# "Damned with(out) faint praise" movies: films that failed basic filmmaking. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 25, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165 "2018-03-25T17:15:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/21 "2018-03-26T15:23:11Z")
Not necessarily bad, but constant last minute script rewrites certainly deserves mention. It has worked (_Beat the Devil_ and, if the legend is true, _Casablanca_), but more often, it led to massive failure (_Super Mario Brothers, Wild Wild West_) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/22 "2018-03-26T15:47:19Z")
For animals harmed during production, there is the infamous lemming suicide by Disney, but I’m not sure any lemmings actually died: [Did Disney Fake Lemming Suicide for the Nature Documentary 'White Wilderness'? | Snopes.com](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/white-wilderness/) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/23 "2018-03-26T16:04:42Z")
After Bruce Lee died during production of “Game of Death”, stand-ins were used in his place to fill in during missing scenes. In one case, when a stand-in is looking in a mirror, what is obviously a photo of Lee is pasted onto the mirror. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/24 "2018-03-26T16:36:53Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Special Effects > -You can literally see the zipper on the monster costume. (Attack of The The Eye Creatures) > […] > Ethics > -Animals harmed during production. In **The Beginning of the End** , you have amusing special effects such as [grasshoppers on a postcard](https://grandoldmovies.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/grasshoppers-chicago.jpg) who aren’t even completely standing on the “building” much less paying any nevermind to perspective or depth perception. But, while finding that photo, I also learned that the film started with a couple hundred grasshoppers for special effects and ended with a few dozen. Apparently grasshoppers can turn cannibalistic during times of stress and I guess being a grasshopper in show business is very stressful. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/25 "2018-03-26T19:37:04Z")
Cinematography - CGI film that lost all of their assets shortly before completion in 2003 and were afterwards forced to redo everything entirely on the cheap since they had already spent their budget. Progress was slow and they constantly missed deadlines until the group that initially funded the film decided to seize the film after they defaulted on a loan and just released the product as-is on the unsuspecting world in 2012 nine years after the original intended release, horrible animation and all (Foodfight!) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/26 "2018-03-26T20:55:40Z")
I think it was one of the Highlander(“There Should Have Been Only ONE!”) movies where they fly into New York and there’s a sign in the airport that says “ **Welcome to Montreal** ” ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/27 "2018-03-27T02:47:04Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > There should also be a category for “utterly bastardized the source material.” > > _Starship Troopers,_ _Bonfire of the Vanities,_ _Lawnmower Man,_ I’m sure I could think of many others if I spent some time at it. **Word War Z** :mad:. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/28 "2018-03-27T06:18:10Z")
I’m actually surprised how many major films released in the 70’s and 80’s have noticeable problems with both sound editing and out-of-focus shots left in. “The Deer Hunter” has a lot of scenes with muffled audio and inaudible people, and “The Spy Who Loved Me” has a bunch of scenes with blurry or out-of-focus filming. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/29 "2018-03-28T12:41:44Z")
Actually, I take exception to a lot of the OP – problems pop up frequently during the making of films. That the films get made at all is frequently amazing. That filmmakers carry on in the teeth of imp;ending disaster isn’t a “fail” or a "fault’ – it’s professionalism. One of my all time favorite films is Stanley Kubrick’s **2001: a Space Odyssey** , and it has one of you “failsd” in it: > [@](#): > > 'Couldn’t get an exotic animal for filming, so painted a less-exotic one and filmed it. (Beastmaster; Sheena) The “dead zebra” in the _Dawn of Man_ sequence is actually a painted dead horse: > **[2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - Trivia - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/trivia/)** > > 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - Trivia on IMDb: Cameos, Mistakes, Spoilers and more... > [@](#): > > The use of the Sinar system explains why in the scene where the leopard is sitting next to the dead zebra (in reality a painted dead horse) the leopard’s eyes glow a bright color. > [@](#): > > Animals deliberately killed during production. (Heaven’s Gate; Cannibal Holocaust) In the film _Apocalypse Now_, they pretty deliberately killed that water buffalo at the end > [@](#): > > It really happened: > > The animal (a water buffalo, or carabao) was killed - but not for the film. The tribe in the film was a real indigenous tribe that lived in the area, and they had already decided to slaughter it. Coppola merely decided to film the event. > The buffalo was already marked for ritual sacrifice by the indigenous tribe cast as the disciples of Brando’s gone-native Colonel Kurtz, and the argument was that it would have been hacked to death whether or not the cameras were rolling. > > - AV Club > It wasn’t illegal in the Philippines, where the scene was filmed: > > I’m not familiar with animal welfare laws in the jungles of the Philippines in the late 1970’s, but the water buffalo belonged to the tribe, and this is simply how they slaughtered their livestock. By all indications, there were no laws preventing them from doing so, nor was it illegal for Coppola to film them doing it. > > Even today, it seems that an indigenous tribe like the Ifugaos would be able to conduct a similar slaughter of carabao: > SECTION 6. It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to neglect to provide adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat any animals or to subject any dog or horse to dogfights or horse fights, kill or cause or procure to be