Gigli DVD
08-11-03 | 04:33 PM
#1
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From: San Angelo, TX USA
Gigli DVD
I can't wait for this sucker to come out on dvd so I can see how bad it is. Hopefully they'll have a commentary from the stars or the director on it.
the action
the action
08-11-03 | 04:55 PM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
I'm curious about the movie. Sure, it got bad reviews, but look at this review (from the Chicago Tribune), which says that while it is not a good movie, it could have been a lot worse.
It could have been worse
`Gigli' not as bad as critics are making it sound
By Michael Wilmington
[Chicago] Tribune movie critic
Published August 10, 2003
Is "Gigli" really the worst "allegedly major movie" of the summer? Of the year? Or of the century, as the Wall Street Journal's Joe Morgenstern claims?
Or is it just another example of reverse hype?
The growth of a "movie turkey's" reputation can be a fascinating thing to watch. And "Gigli" (which rhymes with "really") is the latest example in a Hall of Shame lineup that includes fiascoes (or alleged fiascoes) such as "Heaven's Gate," "Can't Stop the Music," "Howard the Duck" and "Ishtar."
This crowd-displeasing new romantic crime comedy, starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez as gang enforcer-lovers, opened to disastrous reviews and tepid numbers last Friday. Then, suddenly the movie became a cable TV news phenom of sorts -- with movie critics and commentators grilled on camera about the "Gigli's" failings and the history of bad movies in general: from "Robot Monster' and "Plan 9 from Outer Space" to "Glitter" and "Bio-Dome."
What caused this avalanche? Actually, "Gigli" had been a widely trashed movie ever since word started leaking out of the studio and Web critics started lambasting it early on. The fact that stars and off-screen lovers Lopez and Affleck are such constant tabloid and TV subjects obviously fueled the fire. But so did the reputation of its writer-director, Martin Brest, widely admired for "Beverly Hills Cop," "Midnight Run" and "Scent of a Woman," but mostly inactive recently -- except for the bizarre overlong 1998 romantic comedy-fantasy "Meet Joe Black."
Why national news?
Still, why should the badness of any one movie -- amid so many stinkers -- suddenly become national news? Was "Gigli" really more obnoxious than "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle?" Dumber than "Johnny English?" More stupid and chaotic than "S.W.A.T.?" More absurd than "The Core?" Lamer than "Daddy Day Care?" More inept than "From Justin to Kelly?" I'd passed on "Gigli" at the critic screenings, even though I generally like Brest and, for that matter, Affleck, Lopez and co-stars Al Pacino and Christopher Walken. Now, intrigued by the brouhaha, I caught it with a (very small) audience on a weekday night at the multiplex.
I watched, bemused. At the end, I was convinced. The all-time turkey pantheon had not been breached. This was like a lot of other cable news TV stories: overblown and overplayed.
Truth to tell, "Gigli" isn't very good. It's an ambitious but failed romantic comedy, which tries to mix dark and light moods, establish a complex style and go deeper than usual into character. But it keeps falling short, never establishing the right tone. And it needs to. "Gigli" plays around comically with sex and death, mental problems, suicide and amorality. It's always on the edge of cruelty. The story takes chances: Affleck and Lopez as the studly muscle-guy and lesbian hit woman lovers Larry Gigli and Ricki are separately hired by their scummy gangster boss Louis to kidnap and guard mentally challenged Brian (Justin Bartha). As they hide out with the kid in Gigli's apartment, they trade deviant chatter, literate dialogue and sophisticated allusions, Brest obviously wanting to suggest the unlikely mix of literacy and thuggery in, say, a Damon Runyon story, a Preston Sturges screenplay, or movies such as the Coen Brothers' "Raising Arizona" or "Miller's Crossing."
The movie stumbles. But it's hardly the worst I've seen this year -- or even the worst movie that opened last week. "Gigli" even has some good scenes, notably two riveting cameos by Walken as an obsessed cop and Pacino as the psychopathic gang boss Starkman: two expert, calculated, grandly hammy turns miles ahead of the acting in genuine turkeys such as "From Justin to Kelly," "A Man Apart" or "Old School."
