When a movie studio refuses to do advance screenings of a movie for critics, you know something’s probably not right. But when the movie’s director comes out and says he’s unhappy with the final product, you know there’s definitely something very, very wrong.
“I had something much better in my hands but I just wasn’t allowed to work”, said director Mathieu Kassovitz about his upcoming sci-fi feature, “Babylon A.D.”. ‘
 “I’m very unhappy with the film,” he told AMC. “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.”
Kassovitz says that 20th Century Fox was so concerned with getting a PG-13 rating for the film that the producers have ruined any chance the film has for being a success.Â
“I should have chosen a studio that has guts,” he said. “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.”
This isn’t the first we’ve heard negative about studio suits interfering with the final cut of the film. Actor Vin Diesel, who hoped for a comeback with the film, expressed frustration about Fox’s desire to deliver a PG-13 version of the movie for American audiences. To add insult to injury, Europe and the rest of the world will get an R-rated cut of the film that is truer to the original source material, the script and the vision the director had for the film.
Kassovitz callks the resulting film is one of “pure violence and stupidity” and that it now resembles a “bad episode of 24” rather than an exciting big-screen blockbuster.
Sounds like this one may be better suited for audiences to find on DVD when we may get an unrated or R-rated cut of the film in addition to the theatrical release.
“Babylon A.D.” opens Friday in theaters.
I don’t understand. Isn’t the director in charge?
Ultimately, the studio heads are in charge of any final product coming out of their tent.
… Still waiting for the audible “pop” of heads coming out of asses…
…not holding my breath…
In a totally unrelated subject I finally saw “This film has not been rated” the other day…
Typically when you use someone else’s story you link back to it, no?
Directors can try and do whatever they want but the producers hold the checkbook. If they don’t like something the director wants the producers don’t give them any money.
Studios often replace the director and reshoot the movie.
For example the Pang brothers had a chilling and suspenseful movie called “The Messengers”.
40% of the movie was reshot with a director from Mexico to ‘Americanize’ the film.
The final released product was so disappointing, the Pangs tried getting their name off of it. The studio however was happy. The Pangs were blamed by the public for ‘selling out’ unfortunately.