Posted on 09/13/2005 11:31:27 AM PDT by Houmatt
Just for fun, what is the WORST film you have EVER seen? And why?
I know a lot of you will be inclined to insert a Michael Moore film, but I am talking about films that are supposed to be fiction.
To begin, here is my personal pick: Ron Howard's The Grinch.
Surely we all remember the classic story from Dr. Seuss. Very simple, all about the spirit of Christmas.
Now, we get to the film. To begin with, the Whos are portrayed as the exact dead opposite of what they are in the story: They are quite materialistic.
Then, there seems to be something happening concurrent to the X-mas celebration. Just what the hell is the "Whobilation?" The audience is never told.
And there's the Grinch. The story says nobody knows why he hates Christmas. So, naturally, he is given a back story that rather implies he should be hating the Whos, or at least certain Whos, but certainly not Christmas. AND he is given a love interest (played by Christine Baranski).
Considering the target audience of the book (and therefore the film), there is some humor and a particular dress worn by the aforementioned Baranski early on (accented by a camera angle) that is just not suitable for that audience. So why have it? Heaven only knows.
Finally, when we get to the stealing part of the story, we see the Grinch predicting some very upset Whos. Now we all know what happens in the original story. But guess what? In this version of the story, the Grinch is proven right. In fact, it takes one of the Whos to talk the others into believing Christmas is more than just toys and trees.
I was shocked when I saw this film upon its release in theaters. Was it true Theodor Geisel's widow actually approved of this? How could she, when it absolutely violated everything her late husband was trying to impart with his beloved masterpiece in children's storytelling?
Whatever the truth was, one thing was certain: This film was an abomination. It was not merely bad; it was offensive. And I have never been so angered by a film like that to this day.
It is worth mentioning, as an aside, the film went on to make $250 million dollars domestic box office, making it perhaps the most profitable Ron Howard directed film to date. However, about three years later, when they decided to repeat or at least further the insult with another Seuss classic, Cat in the Hat, people saw right through it and gave it the b*tch slap it deserved.
LOLOLOLOL! We couldn't believe they actually had guys in ape costumes. Our advice on Michael Crichten movies: If the author helped with the screenplay AND it has some "big" names, it is not so bad. If those two requirements are not met, LOOK OUT! In fairness to Crichten, his plots and devices are so complex, it is hard to distill them into a movie time slot.
California Suite.
Thank god it was at the drive in and I had my wife with me.
I saw about 10 minutes more of the movie than she did.
:)
Ishtar
True Romance
Sea of Love
Actually Sea of Love wasn't bad and I like Pacino but it was a nice day and I decided I didn't want to waste it in a theater.
Other worst flicks:
Colors, most chick-flicks that guys took me to for some reason, that one with Tom Hanks stuck on an island, Pretty Woman, The Matrix, and so many many more. Basically I don't like very many movies made after 1970.
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Flame away all you want, but no matter which side of the fence you sit on (and I love John Wayne), this movie is painful to watch. |
Popeye, Waterworld, Howard the Duck, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Boxing Helena, Speed 2, Arthur 2,
Beverly Hillbillies, Weekend at Bernies.
Masked and Anonymous. You earn a stale cookie if you can stomach sitting through the whole mess. It never does get any "better".
The Piano. I kept waiting for something to happen and nothing ever did.
"If it wasn't for the music, 2001 might have made me suicidal."
Also Sprach Zarathustra. Can you hear the organ note at the beginning? We used to tease my father (one of his fav pieces of music) because he couldn't hear it but could FEEL it rumbling.
I love the whole piece, and a lot of Richard Strauss's music.
I'm a 'Nam vet and a HUGE John Wayne fan. When I got back in '68 I couldn't believe my eyes. I love the Duke, but you're right - it's like finger nails on the blackboard.
"The worst film hands down:
"I Spit On Your Grave" "
I take it that you probably wouldn't like "Last house on the left" much either. Pretty much the same movie.
It's hard to believe Wes Craven wrote and directed it. Pretty bad exploitation garbage.
You didn't like True Romance? To each his own I guess. I'm a big Tarantino fan so its like required to watch it to get into that group.
And I have a newfound respect for Tony Scott ever since he said he didn't care about awards or political statements he just wanted to make movies that made him a lot of money.
My vote goes to 2001: A Space Odyssey. WORST. MOVIE. EVER.
Two Brando flicks:
Last Tango in Paris
and
Candy
Boat Trip
The only movie I actually walked out of was "Highlander 2: The Quickening" back at UMASS around 1990. That flick was friggin pathetic.
Oh yea, Also walked out of "Alien 3" What a disapointment after part 2. Not only did the movie suck but the audio was horrible. it seemed everbody was mumbling and I couldn't understand one sentence for however long I lasted in the theater.
... it's like finger nails on the blackboard.
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Again, my apologies. |
I was 18 in '68, in college and brainwashed, idealistic and... stupid. My brother-in-law was in Da Nang, my lottery number was dead center, I had a summer job in a tire factory and life was good.
Like most of us, I lost a few friends defending our country and my feelings were mixed.
The best I can tell you is if I had to do it all over again, knowing what I know now, I might have been by your side.
And I truly love John Wayne.
But "The Green Berets" still sucks. Considering JW's influence (at the time), I've always felt a much better movie could've been made at the height of the war.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
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