Video: ‘Last Airbender’ Director M. Night Shyamalan Doesn’t Respond Well To Being Called Out
By The Movie God
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Monday, July 19th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Here’s an interesting little bit for the growing number of movie fans who have wondered just what has happened to director M. Night Shyamalan over the years.
Now that The Last Airbender has arrived, leaving in its wake one of the biggest collection of negative reviews ever seen, everyone wants to know why such a major decline in quality has taken place and why Shyamalan keeps getting to make more movies. One reporter during a press conference in Mexico City decided to stand up and ask the director — with the utmost professionalism, I might add — what we’ve all wanted to ask him. Shyamalan didn’t take it so well.
Click over to the other side to check out the video now!
In case you have trouble making out what’s being said in the video below, here’s the basic idea. The question that the reporter asks is “Your movies have been very personal. However, the audience has lost its faith in your work, with Lady in the Water and many of your more recent productions. Airbender feels like you want to captivate the audiences again by becoming more commercial. Am I right?”
Shyamalan then responds rather sharply with “I think if I thought like you I’d kill myself. Everything you said is the opposite of my instinct as an artist. The way you just thought, I literally would kill myself.” He then goes on to talk about how he doesn’t agree or share this opinion (obviously), and how one movie is huge in a certain country and another movie is huge in a different country and so on. He also talks about how much money he’s turned down to protect the integrity of his work and his vision.
The director got off to maybe one of the best starts in movies we’ve ever seen but also developed something of a curse along the way. After The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs, he had acquired himself a reputation for the infamous twist ending and leaving him under the pressure of delivering a good one each time. His inability to do so first shined through in The Village, which featured a twist not many accepted warmly. The director was then led him to try and tackle other genres to try and escape this cursed reputation, the products of which included Lady in the Water, The Happening, and now The Last Airbender — each arguably worse than the last for the majority of people who have seen them.
See for yourself how M. Night Shyamalan handled this growing question and share your thoughts below!
I think it’s down to the scripts. Sixth Sense had an excellent screenplay. Unbreakable’s script was good in parts but awkward in others. Signs was good in parts and absolutely irredeemably stupid in others. Then downhill.
The actual directing in these films is absolutely cookie-cutter. It is the most by-the-book Hollywood generic directorship and cinematography ever. Not bad, just utterly uninspired. When your work is like that, it will live or die by the screenplay. And he must have been lucky with his breakthrough, because his choices since haven’t been great.
Wow. I agree with Nathan, his ego is so huge he is living in full blown denial. No wonder The Village is his favorite movie. I think he actually lives there in his mind, tucked away from the reality of his shitty film-making. Lol at him saying his movies are big internationally…yeah David Hasselhoff is big in Germany, but he’s a complete joke here in America, welcome to his club, maybe you can get a gig as a judge on shitty talent shows like he did once hollywood realizes giving you money is a complete mistake.
M Night Shylananlanana should be the runner up for the biggest douche in the universe award. Sorry buddy but everything you have made since Signs has been shit. Your a horrible writer and director. Please stop subjecting the world to your garbage.
I’m actually more impressed with that response than if he’d gone off the deep end and simply yelled at the individual asking the question. That said he’s entitled to his opinion and I’d be shocked if he responded well to the question. But I think the question was genuine and not “crass” at all. And the fact that he was that dismissive of what seems to be the current thinking on the web and in the papers seems unrealistic. However – I guess ultimately he has to live with himself as an artist. More power to him if he can do that.
@JV “Biggest douche in the universe award.”…because you didn’t like his movies? You might save one of those for yourself. I don’t care for most of his material, but the guy is doing what he loves the way he knows how. In real life…which is much more difficult than throwing insults on a website.
Are we really going to play the game where The Sixth Sense wasn’t predictable and we were all surprised? None of his movies have been that great since the beginning and certainly they just get worse (what happened with The Happening?!), though I did kind of like Lady in the Water.
