SUMMER REWATCH: Three Kings Discussion

Posting early since it's almost Sunday for our Australian friends!  I'm thinking the discussions may get a little lively this week and next (Syriana), if previous political threads are any indication.  

Three Kings was written by John Ridley (the guy who wrote 12 Years a Slave, among other things). The three main characters were written as black men. But David O. Russell rewrote it. When he was done, not only was only one supporting character black, but Russell had the writing credit, and Ridley only had 'story' credit.

They didn't speak to each other for years. I read that this past Oscar ceremony was the first time they'd had a conversation since the release of Three Kings.

Oops meant O'Russell is an ass.

In addition to his fight with Clooney...

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And the famous Lily Tomlin David O Russell rant (warning strong language)

Yep. Ass. Claims to be a reformed ass, but I ain't buying it. Nobody goes from calling a comedic icon a "c**t" on set to being Mr. Nice Guy.

He also got shared writing credit for American Hustle -- another script that somebody else wrote but he changed to suit his directorial style and actor preferences , though the story was pretty much intact.

1999 remembered......

Prior to 1999 I had only seen George over two or three years every morning in ER reruns and Three Kings was the first DVD I bought of his films.

I watched it on my computer, on my own, and confess to feeling so embarrassed at the opening sex scene !
I felt like a yoyeur happening upon someone I knew in an intimate moment !
Wasn't that strange ? Did anyone else have a similar reaction in 1999 ?

2or3 days ago I was randomly surfing on tv
guess what scene I saw?

yes

that one

it's me wrote:2or3 days ago I was randomly surfing on tv
guess what scene I saw?

yes

that one

Lol...did you feel embarrassed .... Lol
I wouldn't now of course !

hmmm

curious I guess


  

guess I'd better pop in my dvd cause it's been so long since I've seen the film that I don't remember a sex scene at all! 

 

LornaDoone wrote:guess I'd better pop in my dvd cause it's been so long since I've seen the film that I don't remember a sex scene at all! 

 

Oooooo Lorna....you've got CRAFT disease too then ?

Welcome to the club !

Well mine was CRS but CRAFT works too.

Then again, Three Kings WAS a LONG time ago.  I haven't seen the film since it came out originally so one sex scene isn't going to stand out after all those years!

Especially as its about ten minutes in !
Hardly time enough to open your popcorn. Lol

Enjoy !

Way2, I'd heard that there was a beef between Russell and Ridley, but didn't know what it was in relation to.  Interesting story.  I don't understand how people work with him over and over again.  Mark Wahlberg, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, who seems to me would have very little patience for that type of behavior from a director.  I guess you can get away with a lot of nastiness in Hollywood under the "But he's a creative genius!" guise.    

While I always thought he had crossed the line with George, I did see how that spat could have been just two hotheads going at it.  But the Lily Tomlin video?  That's INSANE.  That woman is a)in her sixties, and b) more accomplished and talented than Russell can ever hope to be.  The guy's crazy as a loon.

FYI, when this politically-charged, very timely film came up on the rewatch list, the first thing I thought of was THAT scene.  I have a problem. 

Geez what is it with this sex scene?  Still haven't popped in the video.

LornaDoone wrote:Geez what is it with this sex scene?  Still haven't popped in the video.

I fear we're building it up into something it's not.  George, unfortunately, remains fully clothed.  I think it sticks out in people's memories because it's a) unexpected, pretty sure it's in the first five minutes and b) was at that point, and I think remains, George's most...explicit isn't the right word, because, like I say, everyone's dressed. But this isn't romantic, like in Out of Sight, or even sexy, like in Solaris.  It's just two people f*****g, for lack of a better term.  It's just quick and dirty.  

Well here's what I found interesting about the short sex scene:

1.  it's with Judy Greer who plays the other guy's wife in Descendants

2.  And the officer who catches them is Mykelti Williamson best known for his role as "Bubba" of Bubba Gump shrimp in Forest Gump!

