Jonathan Hensleigh: Looking Back On The Punisher

Interesting interview with him. I'd say his only real complaints about doing the Punisher was the budget after all the money was gone and you have 50 days to shoot and only 15 million. I'd personally love to see him come back as the director for the sequel.
 
interesting reading - $15 million well spent i'd say. Time to pony up lionsgate...
 
Hensleigh for just a director starting out did a fantastic job on the first movie. After reading this I kind of now don't want to see Marvel pursue a different director. Hensleigh is the right man for the job in my opinion. There are a number of directors who maybe could bring something more (Luc Besson, David Fincher, "Crank" director) but I'm sticking with Jonathan.
 
I´ve been bashing this movie sice day one, i hate it and i think it´s a terrible piece of crap, just better than Blade: Trinity....but not by much.
I´m not the kind of person to hate for the hell of it, i have always something to back it up, and, in this case, is not just because it´s baddly directed or a weak action movie, but it´s a terrible Punisher one.
And, above all, The Punisher should never be an action movie, but rather a drama/action thriller, something that the movie isn´t.
So, you can bash me all you want for being here, i get that, but let´s me just say, Hensleigh is a hack.
If not, how can you explain this:

NRAMA: Was the Gulf War sequence always supposed to take place before the credits or was it supposed to come in flashbacks or something like that?
JH: We hadn’t figured that out.

We hadn´t figured that out? WE???
Was he the director, or was there someone else? So, basically, what he say is that he is just studio hack, that made was he was told to...
 
most decisions like that arent really made final until the editing room...he talks about on the commentary how it would have came first, but when it comes down to it, if you get into the edit and it works better as a flashback then that's where it goes...so shut your stupid, trolling hole about things you obviously dont know s**t about and get the hell out of here....all you're doing is trying to start yet another flame war on these boards, and quite frankly I'm f**king sick and tired of it, and so is everyone else...after this, I'm putting you on block, I suggest everyone else do the same
 
Have you ever made a movie(just even a cheap highschool class one)?
What you have down on paper may not work in filming. They didn't know if they did have the sequence in, would it have been better as a flashback or opening. A lot of directors don't edit a movie the same way on paper. So no he isnt a studio hack for being a human being that cant see his movie before its done. Also when making a movie the director is rarely a one man team. The director is an overseer and he has people on staff that are more focused to particular tasks. Even in fanmade movies, you will most likely have a team of 1 or more people next to the director.
 
A great interview. So does this confirm anything solid with Hensleigh taking back over the project or is he just working on the screenplay?
 
The Joker said:
most decisions like that arent really made final until the editing room...he talks about on the commentary how it would have came first, but when it comes down to it, if you get into the edit and it works better as a flashback then that's where it goes...so shut your stupid, trolling hole about things you obviously dont know s**t about and get the hell out of here....all you're doing is trying to start yet another flame war on these boards, and quite frankly I'm f**king sick and tired of it, and so is everyone else...after this, I'm putting you on block, I suggest everyone else do the same
I didn´t came here to start anything, or am i going to stay, for that matter, so, calm the f**k down Gabe.
Fanboyism is just as bad trolling, if not worst, so, put a sock in it.

storyteller said:
Have you ever made a movie(just even a cheap highschool class one)?
What you have down on paper may not work in filming. They didn't know if they did have the sequence in, would it have been better as a flashback or opening. A lot of directors don't edit a movie the same way on paper. So no he isnt a studio hack for being a human being that cant see his movie before its done. Also when making a movie the director is rarely a one man team. The director is an overseer and he has people on staff that are more focused to particular tasks. Even in fanmade movies, you will most likely have a team of 1 or more people next to the director.
I never said that to direct a movie is a one man job, i know that, but it´s the director´s job is...well....to direct, to know what is going to be made and how, he is the one that calls the shots.
Now, the scene that Hensleigh is describing, might not have been shot, but ]HE thought about it (or should have), to have some notion of what could have been done.
 
So if the budget was really $15,5 million The Punisher made it's money back very well. Worldwide box office was $54,700,105.
 
Isildur´s Heir said:
I didn´t came here to start anything, or am i going to stay, for that matter, so, calm the f**k down Gabe.
Fanboyism is just as bad trolling, if not worst, so, put a sock in it.


I never said that to direct a movie is a one man job, i know that, but it´s the director´s job is...well....to direct, to know what is going to be made and how, he is the one that calls the shots.
Now, the scene that Hensleigh is describing, might not have been shot, but ]HE thought about it (or should have), to have some notion of what could have been done.
Except that you're forgetting the point that the scene was obviously shoved to the tail end of shooting? Why? Probably because of budgetary concerns. When studios greenlight a script, there will always be big budget scenes that are set aside and are put on the fence especially when you are dealing with a first time director. Most investors prefer to see more of the film shot and how the rest of the film is shaping up before ponying up money on an effects heavy shoot. At that point, any good director will prepare the film in such a way that he can get away with that scene being cut if it comes down from higher up that they will not finance it. And if it was held until the end of production, then chances are he restructured the film entirely expecting it to not be shot. It's not simply a matter of figuring out where the shot should have gone but focusing on the film's structure with the scene absent as a contingency.

Also, I'd love for you to show me a first time director who isn't somehow manipulated by the studio and the producers. Not everyone starts off having the clout to get final cut.
 