OK, I haven’t hated any of his movies. I thought Unbreakable was amazing. I think, when it’s all said and done, MNS’s downfall will be due to his personality and the mis-marketing of his films. I understand why they mention the 6th sense in all his trailers, but not one of his movies have been like that since. Never mind the fact that bringing up that movie now is like me giving a presentation and people introducing me as, “The guy who did the amazing macaroni art in grade school”. It was over a decade ago! Also, for however bad the movie was (and as a fan of the cartoon it was bad) it wasn’t supposed to be The Dark Knight. It’s a kids movie! I digress, while I do think he’s a douche, I don’t think what he said was wrong or inappropriate. That reviewer would have never said that to any other directer. Along those lines, any directer would get defensive when asked that question. What the fuck did the guy expect? That MNS, a notoriously pompous person, would go, “Yeah, you’re right…I suck. Man, I never thought about that. Maybe I should quit…sigh I gotta go.” Getting worked up cause a douche acts douche-y when critiqued, in public, about his LIVELIHOOD is like getting pissed when a hooker gives a handi on payday.
Too many people bag on him and think of him as a failure … I love ALL of HIS films that he wrote and not just directed. I would be pissed too .. as im sure most would be when their work is looked at in that manner.
Comment by GiantRobotMunki — July 21, 2010 @ 12:47 am
His answer was a bit flippant, and the remark about if he thought like the reporter,”He’d kill himself” was uncalled for. But personally, There are several popular movies that he made that I didn’t like, UNBREAKABLE and LADY IN THE WATER to name two. I loved SIGNS, THE VILLAGE, THE HAPPENING and THE SIXTH SENSE. We don’t all have to like his movies, and although the critics may love or hate a movie, doesn’t mean we have to have the same reaction to it. For a non-M. Night Shamalan example: THE MAJESTIC starring Jim Carrey….critics panned it, and its one of my favorite movies of all time. Some may think his craft is on the decline, but there are others who do love the new film, THE LAST AIRBENDER…so what! You dont agree? Good, thats why we have different likes & different personalities. I don’t think he needs to keep proving himself. If you don’t like him, don’t go to his movies!
The reporter’s question was fair. Because of our very narrow perspective on movie “success”, it seems as though his career is going downhill, but on a global scale, he’s still bringing in tons of CASH which is the only thing that the studios care about.
Like every director having to sell their product, Shyamalan has to push the positive because he’s contracted to do so. BUT it is telling that he touched his face so many times as he was talking. He obviously was uncomfortable with confrontation.
He should have went the Ed Wood route, “So what did you think of my last movie? Really the worst movie you ever saw? Well I promise you my next one will be better!” Being like that would have difused the reporter and given people a better opinion of him. Ed Wood understood this but MNS doesn’t. Decades later people love Ed and his terrible flicks, no one will feel the same about MNS.
The answer was douchebaggy, I think. “I think if I thought like you, I would kill myself.” “Something you read on Google, or something.” As though she is not capable of watching the films herself and coming to a judgment call. He could have been more polite to her, as he is a public figure and nobody likes to see the powerful director talk down to the reporter that everyone can relate to; as a director, that’s “audience emotion manipulation” 101 and he should know it.
MNS has clearly run out of creative ideas. He should take the Spike Lee route and shoot scripts he did not write. I loved THE SIXTH SENSE and UNBREAKABLE. SIGNS was uneven, THE VILLAGE was dumb (I would have preferred NO TWIST), and the rest are unwatchable. But, as a fellow Indian-American filmmaker, I hate to see people throw him under the bus in this way. Would you ask the same of any other directors who have made not so great films? Do people treat Roman Polanski that way even though he’s a molester? Do they ask Martin Scorcese why The Aviator and Shutter Island weren’t up to his usual quality? At the end of the day, MNS does need to accept that EVERYONE in the world knows he’s slipped with or without Google. He’s in denial and should really try something new to get himself out of the rut.