Those movies, and most of the other 2003 fiascoes I've mentioned, are protected because critics expect nothing from them. But that doesn't make these movies any better.
"Gigli" fits a profile though. It's a kind of movie some critics love to hate -- because, they know it's being partly aimed at them. "Gigli" is an attempt at more sophisticated, classy, "edgy" comedy. It has adult references and allusions, like Ricki's recitation on Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese military historian. The name "Gigli" itself alludes to famous Italian opera tenor Benjamino Gigli. ("American Wedding" also has multiple allusions to French writers and philosophers, including Descartes and Voltaire -- but it's safe to say most of its audience ignore them.)
You need great characters and dialogue to woo critics and capture audiences and "Gigli's" are mostly so-so -- especially Affleck's lumpish, self-sabotaging Gigli.
Not the worst
But so-so doesn't mean one of the worst in history. In this case, critics were just as scornful of the movie's political incorrectness on issues like lesbianism or physical and mental handicaps.
"Gigli" fits another profile for a movie drawing instant, universal scorn. It's a failed movie, rightly or wrongly, with a huge star couple attached, like "Eyes Wide Shut's" Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, "Shanghai Surprise's" Madonna and Sean Penn and the genuinely awful "Swept Away" with Madonna, directed by Guy Ritchie. Brest, who had met with audience and critical resistance to his more wistful "Meet Joe Black," may have thought Affleck and Lopez (or Halle Berry, "Gigli's" original co-star) could protect him more than Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins did in "Black." He was wrong.
Which is worse: an inept movie that fails on every level -- or an ambitious and expensive movie, with some good elements and talented people, which falls short of its goal? Many critics unleash more bile on the second kind of movie, because they think the more complete, cheaper-made fiascoes are more vulnerable.
Audiences actually enjoy travesties such as "Robot Monster" and "Reefer Madness" because of their flabbergasting incompetence and stupidity; Ed Wood Jr. (director of "Plan 9 from Outer Space" and the pulverizingly hilarious "Glen or Glenda") became a moviemaking legend because he was so reliably and entertainingly inept. Yet, even though writer-director Phil Tucker is said to have attempted suicide after reading the reviews for his "Robot Monster" (an atrocity still watched and enjoyed today), the vitriol is worse for a movie like "Gigli."
The same thing that's now happening to "Gigli" once happened to both "Ishtar" and "Heaven's Gate": movies which were legendary objects of critical abuse. Neither looks that bad today. They have strong critical supporters, as most genuine turkeys such as "Howard the Duck" and "Can't Stop the Music," do not.
I'm not arguing that "Gigli" is a good movie. It isn't. It's a failed, over-reaching romantic comedy in which the stars don't connect strongly enough, though they do have some sweet moments. But the reason "Gigli" developed this strange, unearned reputation as an all-time catastrophe (artistic, rather than financial) is more a backlash against the celebrity of its stars.
Just as publicists are too loose with their superlatives, we critics are often too loose with both superlatives and condemnations. "Gigli" was damned, rightly, for missing its goals and wrongly, for political miscues. But it's wrong to elevate it to such dubious, unearned achievement as a ranking among the all-time worst. It's not the worst movie of the century, the summer or the week -- and neither were "Ishtar" or "Heaven's Gate." Really.
It could have been worse
`Gigli' not as bad as critics are making it sound
By Michael Wilmington
[Chicago] Tribune movie critic
Published August 10, 2003
Is "Gigli" really the worst "allegedly major movie" of the summer? Of the year? Or of the century, as the Wall Street Journal's Joe Morgenstern claims?
Or is it just another example of reverse hype?
The growth of a "movie turkey's" reputation can be a fascinating thing to watch. And "Gigli" (which rhymes with "really") is the latest example in a Hall of Shame lineup that includes fiascoes (or alleged fiascoes) such as "Heaven's Gate," "Can't Stop the Music," "Howard the Duck" and "Ishtar."
