Watch my stupid movie tonight

[Roderick Usher]

GRYPHON premeires on the SciFi Channel tonight (January 27) at 9pm EST. I wrote it, but try not to hold it against me:p

and for added enjoyment

* The Sci-Fi Original Movie Drinking Game

Take a drink when one of the following happens:
o A female character falls down.
o Someone spews out a sentence that uses "science words" but that makes absolutely no fucking sense at all.
Example: "We're going to need to stabilize the magnetic pulsar fields to get an accurate quantum readout."
o A person is eaten by the monster.
o One of the characters speak the words "prophesy", "conspiracy" or "legend".
o A character mentions that they "just need more time".
o Someone shoots at the monster but either doesn't hit it or doesn't kill it.
o You or one of your friends makes up the monster's new theme song and sings it when it appears on screen.
o You eat a big piece of pizza and want to take a sip of a refreshing beverage to wash it down with.
o The Main Guy looks off into the distance at nothing in particular.


Chug the whole beer when one of these happens:
o The opening credits. Trust me, you're going to want to get started early.
o The Main Guy punches the monster in the face and/or calls it a "bitch".
o The Weasley Traitor dies a horrific death.
o The monster is killed.
o Someone's head falls off.
o The President of Earth (or the United States) appears as a character in the film.
o The monster is actually a robot hamburger.
o The Main Guy and Girl 1 get busy.
o The heroes' ship crashes.
o The monster lays eggs.

[crabapple]

Awesome, sounds cool!

[stygianwitch]

it's not showing on sci-fi in the UK i just checked :( i was looking forward to it too, what's the time difference, it's 22:18 here now

[Master]

I'll dvr it and watch it sometime.

If you wrote it, why are you kind of bashing it?

[The_Return]

I dont get Sci-Fi:(

Looking forward to the DVD though:p

[knife_fight]

this is kinda like the Wild Zero drinking game. pretty cool...

some friends and I made a drinking game out of the show "Deadwood." we figured on making it through the enite first season of dvds. we didn't make it past the first disc (3 episodes I think) because we didn't notice how many times certain things were done until we started having to pay attention.

[pinkerton]

I am watching it now-what or who are you in it?

[bloodrayne]

If you wrote it, why are you kind of bashing it?We are our own worst critics

[Roderick Usher]

I am watching it now-what or who are you in it?

I wrote it.

And I'm bashing it because it's a SciFI Channel movie...and they all suck no matter who writes them. Every draft I wrote got chipped away at and stripped down to the point where little makes sense anymore.

It should be fun, but it ain't art.

I won't even see it tonight as it's my friend's 40th birthday and I need to go be social so I don't sit and stew over every little detail:confused:

[crabapple]

Hey....if ya got paid for it...it ain't that stupid. ;)

[pinkerton]

Are you Sean?

[bloodrayne]

I have it on in my kitchen while I'm making burgers and hot wings...But, I'm not really paying a lot of attention to it...What I HAVE seen looks okay (even though it's not a horror movie...and there was some mushy stuff :p)...I didn't see anything yet that would make it terrible



Just wanted to let you know I had it on....Gotta get back to cooking now


OH, and congratulations...It really is an accomplishment to have something you wrote broadcast on television

[Roderick Usher]

Are you Sean?

yup:o

................

[The Mothman]

im really disapointed that i missed it. i didnt have a TV handy. will it show again?

[Dude Guadalupe]

I only got to watch a few minutes of it. Will it be on DVD?

[GetrDone]

I'm watching it now. I like it so far its really cool. I set my dvd recorder for the 9pm est show while I was over my brother's house but the fucker didn't record. I'm watching the 1am showing :D

[massacre man]

I saw the last 10 minutes and it seemed like you or the editors were playing Zelda at the time.

[Zero]

did you have a naked shower scene in it? . . . not that i would want to see that, erm, uh, just, y'know, wondering if there might be some naked scene with rod and his tight dancer buns. . . just, y'know, curious . . . in a macho kind of way. . . yeah . . .

