Back at the dawn of February there was some discussion of comicbook movie adaptations, and not surprisingly he-who-should-not-be-named was…well, named. The dark one, the spawn of satanic movie-making, Joel Schumacher. I will refrain from repeating his name any further, as on the third time I’ve heard he springs forth from your VCR and suffocates you with neon glowsticks.
He was originally mentioned as looking at possibly making a Sandman movie, but I’d really hope Neil (yea, we’re tight like that) would kill the man before seeing such a thing happen.
Vince quickly, and understandably, came to the dark one’s defense with actually a quite good argument. He listed many of the better movies he’s directed, and he was right. The problem came when he talked about Schumacher being a good director, but counterpointing with the requirement of a producer to stop him from royally f-ing up. Those movies (namely Flatliners, Lost Boys, Time to Kill, St Elmos Fire, Phonebooth, The Client, Phantom of the Opera, and Falling Down) are definitely good movies. The problem is, they’re good despite the directing, not because of it. Any director who REQUIRES a half-decent producer to stop them from messing up whatever they’re working on is no good director at all. He is certainly entitled to get lucky every once in a while, I imagine Phantom of the Opera is one of those times, but for the rest of the movies it is entirely other aspects which make them watchable.
Any arguments to the contrary are easily shot down by the simple fact that the man allowed…Batman and Robin… (not italicised because it’s NOT a movie) to be released to the world. In fact, he’s probably brought on the end of the world simply by letting it procure to film, taking a physical form in our world is just the first step to the annihilation of reality. Eventually, somewhere in the future, a derelict pile of filth compossed of all the tainted and unclean film reels of that abomination will be made. Such a gross collection of evil matter in one space will begin the tear in the very fabric of being, whereupon our known universe shall implode upon itself into one giant blackhole of suck. He can only be labeled as the ruiner of our world, and perhaps all other worlds with it.
I, admittedly, have not seen all of the above-mentioned movies, only the ones that really count. If there are one or two with somehow fantastic directing that slipped through the neon-tinged magnifying glass, please let me know. Otherwise, I shall continue to bleed profusely from the ears every time I hear that name.
I’ll have to dig up the link later, but Neil Gaiman specifically said that the Sandman thing was just a rumor, as many, many directors have expressed interest in it.
To clarify, I wasn’t implying Schumacher needed a producer to reign him on all of his projects, simply he would need a good producer to keep him from going over board were he handed the Sandman film.
I think on his own with non-comic movies, the man does a good job. And I’m extremely excited to see his latest, “The Number 23” which I believe opens Friday.
I would say if you haven’t? Watch Phonebooth, then tell me that films successes aren’t entirely on the shoulders of good directing, or at least mostly on those shoulders. As good acting also plays a large part ^.^;
Mind you, I’m not trying to say Batman and Robin was good, it’s horrible horrible evil spawned unto the world in neontechnicolor death. Just that, Joel Schumacher is a decent director regardless of his past failings…. super gi-normous though they may be… O.o;
I’m actually excited to see The Number 23 also, but not for of the directing.
I saw Phonebooth a few years ago, and I definitely enjoyed it, but I will have to go back and watch it again to determine how much a part of that was actually his doing.
We’ve seen what he’s capable of, therefore he should probably be stopped from making movies simply on principle. 🙂
I thought Uwe Boll was the spawn of satan and the worst director to ever exist?
Satan, Beelzebub, Lucifer…he has many names.
Ah crap, I didn’t know Number 23 was Schumaker. I’ll still see it because I always like when they make movies about my life, but I won’t be expecting Carrey to be showing a performance equal “Eternal Sunshine…” because of having a worse director.
Yep, well, after seeing “23” (I almost feel like I should have waited until next weekend to watch it alongside 300 and Se7en) I will have to say that it could have been a good movie. It ended up being OK in spite of Schumaker’s directing, not because of it. Jim Carrey’s performance ended up being one of the better spots.
Hypothesis: confirmed