# Good stuff in bad movies, etc., you wish someone good would steal **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 21, 2004, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328 "2004-05-21T07:02:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/21 "2004-05-22T03:30:46Z")
_Underworld_. How can a movie about a war between vampires and werewolves come out so tremendously, painfully bad? It shoulda been a popcorn flick classic. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/22 "2004-05-22T04:36:17Z")
> [@](#): > > IIRC, Groundhog Day was preceded by a short indy film that used the same idea. I don’t know if GH stole the idea or came up with it independently,. and I’ve never seen the other film. Groudhog Day was based on a short story called 12:01 A.M. The same year it came out, there was a made for TV movie based on the same story and called 12:01. It starred Jonathon Silverman and Helen Slater and was more true to the story. That could be what you were thinking of. As for the OP, I want to mention a small part of Star Trek V. There’s one shot where the camera is behind Kirk, McCoy and Spock in a shuttle, the camera pans around them and then is suddenly outside the shuttle and pulls away. It’s a very elegent shot, and about the best thing in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![EsotericEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@EsotericEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EsotericEnigma)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/23 "2004-05-22T05:25:21Z")
What a great topic, I like it because the movie Equilibrium has such a perfect example. Equilibrium is an absolutely awful movie; bad acting, bad CG, bad everything… except for gun katas. I just love the idea of gun katas. Gun katas explain how it seems that “heroes” never miss with their weapons and enemies can never hit. It doesn’t make anyone invincible or anything, it makes them “80% less likely to be hit.” It’s just a cool concept that changes heroes from a “superhero” to a believable, skilled soldier. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/24 "2004-05-22T09:54:04Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Mine is just a scene within a Robin Williams movie. I can’t remember the name of the movie, though I think it’s “What Dreams May Come.” > > Williams dies and wakes up in heaven. The landscape is made of paint. It’s just stunning, visually, though I can’t recommend the rest of the movie. I can–it’s one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/25 "2004-05-22T13:01:29Z")
> [@Doomtrain](#): > > _Underworld_. How can a movie about a war between vampires and werewolves come out so tremendously, painfully bad? It shoulda been a popcorn flick classic. It was. It just wasn’t a great movie. Maybe the director’s cut improves it; I’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/26 "2004-05-22T13:41:14Z")
> [@EsotericEnigma](#): > > What a great topic, I like it because the movie Equilibrium has such a perfect example. > > Equilibrium is an absolutely awful movie; bad acting, bad CG, bad everything… except for gun katas. I just love the idea of gun katas. Gun katas explain how it seems that “heroes” never miss with their weapons and enemies can never hit. It doesn’t make anyone invincible or anything, it makes them “80% less likely to be hit.” It’s just a cool concept that changes heroes from a “superhero” to a believable, skilled soldier. This is exactly the sort of stuff I was thinking of when I started the thread. I’m thinking it would be possible to assemble a great B movie, or even a great A movie, from the scraps of bad B movies that are good and worthwhile. Sort of a Frankenstein approach to movie making. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/27 "2004-05-22T15:03:33Z")
The fistfight in _They Live_ was only 5.5 minutes. I timed it and even started a thread about it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_27th\_Evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ebca7d/32.png) [@The\_27th\_Evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_27th_Evil)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/28 "2004-05-22T15:15:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Mine is just a scene within a Robin Williams movie. I can’t remember the name of the movie, though I think it’s “What Dreams May Come.” > > Williams dies and wakes up in heaven. The landscape is made of paint. It’s just stunning, visually, though I can’t recommend the rest of the movie. The movie was awful, I will admit that (though the set designers did a fantastic job). But track down the book by Richard Matheson. Before the filmmakers gutted it and changed several central ideas of the plot, it was phenomenal. I’ve had my copy for nearly 7 years now and it’s fallen apart. And I’ll have to throw in any seriously good idea that gets stuck in a Lifetime movie. Any Lifetime movie- they all have the same plot progression anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/29 "2004-05-23T14:17:25Z")
