The Dumbing Down of Movies (and a Rec)

[anogete]

The fic/art presents for the winter edition of the sshg_exchange are nearly here. Squee! There is a beautiful (and naughty) piece of artwork posted right now just to make everyone eager for more.

I haven't posted anything about this yet, but I have opinions on the movie I Am Legend even though I haven't seen it. Years ago, I stumbled across a collection of Richard Matheson's short stories in a small bookstore. Most people are unaware, but I Am Legend is based off one of those short stories, and the story shares the title with the movie. It's been a favorite of mine since I first zipped through it. I've read it twice more since then, once aloud to Jason when we first began dating. It's a wonderful story, and it has had an incredible influence on many horror novels/novelists and horror movies. Stephen King and George Romero have bowed down to Matheson as one of their major inspirations. So, to me, the story is a bit sacred, not something to me trifled with. You know where this is going, right?

Months ago, they began showing short previews, and then complete trailers, for the movie. I thought it looked interesting in general, though there were a few minor items I didn't particularly agree with. However, I was very much willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. I saw Omega Man, also based off I Am Legend, and it was a load of crap; anything had to be better. This new adaptation with Will Smith seemed promising. I kept a close eye on the reviews up through the day after the movie opened. I still had not made a decision on whether I would see it in the theaters, but I resolved that if the reviews seemed positive, I'd give it a whirl. Things seemed 50/50, but many reviews inclined toward the positive end of things. A co-worker of mine saw the movie that opening weekend, and the following Monday I quizzed him about what was what. I was unhappy about the portrayal of the creatures (who are, in the short story, considered to be some sort of vampire) as zombies without the ability to speak intelligently, and I was unhappy with the flash and dazzle of the lion in New York City. Actually, I was a bit peeved that they saw fit to move the location of the tale to New York City instead of keeping with the original and setting it in Los Angeles. However, I was glad to hear the atmosphere of paranoia and loneliness seemed to remain intact. Then came my big question: How did it end? I won't type it out here because some of you may still want to see the movie, and I don't want to ruin it for you. My co-worker explained the ending to me. My immediate reaction? Disgust. It was most definitely not the ending of the short story.

In the past few years, many novels have been adapted into movies. I'm of the opinion that the book is usually better, but I'm very capable of enjoying the movie for what it is as long as it remains true to the spirit of the original. All of these adaptations have made me realize that there is a serious effort to dumb stories down for the movie-going audience. It's very discouraging to me to say the least. Endings are changed, controversial dialogue removed, useless action scenes inserted. I'm not sure who, exactly, is responsible for these things. The studio executives? The director? The producers? Who? It's as if they don't have faith in their audience. They don't seem to think we can grasp a bleak ending or a movie without big-budget action sequences that involve CGI out the ass.

I Am Legend could very be turned into an amazing movie filled with mounting tension and creeping paranoia. It could be a harsh, twisted, and dark mind-fuck that would leave the viewer reeling out of the theater. But it can't be that with lions running amuck in Central Park, bridges exploding in spectacular bombings, and an ending with hope. I Am Legend is a very dark tale, and the title tells you how it will end. The hero does not save the human race; he is captured by those who are infected and dies by his own hand. He is legend. He is the last of the human race. There is no cure, no secret vaccination that will save the day.

Maybe I'm just a sucker for the darker side of things. Maybe everyone else would find that sort of ending to be terrible and depressing. Maybe people wouldn't go see something like that. Maybe I'm a weirdo. But, in happier news...

Willy-nilly, I plucked a sci-fi movie off the new release shelf at the video store last weekend. Jason and I watched it on Monday night, and it was so much more than what we were expecting. The Man From Earth was written by Jerome Bixby, a reasonably well-known sci-fi author. The idea was conceived in 1960, and the screenplay finally completed on his deathbed in 1998. Richard Schenkman, the director, turned a fantastic screenplay into an even more fantastic movie. It's a talk-y sci-fi flick, so if you're looking for flash, this isn't for you. The story revolves around a professor named John Oldman. His colleagues throw him an impromptu going away party at his cabin before he moves on to other things. The party includes four scientists who are experts in their various fields, a religion scholar, an assistant, and a student. They question John about why he's leaving until he finally confides that he is a Cro-Magnan who does not age. He claims he has been around for well over 14,000 years and typically moves on to another life every ten years or so when people around him begin to notice that he does not age. His colleagues laugh at first, but when they realize he is not joking, they begin their attempt at debunking his tale. They are unable to because John has a viable answer at every turn. This had the potential to be very silly, but it was absolutely amazing. The movie tackled biology, history, religion, life/death, and human nature with such skill that I was floored. All ninety minutes take place in the cabin, and the dialogue is non-stop. I highly recommend it if you are looking for something to stimulate your brain.

EDIT: I found the trailer for the above-mentioned movie. You can see it on YouTube here.

Comments

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I went into I Am Legend knowing they'd adapted the short story for a Big Box Office Release...meaning, yes, they'd dumbed it down substantially. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, and I definitely had issues with the ending, but it was enjoyable. Will Smith has a tendency to be quite hammy on film, but his Neville was obviously grappling with the issues of loneliness and insanity that the original character dealt with...albeit on a much more shallow level. I could have done without the Bob Marley references, and without the addition of the mother/child duo, but it's a film I wouldn't mind rewatching.

THE MAN FROM EARTH...

[(Anonymous)]

This is Eric D. Wilkinson, Producer of "Jerome Bixby's The Man From Earth". I want to say THANK YOU for supporting our independent film. It has been a labor of love for us for years and it's great to see posts like yours complimenting our film.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Eric D. Wilkinson

Re: THE MAN FROM EARTH...

[anogete.livejournal.com]

Thank *you* for making such a wonderful film. I enjoyed it greatly and have already ordered a copy from Amazon.com.

[fishchick.livejournal.com]

I've read some of Matheson's other stuff, but not I Am Legend. I agree with your premise though. It seems like it would be easier for Hollywood to just write their own cheesy screenplays instead of taking the time to crap up previously existing material.