Change-Up
Marshall Fine has called Tim Blake Nelson‘s Leaves of Grass a “textbook example of a promising movie that takes a wrong turn from which it never recovers. Starting well, building good will, assembling a solid farce framework, Nelson’s script suddenly abandons all the comedic promises it makes in the first half and turns into a blood-drenched and sadistic action film.
“It’s like grafting the last half of Death Wish on to a stoner comedy (which, come to think of it, describes the similarly uneven — but much funnier — Pineapple Express).”
I didn’t like Leaves of Grass either, but tone-shifting can be a profoundly cool move. One of the finest, nerviest and neatest films of the ’80s — Jonathan Demme‘s Something Wild — pulled a major attitude-switch toward the last third when Jeff Daniels had to grim up, fierce up and put Ray Liotta down like a mad dog. I for one worshipped Demme’s decision to turn his light and quirky relationship comedy into Cape Fear.
I’m trying to think of other successful examples besides Wild and Pineapple. Need a little help.
PINEAPPLE is not all that successful. I always liked the Malkovich cut of IN THE LINE OF FIRE where he forgets about killing the President and actually goes into business with the Japanese.
From Dusk Til Dawn goes from a mean dog crime thriller to campy horror in literally seconds.
Do The Right Thing is like an R rated episode of Sesame Street (and I mean that as a compliment) before the riot scene.
From Dusk Till Dawn?
It’s what I wish The Ruins had become (and what the book was). A suspenseful drama about a group of people presumably being terrorized by “natives,” then an unexpected sci-fi-ish twist halfway through.
The lazy movie, instead, telegraphed the “twist” from damn near the beginning.
I do love “Something Wild”. Demme had a great streak from it to “Silence of the Lambs” (including “Stop Making Sense”, my favorite concert film), and has not been nearly as fine for the last 20 years.
“The Birds” starts as a meet cute rom-com before it becomes something a litttle different.
So it’s Art School Confidential bad, then?
loved pineapple
if leaves is anywhere near as enjoyable as pineapple i’ll be pleased
For what it’s worth, Ebert goes 4 stars:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100328/REVIEWS/100329982
Actionman, has there ever been a horribly unwatchable movie you didn’t love?
A movie that comes to mind is Miami Blues, which spends most of its time as a slightly silly, slightly sexy comic thriller and unexpectedly turns super violent and morose near the end.
Shaun of the Dead begins as a farce then turns into an honest to god zombie movie as it goes.
One of the reasons why I like Baz Luhrman’s ROMEO & JULIET is how it realizes the story is actually like a romantic comedy until Mercutio gets killed, at which point it goes on the road to tragedy.
Another tonal shift movie, though wildly different, is FANNY AND ALEXANDER. Starts out as this expansive and affectionate comedy/drama about a theatrical family, only to become a harrowing portrait of a man tyrannizing his new wife and two children.
Norton seems to like this kind of tonal shift story, incidentally – DOWN IN THE VALLEY starts out as being about a romance between a throwback character and a rebellious young girl, until that throwback character turns out to be nuts. That film didn’t really work for me, except for Evan Rachel Wood as the rebellious young girl.
Adaptation, even though the 3rd act turn was self referential. Reminds me of all the films my brothers and i made as children. Start with an interesting idea, and then when you can’t think of how to end it, just create a huge battle royale fight.
Wrecktem’s suggestion of (the awesome) MIAMI BLUES really is the perfect example of this… though probably not too surprising, since it’s for all intents and purposes I’ve always thought of it is a Demme movie. I know George Armitage (Grosse Point Blank) is the director of record, but didn’t Demme produce and maybe more? It’s totally got his look, vibe, colors and attitude from the Something Wild/Married to the Mob era. It’s also one of Baldwin’s very best performances (and Jennifer Jason Leigh’s, and Fred Ward’s.)
GOOD MOVIE.
Smilla’s Sense of Snow (both book and film) starts as a murder mystery and in the last bit, takes a weird-ass turn into sci-fi conspiracy.
vinessa — sorry if my enjoying an asinine stoner comedy offends you. i’m truly sorry. now if you’ll excuse me i’m off to watch some more shitty, unwatchable movies.
I’ll third those plugs for Miami Blues. Loved Fred Ward in that (but I loved him in Remo Williams, so…)
And the twist in Smillia kind of happens in The Abyss as well.
I always felt like The Abyss could have just kept going as as an adventure/ thriller about some people trapped underwater with a psychotic navy seal and didn’t need to go the whole aliens/sci-fi route. I think I might have liked it better that way.
And how about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Sure does shift gears near the end.
I might even say Dog Day Afternoon. The first 15 minutes or so feel a bit farcical, before things get serious.
I think I’d add Boogie Nights to the list too.
No offense, actionman. Perhaps my comment was a bit too harsh. Though, you do seem to grant approval to a lot of shit. That’s all I was saying.
