Movies damaged by nuts

There’s no point in fixing something that isn’t broken – that’s an old folk wisdom that, unfortunately, not all studios take to heart. While the finishing process itself isn’t anything special, it’s often the result of overzealous producers who – against common sense – are willing to radically change the final look of a film just to “improve” it. Here are some examples of productions that would definitely benefit from being left in their original form.

Justice League (2017)

Bullying the movie version Justice League It’s a bit like kicking a guy in the face (especially since the release of Zack Snyder’s director’s cut), but I mention it here out of a sense of historian duty. After all, this is emblematic of the “old” DC cinematic universe—a messy, tonally inconsistent semi-final product that fell victim to panicked decisions by producers. When Zack Snyder stepped down from the director’s chair due to a family tragedy (after the studio ordered some rework), Joss Whedon—an artist with a very different artistic vision—was put in charge of the film, which (according to the producers) was intended to head off the wave of criticism the film was receiving. batman v superman. However, the result was a monster with no identity of its own, sealing the slow decline of the DC cinematic universe forever. It also began the downfall of Whedon himself, who was accused of toxic behavior on the set by Ray Fisher years later. You may not like Snyder’s writing style, but you love his version of the movie. – With all your problems – At least it maintains internal consistency. The only testament to cinema Justice League What will remain is Joss Whedon’s tarnished reputation and Henry Cavill’s digitally removed mustache.

The Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)

Another case on this list that ultimately led to the creation of two completely different films. Original The Exorcist: The Beginning By Paul Schrader himself, it was not well received by the studio representatives, who expected a more bloody and dynamic horror film. So Schrader resigned as director and was replaced by Renny Harlin, who shot the film from scratch – with a rewritten script and an almost entirely new cast. However, the final product was severely criticized by critics and ignored by the public – so only a year later the producers released Schrader’s original version.

The Hobbit Trilogy (2012-2014)

It seems that after the box office and artistic success Lord of the rings Peter Jackson will have a free hand in the adaptation from Warner Bros. The HobbitMeanwhile, the production history of the second Middle-earth trilogy is one of the most frustrating examples of studio-director conflict. It is immeasurably shorter than it was in this case. The Rulers…the pre-production period or Warner’s interference in the script and editing process (also in the case of later directorial releases), and finally – the finishing touches imposed by splitting the planned two films into three. Although this decision by one of the producers was intended to help Jackson more accurately plan the climactic Battle of Erebor, it primarily resulted in the hasty invention of new plots and scenes (for example, the fight between the dwarves and Smaug at the end). Desolation of Smaug). Another side effect of the additions is one of the most criticized themes in the trilogy (also added against the intentions of Jackson and the actors), namely the love triangle between Legolas, Torella, and Kili.

“Cursed” (2005)

It’s no coincidence that this 2005 horror film is considered one of Wes Craven’s worst. Studio Dimension ordered script changes and edits late in production when the crew cursed It was almost at the end of the film’s production. Effect? ​​Almost a complete change in the plot concept, replacement of the cinematographer and special effects creator, and removal of part of the cast from the film entirely. The situation worsened during the editing phase, when the film was re-rated PG-13. Financial failure cursed The only possible outcome of studio intervention was that Wes Craven himself joined the group of film critics.

Halloween Part II (2009)

application Halloween Part 2 This is another example of how studio interference negatively affected the quality of the film. Rob Zombie, who was initially not interested in returning to the series at all, decided to take the Michael Myers series in a more experimental direction. However, he was stood in his way by representatives of the Weinstein Company, who first ordered the script to be changed without the director’s knowledge, then reduced the number of shooting days, and finally demanded that the ending be changed to a less gloomy one – in the original version. In the film, the main character Laurie was killed by the police. Even on the day of the premiere Halloween Part 2 It was panned by fans of the series, but in the end Zombie had the last laugh – his director’s cut, with the original ending restored, is today considered the only correct version of the film.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)

The history of the X-Men film series is full of conflicts between Fox actors and the creators of subsequent films in the series – and thanks to the studio’s intervention we got such “gems” as Deadpool with his mouth sewn shut. Example Dark Phoenix However, it is unique – the movie was produced at the same time as the series (after poor reception). X-Men: Apocalypse Bryan Singer) has once again hit a dead end. Although the Dark Phoenix Saga reboot was originally intended to restore audience confidence, the inexperience of Simon Kinberg (former producer of the series), who was making his directorial debut, forced a number of significant adjustments, including a complete change to the final act. The problem is that at the same time Fox (along with the brand X man) became the property of Disney – so it was clear that the comic book mutants would soon be included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and their current cinematic cycle was coming to an end. Nuts for Dark Phoenix So there was a sense of purposelessness – the movie was released unexpectedly by anyone, as an unexpected culmination of the series. While the X-Men cinematic series has had its (to put it mildly) good and bad moments over the years, Marvel’s mutants certainly deserved a better send-off.

Jedrzej Paczkowski