Frank Darabont defends TPM!!!!

DrEvazan, PLEASE change your avatar !

What about Porkins ?
Have you grown tired of him ?

 

That is perhaps the most honest and reasonable opinion I have heard on Episode I. Darabont has totally nailed it on the head.

Gezvader: "But Star Wars did make everyone feel like a kid"

It doesn't make me feel like a kid. In my opinion this would be lessening a film's impact on its older audience. Its supposed to entrance you and let its escapism make us ignore the harsh realities of our own world.

That is something most fans and critics still felt the TPM did, regardless of the minority whose expectations stepped in the way.

Darth_Insidious: "Very suspicious"

You find everything that is accepting, defending or promoting the success of the prequels to be suspicious or wrong. Its becoming so funny it hurts ..... Haa Ha! ... .... Ha Ha..Hmm..Hm...sorry!

Another tool for anti-prequel crusaders is the ever reliable (NOT!) IMDB top films list.
I will never accept that list but its something else the bashers should keep in mind if they are using this awful list as a source.

The 4 directors that direct the top 5 movies have now all championed the prequels as being quality cinema! Oh thats right but Jon Amiel said they were poor...Jon Amiel!

Well said Frank Darabont!

 

it is kind of strange that Lucas asked for Darabont to write it but then went ahead and wrote it himself. was he just paying lip service? did he forget he asked Darabont?

From what I gathered reading Darabont's comments, Lucas just never arrived at a natural stopping point where bringing in an outside writer made sense, and apparently Darabont enthusiastically supports Lucas' decision.

 

Frank Darabont says this. Oh no, no, nothing to do with the fact he worked for Lucasfilm for a number of years. So far, the only people who've shown support for the prequels are Lucasfilm employees. Spielberg and Lucas dont want to upset the Lucasfilm applecart. Spielberg has Indy IV coming up and Darabont owes Lucas with his start in the film business. Lucas, Spielberg and Darabont are all bound by Omerta (Code of Honour).

 

Yoda schum, Im sorry, but if your going to falsely defend something that you dont really like, you are not going to do it with such vigor and enthusiasm. You are not going to say things like, "I find the backlash perplexing and disheartening." If you are Spielberg, you are not going to go out of your way and say, "It is my second favorite one, slightly behind TESB".

 

Let me see if I understand you: We must be suspicious of anybody who has anything positive to say about the prequels while rallying around those who criticize it. Right.

Isn't that odd? Anyone who criticizes the movie is not to be questioned, their opinions were completely honest and on the up-and-up. (Hence the deification of Gary "Sour Grapes" Kurtz and the fantasies people have built around him as being the true talent behind the OT and "standing up to Lucas and making him care about story," although zero examples of this have ever been provided.) But anyone who compliments/defends the movies -- they're just "being nice" or "don't want to be fired" or "are afraid Lucas won't work with them on such-and-such movie."

 

"What about Porkins ?
Have you grown tired of him?"

heck no. this icon just struck me funny.

"From what I gathered reading Darabont's comments, Lucas just never arrived at a natural stopping point where bringing in an outside writer made sense, and apparently Darabont enthusiastically supports Lucas' decision."

then why did he ask him in the first place?

and to add to yodaschum's comments, Darabont is writing Indy 4.

and Shelley, you have described yourself perfectly, in reverse: 'Gary "Sour Grapes" Kurtz'. anyone who has a problem with the films "wants to be cool" or "has too high expectations".

give it a rest. its getting silly.

and i dont think Darabont is lying, for the record, he probably does like the film.

 

>>>So far, the only people who've shown support for the prequels are Lucasfilm employees.



I gues my cheque must be in the mail... As must Kevin Smith's...

 

heres an interesting quote from Spielberg from TheRaider.net:

Given Lucas' commitment for shooting digitally and Spielberg's passion for
film-rarely among Directors, he even edits on film - Indy 4 suggests an other
battle of the beards; but, apparently not. "I would do anything for my friend George Lucas, including compromising my own belief system. But I think practically speaking, there aren't going to be enough theatres even in 2005 to exhibit digital film to make it worth my while to commit digitally to Indy 4 at this time. If there were 2,000 screens with digital projectors I might seriously consider it for George and his vision of the future. But it looks like there's no chance that the theatres will put it in the next three years, so I'll be happily shooting Indy 4 on film."

last i heard, Indy 4 is being shot on digital.