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This guy is in denial. His impression of his career isn’t as important as the public’s. And they won’t be letting him make movies for long…
Comment by Nathan — July 19, 2010 @ 6:28 pm
I think it’s down to the scripts. Sixth Sense had an excellent screenplay. Unbreakable’s script was good in parts but awkward in others. Signs was good in parts and absolutely irredeemably stupid in others. Then downhill.
The actual directing in these films is absolutely cookie-cutter. It is the most by-the-book Hollywood generic directorship and cinematography ever. Not bad, just utterly uninspired. When your work is like that, it will live or die by the screenplay. And he must have been lucky with his breakthrough, because his choices since haven’t been great.
Comment by Shilling — July 19, 2010 @ 6:34 pm
Wow. I agree with Nathan, his ego is so huge he is living in full blown denial. No wonder The Village is his favorite movie. I think he actually lives there in his mind, tucked away from the reality of his shitty film-making. Lol at him saying his movies are big internationally…yeah David Hasselhoff is big in Germany, but he’s a complete joke here in America, welcome to his club, maybe you can get a gig as a judge on shitty talent shows like he did once hollywood realizes giving you money is a complete mistake.
Comment by Hangmansjoke — July 19, 2010 @ 9:25 pm
http://video.adultswim.com/robot-chicken/m-night-shyamalans-the-twistst.html
Best M. Night Shaymalan movie ever : )
Comment by Sam — July 19, 2010 @ 9:42 pm
He sounds like a jerk. I love every single one of his frikin movies, but he’s insultin the reporter, and that sucks.
Comment by Hassan George — July 20, 2010 @ 4:04 am
What did you expect him say?
Comment by korollocke — July 20, 2010 @ 8:13 am
M Night Shylananlanana should be the runner up for the biggest douche in the universe award. Sorry buddy but everything you have made since Signs has been shit. Your a horrible writer and director. Please stop subjecting the world to your garbage.
Comment by JV — July 20, 2010 @ 8:31 am
I’m actually more impressed with that response than if he’d gone off the deep end and simply yelled at the individual asking the question. That said he’s entitled to his opinion and I’d be shocked if he responded well to the question. But I think the question was genuine and not “crass” at all. And the fact that he was that dismissive of what seems to be the current thinking on the web and in the papers seems unrealistic. However – I guess ultimately he has to live with himself as an artist. More power to him if he can do that.
Comment by Brian Fitzpatrick — July 20, 2010 @ 9:43 am
I don’t think he was out of line.
@JV “Biggest douche in the universe award.”…because you didn’t like his movies? You might save one of those for yourself. I don’t care for most of his material, but the guy is doing what he loves the way he knows how. In real life…which is much more difficult than throwing insults on a website.
Comment by Geebs — July 20, 2010 @ 10:25 am
Are we really going to play the game where The Sixth Sense wasn’t predictable and we were all surprised? None of his movies have been that great since the beginning and certainly they just get worse (what happened with The Happening?!), though I did kind of like Lady in the Water.
Comment by D — July 20, 2010 @ 10:33 am
WHAT A TWIST
Comment by Greg Davies aka cGt2099 — July 20, 2010 @ 12:09 pm
OK, I haven’t hated any of his movies. I thought Unbreakable was amazing. I think, when it’s all said and done, MNS’s downfall will be due to his personality and the mis-marketing of his films. I understand why they mention the 6th sense in all his trailers, but not one of his movies have been like that since. Never mind the fact that bringing up that movie now is like me giving a presentation and people introducing me as, “The guy who did the amazing macaroni art in grade school”. It was over a decade ago! Also, for however bad the movie was (and as a fan of the cartoon it was bad) it wasn’t supposed to be The Dark Knight. It’s a kids movie! I digress, while I do think he’s a douche, I don’t think what he said was wrong or inappropriate. That reviewer would have never said that to any other directer. Along those lines, any directer would get defensive when asked that question. What the fuck did the guy expect? That MNS, a notoriously pompous person, would go, “Yeah, you’re right…I suck. Man, I never thought about that. Maybe I should quit…sigh I gotta go.” Getting worked up cause a douche acts douche-y when critiqued, in public, about his LIVELIHOOD is like getting pissed when a hooker gives a handi on payday.
