i was watching patriot tonight and i noticed that the director was dean semler who is one of the best cinematographs around and has worked on films like the alamo,we were soldiers,bone collector,bruce almighty and xxx and yet he seemed to have no idea how to do a action scene with seagal.
patriot director
- Thread starter rastafari
- Start date
Hi ratafari.
I can see your point of view regarding the director of that film Dean Semler, but I would still slightly disagree with you. As one of the few who actually liked this movie I thought on the whole that Semler did'nt do too bad a job with the action scenes. For example look at the visceral quality of the first shoot-out at the hospital. It hits you by surprise, mainly because of its suddeness and the unexpected bloodied violence of it. He builds up a momentum with doctor after doctor being gunned down, catching you unawares as the start of the film is so easy going and quiant. I think the main reason Seagal fans see Dean Semler as a bit of a flop is because there is hardly any in-depth, gratuitous fight scenes in "The Patriot". Any that there are, are fast and certainlt don't involve him snapping bones on his enemies. He fights anyway he can in order to get to his daughter and save his townpeople. Lets face it if Seagal did gloatingly break some poor b*stard's arm in this film, it would have looked very out of place (not the guys arm I'm talking about you understand!) since he was playing a doctor. Admittedly he does use violence in the film but you'll notice he never really takes his time to beat up or waste somebody, instead, he tries too rid himself of them as quickly as he can and by any means possible.
Semler's experience as a cinematographer helped immensily to capture picturesque scenes of the Montana countryside, so that the film was very easy on they eye. In my opinion he is a much better director than that hack who directed "Fire Down Below". The guy who directed that film totally ruined it, for me anyway, with his crappy editing and over use of the speed up button on his camera. That to me is one of Seagal's weakest films from an action viewpoint. Just my opinion.
Peace.
MMCK
I can see your point of view regarding the director of that film Dean Semler, but I would still slightly disagree with you. As one of the few who actually liked this movie I thought on the whole that Semler did'nt do too bad a job with the action scenes. For example look at the visceral quality of the first shoot-out at the hospital. It hits you by surprise, mainly because of its suddeness and the unexpected bloodied violence of it. He builds up a momentum with doctor after doctor being gunned down, catching you unawares as the start of the film is so easy going and quiant. I think the main reason Seagal fans see Dean Semler as a bit of a flop is because there is hardly any in-depth, gratuitous fight scenes in "The Patriot". Any that there are, are fast and certainlt don't involve him snapping bones on his enemies. He fights anyway he can in order to get to his daughter and save his townpeople. Lets face it if Seagal did gloatingly break some poor b*stard's arm in this film, it would have looked very out of place (not the guys arm I'm talking about you understand!) since he was playing a doctor. Admittedly he does use violence in the film but you'll notice he never really takes his time to beat up or waste somebody, instead, he tries too rid himself of them as quickly as he can and by any means possible.
Semler's experience as a cinematographer helped immensily to capture picturesque scenes of the Montana countryside, so that the film was very easy on they eye. In my opinion he is a much better director than that hack who directed "Fire Down Below". The guy who directed that film totally ruined it, for me anyway, with his crappy editing and over use of the speed up button on his camera. That to me is one of Seagal's weakest films from an action viewpoint. Just my opinion.
Peace.
MMCK
i can see your point and i suppose he did not use the speed up and speed down style of the foreinger director.had he have used that style in 2 or 3 action shots it would have looked good but every 50 secs made the it hard work to wqtch at times(i am talking about foreinger now not patriot).seagals beast 2 directors are still andrew davis and john flynn.
Nassau Mike
Member
He has a pretty good resume as a cinematographer but never quite made it as a director.
His first time at directing was the ill fated Firestorm with Howie Long and this was after Howie Long had signed a five picture deal with Warner Bros after his initial effort in Broken Arrow. Howie was finished after that movie.
Maybe he just was'nt given much to work with in terms of the quality of the movie itself in each case..
