Do some movies direct themselves ?

There is a soccer team called Real Madrid. In any given season they have the best players for every given position. They never change the style of play which is attacking more directly towards the opponent's half. They also run a lot. If you are hired to coach the team that what you have to follow. They have had 13 coaches in the last 13 seasons and they perform consistently.

I watched Erin Brockovich last night and i wondered if any other director worth his salt could have done a bad job. Julia Roberts is in every scene of the +120 min film. They are only two main settings and a few other. Julia won an an Oscar for Best Actress at the 73rd Academy Awards.

Can you compare directing Erin Brockovich to Inception or Fight Club or Don't Breathe. Who has a tougher job or its the same ?

Some require less overt direction, sure, but I wouldn't go as far as saying they direct themselves. Even in situations like the one where you describe, the director has to have the good sense to decide to step back and not embellish the scene. Restraint is a part of being a good director, too.








(I'll bet he responds to this with another question.)

I think it comes down to the concept of the film that makes it tough or not. Plus you have peoples interpretation of what is tough vs easy.

Look to Inception.

That film is about dream levels which has different characters for each level, different tasks for each level, all while continuously having to "line-up" with each other to pull of a heist (inserting an idea). Each level has its own colour palette. Each level has to be timed to previous and next levels. Actions, events and items that affect levels, also affect next levels. The van flipping will flip the hotel.

To have any of this make any form of sense....is difficult. Nolan, in my opinion, nails it. Despite the film having some intricate ideas, I was never lost in the action nor the narrative.

That is difficult.

Now look to Erin Brockovich.

A film about a woman who challenges a company about the drinking water being safe. No car chases, elaborate set pieces, intricate levels of detail affecting other forms. It's simply a movie about people "talking". Seems pretty easy.

But I ask you, what is the more difficult task? Making an action film entertaining? Or making a film where people simply 'talk' to each other entertaining? The action film has the advantage of already being entertaining to audience because it's face paced, there are gunshots, explosions, exotic locations. Erin Brockovich has the disadvantage, it has none of that.

Both films are entertaining, but for their own specific reasons. You gotta ask yourself, in your opinion, which one was harder? Who has the tougher job? In what way though? Which one put more stress on the director? Which one cost more, which meant more pressure? Roberts won an Oscar for her performance, Pfizer won an Oscar for his camerawork.


I think a better comparison is Zack Snyder with 300. Literally copied pages from a book. Did that film direct itself????





In summary......I don't know.
















For my money, it was Nolan.

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