Hey guys... Quint here again. Shortly after posting the below reviews for TENACIOUS D IN THE PICK OF DESTINY I received an email from director Liam Lynch. He wanted to comment on where the movie was when it was test screened and give a message to the D fans! Always happy to oblige, I present to you the words of Mr. Liam Lynch!
Hey man,
thanks for getting some good discussion about the film going. All these points that people have mentioned were our notes as well.. and yes, it is early days. One thing that should be known, is that several NON-D songs, (the datsons... the ACDC song during the car chase) will actually be D songs when the movie is done. There are two new songs for these that we weren't able to put in for preview because we didn't have the vocals finished yet. For me, that really hurt those scenes and made them feel like "Hollywood" moments instead of D moments. I just wanted fans or people who did see our first preview last night to be aware of this. The ending that screened last night also was temp. We're trying to make this a fucking classic... that's a daunting task but we feel like we're close and it's a matter of cutting down those moments that lag a bit and up-ing those musical numbers. Thanks for the reviews though and I wanted you to know that the fans do a have a voice in this. The preview last night was AWESOME for us. We made so many great realizations that have spawned new ideas and directions. We have plenty of time for reshoots and New Line has just been incredibly supportive and on board to do whatever it takes to make this the greatest motion picture in the world.
thanks man,
Liam
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a pair of reviews from last night's test screening of TENACIOUS D IN THE PICK OF DESTINY. They were sent as "contrasting reviews" which had me nervous, but upon reading them I found that they didn't dislike the movie, just wanted more. These reviews aren't devastating or mean, but they do single out what didn't work.
I will say that this was the very first test screening and of all genres I think comedy benefits the most from the fine tuning it undergoes until the last minute when the reels have to be run out to theaters. I hope that the filmmakers take these reviews to heart and look at the movie objectively. If it needs more rockin' D numbers, then they have time to get the D back into the recording studio. I don't think the film is due for release until next Spring, so there is a lot of time to make this the best it can be. Here is the first review!
Overall, nice review from Mr.Paisley, but sounds like this person doesn't understand the difference between good movies and bad movies, let alone "just okay" movies. I saw the movie last night in Pasadena as well, and I have quite a different opinion.
POD is brilliant at times, but falls of the cliff storywise once the pick idea gets going. The opening of this movie is mind-blowing, is worth the price of admission solely based on this scene alone, and is the most fun I've had in a theater in a long time, The "mushroom/krofft/bigfoot scene" is really abstract, hilarious, and gutbusting. I laughed so much during several secnes in this movie, that it forgives all the disappointing scenes that make up most of this flick.
Yes, MASTER EXPLODER is in the film, it is done amazingly well, Let's clear the air, I saw the D play live at Comic-Con, at HOB, and at the Sunset Plaza. They simply ROCK, and it is unfortunate that they seemed to have rushed through scenarios in their film that had the potential to really ROCK. Now they come off as filler, and at points, simply lame. If this was an album, it would have three hits, and the rest would be unlistenable.
Pick: The idea of the pick is awesome, The pick is molded from the devils tooth, but after that it almost cheapens the D, as well as all the rock gods who supposdedly had it, because it is not about their talent, but a fake one. Even though its a mcguffin, it still ends up coming off weak, and the film focuses too much energy on this.
Cameos: Fred Armisen, the regular house boy for film cameos, his bit just falls so flat that it is embarassing. Amy Poehler, in it for two seconds, under utilized completely. Tim Robbins, awesome at first, becomes a 2005 bad SNL skit by his last scene. Ben Stiller, he is actually good once he flips the zippo open, but his introduction stinks so bad and he is so extra-muggy, that he kills his following scene which introduces the whole "Pick" story. Why do people still chuck in all these lame cameos? If real actors were in these scenes they could actually work.
Car chase: atypical, and shot like a tv show, so If that's what they were going for, they got it in spades. Unfortunately, for us, the viewers, it's yawn inducing and not funny or exciting.
I wanted to really like this film, and was ready for it to be simply an expanded episode like their HBO series, but it is so uneven and the lame cameos sucked so bad, that it almost ruined the film for me, I just wish that MASTER EXPLODER was the last song instead of what is now the last song, since it is anti-climactic and underwhelming for what I've come to know from the D. I was happy to see bits from the old show in this, like the club and the manager, and the scenes with JB and KG are what holds this movie together.
I have to recommend the film, because the few scenes that are in it are so good, so funny, and so eye-opening and refreshing, that it makes all the rest of the dreck worth it. Liam Lynch directed some amazing set pieces, and really shows his talent for taking surreal scenes and mushing them into normal ones. JB and KB are perfect, and even make some of their lamer scenes good becuase of their personalities. I am happy with the great scenes they got in this film, and so all I can do is just hope that they cut out all the dreck.
Right now, this film is just okay. If this is what comes out when it is finally released, i'll still recommend it for the scenes i described.
With some new scenes shot, and then cutting the lame bits, this film could still ROCK!
if you use this, call me "mega-swarm".
Both of these reviews say the film has brilliance in it. Hopefully those aspects can be accentuated and some of the numbers that don't hit as well can be retooled. I can't wait to see the movie version of Master Exploder!!!
AICN,
Here's a counter-review if yer interested:
I'm another D fan that was at the Pasadena screening last night and, though I can't say I walked away as enthusiastically as the other guy, I can say that I had a real great time. A lot of what I'm about to type is gonna sound very negative, but that's because my expectations and hopes were pretty high for this one. Don't get me completely wrong - this is a totally good movie - far above much of what's out there these days...but I do think many of us were hoping for more.
The biggest problem with this flick is that there is not enough rock.
I know that sounds ludicrous, but it's sadly true. The opening with a young JB and a couple of great rock cameos is priceless, original, and inspired. Unfortunately, it's a level of rock hilarity that the rest of the movie doesn't quite live up to. There is a Who fan inside of me that really wishes that this entire movie was a Rock Opera.
The other review mentions "handfuls" of new material. I wish. Granted, Master Exploder is brilliant. I love it - and it's scene in the film totally lives up to it. But this soundtrack should feature at least seven such songs. I'm not sure it reaches three. They played The Datsuns at one point and, though it fit, I did secretly hope it was a place-holder for some brilliant song JB and Rage are working up in the studio as we speak. They play my favorite D song in this movie...and I was disappointed. Why? Because that was my favorite D song a couple of years ago. I thought this Fall was new album time. I think I'm wrong.
There are some great, classic moments...definitely worth the price of admission and all, especially for fans, but I was really hoping that this flick would hit a new high note...like the album does. On my survey form asking if I thought the movie was "good", "very good", or "excellent" I too-comfortably chose the middle-ground. I, and the minions of Rock, were desperately hoping for the latter.
Call me The Soothsayer.