Missa wrote:Way2, I'd heard that there was a beef between Russell and Ridley, but didn't know what it was in relation to.  Interesting story.  I don't understand how people work with him over and over again.  Mark Wahlberg, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, who seems to me would have very little patience for that type of behavior from a director.  I guess you can get away with a lot of nastiness in Hollywood under the "But he's a creative genius!" guise.    

While I always thought he had crossed the line with George, I did see how that spat could have been just two hotheads going at it.  But the Lily Tomlin video?  That's INSANE.  That woman is a)in her sixties, and b) more accomplished and talented than Russell can ever hope to be.  The guy's crazy as a loon.

FYI, when this politically-charged, very timely film came up on the rewatch list, the first thing I thought of was THAT scene.  I have a problem. 

This may be continuing off-topic (though it is about the director, so...), but I doubt Mark Wahlberg will be doing anything with Russell anytime soon. That is, unless they've kissed and made up.

Wahlberg saved Russell's career by letting him direct The Fighter. Russell was poison at that time. He was actually rewriting other people's scripts as a hired gun, because nobody would hire him as a director. But Darren Aronofsky had pulled out as director of The Fighter, and Wahlberg gave Russell a chance (Wahlberg was producer, and had been trying to get the picture made for years). Of course, The Fighter was a huge critical success.

One of the scripts that Russell had written for hire during his directing exile was Silver Linings Playbook. Fast forward to the aftermath of The Fighter, when Russell is in demand again as a director. He was in a position to pick and choose his next projects, because of what Mark Wahlberg had done for him. And he picked Silver Linings Playbook... which had Mark Wahlberg attached to star in the lead.

So what does Russell do? He recast the lead. Wahlberg was out, Bradley Cooper was in. How's that for gratitude? Word is, they're not friends anymore. Wonder why.

Add douche to ass and that's Russell.

On the movie note - a cow just blew up - and I laughed my ass off. 

Yes, PETA would probably frown on that.

Oh yes the cow...that was disgusting...    

I think the sex scene was funny. Didn't she fall off the chair at the end   

Interesting conversation about David O Russel....didn't know that about him...very interesting....

Missa wrote:

LornaDoone wrote:Geez what is it with this sex scene?  Still haven't popped in the video.

I fear we're building it up into something it's not.  George, unfortunately, remains fully clothed.

*
 I think it sticks out in people's memories because it's a) unexpected, pretty sure it's in the first five minutes and b) was at that point, and I think remains, George's most...explicit isn't the right word, because, like I say, everyone's dressed. But this isn't romantic, like in Out of Sight, or even sexy, like in Solaris.
 It's just two people f*****g, for lack of a better term.  It's just quick and dirty.  

*
Good choice of words Missa. Lol

Oh....when has a quick fucking been dirty ? They're in the army, in the desert, under fire....how else could it be ?
Tension needs relieving etc etc.....

Some interesting points in the film and my two cents!

The people the soldiers help get across the border were the people who rose up against Saddam based on Bush #1 telling them to rise up against him and the USA would back them.

Then we left many of them to be slaughtered by Saddam.

That was Bush #1's contribution.

Then Bush #2 couldn't for the life of him, find Osama Bin Laden cause his daddy's ties to the Saudis.

And now another Bush is contemplating running or President.  For the love of humanity enough with the Bush family!!

"Major Gates   Major Gates   Major Gates    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


Also, did you see George give the sign of the cross?  I would think that if he DIDN'T believe in God, he would have asked that NOT be part of the script?  JMHAO

Mel - I think making the sign of the cross might have been in there to show that all the men there had respect for the dead and showed it in their own way. And remember,he was acting.

The sex scene didn't bother me, although I did find it totally un-sexy. It just seemed unnecessary to the story, as did the drunken "party" at the beginning. It seemed as if Russel went out of his way to paint the American troops in the worst light possible - except for the four heroes, and even they were morally challenged.

I'm not saying every one of our troops is a saint, or that there was anything good about that war, but I hate being hit over the head with a message - especially one that is so one sided.

All told, I thought it was a good action movie and the performances were spot on but the politics was heavy-handed.