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While these scenes are legendary, they also completely flew over their directors' heads
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00:00From absolutely legendary one-liners, to the shocking deaths of certain big-screen icons,
00:06it didn't matter that these directors were all in charge of bringing each of these scenes to
00:11screen, they still didn't properly understand the following well-known movie moments.
00:15So I'm Gareth, this is WhatCulture, and here are 10 iconic movie moments the director didn't
00:21understand. Number 10, George Lucas' tinkering showed that he did not grasp the weight of
00:27Darth Vader's sacrifice. Anakin Skywalker's rise as a Jedi Knight, fall and transformation into
00:33Darth Vader, and eventual redemption is one of cinema's greatest character arcs, and has served
00:39audiences with many of Star Wars' greatest emotional beats. The journey was capped off in 1983's Return of
00:46the Jedi, where we see a Force Ghost version of Anakin following his return to the side of the
00:51light and defiance of Emperor Palpatine. Unfortunately, George Lucas saw it fit to
00:56replace Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christensen in the 2004 edition of the prequel, to the ire of
01:02many, many, many fans. His justification was that his prequel-era visage was fitting for the scene,
01:08as that was the moment Anakin died and Darth Vader was born. Admittedly, the explanation somewhat makes
01:14sense, but only if one ignores Vader's sacrifice at the end of the Richard Mark I-directed trilogy
01:20closer. Seeing an older Anakin in his spectral form holds way more weight as it shows that the former
01:26Jedi Knight was indeed saved from the clutches of the Force's dark side, and died as a man far
01:32different from the ruthless Vader. Lucas' change undermines this redemptive moment, brief as it was,
01:38as well as Luke's efforts to bring his father back to the side of the light, which was in itself a
01:43weighty act given that the young Skywalker had nearly killed his father only moments before.
01:48Now I want to know really quickly, what is your favourite Star Wars moment of all time?
01:52Was it Hayden Christensen turning back up as a Force ghost or something else? You let me know in the
01:57comments section down below.
01:589. The Room's Final Confrontation Did Not Elicit The Reactions Tommy Wiseau Had Hopped For
02:04While the final argument between Johnny and Lisa was misunderstood by director, writer, lead actor
02:10Wiseau, just like the other entries here, it is for reasons far removed from the rest. Hilariously acted,
02:16awkwardly shot, and riddled with stilted dialogue, the scene is remembered more for Wiseau's delivery of
02:22you're tearing me apart, Lisa, more than anything else. Seeing that this scene was meant to serve as
02:27the narrative and emotional climax of the 2003 cult classic, it is clear that Wiseau intended for
02:33this dramatic scene to be taken seriously by audiences. This is especially true after it was
02:38revealed by Greg Sestero, who played Mark, in his book, that The Room was a semi-autobiographical
02:44account of the enigmatic director's life. Admittedly, audiences laughing at and mocking a
02:49retelling of a man's past woes is not something one would typically celebrate, but it seems that
02:55Wiseau has taken the reaction to his So Bad It's Good opus in his stride in the years since its debut.
03:018. Tony K's Original American History X Ending Showed He Missed The Point Of Danny's Death
03:07American History X is a brutal and unflinching exploration of racism, indoctrination, and redemption,
03:14and it features powerhouse performances from Edward Norton, Stacey Keech, and Edward Furlong.
03:20Despite its critical success, the 1998 drama all but ruined director Tony K's career, though,
03:26due to his infamous disowning of the feature and creative clashes with Norton and New Line Cinema.
03:31While K eventually came around to the feature years later, his alternate ending for the story
03:36showed he missed a crucial component of Derek Vinyard's arc, as well as that of the consequences
03:41of Danny Vinyard's actions. The proposed conclusion would have seen Derek turn back to his neo-Nazi
03:47ways after Danny's death at the hands of a black student, in an attempt to showcase the cyclical
03:52nature of hate and violence. However, this would not have worked within the context of everything
03:57that came before, most notably Derek's change in perspective as well as the events he went through
04:02to experience said change. Both endings are undeniably bleak, but K's ending would have taken the film
04:08into mean-spirited and regrettably short-sighted waters.
04:12Number 7. Stanley Kubrick was unaware of the meaning behind The Shining's most well-known moment.
04:17The Shining needs little introduction, does it? Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of the famed
04:22Stephen King novel is deeply atmospheric, chilling, and is powered by Kubrick's direction.
04:28As deeply problematic as it was for Shelley Duvall, Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkine score,
04:33and gripping performances from Jack Nicholson and the aforementioned Duvall. As incredible as
04:38Nicholson was in the feature, his most seminal moments almost missed out on being in the movie
04:43due to Kubrick's lack of knowledge on what it referenced. The here's Johnny line was ad-libbed
04:48by Nicholson, who did it as a homage to Johnny Carson's then popular introduction to his talk show.
04:54Kubrick was unfamiliar with the talk show because he lived in England when Carson rose to prominence,
04:59and almost left it on the cutting room floor due to his notoriously meticulous nature as a filmmaker.
05:04While the line may not completely stand out to some younger viewers today,
05:08Nicholson's chillingly giddy delivery more than highlights Jack Torrance's increasingly feral threat
05:14to Wendy Torrance. Number 6. Bryan Singer was not amused by the jovial nature of The Usual Suspects
05:20lineup scene. There is no denying that The Usual Suspects is a well-written thriller that features
05:25committed performances from its cast, and its plot twist has justifiably become a cultural staple
05:31since the 1995 feature's release. One of its most endearing sequences is easily the lineup scene,
05:37where audiences are properly introduced to the main cast and their captivating dynamic.
