A filmmaker's guide to doing everything wrong

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

The worst sincere, intended-to-be-great films. NOT decent films with the errors any film has.

Let's get the two most obvious out of the way, universally known:

Ed Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space and Tommy Wiseau's The Room.
They represent many of the problems under discussion.
In general:
Story problems: the character motivations and responses are confusing. Events are confusing.
Traditional three act structure is out the window, creating a mess.

Bad acting. "You're tearing me apart, Lisa!" Um...

Bad dialogue. I hate sand.

Bad line reads. "Was that really the best take??"

Bad direction. Ghostbusters 2016, enough said.

Continuity, crew and editing errors: "Wasn't that eye-patch on the other side in the last shot?"
"Wait, is there a scene missing??"
"Oop, there's the boom mic..."

Pacing: " The action is boring me."

Go...

 

[Lovestorm]

http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/s...k-hamill-disappointed-with-cut-scene.3676193/

 

[Satanical Eve]

That mess of a film known as Gigli that starred Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck

Whoever wrote this bit of dialogue should never ever be allowed to write a script again

 

[Zer]

Whoever wrote this bit of dialogue should never ever be allowed to write a script again

Someone said that to me in prison once and I shit my pants. It's all in the delivery I guess

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/s...k-hamill-disappointed-with-cut-scene.3676193/

Intended to be good. Read OP

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

Anybody seen Escape from L.A ?

That surfing scene... was that too early for green-screen, was it rear- projection?

 

[Zer]

Anybody seen Escape from L.A ?

That surfing scene... was that too early for green-screen, was it rear- projection?

I think green screen was invented back in the 30's or 40's so it wasn't too early

Escape from LA is the shit though. One of the most entertaining flicks I've ever seen

 

[ObamaPhoneLady]

Thought this was a The Last Jedi thread.

 

[HereticBD]

Anyone remember this fuckin' Oscar bait turd:



I swear, it's hard to make out the difference in Sean Penn's performance in this and "I Am Sam"

 

[Fedorgasm]

Most problems are in the script. Writing is the most important part of filmmaking, even though it's not treated that way.

A good script with at least competent directing and competent acting can be a good movie. But weak script can never be a good movie.

Good scripts are rare because writing is hard, even for the best writers. And then you have stupid producers that change the scripts and screw it up.

Bad acting is common because people get cast based on looks or connections rather than ability.

Bad directing is rare nowadays though. Maybe because it's the most utilitarian of the 3 jobs, so if you just follow the right steps you won't ruin the movie. Any artistic flair is just icing on top. It can make the movie better, but it doesn't ruin the story if it's missing. Also directors aren't pretty so they can't bang Weinstein to get the job. They actually have to prove they know what they're doing.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

I think green screen was invented back in the 30's or 40's so it wasn't too early

Escape from LA is the shit though. One of the most entertaining flicks I've ever seen

A step down from EFNY and tbh I didn't really care so much for that one either.
But LA falls into the so bad it's entertaining category. Doesn't fail on every level but it's schlocky af.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

Most problems are in the script. Writing is the most important part of filmmaking, even though it's not treated that way.

A good script with at least competent directing and competent acting can be a good movie. But weak script can never be a good movie.

Good scripts are rare because writing is hard, even for the best writers. And then you have stupid producers that change the scripts and screw it up.

Bad acting is common because people get cast based on looks or connections rather than ability.

Bad directing is rare nowadays though. Maybe because it's the most utilitarian of the 3 jobs, so if you just follow the right steps you won't ruin the movie. Any artistic flair is just icing on top. It can make the movie better, but it doesn't ruin the story if it's missing. Also directors aren't pretty so they can't bang Weinstein to get the job. They actually have to prove they know what they're doing.

This is about films that get so many things wrong that you're mildly-to- greatly astounded by the incompetence.

I suppose another entry category could be "films that were calculated to be huge and failed spectacularly", like Ishtar.

 

[Fedorgasm]

This is about films that get so many things wrong that you're mildly-to- greatly astounded by the incompetence.

I suppose another entry category could be "films that were calculated to be huge and failed spectacularly", like Ishtar.

1941, directed by Spielberg.

Huge budget, big stars, Hollywood darling director.

Yet it's so bad that you wondered how this can be the same director you know and love

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

1941, directed by Spielberg.

Huge budget, big stars, Hollywood darling director.

Yet it's so bad that you wondered how this can be the same director you know and love

I enjoyed seeing Belushi.
But yes. Not quite so bad it's good, but bad.
Similarly, Across the Great Divide with Belushi.
Nothing happens.

 

[HereticBD]

 

[BisexualMMA]

1941, directed by Spielberg.

Huge budget, big stars, Hollywood darling director.

Yet it's so bad that you wondered how this can be the same director you know and love

Spielberg WW2 comedy that somehow manages to be less funny than Schindler's List.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

A more recent entry would have to be Battlefield Earth.
Crap ceiling.
If you want to see a clunker, this is for you. Travolta chews the scenery, hard. The overuse and misuse of the Dutch angle. Story nonsense. Continuity and editing errors galore.

"Do you want your lunch??"

 

[eworden78]

I think Prometheus could be looked at for bad screenplay and editing.
The overarching story is amazing and full of depth and potential. The look, design, filming, and atmosphere are also excellent.

The way the scenes, characters and dialogue unfold to tell the story are so sloppy and incoherent, it sucks the life out of an otherwise phenomenal movie.

 

[Headkicktoleg]

I think green screen was invented back in the 30's or 40's so it wasn't too early

Escape from LA is the shit though. One of the most entertaining flicks I've ever seen

Deliverance also has some god awful green screen or something where they tried to make it look like night time.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

Spielberg WW2 comedy that somehow manages to be less funny than Schindler's List.

That List!

Honestly, I burst out laughing in the theater several times, it's a fun watch. Schindler really has perfect comic timing