't
>asked to audition or given a part), the signs seem ominous.

Last Action Hero was actually a very good film.  it was surprising and
refreshing to see Arnie poke fun at himself and the genre that made
him famous while he was still the world's most popular action actor.

Lynley

I'd love to give you hope, but thinking that the writer alone can save
things is like saying that every production of a Shakespearean is good
because it's Shakespeare.  They aren't.  And if bad directors can ruin
Shakespeare, imagine what someone like Rattner can do an X-men script.

badthingus@yahoo.com wrote:
> I'd love to give you hope, but thinking that the writer alone can save
> things is like saying that every production of a Shakespearean is good
> because it's Shakespeare.  They aren't.  And if bad directors can ruin
> Shakespeare, imagine what someone like Rattner can do an X-men script.

Except that Shakespeare isn't present at the contemporary production
like this writer is.  He's right there in the thick of things, and he
said his job is to keep the X-Men mythos present in the movies.

Writers have no power.  Unless he's a writer/producer, he's got about
as much power over X3 as Shakespeare.

badthingus@yahoo.com wrote:
> Writers have no power.  Unless he's a writer/producer, he's got about
> as much power over X3 as Shakespeare.

So when he says, "During a recent convention appearance, he
said that his job is be "keeper of the flame" of the X-Men
mythology"...you're saying the people in charge lied to him and told
him he had that job while the movie was being made, while in reality no
one listens to anything he says?

I find that hard to believe.

You're surprised to find liars in hollywood?  You're kidding, right?
Welcome to show business.  As Howard Hawks once said to a writer, "It
doesn't matter what you write.  We're just going to change it anyway."
He changed the ending of Red River and the writer never spoke to him
again.  Writers have no *real* power.  Listening to them is merely a
courtesy.  No one is obligated to do so and few rarely do.  If the
writer says the costume is red and the director or producer or even the
actor prefers blue, the costume is going to be blue.  He can *believe*
anything he wants about his position, but the reality is Ratner or
Halle Berry could have him banned from the set tomorrow.

Let me put it this way: Joss Whedon wrote the original Buffy The
Vampire Slayer movie, but was *only* the writer.  He was the writer,
producer and director of the series.  Can you tell the difference?

...and as someone else pointed out, Zak Penn is a bit of a hack anyway,
so it's not like he's Robert Towne or anything and his *golden touch*
will be missed.