Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
03-01-13, 10:28 AM
#26
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
Commentary by Writer-Director Peter Hyams: It's clear from the internal references (e.g., to TV shows like Deadwood and Treme) that this is a new commentary. Hyams notes at one point that he hasn't seen the movie in a long time and, in general, that he doesn't like to watch his films once they're completed. Nevertheless, his memory of a 30-year-old shoot is vivid and detailed, and his stories are often terrific and told with gusto. The tale of Connery's early demand to see dailies is a high point. Along the way, Hyams drops valuable insights about lighting, casting, the use of widescreen framing and how an actor of Connery's caliber can bring a scene to life just by the expression on his face. The commentary may be the only new extra supplied with the Blu-ray, but it's one of the most entertaining I've heard in a long time.
I was surprised at how much I remembered watching Outland since I had not seen it much since the early '80s. The "odd couple" relationship between Connery and Sternhagen is a highlight of the film and it was interesting to learn that Sternhagen's character was originally written to be male. It's not the world's greatest movie nor does it claim to be but I enjoyed the Blu-ray along with Hyams' commentary.
03-01-13, 08:09 PM
#28
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
Sudden Death is a huge guilty pleasure of mine.
03-02-13, 04:34 AM
#29
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
Yes he is mediocre..made a couple of good films and some bad ones...evened out, he is mediocre.
At least he is mediocre and not bad...we have enough of those in Hollywood.
At least he is mediocre and not bad...we have enough of those in Hollywood.
03-02-13, 09:50 AM
#31
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Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
If you haven't seen A Sound of Thunder, you owe it too yourself to watch the scene early in the film where Ed Burns is walking down a futuristic street. It has some of the most amazingly poor cgi ever seen in a (barely) theatrically released film (which makes sense since I read they lost their funding during post production)
03-02-13, 10:06 AM
#32
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
It looks like a scyfy channel flick:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yTmKsKhMcIg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yTmKsKhMcIg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
03-02-13, 01:11 PM
#33
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
Back in the '80s, I thought of Peter Hyams as being a rather mediocre director. But since then, when we're had a couple of decades full of director hacks, I now appreciate Peter Hyams a lot more.
03-04-13, 02:44 AM
#34
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
Outland is his masterpiece. And the Jerry Goldsmith soundtrack is outstanding. Pick it up. I like a few of his other films as well. Not even close to most mediocre.
03-04-13, 05:46 AM
#35
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Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
A Sound of Thunder is the worst film of all time.
Outland has awesome production design but the whole movie is just silly and not that rewatchable.
2010 may be his best film, but that too is no masterpiece.
I definitely agree that Hyams is a pretty mediocre filmmaker.
Outland has awesome production design but the whole movie is just silly and not that rewatchable.
2010 may be his best film, but that too is no masterpiece.
I definitely agree that Hyams is a pretty mediocre filmmaker.
03-04-13, 06:31 AM
#36
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
He might be considered a mediocre director but I liked Outland, 2010 and The Relic, hell, I even enyoyed Time Cop.
03-04-13, 03:27 PM
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Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
I was surprised at how much I remembered watching Outland since I had not seen it much since the early '80s. The "odd couple" relationship between Connery and Sternhagen is a highlight of the film and it was interesting to learn that Sternhagen's character was originally written to be male. It's not the world's greatest movie nor does it claim to be but I enjoyed the Blu-ray along with Hyams' commentary.
03-04-13, 03:57 PM
#38
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
If you haven't seen A Sound of Thunder, you owe it too yourself to watch the scene early in the film where Ed Burns is walking down a futuristic street. It has some of the most amazingly poor cgi ever seen in a (barely) theatrically released film (which makes sense since I read they lost their funding during post production)
09-13-13, 03:59 PM
#40
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
Hilarious bump, evidently a response to Spottedfeather's inclusion of Hyams in his pantheon of top directors in the Films You Won't See on Principle thread. (The others being Spielberg and--get this--Paul W.S. Anderson.)
09-13-13, 04:30 PM
#41
Banned by request
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
I mean, at least Richard Rush, another mediocre director, gave us The Stunt Man, which is fantastic.
09-13-13, 05:10 PM
#42
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
He is a bit of a dick. They filmed Red Dragon at work way back when and he comes in to the place talking all loud and shit on his cell phone - our security guard threw him out. 
I told our guy "hey, you know you just threw the director out of the building, right?"
His response was: "I don't give a fuck!"
Good times.
I told our guy "hey, you know you just threw the director out of the building, right?"
His response was: "I don't give a fuck!"
Good times.
09-13-13, 05:33 PM
#43
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
EDIT - I thought you were talking about Wayne Kramer's RS. Nevermind.
Last edited by Why So Blu?; 09-13-13 at 07:00 PM.
09-13-13, 05:35 PM
#44
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
And as far as my favroite Hyams directed films go - I haven't seen them all, would be:
Outland
2010
The Relic
I like parts of Timecop and End of Days, but they're pretty awful. I've yet to see Sudden Death but always remembered that Siskel & Ebert episode where they gave it TWO enthusiastic thumbs up.
And as far as his "style" goes - his later stuff is shot dark and gritty.
Outland
2010
The Relic
I like parts of Timecop and End of Days, but they're pretty awful. I've yet to see Sudden Death but always remembered that Siskel & Ebert episode where they gave it TWO enthusiastic thumbs up.
And as far as his "style" goes - his later stuff is shot dark and gritty.
09-13-13, 05:44 PM
#45
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
Oh, and looks like he has a new Van Damme flick coming out soon...in Germany.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2395199/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2395199/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1
09-13-13, 05:57 PM
#46
DVD Talk Hero
09-13-13, 06:42 PM
#47
Banned by request
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
I have seen the Blu-ray. It is a decent movie, but not anything special. And if that's his best, then I maintain that Hyams is mediocre.
09-13-13, 06:55 PM
#48
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Peter Hyams - Most Mediocre Filmmaker Alive?
THE STAR CHAMBER is almost a great movie in a 'Parallax View' vein. Almost. Until it turns absolutely idiotic in the Third Act. And pretty much has no real ending.
CAPRICORN ONE is pure cheese. How about that slow-mo run at the end? No spoilers, but come ON!
2010 and OUTLAND are decent flicks. I like both a lot for what they are. Well-meaning B-movies.
RUNNING SCARED and THE PRESIDIO are sort of average flicks, but acquit themselves well for being mid-80s cheese.
His movies are well shot and always LOOK good, even when they're not.
CAPRICORN ONE is pure cheese. How about that slow-mo run at the end? No spoilers, but come ON!
2010 and OUTLAND are decent flicks. I like both a lot for what they are. Well-meaning B-movies.
RUNNING SCARED and THE PRESIDIO are sort of average flicks, but acquit themselves well for being mid-80s cheese.
His movies are well shot and always LOOK good, even when they're not.
09-13-13, 07:05 PM
#49
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But I tend to avoid them...