Comment by Geeves — July 20, 2010 @ 12:24 pm
Too many people bag on him and think of him as a failure … I love ALL of HIS films that he wrote and not just directed. I would be pissed too .. as im sure most would be when their work is looked at in that manner.
Comment by GiantRobotMunki — July 21, 2010 @ 12:47 am
His answer was a bit flippant, and the remark about if he thought like the reporter,”He’d kill himself” was uncalled for. But personally, There are several popular movies that he made that I didn’t like, UNBREAKABLE and LADY IN THE WATER to name two. I loved SIGNS, THE VILLAGE, THE HAPPENING and THE SIXTH SENSE. We don’t all have to like his movies, and although the critics may love or hate a movie, doesn’t mean we have to have the same reaction to it. For a non-M. Night Shamalan example: THE MAJESTIC starring Jim Carrey….critics panned it, and its one of my favorite movies of all time. Some may think his craft is on the decline, but there are others who do love the new film, THE LAST AIRBENDER…so what! You dont agree? Good, thats why we have different likes & different personalities. I don’t think he needs to keep proving himself. If you don’t like him, don’t go to his movies!
Comment by Jo — July 21, 2010 @ 11:15 am
People are judging him unfairly.
The reporter’s question was fair. Because of our very narrow perspective on movie “success”, it seems as though his career is going downhill, but on a global scale, he’s still bringing in tons of CASH which is the only thing that the studios care about.
Like every director having to sell their product, Shyamalan has to push the positive because he’s contracted to do so. BUT it is telling that he touched his face so many times as he was talking. He obviously was uncomfortable with confrontation.
Comment by Devon — July 21, 2010 @ 11:20 am
He should have went the Ed Wood route, “So what did you think of my last movie? Really the worst movie you ever saw? Well I promise you my next one will be better!” Being like that would have difused the reporter and given people a better opinion of him. Ed Wood understood this but MNS doesn’t. Decades later people love Ed and his terrible flicks, no one will feel the same about MNS.
Comment by korollocke — July 21, 2010 @ 5:57 pm
The answer was douchebaggy, I think. “I think if I thought like you, I would kill myself.” “Something you read on Google, or something.” As though she is not capable of watching the films herself and coming to a judgment call. He could have been more polite to her, as he is a public figure and nobody likes to see the powerful director talk down to the reporter that everyone can relate to; as a director, that’s “audience emotion manipulation” 101 and he should know it.
Comment by greengeekgirl — July 21, 2010 @ 6:29 pm
“something you read on Google”
Comment by Matt — July 22, 2010 @ 6:55 pm
MNS has clearly run out of creative ideas. He should take the Spike Lee route and shoot scripts he did not write. I loved THE SIXTH SENSE and UNBREAKABLE. SIGNS was uneven, THE VILLAGE was dumb (I would have preferred NO TWIST), and the rest are unwatchable. But, as a fellow Indian-American filmmaker, I hate to see people throw him under the bus in this way. Would you ask the same of any other directors who have made not so great films? Do people treat Roman Polanski that way even though he’s a molester? Do they ask Martin Scorcese why The Aviator and Shutter Island weren’t up to his usual quality? At the end of the day, MNS does need to accept that EVERYONE in the world knows he’s slipped with or without Google. He’s in denial and should really try something new to get himself out of the rut.
Comment by AKD — July 24, 2010 @ 11:35 pm
As a fellow director (and actor, albeit for the stage), if there’s one thing I’ve learned over 20 years, it’s this:
“Those who can’t, critique.”
Comment by Koventry — September 14, 2010 @ 5:01 pm