This crowd-displeasing new romantic crime comedy, starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez as gang enforcer-lovers, opened to disastrous reviews and tepid numbers last Friday. Then, suddenly the movie became a cable TV news phenom of sorts -- with movie critics and commentators grilled on camera about the "Gigli's" failings and the history of bad movies in general: from "Robot Monster' and "Plan 9 from Outer Space" to "Glitter" and "Bio-Dome."
What caused this avalanche? Actually, "Gigli" had been a widely trashed movie ever since word started leaking out of the studio and Web critics started lambasting it early on. The fact that stars and off-screen lovers Lopez and Affleck are such constant tabloid and TV subjects obviously fueled the fire. But so did the reputation of its writer-director, Martin Brest, widely admired for "Beverly Hills Cop," "Midnight Run" and "Scent of a Woman," but mostly inactive recently -- except for the bizarre overlong 1998 romantic comedy-fantasy "Meet Joe Black."
Why national news?
Still, why should the badness of any one movie -- amid so many stinkers -- suddenly become national news? Was "Gigli" really more obnoxious than "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle?" Dumber than "Johnny English?" More stupid and chaotic than "S.W.A.T.?" More absurd than "The Core?" Lamer than "Daddy Day Care?" More inept than "From Justin to Kelly?" I'd passed on "Gigli" at the critic screenings, even though I generally like Brest and, for that matter, Affleck, Lopez and co-stars Al Pacino and Christopher Walken. Now, intrigued by the brouhaha, I caught it with a (very small) audience on a weekday night at the multiplex.
I watched, bemused. At the end, I was convinced. The all-time turkey pantheon had not been breached. This was like a lot of other cable news TV stories: overblown and overplayed.
Truth to tell, "Gigli" isn't very good. It's an ambitious but failed romantic comedy, which tries to mix dark and light moods, establish a complex style and go deeper than usual into character. But it keeps falling short, never establishing the right tone. And it needs to. "Gigli" plays around comically with sex and death, mental problems, suicide and amorality. It's always on the edge of cruelty. The story takes chances: Affleck and Lopez as the studly muscle-guy and lesbian hit woman lovers Larry Gigli and Ricki are separately hired by their scummy gangster boss Louis to kidnap and guard mentally challenged Brian (Justin Bartha). As they hide out with the kid in Gigli's apartment, they trade deviant chatter, literate dialogue and sophisticated allusions, Brest obviously wanting to suggest the unlikely mix of literacy and thuggery in, say, a Damon Runyon story, a Preston Sturges screenplay, or movies such as the Coen Brothers' "Raising Arizona" or "Miller's Crossing."
The movie stumbles. But it's hardly the worst I've seen this year -- or even the worst movie that opened last week. "Gigli" even has some good scenes, notably two riveting cameos by Walken as an obsessed cop and Pacino as the psychopathic gang boss Starkman: two expert, calculated, grandly hammy turns miles ahead of the acting in genuine turkeys such as "From Justin to Kelly," "A Man Apart" or "Old School."
Those movies, and most of the other 2003 fiascoes I've mentioned, are protected because critics expect nothing from them. But that doesn't make these movies any better.
"Gigli" fits a profile though. It's a kind of movie some critics love to hate -- because, they know it's being partly aimed at them. "Gigli" is an attempt at more sophisticated, classy, "edgy" comedy. It has adult references and allusions, like Ricki's recitation on Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese military historian. The name "Gigli" itself alludes to famous Italian opera tenor Benjamino Gigli. ("American Wedding" also has multiple allusions to French writers and philosophers, including Descartes and Voltaire -- but it's safe to say most of its audience ignore them.)
You need great characters and dialogue to woo critics and capture audiences and "Gigli's" are mostly so-so -- especially Affleck's lumpish, self-sabotaging Gigli.
Not the worst
But so-so doesn't mean one of the worst in history. In this case, critics were just as scornful of the movie's political incorrectness on issues like lesbianism or physical and mental handicaps.
