For
those of you who haven't read the Independent from the beginning, Alan Smithee
used to write the movie reviews for this outstanding publication. After a while,
he decided to return to movie making, even though he was practically black-balled
from Hollywood due to a string of flops. It is now my pleasure to write the review
of the film based on his life, which is just as bad, if not, worse, than any of
the films he's directed.
All
joking aside, Burn Hollywood Burn is a surprisingly lame satire on movie wheeling
and dealing from everyone's favorite hack screenwriter, Joe Esterhaus--who also
makes a cameo in the film. The star studded cast includes; Sylvester Stallone,
Whoopi Goldberg, Jackie Chan, Coolio, Ryan O'Neil, and Chuck D. Eric Idle, of
Monty Python fame, plays Alan Smithee, a director who steals his own film print,
after some nasty Hollywood execs try to edit the picture to their liking. Someone
should have edited this film to the audience's liking. Ironically, the film's
original director, Arthur Hiller, had his name removed from the credits due to
post production friction.
Anyone
who knows the legend of Alan Smithee probably thinks that Hiller's exit was a
publicity scam. After seeing Burn Hollywood Burn, I don't think that was the case.
I think Hiller was genuinely embarrassed to have his name attached to this poor
excuse for a movie. That's strange coming from the man who directed See No Evil
Fear No Evil and Car Pool. If you want to see a classic satire on Hollywood, rent
Robert Altman's The Player.