There’s an old Aaron Spelling TV movie (I think it was a series pilot) called “Velvet” that had a central plot device/set that could work out really well in another context. It’s about a chain of aerobics exercise studios called “Velvet” that are actually a front for U.S. international cops who fight crime under cover of being aerobics instructors. The really cool thing was the set – each “Velvet” location had a central office with all of the exercise studios radiating from it in a ring. The wall of the studios that adjoined the central office were mirrored on the studio side and one-way glass on the office side, so the aerobics staff could watch any given exercise class at any given time. There was also a secret inner office inside the central office where the Velvet agents could contact headquarters. I’ve always thought the same setup would be GREAT for white slavers. They run the exercise studios and the instructors are actually their minions. They use the members’ application forms as the basis for an investigation to determine if they are kidnappable. Then they have prospective buyers come by the central office, where they examine their prospective victims through the one-way glass as they exercise and pick out the ones they want. It would also make for a great scene where a bound and gagged victim is held in the central office, watching her former classmates exercise while they’re picked over by the slavers, unable to warn them even though she can clearly see them. Great B-movie fodder, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![yastobaal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/258eb7/32.png) [@yastobaal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yastobaal)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/30 "2004-05-24T17:00:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by EsotericEnigma > What a great topic, I like it because the movie Equilibrium has such a perfect example. > > Equilibrium is an absolutely awful movie; bad acting, bad CG, bad everything… except for gun katas. I just love the idea of gun katas. Gun katas explain how it seems that “heroes” never miss with their weapons and enemies can never hit. It doesn’t make anyone invincible or anything, it makes them “80% less likely to be hit.” It’s just a cool concept that changes heroes from a “superhero” to a believable, skilled soldier. The only thing I liked about Equilibrium was the end gun battle where they each knock the other guys gun away whilst trying to get their gun into postion. Could be used to go effect elsewhere. BTW anyone else like the fact **Evil Captor** posted about white slavers? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/31 "2004-05-24T17:32:15Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > This premise, the ingenious seed of _Groundhog Day_ goes horribly wrong when BillMurray decides to spend his hellish eternity wooing Andie McDowell, and finally escapes this hell by falling asleep in her arms. I may be wrong about this (its some time since I saw the movie), but I don’t think sleeping with Andie McDowell was what got him out of the loop. I think he did that about halfway through the movie – although, if I was him, I’d remember what I did to get her into the sack, and then do it again whenever I felt the need – she may be a lousy actress, but, hey… 😃 I believe he got out of the loop by finally executing every single part of the day perfectly, saving the life of the choking victim, resuing the cat in the tree, etc., etc. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/32 "2004-05-24T21:39:36Z")
\Doing everything “right” was what he was TRYING to do to get out of the loop. Thus the scenes with the homeless guy. He dies that day, regardless of what Phil (Bill Murray) does. My memory may be a little muddled, but the scene with the homeless guy happens late in the movie… I pretty sure he gets to the 3rd two days later. So on day Feb3-2 he finds out the homeless guy will die, no matter what he does. On day Feb3-1, he knows his Perfect Day is impossible, but he’s still running around catching the kid falling out of the tree, fixing the old ladies’ flat tire, etc… and sure he ends up getting in Andie MacDowell’s pants. The reason he gets out it because he does all these good deeds _knowing they will not work_ and seduces Rita (MacDowell) without the careful engineering of the entire day as happened earlier in the film. Think of it like a Japanese finger trap, Once he finally stops trying to get out, it’s possible for him to escape.\ I’d like to nominate _[Cube](http://imdb.com/title/tt0123755/)_. It’s actually a pretty good movie, I just think it could be better. