Tuesday
26Aug2008
Director Blasts Fox and "Terrible" 'Babylon A.D.' Experience
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 1:39AM
Some actors will tow the line forever, not once
admitting they've done a bad movie or worked with assholes. Others will
begrudgingly open up about flawed films a few years down the line. Very few go
the George Clooney route of badmouthing a big film they're in (Batman & Robin)
or a director they've worked with (David O. Russell) nearly as soon as the
movie's out of theaters. He can get away with it, though, even with
Leatherheads.
"I'm very unhappy with the film. I never had a chance to do one scene the way it was written or the way I wanted it to be. The script wasn't respected. Bad producers, bad partners, it was a terrible experience...I don't see how people who went through all these amazing blockbusters like The Dark Knight and Iron Man this summer will take it.""Wow. He rails Fox ("I should have chosen a studio that has guts....I'm ready to go to war against them, but I can't because they don't give a shit."), blames the studio's meddling lawyers, and claims that the higher-ups ordered a massive editing job of his once-finished production. In fact, star Vin Diesel quipped after seeing the final product, "Am I even in the movie any more, or am I on the cutting room floor?" To be sure, the director thinks he had something special in his hands but he wasn't allowed the freedom to create his vision. ""It's pure violence and stupidity...All the action scenes had a goal: They were supposed to be driven by either a metaphysical point of view or experience for the characters... instead parts of the movie are like a bad episode of 24." Fox will at least be happy that he referenced 24 in there somewhere; that's one less promo they have to run during the baseball playoffs. As Ropes of Silicon points out, it's been a bad summer for the Rupert Murdoch's Big Ass Searchlights. Fox has had minor summer successes (The Happening did better than expected and What Happens in Vegas made a substantial amount of money), but it really hasn't been a good run, with Meet Dave and The X-Files. So ending with two non-screened movies in 14 days, with Mirrors getting the brush earlier in the month, is a fitting end to a bad season.
Update on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 9:10AM by
Colin Boyd
Colin Boyd
Of course, there are two sides to every story. And
though Fox did not respond to AMC's inquiries,
Variety got a little more feedback, including
sources close to the production who said that Kassovitz' comments are "just the
latest in a series of headaches." The director reportedly shut down production
for three weeks for personal reasons, and has ditched his press obligations in
favor of soaking up the sun in the Caribbean.
Would Fox have been better off firing him, as Lionsgate
did Punisher 2 director Lexi Alexander this summer? Perhaps. At this
point, no matter how loudly or often Fox says that Kassovitz is to blame for the
film's problems, it probably won't register, and it could even backfire. It
doesn't help that Kassovitz beat them to the punch and gave the film its most
headlines all week. And if Fox points the finger back now, the studio runs the
risk of admitting the film is a failure - which wouldn't generate much of an
audience - even if Kassovitz actually derailed the project.
Colin Boyd | Permalink | in Bad Movies, Sci-Fi, Vin Diesel | Print Article | Email Article | 6 Comments | Share Article
Reader Comments (6)
Studio interference is terrible. Why do they think they know better than the director all the time? Do what Mel Gibson did and get alot of your own money and finance it yourself then your the BOSS man.
Gimme' a break! Kassovitz is nobody's idea of a A-list director, who feels he can throw his weight around! I
If my only claim to fame was a movie called GOTHIKA, I will be happy to just be working!
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 4 becons. Mr.Kassovitz!!!
Yeah, about that... he also directed La Haine, which was nothing short of phenomenal.
Fox....Fox, oh hey there those people that aired 6 episodes of Firefly, out of order and kept moving the time they where aired and then canceled it. So yeah, forever on the hate list.
I'd take Kassovitz's word over FOX's any day.
Boooo Fox. Booo. You suck.