"Gigli" fits another profile for a movie drawing instant, universal scorn. It's a failed movie, rightly or wrongly, with a huge star couple attached, like "Eyes Wide Shut's" Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, "Shanghai Surprise's" Madonna and Sean Penn and the genuinely awful "Swept Away" with Madonna, directed by Guy Ritchie. Brest, who had met with audience and critical resistance to his more wistful "Meet Joe Black," may have thought Affleck and Lopez (or Halle Berry, "Gigli's" original co-star) could protect him more than Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins did in "Black." He was wrong.
Which is worse: an inept movie that fails on every level -- or an ambitious and expensive movie, with some good elements and talented people, which falls short of its goal? Many critics unleash more bile on the second kind of movie, because they think the more complete, cheaper-made fiascoes are more vulnerable.
Audiences actually enjoy travesties such as "Robot Monster" and "Reefer Madness" because of their flabbergasting incompetence and stupidity; Ed Wood Jr. (director of "Plan 9 from Outer Space" and the pulverizingly hilarious "Glen or Glenda") became a moviemaking legend because he was so reliably and entertainingly inept. Yet, even though writer-director Phil Tucker is said to have attempted suicide after reading the reviews for his "Robot Monster" (an atrocity still watched and enjoyed today), the vitriol is worse for a movie like "Gigli."
The same thing that's now happening to "Gigli" once happened to both "Ishtar" and "Heaven's Gate": movies which were legendary objects of critical abuse. Neither looks that bad today. They have strong critical supporters, as most genuine turkeys such as "Howard the Duck" and "Can't Stop the Music," do not.
I'm not arguing that "Gigli" is a good movie. It isn't. It's a failed, over-reaching romantic comedy in which the stars don't connect strongly enough, though they do have some sweet moments. But the reason "Gigli" developed this strange, unearned reputation as an all-time catastrophe (artistic, rather than financial) is more a backlash against the celebrity of its stars.
Just as publicists are too loose with their superlatives, we critics are often too loose with both superlatives and condemnations. "Gigli" was damned, rightly, for missing its goals and wrongly, for political miscues. But it's wrong to elevate it to such dubious, unearned achievement as a ranking among the all-time worst. It's not the worst movie of the century, the summer or the week -- and neither were "Ishtar" or "Heaven's Gate." Really.
08-11-03 | 05:00 PM
#4
Moderator
Ebert and Roeper had the "is it really THAT bad" discussion on their show this week. Ebert (who gave it 2.5 stars) said it wasn't that bad, at least it tried to be different. He really railed on Roeper, who said that it was THAT bad, and shouted "They didn't commit a crime!" Ebert also took the opportunity to once again mock Brown Bunny.
08-11-03 | 06:04 PM
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From: WAS looking for My Own Private Stuckeyville, but stuck in Liberty City (while missing Vice City)
Originally posted by Heat
...The movie stumbles. But it's hardly the worst I've seen this year -- or even the worst movie that opened last week. "Gigli" even has some good scenes, notably two riveting cameos by Walken as an obsessed cop and Pacino as the psychopathic gang boss Starkman: two expert, calculated, grandly hammy turns miles ahead of the acting in genuine turkeys such as "From Justin to Kelly," "A Man Apart" or "Old School."....
...The movie stumbles. But it's hardly the worst I've seen this year -- or even the worst movie that opened last week. "Gigli" even has some good scenes, notably two riveting cameos by Walken as an obsessed cop and Pacino as the psychopathic gang boss Starkman: two expert, calculated, grandly hammy turns miles ahead of the acting in genuine turkeys such as "From Justin to Kelly," "A Man Apart" or "Old School."....
...The same thing that's now happening to "Gigli" once happened to both "Ishtar" and "Heaven's Gate": movies which were legendary objects of critical abuse. Neither looks that bad today. They have strong critical supporters, as most genuine turkeys such as "Howard the Duck" and "Can't Stop the Music," do not...
Talk about Old School, Howard the Duck & Can't Stop the Music and thems fightin' words...
