So what is it with actors turning directors?

[Luc214]

Mel Gibson has done it, Tim Roth has done it, John Turturro has done it, and now Sean Penn, and I'm sure there are others.

[talk show host]

Huh, I didn't realise John Turturro had directed anything. I want to see Steve Buscemi's film. George Clooney did a pretty good job with Good Night, and Good Luck though it wasn't particularly earth-shattering.

But yeah, I guess it's just a natural evolution for some actors to want to get behind the camera. When you've been acting for years you probably come up with a few ideas and I imagine your name would put you in a better position to get your own film released as opposed to some no-name film student.

[Luc214]

This is Turturro's film:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368222/

[talk show host]

that's quite a good cast there

[StreetlightRock]

I don't see why people jizzed themselves silly to Good Night and Good Luck. It was at most a decent movie, thats it. And yeah, Clint Eastwood's a big one whos made some really really cool movies recently as well.

[Strum]

ron howard lol

[planewreck]

I don't see why people jizzed themselves silly to Good Night and Good Luck. It was at most a decent movie, thats it. And yeah, Clint Eastwood's a big one whos made some really really cool movies recently as well.
this

[Der Übermensch]

Clint Eastwood ftw!

[Meatplow]

Clint has made some great movies. Mystic River & Million Dollar Baby were some of the best modern dramas i have seen. He will still always be The Man With No Name to me though ;)

I suppose actors get restless being behind the camera and would like to branch out and try something new, i dunno. It's usually a positive thing.

[A Dead Modernist]

Yep am a sucker for Clint movies, I must admit.

[Gnarmageddon]

Clint Eastwood ftw!
Mystic River and Letters From Iwo Jima both killed me. So good.

[Otherside]

Zach Braff

[thedeadwalk!]

So what's wrong with actors turning directors?

[Robert Crumb]

Blame Cassavetes.

[Kage]

Blame Cassavetes.

;)


I really want to see Steve Buscemi's Interview. I was gonna go see it at the local art theater but they stopped showing it before I gathered up the wherewithal to drive downtown.

[Lizparker]

It's cos they're spoiled and think they're so good they can afford turning down directors, or they just don't like that speciiiifiic director!

[Alf™]

Lizparker is obviously in the business and knows how it is!

[Lizparker]

Yes.
How is it to be banned, alfy? Tell me, i'd like to know!

[Alf™]

I'm sure you know how it is, lizparker.

LunaLovegood wasn't very popular, getting kicked 58 times!

[big80smullet]

I like ron hopward and clint's stuff. It really is just a natural progression of sorts to go from being films to making them. Just like models become photographers.

[Tyrant21]

i think it is just a natural evolution of the industry. With any other profession, there is room for improvement, with acting there can be harder roles to play, but to really step it up, you go and direct a film

[JohnXDoe]

Mel Gibson has done it, Tim Roth has done it, John Turturro has done it, and now Sean Penn, and I'm sure there are others.
Penn directed his first film well before Gibson, Turturro, or Roth got behind the camera

[superpeer]

Also Robert De Niro.

I'd like to see Buscemi's film, but I'm not too fond of the concept of US remakes. =(

[EightMilesHigh]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

Edward Norton directed Keeping The Faith. I've only seen about the first half but what I saw was good.

[AlienEater]

what is the problem with it?

i see no problem

[EightMilesHigh]

I also hear Pollock (by Ed Harris) is quite good.

[Kage]

i think it is just a natural evolution of the industry. With any other profession, there is room for improvement, with acting there can be harder roles to play, but to really step it up, you go and direct a film

No, not at all. Directing is not a logical course from acting, per se. They are two totally separate arts.

[Luc214]

Penn directed his first film well before Gibson, Turturro, or Roth got behind the camera

Oh, I only knew of the new film The Wild that he directed.

[JohnXDoe]

He actually has some pretty good films under his belt. The first being The Indian Runner with an up and coming Viggo Mortenson and aging Charles Bronson. That was inspired by the Bruce Springsteen tune Highway Patrolman and contains certain cues from the song.

His next films featured Jack Nicholson. I liked The Pledge (Jack plays a retiring career cop / chief who promises to catch a killer) more then his dry The Crossing Guard (Jack plays a semi lowlife who is out for revenge on the man who killed his little girl). Although both films are good, The Pledge is just more compelling.

Penn is a very cold eyed filmmaker. At least he has been. Methodical, measured, some would say too much so. His films have been described as thoughtful, slow, engrossing, and yes, boring. But I have never been bored by one. Although he is one to draw out a story pretty long.

I like his work. His films are mainly character driven. I have no idea of his new film or what it's about.