[Roderick Usher]

DVD info
http://www.amazon.com/Attack-Gryphon-Sub-Ac3-Dol/dp/B000MNOX8A/sr=1-1/qid=1170006463/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-3066690-1876831?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

[Haunted]

I wrote it.

And I'm bashing it because it's a SciFI Channel movie...and they all suck no matter who writes them. Every draft I wrote got chipped away at and stripped down to the point where little makes sense anymore.

It should be fun, but it ain't art.

I won't even see it tonight as it's my friend's 40th birthday and I need to go be social so I don't sit and stew over every little detail:confused:

Isn't it also about supply and demand, like every profession? I'm fairly certain that you could give us something along the same lines as say... Dune, with direction and production as good as Lynch himself, but the average Sci-Fi folks aren't going to be able to sit through that. So, you're commissioned to write something that is action packed, fast paced, with a monster that eats people, two heroes (male and female) fitting common standards that occasionally get it on. It's business.

This time they didn't say, "Sean, baby, give us all you got. We need a masterpiece here, kid, something powerful that's going to make Frank Herbet and Lynch give it up for life and swear to be better people, something that will make George Lucas look like the schlep he really is, okay? Great."

I'm going to be liberal here and say that most of us could get into a great film written and let's also say directed by you. Most of us enjoying the films that we do have those capabilities. However, we are not the majority. The majority have the attention span of a goldfish and need the occasional ripping off of a head to enjoy a film, whereas many of us can enjoy the subtle intricacies of a great storyline that you could bring.

I will order this film off of Amazon, as my folks had a dinner party last night. I want to see it to support a friend and for Goddess sakes, if you did it, it surely can't be all bad. Should be fun, to see the things that are so [I]you[I] in the film.

[Roderick Usher]

I finally founs a reviewer who "got it" by stating "maybe the screenwriters knew they were making a stupid movie.

Yup - sure did.:D I gotta say getting scathing reviews is pretty fucking funny.

[Despare]

I finally founs a reviewer who "got it" by stating "maybe the screenwriters knew they were making a stupid movie.

Yup - sure did.:D I gotta say getting scathing reviews is pretty fucking funny.

It's almost as if some of the reviewers think that the final product was all yours, like it all came together onscreen just as you had planned. Bah. Anyway, average review on Yahoo is 3 and a half out of 5 stars. That's above average! Anyway, every review I've read seems to say it's good cheesy fun so don't expect an award for "Worst Made for TV Movie Script" this year.

[Roderick Usher]

don't expect an award for "Worst Made for TV Movie Script" this year.

But how cool would that be? Mediocre product is one thing, but abysmally bad is something they can never take away from you:)

I didn't see any of it last night, so I'll have to wait for the Thursday rerun. Such a relief to have these three films behind me.

[Despare]

But how cool would that be? Mediocre product is one thing, but abysmally bad is something they can never take away from you:)

I didn't see any of it last night, so I'll have to wait for the Thursday rerun. Such a relief to have these three films behind me.

Yet I bet in many years your fans will be calling out to you daily to return to your schlock the way they beg Peter Jackson to go back to the days of Braindead.

[X¤MurderDoll¤X]

Heavenly Creatures is Peter Jackson's only really good movie.

Frightener's was funny and I'll admit to not liking the whole it's so bad, it's funny "Dead Alive" but I don't think you can really compare it to Heavenly Creatures even if you're a fan.

[illdojo]

At least somebody used something you wrote. I will try to check it out. :cool:

[Haunted]

I finally founs a reviewer who "got it" by stating "maybe the screenwriters knew they were making a stupid movie.

Yup - sure did.:D I gotta say getting scathing reviews is pretty fucking funny.

I hope you don't think I was being "scathing." As I said, I have yet to watch it, but fully intend to. (To be honest, I'll probably find it entertaining, because uh... I saw the previews:D You know, Sean, given my interests it's bound to give me a thrill in some form). I'mma actually buy it, and if you mess with me, I'm going to insist that you autograph it.;)

As I told you once (possibly a million times) UNCG has a really great small department film school. All of my guy friends got their BA's in Media Studies with big dreams of being great screenwriters like yourself, and with that, big dreams of absolute freedom. Screenwriting is a job. Sometimes you still gotta work for the Man/Woman. Sometimes the Man/Woman is going to say, "You're going to have to cut the part about how the main character's hatred for the monster is not only about it's destructive nature but also because it once was a creature of light and taught him about defeating the darkness and now he feels betrayed that the monster sold out... People aren't going to care. Cut it."

