John Landis - what happened to a great career? (1 Viewer)

[Jason Boucher]

Am I alone in my like for Blues Bros. 2000? I like it just as much as the original because the music is great and that is why I watch these movies (not for the humor which eluded me in both).

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Am I alone in my like for Blues Bros. 2000?

You very well may be.
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Scott Weinberg
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http://www.ofcs.org

 

[Scott D S]

I'd like to resurrect this thread for a moment. I was reading the chat transcript with him from a short while ago and I was wondering what is John Landis working on now? His last few films might not have been that good (Blues Brothers 2000 doesn't hold up despite the great music).
Listening to him speak on the DVDs for Animal House, Blues Brothers, and Kentucky Fried Movie (funniest commentary ever!), it seems like he's a smart, cool, funny guy. Why can't he seem to get feature work? Is it bad karma from the Twilight Zone accident or what?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Is it bad karma from the Twilight Zone accident or what?

Well, it would hold up with Hollywood's golden rule: "Don't fuck with Spielberg"

 

[Jason Seaver]

Hmmm... Nothing on IMDB since Susan's Plan and Blues Brothers 2000 in 1998 aside from some bit actor gigs and executive producing A&E's "The Lost World".

I think, looking at his filmography, that the issue might be how he perceives himself versus how others perceive him. He probably looks at his resume and thinks it looks pretty good, even considering that his last big hit was fifteen years ago (Coming To America), whereas the studios look at it and see 10+ years of nothing preceded by a lot of features that did well, but weren't huge hits - and even then, he wasn't necessarily what made them; they were Eddie Murphy or Chevy Chase vehicles.

So, he thinks he's a "name" director who deserves the pay and perks of one, whereas his potential employers see him as basically replaceable. And the names of people you associate with him aren't the elite anymore - Michael Jackson, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase. Eddie Murphy apparently isn't returning his calls.

And, he might have invested wisely when he was on top, so that he only has to do a movie when he's personally interested. His last two movies were one's he'd written himself; he may just be working through writer's block.

Also - wasn't he involved with Dan Aykroyd's idea to do Ghostbusters 3 & 4 together (or was that Ivan Reitman, another guy in this category)? There could easily be a number of projects which he'd put a whole lot of effort into, and then which just didn't get off the ground.

 

[Scott D S]

Also - wasn't he involved with Dan Aykroyd's idea to do Ghostbusters 3 & 4 together (or was that Ivan Reitman, another guy in this category)? There could easily be a number of projects which he'd put a whole lot of effort into, and then which just didn't get off the ground.

That was Reitman. I read an interview Landis did with The Digital Bits and the general impression I got was that he wasn't happy with the kind of films that were being made at the time or the type of films that execs were looking for. Not that Landis should talk but I guess there aren't a lot of studios willing to pay him when they can get some film school grad for half the price.

 

[Walt Riarson]

I've been thinking about Landis a lot lately. It's truly sad that he's no longer making the caliber films he once did.

He's directing one of the episodes of the new Masters of Horror anthology series for Showtime. I'm sure like his other sidesteps into the genre, this one will have a few doses of humor. Could be the beginnings of a comeback for Mr. Landis. Let's hope so.

Where is the Landis/HTF chat transcript? I can't find it anywhere.

 

[DavidPla]

Well recently John Landis HAS been involved with a huge blockbuster, "Spider-Man 2". He was a doctor. Maybe things are looking up.

 

[Scott D S]

I thought I read several months ago that he was attached to direct two films: a comedy for Universal (?) about a straight vs gay soccer championship (it might have been football - not really sure) and a period film about two extras who wreak havoc on a movie set or something to that effect.

 

[Niko Nykanen]

John Landis - what happened to a great career?

Cocaine?

(from the department, "let´s be realists")

 

[Kevin M]

 

[Niko Nykanen]

Well, sometimes cocaine is a reason why some peoples careers start to stutter so to speak.

NOTE:

This is just a theory. I have no proof that this is correct. Only time will tell.

 

[Josh Simpson]

Is it bad karma from the Twilight Zone accident or what?

I know the story about Twilight Zone, but how exactly did Landis f with Spielberg?

 

[Kevin M]

In the trial the prosecution claimed that one of the motivating factors in their claim that Landis purposely put actors at risk, despite being warned, was that he was trying to "out do Spielberg". I guess that is what the poster meant.

 

[Nick Graham]

Landis directed a documentary for IFC that pops up on that channel fairly frequently called "Slasher". It's a great, fascinating little doc, and it came out on DVD last year, complete with Landis commentary.
Slasher (2004)
My job as a slasher, being a used car salesperson, liquidator, doing these auction sales...people automatically assume whatever I say, whatever comes out of my mouth is a lie" Meet Michael Bennett, better known as "The Slasher," a raspy-voiced family man who exudes so much nervous energy that he smokes two cigarettes at a time and can hardly stand still. When auto dealerships are desperate to dump their stale inventory as quickly as possible, the California-based Bennett is flown all over the country to slash prices and clear entire lots within a few short days. Director John Landis (The Blues Brothers, Animal House, An American Werewolf in London) brilliantly turns his comedic eye on one particularly off-the-wall weekend in the life of Bennett, as he's called upon to help a struggling dealership in Memphis, home to Elvis Presely and the bankruptcy capital of the world. Featuring a pitc-perfect Southern soul soundtrack, including forgotten favorites from Sam & Dave, Booker T. and the MG's, and Otis Redding, SLASHER is a frenetic, fascinating and intensely funny look at one man so tightly wound, he couldn't be anything other than a car salesman. DVD Features: Commentary from Director John Landis and Crew; Deleted Scenes; IFC 'Making of' Featurette; Crew Biographies; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

 

[Jerry R Colvin]

Anybody else ever notice that John Landis and Leonard Maltin look like twins separated at birth?

Blues Brothers is still one of my favorite movies of all time....

 

[Jason Walstrom]

John Landis appeared in Spiderman 2 cameo as a doctor. He did as well in DARKMAN. Sam Raimi cameo'd in SPIES like us.

 

[Jason Seaver]

...and Innocent Blood. Landis likes the director cameos.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

Carpenter has made some good movies, but they were never really big hits. IMO.

LOL.

Add The Thing to his list of hits along with Big Trouble in Little China and the cult hit The Fog.

 

[Kevin M]

Carpenter has made some good movies, but they were never really big hits. IMO.

As Carpenter & Russell themselves state on a few of their commentaries many of the films they made were not appreciated at the time of their release but went on to become something much larger....Cult Hit's.
You can't really say the same as much for Landis who had some genuine hits but in the long run (IMO at any rate) Carpenter has a much more rabid fan following.....myself included. And mind you I like Landis.