Guy Ritchie is having a real tough time, and it looks like it’s not going to be stopping anytime soon. I really liked Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and although I did feel Snatch carried a lot of the similarities of style and substance, it was still enjoyable. Funnily enough watching it recently was a struggle and I couldn’t make it through the whole of the movie.
Still, when Revolver was announced you could have been forgiven for thinking he was on his way back after the huge failure of Swept Away and the Yoko Ono-esque influence of his wife Madonna…that singer-actress-writer type lady. The UK paper, the Daily Mail gives us the interesting fact:
Swept Away, which starred his wife, pop star Madonna, was panned by critics. It failed to get a cinema release in Britain and went straight to video Рlosing him £7million.
That’s a lot of money. Looks like he’s not set to recover it though.
Now his latest offering, Revolver, in which he has invested up to √Ǭ£5million and which doesn’t feature Madonna, could go the same way after failing to secure a distribution deal.
A film insider who has seen a preview said: “The script and rushes we saw were not particularly impressive. It was too convoluted and not tight or exciting enough.”
He said the film was too similar to the 1998 gangster romp Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels…
Not good news at all, and unsurprisingly it’s not that different from his previous movies. One trick Director I hear you cry? Perhaps so. Revolver…
…has been in production for two years. Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Harvey Keitel and Mickey Rourke all turned down parts in it. Ritchie was forced to rewrite the script several times after film bosses at Sony told him that it contained too many references to Kabbalah, the Jewish sect of which he and Madonna are members.
But even with all such references removed, Sony failed to back it.
Friends claim Ritchie is finding it difficult to rediscover his touch after falling out with Matthew Vaughn, who produced Lock, Stock and its successful follow-up, Snatch. Vaughn did not want Madonna in Swept Away, preferring Penelope Cruz.
Perhaps that explains Vaughn’s move to Layer Cake, and with the news of his recent Directorial announcement, you’d forgive Ritchie for some serious cursing. If only he’d listen to him in the first place.
Do you think Revolver stands a shot? Has anyone revisited Lock-Stock or Snatch recently, what did you think of the movies looking back? Personally, I found Snatch hard to get through, being the poorer cousin of Lock-Stock.
Yeah, personally I loved both films with a passion. I recently bought Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels foro nly 10.00 at a Best Buy. It was my first time seeing the film (I binge buy DVD’s) so almosti mmediately I relaized how unique this film really was. In the beginning I could watch Snatch over and over again, yet after seeing Lock, Stock I could only sit through a few scenes (Particularly the scenes with Bullet tooth tony) in Snatch. Though I DO think Sony should give Revolver a chance in the U.S. where films of any kind are seen and enjoyed, especially because Lock, Stock and Snatch were both British, why not try and release it in America FIRST?
Wasn’t he supposed to direct an action movie set during the Civil War? What happened to that one? It sounded really cool.
I watched “Snatch” in the cinema and quite enjoyed it, I never got around to watching “Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels”, it looks like I have to after reading your posts boys!
I’m a big fan of Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels; I loved the twists & turns & it was my first British gangster film. I didn’t see Snatch at the movies, but bought the DVD & I enjoyed it the 1st time I watched it. I agree with the problem watching Snatch over again; I can really only watch certain scenes. That’s the beauty of DVD’s.
Did Ritchie actually invest his OWN money into his last two films? 7-pounds and 5-pounds? Wow. That translates to about $24 million US.
Looks like Ritchie is gonna need A LOT of that Kabbalah red string.