It's the same way in academic writing. Blows, but that's the way they get you.

Then you have to look at these famous screenwriters producing shit, absolute shit. You think your movie was bad. Maybe it was and maybe it wasn't. It probably wasn't. I'm definitely sure that it beats the hell out of a lot of the big screen stuff that is hyped to the point where the public is almost hypnotized into believing it's good.

[The Mothman]

DVD info
http://www.amazon.com/Attack-Gryphon-Sub-Ac3-Dol/dp/B000MNOX8A/sr=1-1/qid=1170006463/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-3066690-1876831?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

some kid gave it 5 stars.:)

[newb]

Oh fuck all.......I forgot to DVR it.....I'll catch it thursday.

[neverending]

Remind us Thursday as well... I completely forgot about it!

[bwind22]

I didn't even see this thread until Sunday or I would have watched it this weekend. As it is though, I've already got the DVR programmed for the Thursday night rerun.

[Elvis_Christ]

We don't get the SF channel over here. Maybe it'll end up on late night TV.

[Vodstok]

But how cool would that be? Mediocre product is one thing, but abysmally bad is something they can never take away from you:)

I didn't see any of it last night, so I'll have to wait for the Thursday rerun. Such a relief to have these three films behind me.

Just think "Ed Wood". Maybe in 30 years, someone like Tim Burton may make a movie about you ;)

Maybe the next Johnny Depp will dress up like you dressing up like tippy hedron ;)



Then you have to look at these famous screenwriters producing shit, absolute shit. You think your movie was bad. Maybe it was and maybe it wasn't. It probably wasn't. I'm definitely sure that it beats the hell out of a lot of the big screen stuff that is hyped to the point where the public is almost hypnotized into believing it's good.

Joe Eszterhas
Showgirls
Sliver
Basic Instinct

$3-4 Million for some of his scripts, and he writes long-winded bullshit. There is hope for us all.

[Disease]

Is it on video ? Rod?

[Roderick Usher]

April 3 it comes out on DVD

[The_Return]

April 3 it comes out on DVD

Any word on when the other one comes out?

http://www.nocommercialpotential.net/failagain/squid.jpg

[Roderick Usher]

hahahah thats my b-day ...

i'll expect an autographed copy in my mail :D

My gift to you;)

And Kraken comes out two weeks later - still no word on a Mammoth DVD release (but the producers are too busy scrambling to make the sequel called - I shit you not - Mammoth Too)

[Vodstok]

Mammoth Too


AHAHA!!!

Are the mammoths voiced by Bruce Willis and Roseanne?

Written by Joe Esterhaus and directed by Paul Verhoven.

once it is editited for tv, it will be 3 minutes long, and star Sharron Stone as the mom.

[Roderick Usher]

do i get a free copy if a say sean sent me ? :D

I don't even get a free copy - that's how shitty they treat the writers at SciFi

[The_Return]

How much are these DVDs going to run for?

[Roderick Usher]

DVD info
http://www.amazon.com/Attack-Gryphon-Sub-Ac3-Dol/dp/B000MNOX8A/sr=1-1/qid=1170006463/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-3066690-1876831?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

here you go

[Elvis_Christ]

I don't even get a free copy - that's how shitty they treat the writers at SciFi

No shit? Thats pretty tight assed of them. Hope you stole lots of stuff from their office.

[Angra]

here you go


Holy crap, Rod.

You are a co-writer on a movie that i´ve actually seen!!!

"Mammoth". It was alright. ;)

[Roderick Usher]

Holy crap, Rod.

You are a co-writer on a movie that i´ve actually seen!!!

