If he'd only died after...

mousepod · 11-29-2006, 12:47 AM

Did Robert Altman "Jump the Shark"® before? iSm's suggestion that he "kinda wish he'd kicked the bucket after Gosford Park" made me think that there are probably lots of other favorite artistes that probably overstayed their welcome.

I'll admit that the collector geek in me breathes a little sigh of relief when I know that a part of my collection has reached some level of finiteness (I know that's not a word). My friend called me with the news of Altman's death with "Jesse, there's not going to me an 'O.C. and Stiggs' sequel." Knowing that gave me a certain sense of morbid satisfaction.

Anyway, it got me thinking that there are certain other artistes that might've overstayed their welcome. If Mel Brooks had kicked after History of the World, it truly might have been good to be the king.

Any other death wishes?

Bornieo: Fully Loaded · 11-29-2006, 12:59 AM

Is this along the lines of "I wish the bullits would've hit Yoko instead?"

Hmmmm

mousepod · 11-29-2006, 06:48 AM

Y'know, as I read my OP in the cold light of the morning, I'm thinking that between the "Love" review and the news about Robert Altman and Dave Cockrum, I was in a pretty nasty place when I started this thread. So perhaps I'll nominate it for an untimely demise...

LSPoorEeyorick · 11-29-2006, 08:59 AM

No, no. It's not so horribly nasty. Just honest.

Personally, I wish Sondheim had kicked it before Bounce. (Maybe even Passion.)

innerSpaceman · 11-29-2006, 09:11 AM

Pfft, Lucas after Star Wars is too easy.

Naw, this isn't too nasty a thread. We don't have to be wishing death upon people ... just the good sense to know when the decline has hit their talent and the better sense to stop right there.

Ok, with most folks .... death is the only thing that works.

With Altman, btw ... he'd long since grown out of his own morbid "Stiggs" phase ... and I wouldn't call one unmasterpiece film (Praire Home Companion) coming after one great film (Gosford Park) the kind of shark jump that I'd like to see stop artists in their tracks. There are plenty of artists who've sunk to clunker after clunker. I can't think of any right now, but I'll be sure to post them here when I do.

Ghoulish Delight · 11-29-2006, 09:35 AM

It pains me to say this, but Burton needs to be stopped. Rather, needs to have been stopped. I'll give him Sleepy Hollow, while not brilliant at least it was enjoyable. And I see that he did a short based on Stainboy, one of the characters from his uber-cool, Shell Silverstein meets Poe poetry collection The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy. Gotta get my hands on that and check it out.

But Planet of the Apes? Big Fish? Charlie and the Pointless Backstory? Even Corpse Bride which, while beautiful, was, like Big Fish, disappointingly one-dimensional in the story and character departments.

Yeah, definitely wish he'd have hung up the hat in the new millenium.

Alex · 11-29-2006, 10:06 AM

Just a morbid way of saying "I wish so and so had stopped when they were at the top of their game." Which is a very common wish.

With Altman, I would probably make that wish around 1980, but while I don't like most of his stuff after that he did still have a couple quality efforts in him. Are 16 stinkers an acceptable price for Gosford Park? Is most of the crap (by his standards) Scorcese has produced since Goodfellas worth the price of getting The Departed?

The problem is, you never know if the person has another classic in them that makes sitting through the intervening pablum worth the wait.

I wonder if the directorial equivelant of Jim Brown (for those who don't know, one of the best football players of all time who walked away from the game while still at his peak) may be James Cameron.

He has been promising to direct a fiction movie for years now but something always seems to distract him. I can easily see him taking his massive wealth and playing with submarines for the rest of his life. Hard to believe it has already been a decade since his last non-documentary directorial effort.

LSPoorEeyorick · 11-29-2006, 10:25 AM

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Cameron has a feature in active development right now (not just blue sky phase.)

Not Afraid · 11-29-2006, 12:54 PM

Andrew Lloyd Webber should never have been born. (How's that for excessive nastiness?)

David Bowie (whom I ADORE, needs to stop making music.)

Alex · 11-29-2006, 12:56 PM

Which one? I know he's committed to several over the years but they eventually fell apart. And IMDb lists all of his current ones as in pre-production (IMDb is not good at keeping that current though) which is where the others collapsed.

I thought he was just producing Battle Angel and Avatar for Rogue with others directing.

But it isn't a bubble to be burst. I don't want Cameron to stop making movies, I'm hoping he gets back in the game.