Miami Blues is great example. And not to co-opt Lex’s tried and true expression but, FRED WARD POWER! BOW!
What ever happened to him? The last time I saw him was in that awful Michael Apted/J-Lo movie from about 8 years ago, Haven’t seen him since. Great character actor in the vein of Ed Harris. And he did star in Remo Williams and was pretty damn good as Henry Miller in Henry & June.
Someone needs to rediscover him like Tarantino did with Robert Forester.
Ward just turned up in ARMORED, and during nearly every second of his screen time, I was racking my brain trying to think of when the last time was I saw him in anything.
Armored was like the near-worst film to ’09, goddamn was that a waste of talent.
ah, ANTICHRIST
Kindergarden Cop. That had an unnecessary dark 3rd-act turn.
Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby comes to mind. Before and after the accident, complete shift in tone.
Days Of Wine and Roses
“Psycho”.
Imagine having never seen it or having any idea what it was about.
A slutty office girl steals money from work and takes off, presumably to Mexico. The boss saw her in her car, seemed puzzled. That car salesman seemed awfully suspicious. A highway patrolman is keeping an eye on her.
Will she get away with this theft? What if they catch her before she makes it to Mexico? Maybe she should just return the money and ‘fess up.
Better stop off at this roadside motel and get some sleep, think things over.
Bang. The crazy motel manager comes into your room, dressed like his dead mother and stabs you to death.
I was going to say “Psycho,” except the title card does rather count as telegraphing.
The 1970s actually had lots of essentially comedic or at least light-hearted films with tragic endings or last-minute violent twists: “Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry,” “Fuzz,” and “Law and Disorder” are just a few that come to mind. But most of these had the dark turn in the very last reel more than a tonal shift that bifurcated the movie. I love the rare films that do this, so Marshall Fine’s review reads like a “definite recommend” to me.
“I was going to say ‘Psycho,’ except the title card does rather count as telegraphing.”
My exact thought as well. That was the first title I considered, but it was telegraphed from the beginning.
Along with Chris’ 70′s films, “Sugarland Express”.
Now what fijlms start dark and get light?
hey travis, how about a spoiler warning man!!
j/k
Mark:
Just like the original Pretty Woman script, Kindergarten Cop was originally quite dark.
Both Gary Marshall and Ivan Reitman, respectively, turned those scripts into light-hearted comedies. Which is why some of the darker aspects of both movies seem so tacked on.
The only real remaining dark part of Pretty Woman can be witnessed in the opening sequence, which is narrated by a homeless guy. In the original script he appeared throughout the movie providing social commentary about how a hooker with a heart of gold isn’t so golden. It was a great script, actually, very dark, and was a quite a hot property at the time.
The same is true for Cop. That script introduced Arnold’s character, who was this very tough, recovering alcoholic who just recently lost his wife and child. And was supposed to be a sort of redemption tale. Hence, he saves that kid and her mother from a violent end thereby coming to terms with the ghosts of regret of the death of his own family members.
Just like Marshall, Reitman read the script and said “Ha! now that’s comedy!,” and then rewrote the entire script, removing all the dark parts, while replacinf the backstory of the death of his family with some ferrets. True story.
“Now what films start dark and get light?”
Well, “Irreversible,” but… yeah, yeah, I know.
Of course “Mulholland Drive” is a great example of a bifurcated movie, as it is pretty straightforwardly “Nancy Drew Goes to Hollywood” up to the point the original TV pilot ends, and then “Nancy Drew is Really a Psychotic” once the newly filmed material kicks in.
Mark:
Just like the original Pretty Woman script, Kindergarten Cop was originally quite dark.
Both Gary Marshall and Ivan Reitman, respectively, turned those scripts into light-hearted comedies. Which is why some of the darker aspects of both movies seem so tacked on.
The only real remaining dark part of Pretty Woman can be witnessed in the opening sequence, which is narrated by a homeless guy. In the original script he appeared throughout the movie providing social commentary about how a hooker with a heart of gold isn’t so golden. It was a great script, actually, very dark, and was a quite a hot property at the time.
The same is true for Cop. That script introduced Arnold’s character, who was this very tough, recovering alcoholic who just recently lost his wife and child. And was supposed to be a sort of redemption tale. Hence, he saves that kid and her mother from a violent end thereby coming to terms with the ghosts of regret of the death of his own family members.
Just like Marshall, Reitman read the script and said “Ha! now that’s comedy!,” and then rewrote the entire script, removing all the dark parts, while replacinf the backstory of the death of his family with some ferrets. True story.
Mark:
Just like the original Pretty Woman script, Kindergarten Cop was originally quite dark.
Both Gary Marshall and Ivan Reitman, respectively, turned those scripts into light-hearted comedies. Which is why some of the darker aspects of both movies seem so tacked on.
