Discuss: The Best (and Worst) Sellouts of All Time
Filed under: Casting, Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, Lists
Over on Spoutblog, Cinematicalite and Spoutster Christopher Campbell has a couple of entertaining posts up detailing the five best and worst directorial sellouts of all time. From Francis Ford Coppolla's The Godfather and The Godfather 2 (Best) to Alien Resurrection (Worst), Campbell breaks down the whys and wherefores of his thoughts on these directorial missteps. Go take a look at what he has to say about the worst of the best and the best of the worst, and then let us know what you agree with -- or don't.
As a coda to these best and worst directorial sellouts lists, it would be interesting to see Christopher do the obvious follow-up -- the best and worst sellouts by otherwise respectable actors and actresses.
Robin Williams in Patch Adams (lordy, how I do despise that film) comes to mind, and I'm still not sold on Edward Norton as The Incredible Hulk (mainly because I'm just not convinced that it will ever be possible to do a good film about that character). Then we have Jack Nicholson in Mars Attacks! and, some might say, the ultra sap-fest The Bucket List. Johnny Depp, whether he goes for the indie magic or the box office bang, seems to do no wrong -- his career certainly hasn't been slayed by playing a pirate with bad personal hygiene habits in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
On the female side of the equation, I can think of a few dips into the box office pool that ended up not being career-killers: Keira Knightley in the Pirates franchise, Glenn Close taking a turn as Cruella DeVil in the live version of 101 Dalmatians, and Meryl Streep's delicous take on the super-bitch in The Devil Wears Prada. Natalie Portman's role in the Star Wars franchise, in my book, is a career low for her (Oh, that dreadfully wooden dialog! -- Let's not forget, she was in Mars Attacks! too), but then I still consider The Professional to be her best role ever. And am I the only one who finds her and Keira Knightley almost interchangeable? I have a theory that they're really the same person ... or twins separated at birth.
What do you think are the best and worst sellout performances ever? Discuss away, I know you have plenty of opinions to share ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-25-2008 @ 5:54PM
Christina said...
Definitely Johnny Depp by doing the second and third Pirates in particular. So much for going for the quality of the film...
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3-25-2008 @ 4:28PM
Dan said...
I haven't read it yet, but it's kind of unfair to call Coppolla a sellout for making an Alien movie. Yeah, he did it for money, but he was crawling out of bankruptcy. What would you do?
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3-25-2008 @ 4:35PM
rex said...
Weak articles (theirs not yours).
How can you call God Father parts I and II good "sell outs" and not mention part III? ugh. While (as classified by the spout articles) Coppola might not have wanted to make larger budget movies, the first two were well made and successful. The third threatened to compromise the quality and left a bad after taste in many viewers mouths so strong it took "Lost in Translation" to change Sophia Coppola's name into a term that wasn't a swear word.
While not a specific director, I would say that in my mind Pixar's "Cars" would be a bad sell out. It lacked any of sophistication or wit of their previous movies and felt overly commercial (cashing in on popularity of Nascar/Larry the Cable guy). Luckily Ratatouille got things back on track.
Natalie Portman is head and shoulders above Keira Knightly (figuritively speaking, as I am sure Keira is taller in real life).
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3-25-2008 @ 4:44PM
rex said...
Dan-
Coppola never made an Alien movie. The Alien sell-out reference is for Jeunet(spelling?) who co-directed City of Lost Children and then went "hollywood" with Alien Resurrection. Luckily, he followed that up with Amelie which proved more then good enough for his redemption.
If you read the articles (about 5 minutes total reading for both) it will clear things up a bit.
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3-25-2008 @ 4:50PM
MCW said...
"While not a specific director, I would say that in my mind Pixar's "Cars" would be a bad sell out. It lacked any of sophistication or wit of their previous movies and felt overly commercial (cashing in on popularity of Nascar/Larry the Cable guy). Luckily Ratatouille got things back on track."
I agree with that. Cars is just a flashy show-off of what Pixar can do, and nothing else. No story... talking cars? I didn't like it, thought I love mostly everything else they do.
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3-25-2008 @ 6:14PM
Paul Nicholson said...
And am I the only one who finds her and Keira Knightley almost interchangeable?
You're kidding right? You know that's how Knightley got started - playing Portman's body double in Star Wars Episode I...which is itself the worst sell out by far.
...that ended up not being career-killers: Keira Knightley in the Pirates franchise...
Let's see before Pirates she had a bit part as a body double in the Phantom Menace, and Bend it Like Beckham...and...was uncredited in a role in Thunderpants...and...was in a TV remake of Dr Zhivago... I'm kinda thinking it didn't kill her career. It started it.
Just saying.
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3-25-2008 @ 9:23PM
The Malcontentq said...
Francis Ford Coppola was not a sellout for Godfather II....
Francis Ford Coppola was a sellout for "Godfather III" and the piece of crap called "Jack"
Huge Sellout: George Sluzier who remade his brilliant "The Vanishing" in America and compromised himself with that horrible "happy ending" he put in the American version. His original ending was brilliant.
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