MovieChat Forums > Swimming with Sharks (1995) Discussion > Directors follow-up film and so on?

Directors follow-up film and so on?

posted 14 years ago by teg808
15 replies | jump to latest

How can a guy write and direct a black comedy that delves deep into the psyche of characters in a cutthroat buisness go on to direct a movie like Trojan War after? I haven't seen much of the other things he has done, (suggestions appreciated) but they don't seem to be anything inspiring. I get the whole one hit wonder thing and I don't think by any means Swimming with Sharks is a perfect movie, but it was a very good thought provoking, character driven film. It was also a very good first film for any director. Even more so because George Huang wrote is as well. That being said I can't believe even for a one hit wonder that Huang thought that a cheesy teen comedy like Trojan War was actually a good script to develop into a movie. I understand that there is a market for these type of movies, and I too enjoy one every now and again. It just seems like an odd choice for his next project considering how good and the type of film Swimming with Sharks is. I would be nice if he would give us something else as good if not better then Swimming with Sharks. Boy do we need it. Hollywood has lost focus on the two most important things in filmmaking, a good story and great acting. I guess I'll have to keep watching Alec Baldwin and Al Pacino's scenes in Glengarry Glen Ross. THEN I'M OVER THE F ING TOP AND YOU OWE ME A CADILLAC.

[–] LTUM 14 years ago

Hollywood has lost focus on the two most important things in filmmaking, a good story and great acting.

you are SOOOOO RIGHT. yes they have, and it is frustrating for us!!!!!!

-----------------------------------
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[–] ARH 14 years ago

He had trouble getting follow-up work. I think because this film angered a lot of folks in Hollywood.

From Entertainment Weekly:

Something's Fishy
George Huang's feature debut breeds paranoia in other people
By Marion Hart | May 19, 1995
First-time director George Huang, 27, appears to have everything a Hollywood up-and-comer could want: six years of experience at major studios, friends in high places, and now, an impressive feature debut, Swimming With Sharks, about an assistant who gets even with his despicable studio boss. But Huang's first brush with success is breeding paranoia — in other people. ''The most disconcerting fallout of this experience,'' says Huang, who counts notoriously prickly producer Joel Silver among his former employers, is ''that a lot of people think this evil character is about them.'' Does this mean he'll never eat lunch in Mortons again? ''No one will hire me for a day job,'' admits Huang, whose personal investment in Sharks has forced him to move back into his parents' house. ''I don't know why.''

Link:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,297228,00.html

[–] teg808 14 years ago

Thanks for that piece of information ARH. I was thinking it could possibly be something like that. Thats a shame. Hollywood needs to lighten up a bit. They are so quick to judge everyone else, but can't handle a little critisism about themselves.

[–] djsnafu23 13 years ago

very depressing. great potential watsed...truly sad

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[–] chas77 13 years ago

that's really sad. This was a great first film. Should be shown with "The Big Picture" as a double feature.

[–] Robbmonster 13 years ago

Late reply.

Without knowing anything much about George Huang, and having not seen any of his other work, I think the main reason for the Success of Swimming with Sharks was that it was so personal. Written from the heart, and based on personal experience (exaggerated, of course), it is somewhat different to coming up with 'a good idea for a story' and working on that.

Not denegrating the working process, because not everything one writes can be from the heart and based on personal experience - Woody Allen pulled it off for years, and is a notable exception - but there is something about the most personal of stories that always gives them a little extra weight. And I also think their creators - usually subconciously - will always put in that extra effort to tell a personal story.

And yes, story and character (as opposed to 'acting') certainly seems to have been lost amid a glut of repetitive superhero movies, predictible rom-coms, and animated movies about cute animals. Sadly, Hollywood is increasingly 'Giving the People What They Want', and what this means is more of the same. More sequels, re-boots, remakes, re-imaginings, and far less spec scripts getting looked at.

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[–] christpunchers 12 years ago

If I had to rank the importance of each individual element of a film, it goes like this

1)the script, nothing will work without a good script, a good story to tell
2)the actors, there will be no Kevin Spacey, no Al Pacino, no Del Niro... look at the current generation of actors, Hollywood's limelight has already passed
3)the director

Unfortunately, it seems that nobody gives a *beep* anymore about any of these elements. I mean, they're remaking Total Recall for *beep*'s sake... they're trying to reproduce a truly 80's sci-fi Schwarznegger action-"comedy" with Colin Farrell! Hollywood has truly *beep* over itself. The money is still there, but there's no genuine cinematic value.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] steedom 12 years ago

OK so to get back on topic:

What happened to George Huang's career? How did a promising young director end up a 1 hit wonder?

Did he stop trying, or was he really blacklisted?

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] charlesdusk 11 years ago

He probably should've made this movie later on his career when he had a bit of power and reputation. Kind of like Robert Altman and The Player.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] DJWinston 8 years ago

So what's Huang doing now if he's not making movies? Writing at least???

[–] 8 years ago

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