The only real remaining dark part of Pretty Woman can be witnessed in the opening sequence, which is narrated by a homeless guy. In the original script he appeared throughout the movie providing social commentary about how a hooker with a heart of gold isn’t so golden. It was a great script, actually, very dark, and was a quite a hot property at the time.
The same is true for Cop. That script introduced Arnold’s character, who was this very tough, recovering alcoholic who just recently lost his wife and child. And was supposed to be a sort of redemption tale. Hence, he saves that kid and her mother from a violent end thereby coming to terms with the ghosts of regret of the death of his own family members.
Just like Marshall, Reitman read the script and said “Ha! now that’s comedy!,” and then rewrote the entire script, removing all the dark parts, while replacinf the backstory of the death of his family with some ferrets. True story.
Mark:
Just like the original Pretty Woman script, Kindergarten Cop was originally quite dark.
Both Gary Marshall and Ivan Reitman, respectively, turned those scripts into light-hearted comedies. Which is why some of the darker aspects of both movies seem so tacked on.
The only real remaining dark part of Pretty Woman can be witnessed in the opening sequence, which is narrated by a homeless guy. In the original script he appeared throughout the movie providing social commentary about how a hooker with a heart of gold isn’t so golden. It was a great script, actually, very dark, and was a quite a hot property at the time.
The same is true for Cop. That script introduced Arnold’s character, who was this very tough, recovering alcoholic who just recently lost his wife and child. And was supposed to be a sort of redemption tale. Hence, he saves that kid and her mother from a violent end thereby coming to terms with the ghosts of regret of the death of his own family members.
Just like Marshall, Reitman read the script and said “Ha! now that’s comedy!,” and then rewrote the entire script, removing all the dark parts, while replacinf the backstory of the death of his family with some ferrets. True story.
Pineapple Express wasn’t very good because Rogen seemed like he was doing a Lewis Black impression and was really flat the whole time. Franco and McBride were really good to great. And when the trailer kills because of the soundtrack, you should just reshoot your movie with that song, because it is all downhill.
Smilla’s Sense of Snow was definitely a switcheroo. I think the film was underrated. Ormond was quite good, as was Byrne.
Sorry about the multiple posts. Internet connection issues.
I’ve always loved Miami Blues for the re-switcheroo it pulls in tone right at the end. SPOILER: That final shot where Ward pops in his dentures and says “Got my teeth back,” with a big shit-eating grin to the opening strains of Spirit in the Sky…pure brilliance.
Thunderbolt & Lightfoot changes gears pretty dramatically for its ending.
Ooh, I’ve got one:
Milius’ BIG WEDNESDAY. Not to parrot what it says in Maltin’s book, and I don’t think it’s quite that drastic, but the first hour is a lot of Vincent, Busey and Katt horsing around, trashing houses, guzzling beer and seeking out weed and awesome waves. Busey all BASTING HIMSELF and trying to fit in an oven, Freddy Kruger belching and ogling… even the Draft board scenes are played comedically. But after ‘Nam it becomes a mournful, Miliusian reflection on machismo and lost innocence and growing pains… ends up a big elegiac downer.
Good movie… sadly forgotten.
I was going to say PSyCHO, but it’s called PSyCHO. Also Lex, had the same issue with Ward in ARMORED, and sadly I realized the last thing I’d seen him in was JOE DIRT.
How about the last half of TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, when Geraldine Page and Rebecca De Mornay get stranded in that small town in Texas and (SPOLIER ALERT!!!) after getting raped and tortured by hillbillies they kill the sheriff that abducted them with a shovel (he gets decapitated) and then get their hands on some 12 gauge shotguns and methodically kill all of the people that tormented them.
“The Crying Game”?
I saw Leaves of Grass at TIFF, and it didn’t work on me either. Though Ebert thought this is the best movie at TIFF last year, and one of the best movie this year.
watched Leaves of Grass last night, and while I thought there were two solid performances from Edward Norton, as well as Keri Russell and Tim Blake Nelson, yes the last 20 minutes definitely was an unexpected change of pace. Didn’t kill the movie for me but it was definitely two vastly different films happening.
Prager – Now I’m going to have to try to stay awake through all of “Trip to Bountiful”
Burn After Reading.
One shift that always pissed me off was The Paper – the first two thirds are actually close to being the best movie Ron Howard has ever done. Sharply written, well acted, some Altman-esque jumping between conversations in the newsroom, nice interplay between Duvall and Keaton, and then the ridiculous third act starting with a goofy brawl between Glenn Close at Keaton at the presses.
Not only does it get too slapsticky, but Howard just can’t resist channeling his ridiculous Parenthood ending with endless closeups of babies. At the time I saw it, I was considering a career in journalism and was writing for my school newspaper – just pissed me off to see how they made it all seem so silly in the end.
I’m not sure I’m remembering correctly, but diidn’t Planes, Trains, and Automobiles turn weirdly depressing towards the end? I remember not liking or expecting that.
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