Comments on: GRAEME WHIFLER’S BACKLASH http://www.filmsinreview.com/2009/12/24/graeme-whiflers-backlash/ Film Reviews and Articles - Since 1909 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:40:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Robert Carroll http://www.filmsinreview.com/2009/12/24/graeme-whiflers-backlash/comment-page-1/#comment-30642 Robert Carroll Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:01:00 +0000 http://www.filmsinreview.com/?p=3425#comment-30642 As the director of the film SONNY BOY, I am saddened that Graeme still feels so much hurt and animosity toward me. I feel for him. As the writer he should have been given a chance to direct the film. I agree but that wasn't my choice. I wanted to get his input on my ideas but as I think I had stated in the interview, the producer said if I tried to contact him they'd fire me. It was my first film and I wasn't in a position to insist, but I did tell the producer a number of times that it wasn't right. Graeme's anger at what I did with the film is unjustified in my opinion. Part of being a director is bringing your sensibility to anything you direct. If they hired me to make Graeme's film exactly as it was written they could have hired lots of directors who are no more than traffic cops, just moving people around. But we all know that is not how it works. Or they could have hired him, but they didn't. It's true that his version played more as a straight Frankenstein movie but I wanted to make something different... something about someone who felt like a Frankenstein monster but wasn't. Something about the good and evil that is inherent in all of us. I''s specious to say that the changes were to make it more audience friendly. Not true at all. Actually I felt that as written it was more of a standard scary horror movie and I admit I didn't want to just make a horror film. This is where we creatively disagree. I felt that my interpretation was making it less commercial. It really fits no genre and no one could figure out how to market it. I made it to fit my persona. I was influenced by Kubrick's A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Like that film, I thought there was more horror in someone who was actually nice looking and who did monstrous things because he thought he was monstrous looking and different. He became someone who's mind had been tortured into believing he was a monster. Having seen the film with audiences and having read things people have written about it, I know people were horrified and repulsed by the characters. It was not 'audience friendly'. It still isn't. Yes I made it into a fable but that's what my style and his script morphed into. I respect Graeme. He's a talented guy. Very intense. He should have gotten first shot at making his movie but the industry is rotten that way. Why he would want to make fun of the problems I had afterward is beyond me..All the tales about what happened afterward are true. Sitting in a very small attic with a chain smoking cheap cigar smoker is not a trifle as Graeme implies. It was nauseating. I don't know why Graeme wants to take his hatred of the way he was treated out on another director. My wife is a writer and who had had many movies produced and I can say that every one had small to major changes made to them. She hated most of the changes, but that how's movies are made. I fought to make my version honest and true to 'me' as I could, even fighting on a regular basis with the producer. I was intensely involved with the characters and the story. I am sorry it is not satisfying even after all these years to Graeme. He's a good writer with his own style, and I had hoped he would be happy that at least it has been praised by some. He should save his lashes for the suits who control the artists and have the real control and power over our creative lives. RMC As the director of the film SONNY BOY, I am saddened that Graeme still feels so much hurt and animosity toward me. I feel for him. As the writer he should have been given a chance to direct the film. I agree but that wasn’t my choice. I wanted to get his input on my ideas but as I think I had stated in the interview, the producer said if I tried to contact him they’d fire me. It was my first film and I wasn’t in a position to insist, but I did tell the producer a number of times that it wasn’t right. Graeme’s anger at what I did with the film is unjustified in my opinion. Part of being a director is bringing your sensibility to anything you direct. If they hired me to make Graeme’s film exactly as it was written they could have hired lots of directors who are no more than traffic cops, just moving people around. But we all know that is not how it works. Or they could have hired him, but they didn’t. It’s true that his version played more as a straight Frankenstein movie but I wanted to make something different… something about someone who felt like a Frankenstein monster but wasn’t. Something about the good and evil that is inherent in all of us. I”s specious to say that the changes were to make it more audience friendly. Not true at all. Actually I felt that as written it was more of a standard scary horror movie and I admit I didn’t want to just make a horror film. This is where we creatively disagree. I felt that my interpretation was making it less commercial. It really fits no genre and no one could figure out how to market it. I made it to fit my persona. I was influenced by Kubrick’s A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Like that film, I thought there was more horror in someone who was actually nice looking and who did monstrous things because he thought he was monstrous looking and different. He became someone who’s mind had been tortured into believing he was a monster. Having seen the film with audiences and having read things people have written about it, I know people were horrified and repulsed by the characters. It was not ‘audience friendly’. It still isn’t. Yes I made it into a fable but that’s what my style and his script morphed into. I respect Graeme. He’s a talented guy. Very intense. He should have gotten first shot at making his movie but the industry is rotten that way. Why he would want to make fun of the problems I had afterward is beyond me..All the tales about what happened afterward are true. Sitting in a very small attic with a chain smoking cheap cigar smoker is not a trifle as Graeme implies. It was nauseating. I don’t know why Graeme wants to take his hatred of the way he was treated out on another director. My wife is a writer and who had had many movies produced and I can say that every one had small to major changes made to them. She hated most of the changes, but that how’s movies are made. I fought to make my version honest and true to ‘me’ as I could, even fighting on a regular basis with the producer. I was intensely involved with the characters and the story. I am sorry it is not satisfying even after all these years to Graeme. He’s a good writer with his own style, and I had hoped he would be happy that at least it has been praised by some. He should save his lashes for the suits who control the artists and have the real control and power over our creative lives.

RMC

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