 

Jedi_Learner -

I didn't say TPM made no-one feel like a kid again, I simply said it didn't work for everybody. Let me clarify - Darabont was talking about how Lucas with TPM couldn't make us feel like kids again, I was saying that that was one of the big reasons for Star Wars' success, that it made you feel like a kid again, or if you like: brought back the innocent wonder we had as a kid, in that respect I think Star Wars was more successful than TPM. But I didn't say it happened for no-one when they watched TPM.
Of course this is all a matter of judgement, I haven't asked everyone, but from what I read, see, hear, Star Wars was more successful in that respect than TPM

Sorry if I implied otherwise, I don't like sweeping generalisations either.
Perhaps I shouldn't have said that Star Wars made everyone feel like a kid again, I just like the film so much and it's so popular that I tend to imagine everyone likes it.


g

 

I've read that interview before.

Darabont brings up the excuses that I've seen so many times on these boards and on other sites like T'bone's.
And those just don't work for everybody.
My expectations were not too high, I didn't think it would excite me the way SW did when I was a child and I still didn't like TPM all that much.
And now 4 years later I still think there is a lot wrong with TPM.
And I know some kids who thought TPM was boring, so even some children thought there was something wrong with the movie.

So maybe Darabont liked the script and the movie. Good for him. I wish I felt the same.
I just don't like it how he (and many others) dismiss all the backlash as 'too many expectations/it's for children/it's Lucas' baby...
For some people, impossible expectations may have been a problem.
I don't like TPM, because I don't think it's a good movie. The problems I have with the movie are in the movie, not just in my head.

 

So far, the only people who've shown support for the prequels are Lucasfilm employees. Spielberg and Lucas dont want to upset the Lucasfilm applecart.

That must be it.

 

then why did he ask him in the first place?

You're a big boy. I'm sure you can figure it out.

 

What difference does it make what Frank Darabont thinks? His opinion only counts as one person's opinion just like mine or yours. When ESB came out, it was the most anticipated film of the year, but it was still a well recieved movie. The same is true about the LOTR movies and Spiderman. X2 is the same way, in fact, the list is endless...

A movie may not live up to the hype, but it won't be HATED because it was over hyped.

As far as Star Wars being made for children, there is a difference between "Kindergarten Cop" and "Daddy Day Care". The OT was more like Kindergarten Cop and the PT is more like Daddy Day Care. The differnce being that one is child oriented and the other is childish.

 

When ESB came out, it was the most anticipated film of the year

I'm not so sure about that. From what I remember, a lot of people thought it was odd that STAR WARS even had a sequel to begin with, and judging by the 50% box office drop, not a lot of people were all that interested in it anyway.

but it was still a well recieved movie.

Actually, it was the most heavily criticized of the originals with the dialogue and acting getting special attention from the critics. It's hard to tell now since most of them rewrote their reviews years later to try and capitalize on the success of the STAR WARS saga, but you can still find a few who stuck to their guns and let their original opinions stand.

 

Why do I sense this thread may be headed for a lock? For us prequel fans, it's nice to see someone with a track record like Darabont praise the PT. With his recent successes, he doesn't need Lucas' support anymore and he apparently has no direct involvement in the prequels. Media-types, probabaly many of the same one's kissing Lucas' ass from 1997-1999, take pot-shots at the prequels all the time. It's good to see another point of view from an entertainment professional. I realize Darabont's opinion won't change any bashers' views but it's cool to know there's another fan out there, especially someone so well thought of.

 

"Actually, it was the most heavily criticized of the originals with the dialogue and acting getting special attention from the critics."

that is a very interesting way of putting it. compared to the other films it may have gotten a few more negative reviews, but saying it was "heavily critized" is misleading.

"It's hard to tell now since most of them rewrote their reviews years later to try and capitalize on the success of the STAR WARS saga, but you can still find a few who stuck to their guns and let their original opinions stand."

but i thought it was cool to bash Star Wars.

and it still doesnt make sense that Lucas asked Darabont to write TPM, but then went ahead and wrote it himself anyway.

as you so eloquently put it Durwood, it doesnt really matter what anyone says because "Lucas could care less what you say about his movies just as long as you buy a ticket...or three."

 

So far, the only people who've shown support for the prequels are Lucasfilm employees.

Since when is Spielberg a Lucasfilm employee?