Rac said:
So if the budget was really $15,5 million The Punisher made it's money back very well. Worldwide box office was $54,700,105.
The pricetag he quoted was excluding actor's salaries so 15.5 million is not entirely accurate.
 
Jonathan Hensleigh said:
Those votes (on IMDB) are being cast by people who don’t know anything about the comic and didn’t even know it was a Marvel property. They just saw it as an action picture and that really is the fanbase for the film.

Well, I voted (more then once :cwink:) positively on IMDB and even wrote a glowing review. The Punisher and Marvel have a broader fanbase then most give credit.

I know Marvel has a lot of oars in the water but they need to focus a little more attention on Punisher 2 and get that production going and give Lionsgate a swift kick. I enjoyed Punisher for what it was and I think the potential for this franchise is huge. Done properly, (given the right script, release date and production value) Punisher 2 could be an absolute hidden gem.
 
It was just really weird seeing him talk about how much trouble the Punisher was to shoot, and that he wouldn't really want to tackle another superhero film, but then turns right around and says he's going to do a sequel? :confused::confused::confused:
I don't know, to me it really feels like the guys heart isn't in this franchise. I think they should probably let this one sit for a long time.
 
Once again Heir proves he has no life.

Great interview. It was a miracle he pulled off this film with that low a budget. I'm so glad it sounds like he's back on the sequel. And his script is still being used.

NRAMA: It was an odd choice to release it against Kill Bill, wasn’t it?

JH: I’m not going to respond to that.

:up:
 
Isildur´s Heir said:
I´ve been bashing this movie sice day one, i hate it and i think it´s a terrible piece of crap, just better than Blade: Trinity....but not by much.
I´m not the kind of person to hate for the hell of it, i have always something to back it up, and, in this case, is not just because it´s baddly directed or a weak action movie, but it´s a terrible Punisher one.
And, above all, The Punisher should never be an action movie, but rather a drama/action thriller, something that the movie isn´t.
So, you can bash me all you want for being here, i get that, but let´s me just say, Hensleigh is a hack.
If not, how can you explain this:



We hadn´t figured that out? WE???
Was he the director, or was there someone else? So, basically, what he say is that he is just studio hack, that made was he was told to...

Fine, you go make your own Punisher movie on Youtube and then come back here and brag about how it's a masterpiece when all it will be some movie a highschooler or college kid could do out of his own basement.

Seriously, Hensleigh made a fantastic Punisher movie. Comic books aren't made to be Shakespearean. They're mythological, somewhat biblical if you will. They aren't here to win Academy Awards. They're here for one purpose: to entertain us and make us believe and invest in these characters as real people in everyday life.
 
Lighthouse said:
It was just really weird seeing him talk about how much trouble the Punisher was to shoot, and that he wouldn't really want to tackle another superhero film, but then turns right around and says he's going to do a sequel? :confused::confused::confused:
I don't know, to me it really feels like the guys heart isn't in this franchise. I think they should probably let this one sit for a long time.


The Punisher isn't a superhero.

I'm fine with Hensleigh, but he needs some script partners to make sure we have a real badass villain. The Saints just weren't the right characters for my enjoyment.
 
And the Saints aren't the villians so...
 
NinjaTurtleFan said:
Fine, you go make your own Punisher movie on Youtube and then come back here and brag about how it's a masterpiece when all it will be some movie a highschooler or college kid could do out of his own basement.

Seriously, Hensleigh made a fantastic Punisher movie. Comic books aren't made to be Shakespearean. They're mythological, somewhat biblical if you will. They aren't here to win Academy Awards. They're here for one purpose: to entertain us and make us believe and invest in these characters as real people in everyday life.

I actually think there were alot of intentional parallels with the punisher and shakespear...Livia Saint was very Lady MacBeth, Frank was a tragic hero...it was part Shakespear, part western, part gritty 80's action film
 
Sundancer said:
The Punisher isn't a superhero.

Okaaaay, if we are going to argue semantics, I'll say comic-book character.
 
NinjaTurtleFan said:
Fine, you go make your own Punisher movie on Youtube and then come back here and brag about how it's a masterpiece when all it will be some movie a highschooler or college kid could do out of his own basement.

Seriously, Hensleigh made a fantastic Punisher movie. Comic books aren't made to be Shakespearean. They're mythological, somewhat biblical if you will. They aren't here to win Academy Awards. They're here for one purpose: to entertain us and make us believe and invest in these characters as real people in everyday life.
Sorry, but I think the "Well you go make your own movie" argument is pretty childish. Just because he doesn't like the movie doesn't mean you need to insult him. Frankly I thought the movie was crap too, but that doesn't mean theres anything wrong with you liking it.
 
If you knew Heir, you wouldn't think it was childish
 
Interesting, well, he´s right when he says to some extent it´s impossible to please the fanboys. But you can please the majority. Raimi did it, Nolan did it, Singer did it (with the X-Men, at least).
 
There is no movie that everyone likes. Different strokes for different folks. I love the movie so I don't give a s hit what some Superman Returns/Hulk movie fan has to say. It's weird Hensleigh even gave an interview. At this point as long as Uwe Boll isn't directing I don't care. Start shooting the damn sequel already.:ninja:
 

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