When Good Directors Go Bad: The Wicker Man (2006, Neil LaBute)

re: When Good Directors Go Bad: The Wicker Man (2006, Neil LaBute)

LCosgrove — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 11:45:13 GMT

"While he’s initially unsure whether he wants to visit the island, Malus becomes a sexist autocrat upon his arrival, barging into residences and schools and waving his police badge around, proclaiming the women to be "freaks" while being himself a less-than-exemplary representative for "normal" society."

Yes. Thus, LaBute's film is misanthropic, not misogynistic. It finds everyone equally crappy.

Also, count me into the camp that finds the humor in this film intentional. I mean, you don't stick Nicolas Cage in a giant bear suit with a straight face.

re: When Good Directors Go Bad: The Wicker Man (2006, Neil LaBute)

bilge — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:27:06 GMT

I've always kind of had a soft spot for this one. The only way to remake THE WICKER MAN is to go weirder with it and, well, they did. And I think most of the laughs in the movie were, indeed, intentional.

I just wish they had found a way to restage the naked wall-humping dance from the original.

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re: When Good Directors Go Bad: The Wicker Man (2006, Neil LaBute)

sean — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:49:52 GMT

also, very astute observation regarding cage and latter-day brando, though it seems that cage hit that point much earlier - which makes me wonder if we're in for a exponential version of 'the island of dr moreau'.

re: When Good Directors Go Bad: The Wicker Man (2006, Neil LaBute)

Vern — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:30:24 GMT

You know what's weird, this remake has genuinely become a cult movie on its own, in a different way than the original. I think the original is great, this one is not, but I actually own this one and not the original. The unrated DVD version is of course the best, because apparently the theatrical cut didn't have the hilarious "OH GOD, NOT THE BEES!" scene. But thank you for quoting my favorite bit of overacting, "HOWDITGITBURNED? HOWDIGUHBURNED?"

I'm not a Labute fan, but I don't buy the charges of misogyny on this one. Just because the character kicks Leelee Sobieski and calls everybody bitches doesn't mean the movie does. I think he was trying to make some kind of black comedy about gender relations. Notice how Cage is constantly asking the women questions and then not listening to their answers and interrupting before they finish. I also get a kick out of the scene where he walks into the classroom and obliviously erases the detailed notes on the chalkboard just to be dramatic and write the name of the missing girl.

re: When Good Directors Go Bad: The Wicker Man (2006, Neil LaBute)

sean — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:17:40 GMT

having seen that compilation countless times, but never seen the film itself, i have often wondered how it indeed got burned.