Funny how the bashers' messiah, Gary Kurtz, is a FORMER Lucasfilm employee who was fired because of his incompetence, whose career has been a joke since then, and who hangs onto his few successes with his fingernails, pompously trying to present himself as the "real talent" behind them -- yet we're supposed to take every word out of his embittered mouth as the absolute truth, whereas anyone who praises the prequels should be dismissed.

Funny how Jon Amiel's nasty words about the prequels are supposed to be treated like gold, when he made that epitome of story over special effects, "The Core."

Spielberg and Lucas dont want to upset the Lucasfilm applecart.

Post proof or retract.

 

and it still doesnt make sense that Lucas asked Darabont to write TPM, but then went ahead and wrote it himself anyway.

Darabont explained it himself. In short, it was always the plan for Lucas to write the story himself and then bring in another writer for the second phase, but once Lucas got on roll, there was really no point in the writing process where it would have made sense to bring in another writer. And as I said, Darabont enthusiastically supports Lucas on this.

as you so eloquently put it Durwood, it doesnt really matter what anyone says because "Lucas could care less what you say about his movies just as long as you buy a ticket...or three."

Exactly. Keep that mind when you're in the theater for your third viewing of Episode III.

 

I wonder if Darabont would be writing for Indy 4 if he had said, "I think TPM really sucked, especially the writing!" He's not exactly the most unbiased person in the world. Anyway, even if he's telling the truth, he's entitled to his opinion. As far as Spielberg goes, he would never bash a Lucas movie and Lucas would never bash a Spielberg movie. I would lose respect for them if they did because they're good friends and this is business.

Oh, and by the way Durwood, I'm not necesarily talking about ESB being critically well recieved, I'm talking about the fans. I remember how it was when it was released. Most people liked the movie and the people who didn't like it, didn't hate it.

 

GARY KURTZ WAS NOT FIRED. HE AND GEORGE BOTH DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO PART WAYS.

How many times does this have to be said before it sinks in, Shelley?

Frank Darabont was asked to write TPM, but his association with the WGA prevented it from happening. George could've signed a guild waiver, but he simply loves thumbing his nose at the system, and making SW a non-union affilated film is a great way to do that.

Honestly Frank, you're an awesome writer and director. No need to cover for George's mistakes.

 

you bashers are so predictable, but funny

Darth_Insidious - for once, stop repeating the same thing ad nauseum; if you're going to act like a basher, atleast be a little funny, like Sir Dr. (love the icon, Evazan - it's almost as humorous as your sig)

 

GARY KURTZ WAS NOT FIRED. HE AND GEORGE BOTH DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO PART WAYS.

GARY KURTZ WAS FIRED BECAUSE HE WAS AN INCOMPETENT PRODUCER WHO GUZZLED BUDGETS LIKE THEY WERE BOOZE AND ARROGANTLY TOLD LUCAS (AND JIM HENSON) HOW TO TELL THEIR STORIES.

I'm surprised you didn't tell me to "get it through my thick head" again.

Frank Darabont was asked to write TPM, but his association with the WGA prevented it from happening. George could've signed a guild waiver, but he simply loves thumbing his nose at the system, and making SW a non-union affilated film is a great way to do that.

Post proof or retract.

Honestly Frank, you're an awesome writer and director. No need to cover for George's mistakes.

Post proof or retract that he's "covering for George's mistakes."

And while you're at it, post proof or retract that Gary Kurtz "made Lucas care about story." And post proof or retract that if Lucas hadn't FIRED Kurtz, then all the elements you hate about ROTJ wouldn't be in it. And post proof or retract that Han Solo was originally slated to die like Kurtz wanted. And post proof or retract that Gary Kurtz, made ANH and ESB great. And post proof or retract that Kurtz has a booming career nowadays.

But I wonder...why are you still responding to my posts? In a previous post, you insulted me by calling me "pathetic" and other things, then said you weren't going to respond to my posts anymore.

 

Just out of interest, Shelley, is it true that Gary Kurtz was fired? Do you have proof?

 

I wonder if Darabont would be writing for Indy 4 if he had said, "I think TPM really sucked, especially the writing!"

I wonder if Darabont would even care whether or not he was writing Indy 4, since he would have other and probably superior projects on his plate.

He's not exactly the most unbiased person in the world.

Neither is the bashers' messiah, Gary Kurtz, who was fired because of his incompetence and whose career has been a joke since then, but bashers still insist his word should be treated as if God spoke it.