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/33 "2004-05-25T02:47:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by CalMeacham > As I recall, neither was chasing the other – I noted that there were two aliens. > > Having just re-read my copy of The Twilight Zone Companion, I’ll mention that > > (a) the original ending had the alien revealed to be a dog in the diner, and > > (b) the final twist of the ending is that the three-handed Martian wasn’t expecting the three-eyed Venusian to show up – since the Venusians had intercepted the Martian fleet and fuxxor’d their plans. The viewers were waiting for one alien, and got two… > > * * * If you mean that the original idea for the script had the dog being an alien, then I’ll buy it, but AFAIK, it’s not based on any story. Although that “dog as an alien” might have been changed because it was too similar to the Fredric Brown story I mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/34 "2004-06-01T11:50:34Z")
The trailer for **S1m0ne** portrayed what I thought was an awesome premise: creating a computer-generated “actress” who becomes an international superstar. A producer’s wet dream! You don’t have to pay “her”; “she” won’t pull any prima-donna stuff; “she” works on your schedule; and so forth. It took me about one minute, afterwards, to realize how it was going to really play out: another tired trying-to-fool-all-of-the-people-all-of-the-time farce. (Accurate prediction, I’m told.) What I’d do with that premise is devote almost the entire film to the producer figuring out how to create this “actress”: what she should look like, how she should talk, and move, what kind of backstory she should have. He would work with the techies to accomplish this, and the story would turn on the release of the film, and the overnight sensation of the new “star”. The last act would involve the techies realizing that they, collectively, were worth more than any one actress could ever demand. “Give us X amount of money, or we’ll blow the lid off this thing.” Realizing that the techies have nothing to lose by exposing his scheme, while his future depends on their silence, the producer is forced to sign over the entire profit from his film, and perhaps some of his capital. His name is above the title of a huge hit…but he has nothing in the bank to show for it. ---
**Author:** ![snorlax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@snorlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snorlax)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/35 "2004-06-01T12:21:38Z")
I’ve mentioned this on another thread but I think _Capricorn One_ is a good story let down by crappy 70’s special effects. The idea is that a US mission to Mars is planned but found to be impossible at the 11th hour, so for political reasons the launch and landing is faked and a story is put out that the astronauts are killed on the return journey. The real astronauts are held captive and forced to fake the landing on a soundstage. They are to be killed after they are no longer useful… I’ll stop there for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet but the intrigue and technology of faking the landing are not given due attention in this film. For example the effect of lower gravity is mimiced by slowing down the film speed of the touchdown. Duh. With modern special effects and the paranoia cranked up a notch this would make a great film. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328/36 "2004-06-20T12:39:00Z")
> [@Doomtrain](#): > > _Underworld_. How can a movie about a war between vampires and werewolves come out so tremendously, painfully bad? It shoulda been a popcorn flick classic. It WAS a popcorn flick classic. Another film that could stand to be stolen from is “Passion Network.” It’s a Skinamax flick, which is weird, because it’s got a wonderfully twisty, gloriously, needlessly complicated plot. A young couple is recruited by a group of wealthy degenerates, who want to have sex with them since they’re very good at it. The guy loves the idea, the gal isn’t too crazy about it. The story is told as a series of flashbacks as the gal makes a report to the cops, which I’ll put in a spoiler box Just In Case: The gal finally persuades her lover to make an escape from the Passion Network, but he gets shot in the escape attempt. She reports it to the police, who are extremely suspicious of her tale of a secret network of wealthy, powerful horn dogs (and horn dogesses). When her boyfriend shows up at the police station safe and sound and denying her story, saying she’s “a little eccentric” the cops give up on her entirely. Turns out that was the whole idea – the Passion Network and her boyfriend conspired to make her think they’d killed him so that they could totally discredit her with the cops. So she shoots her boyfriend so the cops will HAVE to investigate her story. With a wittier script and better acting, this could be a very tasty movie, indeed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-stuff-in-bad-movies-etc-you-wish-someone-good-would-steal/246328.md?page=1)