"Mammoth". It was alright. ;)
That's the only one of the bunch that I am at all proud of. The execs at SciFi really don't like comedy in their movies. The first draft of Gryphon was a parody of every sword and sorcery story I'd ever seen. And they hated it.

BUT they kept the structure and told me to remove the comedy. That's how you get a bad movie, by nulifying the point, but keeping the plot. So then I just tried to see how bad I could make it and still get paid.

In Mammoth we actually got away with parodying every convention of the SciFi Channel Original picture. We have a scene in a diner, a gas station, a corn field, a party in the woods, pseudoscience, aliens, a big monster, decapitations, a heartfelt father-daughter talk, government agents, a town secret and references to The Blob, Evil Dead, The Day the Earth Stood Still and dozens of others.

It was still pretty weak, but at least we had some fun with it.

[crabapple]

Sounds very Joe Dante-like...references and homages everywhere, for the film geeks to appreciate!

[GetrDone]

since you didn't get a free copy and probably won't get anything from the dvd sales I'm assuming. would you get mad if we just downloaded it? :D

[cactus]

I caught most all of it...in between giving my little girl medicine. I'll have to catch the whole thing Thursday. I do wish they would have let you keep it a comedy. I also wish SciFi would have put just a little more effort into the monster...:eek:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o4/cactusmg/Temp/griffon.jpg


Seriously, though...Congratulations. It was cheesy fun!

[Roderick Usher]

since you didn't get a free copy and probably won't get anything from the dvd sales I'm assuming. would you get mad if we just downloaded it? :D

Rip 'em off! Burn 'em like crazy. I'll never see a penny anyway.

and cactus - I WISH the creature looked that cool - an all-puppet version of a shitty SciFI Channel movie would be one hell of an improvement!

[crabapple]

I haven't seen the movie yet but the creature effects must be pretty decent?

[Roderick Usher]

I haven't seen the movie yet but the creature effects must be pretty decent?

People are comparning the CGI quality to something done with Mario Paint. Another review used a Commodore 64 reference.

It's not pretty, even though my friend Scott Coulter did it. But that's what you get when the producers insist on 100+ VFX shots for around a million dollars. Just not enough money and time spent rendering.

[Roderick Usher]

It's on again tonight at 9pm on SciFi Channel:p

[Master]

It's on again tonight at 9pm on SciFi Channel:p

I'll try to catch it this time around.

[Roderick Usher]

thats when you say - screw it - we're making a comedy... and run with the limitations

The first draft was a straight-up parody of Dragonslayer...SciFi HATES it when you don't take thier shit seriously. I actually had a shitty French producer going over every line of my script and taking out every line that he didn't find "heroic".

In his eyes a hero is never afraid of anything - he couldn't understand that a hero is more compelling when he/she is frightened, yet perseveres in the face of fear.

So I tried to push everything to point of being way too serious and as a result, comical. But the actors and director played it straight and the joke was lost.

[bwind22]

I DVR'ed it last night. I'll check it out in the morning & let ya know what I thought. :)

[Vodstok]

i caught it off and on last night. it reaches a level of badness that makes it an instant classic in my book. :D

Bree walked in and saw the gryphon nearly get blowed-up and actually stopped dead in her tracks and said "Oh my god...."


I really would love to watch it with rod and have a mst3k style viewing, where he could say "That was mine, that was mine... i have no clue where that came from..."

[newb]

DVR'ed it also.Will watch.....maybe this weekend.


if I can find enough beer.:D

[Vodstok]

DVR'ed it also.Will watch.....maybe this weekend.


if I can find enough beer.:D

The digital effects are amazing. Not Terminator 2 amazing. Rawhead rex amazing.

[newb]

The digital effects are amazing. Not Terminator 2 amazing. Rawhead rex amazing.

More like "The Hulk"

Watched about 45 minutes last night.I thought I was watching Monty Python for a bit..."Run Away...Run Away....hee hee

And what happened to Larry Drake....he's huge.

And the girl who played the kings sister couldn't act for shit.

But congrats anyway Rod...must have been pretty cool to see your name in the credits.Even if Sci-Fi fucked up the script.