08-11-03 | 06:27 PM
#7
DVD Talk Legend
OK, I bite the bullet and saw it. Was it horrible? Yes. Was it the worst movie ever? No. There are a number of movies that I can name that I enjoyed less (Patch Adams, Remo Williams, and Hanging Up to name a couple). The dialogue is horrible (especially the gobble gobble line), but I did like Walken and Pacino (they could not save this movie though).
Do not see this movie in theatres! When it comes out on DVD, do not buy it. Shoplift it instead. You'll thank me for it.
Do not see this movie in theatres! When it comes out on DVD, do not buy it. Shoplift it instead. You'll thank me for it.
08-11-03 | 09:01 PM
#11
From what everybody is saying about how lousy this movie is, I predict that this movie will be on DVD within 4 to 5 months in the $5.88 bin at Wal-Mart. And that would be too much to pay for it!
08-11-03 | 09:40 PM
#12
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by audrey
I saw it too. This movie is not the train wreck many are expecting. It's just a run-of-the-mill medicore movie.
I saw it too. This movie is not the train wreck many are expecting. It's just a run-of-the-mill medicore movie.
08-12-03 | 01:36 AM
#14
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Can't wait to see this one.
Gigli : The Criterion Collection
A 3 disc SE including:
Original theatrical cut
Director's Cut
Widescreen Anamorphic Transfer
DTS-ES surround
Multi-angle scene breakdowns
Commentary w/ Bennifer
Theatrical Trailers
and 6 more hours of crap you'll never watch
Let's face it the studios won't let us down.
Gigli : The Criterion Collection
A 3 disc SE including:
Original theatrical cut
Director's Cut
Widescreen Anamorphic Transfer
DTS-ES surround
Multi-angle scene breakdowns
Commentary w/ Bennifer
Theatrical Trailers
and 6 more hours of crap you'll never watch
Let's face it the studios won't let us down.
08-12-03 | 06:56 AM
#16
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From: Baltimore, MD
I'll take a "bad" movie over a mediocre one anyday.
At least bad movies can be entertaining. Mediocrity is the kiss of death for a movie in my book.
But I haven't seen Gigli so I can't comment on it.
At least bad movies can be entertaining. Mediocrity is the kiss of death for a movie in my book.
But I haven't seen Gigli so I can't comment on it.
08-12-03 | 08:26 AM
#17
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally posted by TREX1993
I'm holding out for the HD-DVD. I want the best possible Gigli money can buy.
Cruz, if Bounce can warrant a 2-disc release, there may be hope yet for your wishlist!
I'm holding out for the HD-DVD. I want the best possible Gigli money can buy.
Cruz, if Bounce can warrant a 2-disc release, there may be hope yet for your wishlist!
Oh joy!!!
08-12-03 | 08:40 AM
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Below is a link to some ideas from focus groups about how to round out the film. I haven't seen it yet, but these ideas certainly sound pretty promising. Hopefully they'll film some of these for a possible DVD SE.
Gigli focus group responses
Gigli focus group responses
08-12-03 | 09:05 AM
#21
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ah, it's good to see this movie fail in such a big way! kinda serves as a reminder of how bad hollywood movies have been lately, and what kind of crap execs are greenlighting. combine that with two of the worst actors out there. can't believe Martin Brest (Mr. Midnight Run) is responsible for this trainwreck.
08-12-03 | 01:07 PM
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Originally posted by darmok
ah, it's good to see this movie fail in such a big way! kinda serves as a reminder of how bad hollywood movies have been lately, and what kind of crap execs are greenlighting.
ah, it's good to see this movie fail in such a big way! kinda serves as a reminder of how bad hollywood movies have been lately, and what kind of crap execs are greenlighting.
Just as there are those who enjoy mindless action flicks, some people like romantic comedies. I suspect this property looked a lot better on paper than it did in the can. The fact that it’s a flop is almost irrelevant—hindsight, as they say, is perfect. Gigli is hardly the worst movie ever made; in fact, it’s not even the worst movie of the year.