His first time at directing was the ill fated Firestorm with Howie Long and this was after Howie Long had signed a five picture deal with Warner Bros after his initial effort in Broken Arrow. Howie was finished after that movie.
Maybe he just was'nt given much to work with in terms of the quality of the movie itself in each case..
Rastafari, I know what you mean about "The Foreigner", I liked the film itself, but it did tend to overuse flashy editing jiggery pokery during the action scenes. I also agree that the two directors you mention were probably the best he ever worked with. Although there have been rumours that Seagal directed a lot of "Out For Justice" himself, even though Flynn was officially the director. This has yet to be proved though.
its not ofj that seagal directed its marked for death that seagal did about 70% of the work for.john flynn had made about 10-12 movies before ofj and was experianced and doubt he would let someone do a film for him but dwight little had only made one film prior to mfd.by the way anyone here seen littles film after marked for death called rapid fire with brandon lee?
I've also heard the same regarding "Marked For Death", that he directed a lot of it himself. Maybe the magazine I read it in mixed this up but I definatly read that about "Out For Justice" too. I think Flynn had been directing since the 60's, and he also helmed Sylvester Stallone vehicle "Lock Up" so your right he would have certainly had experience whereas Dwight H Little had next to none, as the only film he directed before "Marked For Death" was one of the "Halloween" sequels I think.
It was also reported in the "E- True Hollywood Stories" show about Seaga,l that he did'nt get on with the director of "Hard To Kill", Bruce Malmuth and that he rewrote a big percentage of the script as well.
Peace.
It was also reported in the "E- True Hollywood Stories" show about Seaga,l that he did'nt get on with the director of "Hard To Kill", Bruce Malmuth and that he rewrote a big percentage of the script as well.
Peace.
GlimmerMan
Huge Member
Rast - Rapid Fire is excellent.
Nassau Mike
Member
I think that Davis and Stuart Baird were the two best directors he has worked with..Stuart Baird was the director of Executive Decision and many may not consider that a Seagal film but he was a director that Seagal worked with, if only for a few minutes of the actual movie..If Seagal ever makes US3, I would like to see either Andrew Davis or Stuart Baird do it. They are both great action directors and fit Seagal's style..
good thing about andrew davis is that he does not used slow-mo much as other directors nowadays.
question who here as seen collataral damage and who liked it?
it got bad reviews but i liked it as it was filmed in the old fashioned way which alot of movies now like xxx and 2 fast 2 furious are not.
question who here as seen collataral damage and who liked it?
it got bad reviews but i liked it as it was filmed in the old fashioned way which alot of movies now like xxx and 2 fast 2 furious are not.
Nassau Mike
Member
Davis is not a director that will make the cartoon action flicks that are so prevalent nowadays.
I thought that Collateral Damage was ok but Arnold just dont do it for me any longer in action movies. That being said, I will be going to see Terminator 3 today or tomorrow. After all its not the typical action flick but one that has good special effects and the terminator in this one kicks his ass. If it was'nt for T3 Arnold's career would be going the same way as Stallone and other action stars.
I thought that Collateral Damage was ok but Arnold just dont do it for me any longer in action movies. That being said, I will be going to see Terminator 3 today or tomorrow. After all its not the typical action flick but one that has good special effects and the terminator in this one kicks his ass. If it was'nt for T3 Arnold's career would be going the same way as Stallone and other action stars.
Nassau Mike
Member
Actually he fought against the bad terminator in the second one as well and there was a T3. Yep, there is talk of a T4 and since this one is doing pretty well so far, I guess you can expect a fourth one. What else can Arnie do at this point in his career..
Amos Stevens
New Member
Well that is what that article said that I posted the other day-when he was in Iraq..that he was thinking of running for office
Nassau Mike
Member
I think there is a good chance of him doing both. If he decides to run for office I think he will be a shoe in and they are even saying that there might be a T4 and T5. The guy who played John Conner in the T3 movie has already signed to do 2 more.
At this point in his career, Arnie can either keep making Terminator or run for governer of California.
At this point in his career, Arnie can either keep making Terminator or run for governer of California.