News is really slow today, so I’m really trying to search the webs for some quality content. Transformers director Michael Bay made an appearance on AMC’s Sunday Morning Shootout, and some clips are online.
Bay talks about how he “couldn’t stomach” the original Transformers cartoons, and how he through Raiders of the Lost Ark was “gonna suck.” I usually stick up for Bay on a weekly basis (I love watching his films, they are great popcorn entertainment), but when he says such things with a smile on his face (he gleefully admits to getting death threats online), it makes me want to dislike the man like the rest of the world. Watch them below.
Michael Bay claims responsibility for Penelope director Mark Palansky’s career.
Bay talks about the Worldwide success of Transformers, bringing the movie in at a reasonable budget and his disinterest in the original toyline/series: “When you look back at those cartoons, they’re not that great. They remember their childhood sweeter than it really was. I couldn’t stomach those cartoons.”
Bay talks about his style - Bay-hos: “I hate to wait”.
Bay talks about working at LucasFilm and predicting that Raiders of the Lost Ark was going to suck.
December 17th, 2007 at 2:30 am
ah give the guy a break.
don’t get me wrong i think i like 3 of this guys movies (Bad Boys, The Rock and Transformers) but i don’t get why people hate him so much. yes he can be smug and yes he has made shit loads of money from blowing things up, so what?
He laughs at the death threats because he knows they come from fat movie geeks who can’t talk to girls let alone kill someone.
and on the transformers comment when transformers the cartoon came out in 1984 he must of been about 18-20 years old. is it any wonder he didn’t like them?
and last one. he admits he was totally wrong about Raiders. its really hard to judge a movie from concept art alone.
people just need to get a grip here.
rant over!
December 17th, 2007 at 2:46 am
He’s talented, but talented people can be douches too. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
December 17th, 2007 at 2:58 am
This is the ONLY interview where I actually liked Bay. I don’t care for his movies, I disagree with him about his motives 50% of the time ,but as a filmmaker its more interesting hearing Michael Bay talk about his experience in the biz. Thanks for posting!
December 17th, 2007 at 3:13 am
i like that raiders story! reminds me of how george lucas thought star wars was gonna suck, and that was HIS movie!
December 17th, 2007 at 3:27 am
He made out of the Transformers a lot of “Pussy Wagons”…
December 17th, 2007 at 3:27 am
Bad Boys II is the coolest action film in years and pretty dam funny to boot. I hope they make Bad Boys III in five years or ten.
Transformers was cool, The Rock was cool against all odds.
This is the guy who should have done Alien vs Predator. And he needs to consult on the next Superman flick - just consult.
I think Bay is Don Simpson’s incarnate. Just my theory.
December 17th, 2007 at 6:11 am
Michael Bay is the George W. Bush of filmmaking - some big, rampaging, idiotic bull that doesn’t know any better. It’s just unfortunate that we cannot seem to vote either one out of their respective postiions.
http://www.therecshow.com
December 17th, 2007 at 8:52 am
He saw a few leaked storyboards from Raiders and decided to tell everyone he knew that it was going to suck…..?
Too bad his childhood missed the web, he could have been big in the online spoiler game. lol
December 17th, 2007 at 9:19 am
His movies make want to puke. Spectacles for the mouth-breathing hoardes. Can’t say I blame him. With so many dupes around it’s probably too tempting not to cash in. Most people will swallow anything you put in front of them and he is an expert at giving them the lowest amount of quality they’ll stand for. That’s good business…I suppose.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:28 am
urghhh no hate speech….grrrr… :P
December 17th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
I agree with Bay. The old Transformers cartoons are indeed hard to stomach. But not as hard to sit through as one of his movies.
December 17th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
I got the chance to work as an extra for Transformers in October of ‘06, and indeed Michael Bay had that energy on set that he was talking about. It was intimidating, but very direct and to the point. No messing around. He was cool on the set as well.
I’ve enjoyed so many of his movies, like The Rock, Armageddon, The Island, and now Transformers. I like his style and “take-no-crap” attitude. Can’t wait to see what he does with Transformers 2.
December 17th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Ehh I thought the video interviews were gonna be all controversial. I didn’t think he said anything that would even warrant any hate mail going his way. He was honest about Raiders, but he was a kid then and said he liked it after he saw it. He probably didn’t grow up in the Transformers cartoon/toys era so his opinion of it was legit.
I’m not a Michael Bay fan by any means, but I give him credit for being a master at shooting action scenes. I was worried when I first heard Transformers was gonna be directed by him, and it turned out better than I had expected. So he’s ok in my book because it could’ve been worse. Now if he ruins the sequel then I’ll start sending the hate mail haha.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:49 am
I’m just curious as to what makes people think the new raiders movie is going to be bad?
Didn’t lucas and Spielberg make a comeback from the second movie, which was bad?