tortured or deprived of adequate care sustenance or shelter, or maltreat or use the same in research or experiments not expressly authorized by the Committee on Animal welfare. > > The killing of any animal other than cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits, carabao, horse, deer and crocodiles is likewise hereby declared unlawful except in the following instances: > > 1. When it is done as part of the religious rituals of an established religion or sect or ritual required by ethnic custom of indigenous cultural communities: however, leaders shall keep records in cooperation with the Committee on Animal Welfare… > > - Republic Act No. 8485: An Act To Promote Animal Welfare In The Philippines, Otherwise Known As “the Animal Welfare Act Of 1998”1 > > However, the Wikipedia article for the movie says that it may have been illegal under U.S. law, because the film was an American production: > Although this was an American production subject to American animal cruelty laws, scenes like this filmed in the Philippines were not policed or monitored. > > - Wikipedia > It still had consequences for the film: > > Because of this scene, the film was not given the familiar “No animals were harmed in the making of this film” credit. > The sacrifice of a carabao, which takes place during the Kurtz episode, was “a real ritual slaughter performed by the Ifugaos.” As a result, Apoca- lypse Now is one of the few mainstream Hollywood films not to carry a statement in the closing credits that no animal was harmed during the making of the picture. > > - Godfather: The Intimate Francis Ford Coppola, by Gene D. Phillips > > The American Humane Association has added Apocalypse Now to its list of “Unacceptable” films. > Featured Animal Action > Apocalypse Now was filmed in the Philippines in 1979. According to AHA’s research, a water buffalo was hacked to pieces during the making of the film, earning the film an Unacceptable rating from AHA. > > - AHA > ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/30 "2018-03-28T12:53:00Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > I think it was one of the Highlander(“There Should Have Been Only ONE!”) movies where they fly into New York and there’s a sign in the airport that says “ **Welcome to Montreal** ” IIRC, in Die Hard 2 Bruce Willis is on a pay phone in Dulles airport in Washington DC. The phone clearly says “Pacific Bell” on the side. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/31 "2018-03-28T14:59:59Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > I’m actually surprised how many major films released in the 70’s and 80’s have noticeable problems with both sound editing and out-of-focus shots left in. _Raging Bull_ should have been called _Raging Volume Inconsistency._ ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/32 "2018-03-28T16:15:09Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > I’m actually surprised how many major films released in the 70’s and 80’s have noticeable problems with both sound editing and out-of-focus shots left in. And even before that. _The Longest Day_ was a major, big budget WWII epic, loaded with major stars. In the first ten minutes, [this happens.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgboTY1IWjE) Rommel’s ability to turn invisible is not further explored in the film. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/33 "2018-03-29T21:53:06Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > -'Couldn’t get an exotic animal for filming, so painted a less-exotic one and filmed it. (Beastmaster; Sheena) I think that’s a very rude way to refer to Tanya Roberts. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/34 "2018-03-29T23:03:48Z")
> [@SCSimmons](#): > > I think that’s a very rude way to refer to Tanya Roberts. Best thing I’ve read all week 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/35 "2018-03-29T23:19:05Z")
I’m not certain that money was the issue, but Wim Wenders’ _Faraway, So Close!_ is missing so many transitional scenes that the ending makes no sense whatsoever. The official story seems to be that Wenders made some cuts to get the film down to a commercial runtime, but that doesn’t ring true to me - there would be a director’s cut by now filling in the gaps if the missing scenes were extant. It’s not a bad film - there are so many scenes with real merit - but the missing scenes put this one neck-deep in “huh?” territory. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/36 "2018-03-30T13:43:02Z")
Years ago, I read a hilarious interview with Jeff Morrow of “The Giant Claw.” He appeared in a lot of cheesy movies, and readily admitted it. But " The Giant Claw" was horrible even by his standards! He talked about a scene where he was supposed to be seeing the giant alien bird for the first time. There was no bird prop yet, so Morrow didnt actually see anything. The director told him to act terrified, as if he were seeing the scariest thing imaginable! Morrow was assured the special effects were going to be amazing. When Morrow eventually saw, basically, a Muppet bird eating a Thomas the Tank Engine set, he sank in his seat and prayed for death. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/37 "2018-03-31T12:47:18Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > And even before that. _The Longest Day_ was a major, big budget WWII epic, loaded with major stars. In the first ten minutes, [this happens.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgboTY1IWjE) > > Rommel’s ability to turn invisible is not further explored in the film. I looked at it several times… I don’t see anything odd. What did I miss? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165/38 "2018-03-31T13:21:51Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I looked at it several times… I don’t see anything odd. What did I miss? At 0:39, Rommel disappears while talking. I suppose it could look like just a cut from one camera shot to another; it’s just the actor in front of an ocean backdrop, but since the horizon line doesn’t change it looks like he just vanishes. And the same thing a few seconds later when he reappears. The backdrop doesn’t change enough (if at all) to convey a change of POV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damned-with-out-faint-praise-movies-films-that-failed-basic-filmmaking/811165.md?page=1)