11-29-2006, 12:47 AM	#1
mousepod You broke your Ramadar! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,635	If he'd only died after... Did Robert Altman "Jump the Shark"® before? iSm's suggestion that he "kinda wish he'd kicked the bucket after Gosford Park" made me think that there are probably lots of other favorite artistes that probably overstayed their welcome. I'll admit that the collector geek in me breathes a little sigh of relief when I know that a part of my collection has reached some level of finiteness (I know that's not a word). My friend called me with the news of Altman's death with "Jesse, there's not going to me an 'O.C. and Stiggs' sequel." Knowing that gave me a certain sense of morbid satisfaction. Anyway, it got me thinking that there are certain other artistes that might've overstayed their welcome. If Mel Brooks had kicked after History of the World, it truly might have been good to be the king. Any other death wishes? __________________ "Give the public everything you can give them, keep the place as clean as you can keep it, keep it friendly" - Walt Disney
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 12:59 AM	#2
Bornieo: Fully Loaded Lego Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Disneyland, USA Posts: 3,704	Is this along the lines of "I wish the bullits would've hit Yoko instead?" Hmmmm
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 06:48 AM	#3
mousepod You broke your Ramadar! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,635	Y'know, as I read my OP in the cold light of the morning, I'm thinking that between the "Love" review and the news about Robert Altman and Dave Cockrum, I was in a pretty nasty place when I started this thread. So perhaps I'll nominate it for an untimely demise... __________________ "Give the public everything you can give them, keep the place as clean as you can keep it, keep it friendly" - Walt Disney
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 08:59 AM	#4
LSPoorEeyorick scribblin' Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: in the moment Posts: 3,872	No, no. It's not so horribly nasty. Just honest. Personally, I wish Sondheim had kicked it before Bounce. (Maybe even Passion.)
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 09:11 AM	#5
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Pfft, Lucas after Star Wars is too easy. Naw, this isn't too nasty a thread. We don't have to be wishing death upon people ... just the good sense to know when the decline has hit their talent and the better sense to stop right there. Ok, with most folks .... death is the only thing that works. With Altman, btw ... he'd long since grown out of his own morbid "Stiggs" phase ... and I wouldn't call one unmasterpiece film (Praire Home Companion) coming after one great film (Gosford Park) the kind of shark jump that I'd like to see stop artists in their tracks. There are plenty of artists who've sunk to clunker after clunker. I can't think of any right now, but I'll be sure to post them here when I do.
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 09:35 AM	#6
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	It pains me to say this, but Burton needs to be stopped. Rather, needs to have been stopped. I'll give him Sleepy Hollow, while not brilliant at least it was enjoyable. And I see that he did a short based on Stainboy, one of the characters from his uber-cool, Shell Silverstein meets Poe poetry collection The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy. Gotta get my hands on that and check it out. But Planet of the Apes? Big Fish? Charlie and the Pointless Backstory? Even Corpse Bride which, while beautiful, was, like Big Fish, disappointingly one-dimensional in the story and character departments. Yeah, definitely wish he'd have hung up the hat in the new millenium. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 10:06 AM	#7
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Just a morbid way of saying "I wish so and so had stopped when they were at the top of their game." Which is a very common wish. With Altman, I would probably make that wish around 1980, but while I don't like most of his stuff after that he did still have a couple quality efforts in him. Are 16 stinkers an acceptable price for Gosford Park? Is most of the crap (by his standards) Scorcese has produced since Goodfellas worth the price of getting The Departed? The problem is, you never know if the person has another classic in them that makes sitting through the intervening pablum worth the wait. I wonder if the directorial equivelant of Jim Brown (for those who don't know, one of the best football players of all time who walked away from the game while still at his peak) may be James Cameron. He has been promising to direct a fiction movie for years now but something always seems to distract him. I can easily see him taking his massive wealth and playing with submarines for the rest of his life. Hard to believe it has already been a decade since his last non-documentary directorial effort.
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 10:25 AM	#8
LSPoorEeyorick scribblin' Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: in the moment Posts: 3,872	Sorry to burst your bubble, but Cameron has a feature in active development right now (not just blue sky phase.)
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 12:54 PM	#9
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Andrew Lloyd Webber should never have been born. (How's that for excessive nastiness?) David Bowie (whom I ADORE, needs to stop making music.)
	Submit to Quotes

11-29-2006, 12:56 PM	#10
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Which one? I know he's committed to several over the years but they eventually fell apart. And IMDb lists all of his current ones as in pre-production (IMDb is not good at keeping that current though) which is where the others collapsed. I thought he was just producing Battle Angel and Avatar for Rogue with others directing. But it isn't a bubble to be burst. I don't want Cameron to stop making movies, I'm hoping he gets back in the game.
	Submit to Quotes