MovieChat Forums > The King and I (1999) Discussion > I was on staff of this movie and even I ...

I was on staff of this movie and even I hate it

posted 19 years ago by lockemaison
17 replies | jump to latest

I was a PA on this movie. It is the only "big-time" feature movie in theaters that I have ever been staff with.

I was off the production and moved away from Burbank a few months before they finished making it so I had to go to the theater on my own to see it. I was horrified. It was disgustingly horrible. So many mistakes in the animation and it was generally a horrible remake in all other aspects. It looked just like the "rough" phase I had been seeing when I was staff there, mistakes and all, except it was all colored in now. The story was boring, the characters uninteresting, and it just didn't feel right in so many other ways.

However, I learned a lot about making animated movies. I cannot believe how hard people worked on this. How dedicated they were to this. When I see the final result you might think "wow, the animators are lazy. this is horrible". But you know what, because I was actually THERE when it was being made I know this is not true. I have nothing but respect for the artists. Movie making certainly had been changed in my mind from then on, people really work hard in movie making no matter what the result is. I remember the entire time I was there was nothing but rush rush rush even though a lot of the film was still very rough. I have a strong feeling they simply didn't have the time to go back and fix everything when the deadline came. Well, it wasn't a good property to try animating anyway...

My personal experience doesn't make the movie better for me, though. I still think the movie stinks, as a matter of fact it is literally one of the worst movies I have EVER seen. I wish all those hard-working animators I met didn't have to be part of this stinking heap, but finding work as an animator is a tough business. If only they had a better project to work on.

[–] acp17 19 years ago

wow i watched it today and it stunk!!!

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[–] Good-night_Moon 17 years ago

Not the best animated film I've seen... I feel so sorry for you.

For it is plain, as anyone can see, we're simply meant to be

[–] kharley471 17 years ago

I reviewed this film and gave it a pretty scathing appraisal, unfortunately.

Even without the inexcusable (changed) ending, the film was incoherent. It threw in a lot of unnecessary characters (a cute elephant, etc.) and a series of pratfalls that held up the plot like a traffic jam. The only thing they left out was a kitchen sink that talked like Louis Armstrong and played the trumpet. Then there is the ridiculous hot-balloon scene! What a disaster! I’m not qualified to assess the quality of animation in detail, but I must say that a strong plot and sound characters will make me overlook sloppy animation – but unfortunately this was not the case with this film.

However, animators don’t have control over the final film, so I do not blame them at all. And certainly there are worse films to have on one’s resume (like Eddie Murphy’s repulsive “Dr. Dolittle”), so don’t be too depressed.

[–] dreammaster44 16 years ago

I thought it was a good movie...
=P

-If the anime world would go my way, there'd be movies like this:

http://xrl.us/35op

[–] mmka1 15 years ago

I respect and thank you for this post.

Rodgers and Hammerstein gave us brilliant musical theatre,
but "The King And I" was still revisionist history.

I have no judgment of the animation in this project, but I find the the result of this piece of c*@p horribly disrespectful and offensive!

Anna Leon-Owens was a shameless self-promoter and liar (I read all of her error filled books). Perhaps the producers thought that they would build on her bizarre flights of fantasy.

[–] PhantomPimpernel 9 years ago

I don't see why "The King And I" can't be viewed as an excellent work of fiction, though. Not this movie iteration specifically, but the original musical is beautiful. Leon-owens may not have written a good memoir, but she was the origin of a pretty pleasant story.

Be brave, young lovers, and follow your star. Be brave, and faithful, and true. ~The King & I

[–] Ripshin 13 years ago

What country are you from? Nobody says that they are "on staff" of a film, at least not in the US. It's "I was on the crew" or "crew member".

[–] lockemaison 13 years ago

I'm american. I've been on theater stage crews and been on the crew of several TV shows. I said 'staff' at the time because honestly that's what it felt like. I reported to an office with cubicles every day.

In fact, currently I now work for a nationally known syndicated TV show and I would have to say I'm on staff. The crew works in the tv studio. I work in the office. I am staff.

[–] Ripshin 13 years ago

In over 25 years, I've never heard the word "staff" used, so I was just curious.

From PA's, office crew, on up.

Just an observation.......

[–] Xolotl 13 years ago

What a perfectly pointless question. I guess Ripshin's inquisitive mind somehow implies that should Lockmaison happen to be a non-US citizen, his remarks would be less pertinent (possibly due to his non-US English). Unless, of course, he is only teaching us US technical jargon, in which case he certainly deserves our thanks.

Incidentally the animation of this film was made in Korea. Storyboards, layouts and some rough animation were made in the US(and perhaps even Canada AND Europe). The Korean crew was about 200 people strong, bigger than the US production crew. Their English was pretty much non-existant.

[–] jrsl88 12 years ago

I'm currently watching this film and I'm thinking that the film would make a great review for The Nostalgia Critic.

Happiness is seeing Justin Beaver die

[–] margaritas21 11 years ago

I do believe your dream has come true!!!!! :D :D :D

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/38646-nostalgia-critic-the-king-and-i

Watching it right now and somehow ended up on this board.

Enjoy!

[–] jrsl88 11 years ago

I already posted a thread with the link to the video the day it was uploaded.

Think about the first time you got laid. You just gotta go: Daddy are you sure this is right?

[–] whynotchris 8 years ago

I know it'll probably be little consolation, but I was 9 at the time and I loved it. Watched it over and over with my friend.

I get that it's not a great movie but as a kid, I got a lot of joy out of it. So thanks for your contribution to my childhood :)