MovieChat Forums > To Die For (1995) Discussion > Needed more originality

Needed more originality

posted 8 years ago by Dominik528
13 replies | jump to latest

Having done research on the Pamela Smart case this was inspired by, I would've appreciated it more if it wasn't so beat-by-beat similar!

The way Suzanne seduces Jimmy and sends Lydia away to walk the dog, and she later catches the two having sex = Pamela sneaked Billy upstairs, leaving Cecilia downstairs, continuing to watch 9 & 1/2 Weeks, later walking in on the two.
The dog being named after a journalist = Pamela & Gregg also owned a dog, named after a rock star.
"Do you think about me when I'm not around?" = Pamela did ask Billy this, and he said yes; she also claimed that Gregg hit her
"God forgive me" = Billy said this just before shooting Gregg
The way the boys jumped Gregg, had him offering them his money and begging for mercy, and killed was just like in the movie.
Cecilia was also wired with a recording device by the police, and in the tapes, Pamela suggested that they both stay quiet about the murder.

Could the author (Joyce Maynard) seriously not come up with her own ideas?! While The Exorcist, Psycho, and The Girls were inspired by real-life cases, at least the authors had created their own characters with their own backstories, and have the story & setting of it be quite different from the real ones!

This felt more like a parody of the Pamela Smart case!

[–] Jones70 (6195) 5 years ago

Somewhat agree

[–] R_Kane (15828) 5 years ago

Suzanne Stone was an aspiring TV personality. Pam Smart was a high school teacher. By changing the life focus of the story’s protagonist, the novel, and therefore the movie, turned the Smart case into one of the very best black comedies ever. That is one HELL of a change.

[–] MaximRecoil (4054) 3 years ago

"By changing the life focus of the story’s protagonist, the novel, and therefore the movie, turned the Smart case into one of the very best black comedies ever."

This movie wasn't a comedy at all, let alone a black comedy, let alone "one of the very best black comedies ever". Black comedies have funny scenes, e.g., Fargo, Very Bad Things, Pain & Gain. What funny scenes did this movie have? I didn't even notice any attempts to be funny, failed or otherwise.

[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

Totally disagree. This movie was fascinating. It was the movie that showed me that Nicole Kidman was an actress to take seriously. While I didn't pay as much attention to Joaquin Phoenix at the time, having seen Joker I will certainly pay more attention to his performance on a rewatch.

[–] MaximRecoil (4054) 3 years ago

Why did you reply to my post? Your post doesn't have anything to do with mine.

[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

Well I disagreed with your assertion that it wasn't a great black comedy. I thought that was obvious, but maybe I should have stated it.

[–] MaximRecoil (4054) 3 years ago

You said, "Totally disagree. This movie was fascinating." What does the movie being fascinating have to do with whether or not it's a comedy? You also praised Kidman's acting, which doesn't have anything to do with whether or not it's a comedy either. Plenty of movies are fascinating and have good acting without being a comedy.

"I thought that was obvious"

Why would you think it was obvious? You said that you disagree and then talked about things completely unrelated to my post.

In any case, what makes it a comedy? There were a few scenes that were mildly funny, like Kidman's character needing the letter of recommendation story explained to her, but there are mildly funny scenes in plenty of movies that aren't intended to be a comedy. Watch the Rocky movies for example; the Paulie, Mick, and Rocky characters say some funny things, but those aren't considered comedies.

A comedy, especially one that someone is claiming to be "one of the very best black comedies ever", should at least have some hilarious laugh-out-loud scenes, and this movie had none. I never even got the impression while watching the movie that they were trying to make a comedy. Irreverent, yes, but not a comedy.

[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

I would think it was obvious that if you post it's not a great comedy, and I post that I disagree that I don't have to go on to state, "it was a great comedy," in order for that to be understood.

I have trouble taking anything you are saying seriously at the moment.

Sorry.

You should probably ignore me.

[–] MaximRecoil (4054) 3 years ago

"I would think it was obvious that if you post it's not a great comedy, and I post that I disagree that I don't have to go on to state, "it was a great comedy," in order for that to be understood."

It has nothing to do with you not going on to state "it was a great comedy"; it has to do with you following, "I disagree" with statements that had nothing to do with my post, which indicated that you replied to the wrong post. Your post would have made more sense as a reply to the OP.

Normally, if you type "I disagree" in reply to a post, the following sentences are reasons why you disagree, not random, unrelated thoughts about the movie. For example:

"I disagree. Such and such a scene was hilarious..."

I'll ask again, what makes it a comedy?

[–] bigbadwolf666 (4707) 3 years ago

It’s actually considered a black comedy based on dark humor and contradictions.
I never got it myself and felt it was disturbing.
I also appreciate it being close to the source as so many movies tend to dwell of it’s story and create something that is shameful.

[–] whoanelly (1558) 3 years ago

Except the characters representing Gregg Smart’s family were portrayed very differently from their real life counterparts. It made them look horrible, and that was such an ugly thing to do to a grieving family.

So much of the film’s script was taken directly from the case, but then they turned around and schit all over the Smart family.

[–] Information-Police (4053) 3 years ago

It was a dark comedy.

[–] whoanelly (1558) 3 years ago

Smart was *not* a high school teacher. She has a degree in communications and hosted a college radio program while an undergrad. Her position at the high school was Media Coordinator.