MovieChat Forums > The Wicker Man (2006) Discussion > Has LaBute ever explained himself over t...

Has LaBute ever explained himself over this?

posted 14 years ago by alinadixon
11 replies | jump to latest

I've listened to the director's commentary on this, which was obviously recorded before the critical reaction to the film.

I was ABSOLUTELY STUNNED that LaBute made almost no reference to the original Wicker Man movie in his commentary. Maybe he assumed that a modern audience wouldn't know about it. I thought that was pretty much like remaking any cult classic and failing to mention the original.

Does anyone know what LaBute's reaction has been to the reaction to this film? It seems that people who don't even know the original laugh out loud at this film. People who do know the original feel like LaBute has taken a dump on them from a great height. Does he even realise what sacrilege he has wrought?

[–] nutty_pistachio 14 years ago

I've only been watching it for 10 minutes and already...urgh.

[–] BoultersCanary 14 years ago

I doubt if he knows or cares. The talentless rarely realise how bad they actually are.

He probably thinks that he has made a significant contribution to the art of cinema.

The church may shout but Darwin roars

[–] scottieweiss 13 years ago

I remember an odd part of the commentary where LaBUte says "People say we didn't know the 'Step away from the bike" line was funny, well, we knew it was funny".

No Neil, you didn't.

[–] Vincen7 13 years ago

lol

[–] Krustallos 13 years ago

Of course he did. "Step away from the bike" is never not going to be funny.

I used to want to change the world. Now I just want to leave the room with a little dignity.

[–] Vincen7 13 years ago

but we're talking about Neil LaBute here..

[–] scottieweiss 13 years ago

"Of course he did. "Step away from the bike" is never not going to be funny."

The whole script was never not going to be funny. He didn't let that stand in his way.

[–] Wuchak (8830) 3 years ago

I remember an odd part of the commentary where LaBUte says "People say we didn't know the 'Step away from the bike" line was funny, well, we knew it was funny".

No Neil, you didn't.

If you're familiar with his other works you know he did. For instance, "Nurse Betty" (2000) is a curious film in that it can't be pigeonholed. It's part dramedy, part road movie, part crime drama, part romcom and part black comedy. It's such an eccentric mix viewers don't know how to take it, especially when it throws in a fairly radical scalping sequence (and I don't mean scalping tickets).

His version of "The Wicker Man" is likewise a bizarre mixture. It can be taken serious to a point, sure, but it's also sometimes laugh-out-loud amusing with a straight face. Viewers who are lobotomized by one-level stories naturally find it confusing and label it a "bad movie." If it's bad, it's intentionally bad for the purpose of entertainment.

[–] Krustallos 13 years ago

He probably thinks that he has made a significant contribution to the art of cinema.

Er, well he has. Maybe not here, but Neil LaBute made "In The Company of Men", and "Nurse Betty" both of which were brilliant. This may not be his finest hour, but to call him "untalented" is only to display your own ignorance.

I used to want to change the world. Now I just want to leave the room with a little dignity.

[–] scottieweiss 13 years ago

Neil LaBute made "In The Company of Men", and "Nurse Betty" both of which were brilliant.

Haven't seen Nurse Betty, but I respectfully disagree re. the Company of Men. Two soulless bell-ends decide to ruin an insecure deaf woman's life for no real reason. I didn't see much point in it.

There's no denying it's better than the Wicker Man, though.But then most films are.

[–] schall1991 9 years ago

The point is that there are "soulless bell-ends" who take and vantage of and ridicule innocent people each and every day. As I type this comment, something along the lines of the plot of "In the Company of Men" is happening in real life. Do you live in a vacuum???