# Who greenlighted this cinematic shitshow? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [May 1, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703 "2026-05-01T18:25:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/1 "2026-05-01T18:25:56Z")
Not movies that are poorly made, but ones where the very concept and/or stars made you think, well…just look at the title. First up is _Moment By Moment_ with Lily Tomlin with all humor and sarcasm removed, and John Travolta with what little Vinny Barbarino had going on removed. This movie started out depressing and stayed that way, and it contains the emotion of a table-read. You? ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/2 "2026-05-01T18:40:51Z")
So like Sharknado? I always wondered who thought that up. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/3 "2026-05-01T18:42:20Z")
_Bud and Lou_ starring Buddy Hackett and Harvey Korman, who have none of the timing of the men they’re portraying. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4UNkF_xFQW4/hqdefault.jpg "CBS Late Night Movie: Bud and Lou (1978) Buddy Hackett, Harvey Korman") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UNkF_xFQW4&t=1734s) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/4 "2026-05-01T19:32:08Z")
**Being John Malkovich** - No one wants to do that. No one. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/5 "2026-05-01T19:46:47Z")
There’s a big difference between a movie not being to everyone’s taste and a shitshow. _Being John Malkovich_ has a 95% Rotten Tomatoes rating and 7.7 on IMDB; compare that to the OP’s _Moment by Moment_ with 20% RT and 3.3 IMDB. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/6 "2026-05-01T19:53:02Z")
I’ll add “Urban Cowboy”. (Mainly because I sat thru it last night) But…come on, Winger looked like a stick dancing with Travolta. She got her shot riding the bull and doing a sexy(I guess) dance thing. Ok. It’s sad that there were really people in Texas doing this fake bull riding, THINKING it was an essential skill for a dude (and a gal, turns out). The couple Bud and Sissy were portrayed as trailer trash. Trailer trash are poor people. You don’t go to fancy night clubs and buy expensive beers, every night. Like Gilleys. It was gritty and ugly. The story made no sense. Someone told me it’s Saturday night Fever set in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/7 "2026-05-01T20:00:43Z")
I’ve seen lots of movies like the OP suggests. When even before the end you’re going “what da fuk is this?” Unfortunately for this thread, I’ve deliberately forgotten them! Yes that means there’s a risk I could accidentally watch them again. Maybe one I remember is _Nothing Lasts Forever_. I’m sure it probably makes sense when you’re coked up and on speed while writing it. But not to the rest of us. > **[Nothing Lasts Forever (film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_Lasts_Forever_(film))** > > Nothing Lasts Forever is a 1984 American science fiction comedy-drama film written and directed by Tom Schiller, and starring Zach Galligan and Lauren Tom, with a supporting ensemble cast including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sam Jaffe, Imogene Coca, Eddie Fisher and Mort Sahl. John Belushi was slated to appear, but he died six weeks before production began. > Shortly before its announced release date of September 1984, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer shelved it. The film has never been officially released t... ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/8 "2026-05-01T20:04:57Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > It was gritty and ugly. The story made no sense. I kind of like Urban Cowboy. They’re very different people from me, so I can’t comment on realism. But I found it plausible: backwoods country boy follows his uncle to an oil company for work, he gets pulled into the local culture, meets a girl and quickly gets married. I’m sure that’s happened. Read an oral history about the film once and apparently the real life Bud and Cissy equivalents eventually parted ways. But it was interesting to see Travolta do some western dancing and Scott Glenn as a very quiet and menacing villain. As for the OP, I’m amazed at the many, many silly horror films. I read a web page that tracks new releases and I can’t tell you how many are cheapo horror flicks. Also a lot of films with some cop or warrior looking guy brandishing a gun. Sort of sad how many movie posters look the same in that way. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/9 "2026-05-01T20:06:59Z")
Live action versions of animated or puppet shows. Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, Thunderbirds, I knew they would suck from the moment I heard. I mean Thunderbirds, the original TV show, is a thing of beauty. It has amazing detailed models. The amount of work that went into building those tiny sets is impressive. I can watch it for that alone. Change that to live action and you lose the best part of the show. And then you notice the 1-dimensional characters, and a basic premise that doesn’t make sense. It’s going to be awful. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/10 "2026-05-01T20:10:36Z")
_Blazing Saddles_ with all the “good” sucked out. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nxKAWEufuc4/hqdefault.jpg "Black Bart Pilot HQ (Blazing Saddles Spin Off)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxKAWEufuc4) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/11 "2026-05-01T20:26:42Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > **Being John Malkovich** - No one wants to do that. No one. Not I, certainly, even if 19 out 20 critics disagree. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/12 "2026-05-01T20:41:43Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > **Being John Malkovich** - No one wants to do that. No one. A very good movie and well regarded. Far from a shitshow. You didn’t like it is not the same thing. I usually don’t like Meryl Streep, I still acknowledge she is a great actress who is just not to my taste. (I feel she is a throwback to the over-acting of the 30s) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/13 "2026-05-01T21:14:56Z")
Did the laughtrack commit suicide after this was filmed? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/14 "2026-05-01T23:58:49Z")
**When Time Ran Out** Irwin Allen kills off a big name cast with a volcano instead of a burning skyscraper. Makes **Beyond the Poseidon Adventure** look like High Opera. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/15 "2026-05-02T00:21:42Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > _Bud and Lou_ starring Buddy Hackett and Harvey Korman, who have none of the timing of the men they’re portraying I’d never heard of that before your post. For Harvey Korman and Buddy Hackett I have much affection. But that was terrible! ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/16 "2026-05-02T01:21:24Z")
I cite damn near every movie that has ever been skewered on Mystery Science Theater 3000. What a pile of dung. I couldn’t tolerate any of those without the input of Joel/Mike and the robots. And, much like the music industry, the greenlight shitshow phenomenon seems to be getting increasingly worse because number crunchers are making more of the creative decisions these days, despite having no real love, or even interest, for the respective art form. I hope that’s not too much of a hijack, but I will delete if so. And if you insist on just one movie - _Trail of the Pink Panther_ should suffice, especially since Peter Sellers had already died before production began. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/17 "2026-05-02T01:28:21Z")
Being John Malkovich made a profit and entertained a lot of people, so huzzah to whomever greenlit it! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/18 "2026-05-02T01:53:05Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > > [@Skywatcher](#): > > > > _Bud and Lou_ starring Buddy Hackett and Harvey Korman, who have none of the timing of the men they’re portraying > > I’d never heard of that before your post. I just heard about it recently myself. I don’t recall why but the morning team on the radio station I usually listen to while working happened to talk about it and play a bit of “Who’s on First” from there. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2026, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/19 "2026-05-02T12:38:38Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Live action versions of animated or puppet shows. I’ll go one better - live action versions of board games. Clue? Battleship? Who thought that was a good basis for a movie? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703/20 "2026-05-02T12:39:37Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I’ll go one better - live action versions of board games. Clue? Clue (1985) is one of the best (light) movies ever made. I will shake the hand of the greenlighter! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-greenlighted-this-cinematic-shitshow/1029703.md?page=2)