Kassovitz Slams His "Babylon"

[cheez avenger]

It's not often that you hear a director bad mouthing his own movie before it opens States-side, but today comes one of those exceptions.

French helmer Matieu Kassovitz ("La Haine," "Gothika") tells AMCTV that didn't have a very good time making "Babylon A.D.", the Vin Diesel sci-fi thriller opening this week.

He tells the site that "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."

Why did he do it then? "The scope of the original book was quite amazing. "The author was very much into geopolitics and how the world is going to evolve. He saw that as wars evolve, it won't be just about territories any more, but money-driven politics. As a director it's something that's very attractive to do."

Yet all that political subtext doesn't show up in the final film - "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."

He places the blame squarely on distributor 20th Century Fox - "Fox was sending lawyers who were only looking at all the commas and the dots. They made everything difficult from A to Z." What pushed him over the edge though was the re-editing of the film the studio did to bring it down to 93 minutes - "I should have chosen a studio that has guts. Fox was just trying to get a PG-13 movie. I'm ready to go to war against them, but I can't because they don't give a s--t."


http://www.darkhorizons.com/news08/080825j.php

[Liqwid]

Wow... I was looking forward to this movie, too.

Damn you, Fox.

[Master X]

Unrated, Directors Cut, Extended Version on Blu please!

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Master X

Unrated, Directors Cut, Extended Version on Blu please!

Here, here!!!

+1

FTW!

Yes, please!

Bring it on!

[HD Halo X]

Im still going......

[Emoney7]

Thats what you get for working with FOX!!! seriously fox is the worst studio out there for an aspiring director, I sound like a broken record about Fox, but I have to be outspoken about a company that continues to rape filmmakers visions.

haha oh well i'm still gonna see it.... maybe it will be a half decent mindless action flick if nothing else.... please be at least a half decent...

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Emoney7

Thats what you get for working with FOX!!! seriously fox is the worst studio out there for an aspiring director, I sound like a broken record about Fox, but I have to be outspoken about a company that continues to rape filmmakers visions.

haha oh well i'm still gonna see it.... maybe it will be a half decent mindless action flick if nothing else.... please be at least a half decent...

I can't take that bet.

[taygan315]

Someone did tell the director that he WAS giving an interview, that people will READ IT, and that it may not be A GOOD IDEA for his movie when it opens???!!!!??? Basically...he sounds like he is saying ''Man...I made this movie. It is crap. Dont go see it.'' Thanks for advice..I think I will do just that,lol.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by taygan315

Someone did tell the director that he WAS giving an interview, that people will READ IT, and that it may not be A GOOD IDEA for his movie when it opens???!!!!??? Basically...he sounds like he is saying ''Man...I made this movie. It is crap. Dont go see it.'' Thanks for advice..I think I will do just that,lol.

It's called payback. Fox screwed him, so he'll screw Fox.

Hell, I ain't gonna see it now that I know what I know.

[Mase]

I think I will wait for some peer reviews before I waste any money on this..

[Liqwid]

Originally Posted by Master X

Unrated, Directors Cut, Extended Version on Blu please!

You have to remember, there weren't only cuts, there were also script changes, which means that there would be a lot to do on that side. And being that Fox is full of assholes, I'm sure they will never figure out what the consumer wants (a new Futurama season, fellas!).

[Mase]

Originally Posted by Liqwid

You have to remember, there weren't only cuts, there were also script changes, which means that there would be a lot to do on that side. And being that Fox is full of assholes, I'm sure they will never figure out what the consumer wants (a new Futurama season, fellas!).

I wish

[ben1080p]

Usually I would see this as hes just trying to make excuses for the film being bad(if it is), but i gotta say that Studios seem to be dicks about this. I hope to god they release the Unrated BD with Director Intro stating his thoughts on what need to be added.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by ben1080p

Usually I would see this as hes just trying to make excuses for the film being bad(if it is), but i gotta say that Studios seem to be dicks about this. I hope to god they release the Unrated BD with Director Intro stating his thoughts on what need to be added.

You know what, I've never bought an import before--if they were to release a full director's cut for this on BD and it was compatible with my PS3--I'd do it.


I'll blind buy the import.

[holsty101]

Originally Posted by Mase

I wish

Aren't they supposed to be re-editing the 4 films into a series? I think that was mentioned way back before the 1st film came out. Although I guess that hardly makes it a new series ...

Back on topic ...

It's Fox, should anyone be surprised by now ... (no)