Who SHOULD have written and directed the movies?

[Susan Atherton]

Great thread, Tamara, but I have to agree with Joan that some of your choices are a little eeshk. I mean, the genius who gave us the Pearl Harbour script? I've tried to watch that film twice now and both times had to give up because I couldn't listen to it anymore - and I've sat through Hope Springs, Glitter, and Cruel Intentions 2. And Akiva Goldsman? You can almost hear Joel Schumacher eyeing the director's chair...

However, your choices of Emma Thompson and Frank Darabont are dead on. I've only ever seen S&S of Thompson's work (although, did she write Dead Again? I saw that some years ago) but Darabont especially is fantastic at adaptations of this scale. As you mentioned, he did Shawshank and The Green Mile - I don't know what the general world's consensus is of the Green Mile (I think it's FANTASTIC myself, but that might be just me) but Shawshank is number two on the IMDb's 250 movies of all time list (The Godfather is number one, if you're interested - GF part II is number 3.) Admittedly Stephen King came up with the stories both times, but like JKR, he has a rich and varied imagination, and like JKR, he has a *massive* following (King, not Darabont). Having read the books of both those films first, they, along with Bridget Jones, are among the few adaptations I think truly stand up to the book (and as wonderful as Richard Curtis is, I don't think I would have been as forgiving had Helen Fielding not been part of the script team too).

As for directing, I've got to agree with Joan again - Terry Gilliam aaaaallllll the way. Sigh... we couldn't have a teeny independent studio make HP, could we... Damn you JKR!!! Damn you for selling to WB!!!!

>From your list, I'd probably go with Zemeckis - God help me, I just love Back To The Future...

Susan
who is writing this after nearly 24hrs awake, so forgive me if the theme is less than coherant.
who also caved to the pressure and finally pre-ordered OoP on Sunday night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Help me Jebus!" --Homer Simpson
"Shame on you! Ugly baby judges you!" --Ross Geller
"Oh yeah, and did I mention I've got a baby?" --Stuart Alan Jones
"You know, I telephoned my grandparents the other day, and my grandfather said to me, 'We saw your movie.' 'Which one?' I said, and he shouted, 'Betty, what was the name of that movie I didn't like?'" --Brad Pitt


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]