# Am I supposed to laugh at the preview for the new M. Night Shamalayan movie?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763 "2006-06-30T15:58:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/1 "2006-06-30T15:58:02Z")
WARNING: This includes information found in and only in the theatrical preview. If you don’t even want to know that much, STOP! I think Mr. Shamalama has gone off the deep end (heh) with his new movie **The Lady in the [del]Swimming Pool[/del] Water** which seems to feature a mermaid, an underground alternate society, a shirtless Paul Giamatti, and a wolf-type creature who seems to be distantly related to the apparent one in **The Village**. It seems like this guy is taking every gimmick (including codes and alien languages like the ones on the door to the underground kingdom) and throwing it into a movie. Is he for real or just parodying himself at this point and seeing if we fall for it? Could it be a tough-in-cheek comedy? ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/2 "2006-06-30T16:02:20Z")
I laughed at the commercial too, but not because of the commercial itself… rather because throughout the whole thing I kept visualizing the Robot Chicken M. Night popping on screen and saying “What a twist!” ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/3 "2006-06-30T16:40:46Z")
Well, my response to the trailer on seeing the title (Lady in the Lak…errr…water) was… “Listen, strange women lying in ponds and distributing swords is no basis for a system of government…” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Elysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@Elysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysium)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/4 "2006-06-30T16:56:32Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Well, my response to the trailer on seeing the title (Lady in the Lak…errr…water) was… > > “Listen, strange women lying in ponds and distributing swords is no basis for a system of government…” > 😉 That would be “Watery tarts” I think. But I could be wrong. That trailer really made me want to have M. Night sign a contract saying he would stop using water as a main symbol in his movies. It needs to stop. That’s 3 now. Find a new theme. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/5 "2006-06-30T16:58:04Z")
> [@Elysium](#): > > That would be “Watery tarts” I think. But I could be wrong. I think that was the next wisecrack, where he starts, “Just because some watery tart lobbed you a sword…” ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/6 "2006-06-30T17:13:09Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > I think that was the next wisecrack, where he starts, “Just because some watery tart lobbed you **a sword** …” Wasn’t it “lobbed you a scimitar”? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/7 "2006-06-30T17:19:03Z")
It goes like this: “Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony! Well, but you can’t expect to wield supreme executive power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you! I mean, if I went 'round saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they’d put me away!” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/8 "2006-06-30T18:01:42Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > It goes like this: > > “Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony! Well, but you can’t expect to wield supreme executive power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you! I mean, if I went 'round saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they’d put me away!” If you conjured that up from memory, my respect for you just moved up by several notches. I’m not sure that says good things about _me_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/9 "2006-06-30T18:14:51Z")
In the intrests of fighting ignorance, what is this from? It sounds familiar. I’m guessing Holy Grail…? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/10 "2006-06-30T18:14:59Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > If you conjured that up from memory, my respect for you just moved up by several notches. I’m not sure that says good things about _me_. 😉 Isn’t having instant recall of lengthy Monty Python quotations all but a requirement for being a Doper. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/11 "2006-06-30T18:16:29Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > In the intrests of fighting ignorance, what is this from? It sounds familiar. I’m guessing Holy Grail…? Yep, Holy Grail. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/12 "2006-06-30T18:22:42Z")
From the [IMDb entry:](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452637/) > [@](#): > > Plot Outline: Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world. [Hasn’t this been done?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088161/) ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/13 "2006-06-30T18:25:03Z")
Shamalayan has been completely overrated right from the get-go. I couldn’t believe the way the critics fawned over him for _Sixth Sense_ and its supposedly astonishing twist. The only way one could have been surprised at the ending would be to turn all one’s critical faculties off and try not to notice that the only person interacting with Bruce Willis was the kid who sees ghosts. And , of course, the less said about _Unbreakable_, _Signs_ and \*The Village \*the better. (Crop circles? _Crop circles_? The most documented of hoaxes in history? Sheesh!) Fortunately even those who fell over themselves to praise him are now silently folding their tents and stealing away in embarrassment. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/14 "2006-06-30T18:29:38Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Hasn’t this been done?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088161/) But this time they’re all DEAD. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/15 "2006-06-30T18:43:58Z")
Big twist: she doesn’t live in the pool, _they_ do! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/16 "2006-06-30T18:57:51Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I couldn’t believe the way the critics fawned over him for _Sixth Sense_ and its supposedly astonishing twist. The only way one could have been surprised at the ending would be to turn all one’s critical faculties off and try not to notice that the only person interacting with Bruce Willis was the kid who sees ghosts. :o I fell for it. But no more! I will only point and laugh from now on!! ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/17 "2006-06-30T19:55:41Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I couldn’t believe the way the critics fawned over him for _Sixth Sense_ and its supposedly astonishing twist. The only way one could have been surprised at the ending would be to turn all one’s critical faculties off and try not to notice that the only person interacting with Bruce Willis was the kid who sees ghosts. I fell for it. I fell for _Unbreakable_ and _The Village_ too. Funnily, the only Shyamalan movie I don’t like is the one without a twist, unless the twist is “this is a really dumb movie, bet you didn’t expect that”. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/18 "2006-06-30T20:25:54Z")
I liked _The Sixth Sense_ and _Unbreakable_, and hated _Signs_ with a passion I usually reserve for real-life stupidity, like the Fox News Channel. I didn’t bother with _The Village_ and this one looks really irritating too. I’d give my local projectionist a dollar to stop running the damn trailer. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/19 "2006-06-30T20:30:08Z")
I laughed, but for other reasons. In the TV trailer, the entire thing is a girl whispering. I understand it’s supposed to be creepy, or something, but I kept thinking, “speak up you twit! There is a woman in your swimming pool, a wolf that appears to be bred from the terrible CGI TDAT laughfests, and it hasn’t been sunset going on for three weeks now - this is no time to be whispering!” “Shhhh! I’m scaaaaaaaar-weeee!” Dumb. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763/20 "2006-06-30T21:54:40Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > From the [IMDb entry:](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452637/) > > > [@](#): > > > > Plot Outline: Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world. Anybody want to wager this will be the twist: Helping her go “home” will turn out to be a BIG mistake. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-supposed-to-laugh-at-the-preview-for-the-new-m-night-shamalayan-movie/362763.md?page=2)