05:42It is hilarious and establishes their personalities and tics without the need for unwieldy exposition.
05:48However, director Bryan Singer did not quite understand the shift in tone. The scene was
05:52originally written as a more serious affair, and because of this he was not impressed by the
05:57sudden and jocular mood on set. Despite this disconnect, he kept the scene as it was in the
06:02final cut, and the rest is history. Years after its release, scribe Christopher McQuarrie reinforced
06:08the idea that the change in tone helped the film better express its character dynamics and shared
06:13history. Cheers for stopping on by today, hit that subscribe button down below for more WhatCulture
06:18videos you hopefully understand on your screen. 5. Zack Snyder's rationale behind General Zod's
06:25death demonstrated his lack of understanding of its purpose
06:28Man of Steel is another film on this list that has a standout moment for reasons that were almost
06:34certainly not intended by the filmmakers. The 2013 Superman reboot was criticised for its joyless tone,
06:40passive titular character, and most notably its decision to have its hero kill General Zod.
06:46Director Zack Snyder has tried to defend the act, remarking that Clark's murder of the Kryptonian
06:51despot was necessary for him to establish his boundaries as a hero. Except the previous devastating
06:57bout between Superman and Zod did little to showcase the former's respect for life. In a previous scene,
07:03he even callously rebuffed Zod's desperate attempt to save the Genesis Chamber, holding various
07:09Kryptonian fetuses. What a lovely guy. Snyder's claim that Superman needed to learn the value of life
07:14would have held more weight if the hero was shown doing more to save lives in a proactive fashion,
07:20rather than recklessly responding to the threat Zod and his acolytes posed to Earth.
07:254. Sylvester Stallone regretting killing off Apollo Creed shows he did not fully understand its
07:30significance in Rocky IV. Apollo Creed's death at the hands of Ivan Drago in Rocky IV
07:35is one of the franchise's most shocking and devastating moments, and with good reason.
07:40In addition to selling Drago as a physical challenge unlike anything seen up until that point,
07:46it also leaves Rocky with one less technical and emotional anchor to fall back on.
07:51In recent years, Sylvester Stallone has expressed his regrets in killing off the fan-favourite
07:55character. The action legend stated he would have preferred to keep Creed alive but wheelchair-bound.
08:01Additionally, the former heavyweight champion would have served as Rocky's trainer in the lead-up
08:05to his clash with Drago. While seeing more of their wonderful relationship would have obviously been
08:10welcomed, the Italian Stallion needed to take on this new threat alone to showcase how far he had
08:15come as a pugilist. Additionally, the trainer-trainee dynamic was already done in Rocky III, and there
08:21would have been no need to tread old ground again. We'd already seen it.
08:25Number 3. Rick Deckard's unicorn dream in Blade Runner's final cut demonstrated Ridley Scott's
08:31misunderstanding of the sequence. One of the most storied cases of extended cuts, Ridley Scott's
08:37Blade Runner has the director's cut and the final cut to go along with the 1982 theatrical version.
08:43While some changes in both editions were welcomed by fans of the sci-fi classic, one sequence involving
08:49Rick Deckard showed that the legendary filmmaker did not understand its significance regarding the
08:54protagonist's true nature in the narrative. After confronting Rachel over her replicant nature,
09:00Deckard dozes off and dreams about a white unicorn galloping through a forest. The sequence takes on
09:05a new dimension towards the movie's close when the titular character comes across Gaff's unicorn origami.
09:11Many, Scott included, see this as confirmation of Deckard's status as a replicant, but its inclusion
09:16goes against the futuristic hunter's arc in all cuts of the picture. It undercuts Deckard's understanding
09:22of the numerous complexities of being human, as well as the layered and distinctly human nature of the
09:28replicants he was sent out to decommission without concern.
09:32Number 2. Spike Lee's handling of the main action set piece in Oldboy shows he misunderstood its
09:37thematic background. Spike Lee is an undoubtedly singular talent, but his 2013 remake of Park Chan-wook's
09:44haunting masterpiece does not live up to his own work or the 2003 thriller. Admittedly, there was some
09:52the famed one-take action sequence, but its overall execution still demonstrates that Lee did not
09:58quite comprehend the importance of the beloved sequence in the South Korean version of Oldboy
10:03sees Oh Dae-soo go up against multiple thugs in a hallway that Park stated was a metaphor for the
10:09hurdles one faces in their life, as well as the irony in such challenging situations. This allegory largely
10:15feels absent in the American remake, with its changing levels and faster pace leaning into an action movie-esque
10:21excess the original did not convey. To be fair to the sequence, it is technically competent,
10:27and there is no need for a shot-for-shot remake of the seminal sequence, but Lee's depiction of the
10:32protagonist's struggle lacks a personal touch that was palpable in the original.
10:36Number 1. Christopher Nolan didn't understand the Dark Knight's most famous line
10:40Christopher Nolan is rightfully hailed as the vision behind the genre-defining Dark Knight trilogy,
10:46and the amount of work the British filmmaker put into reviving Batman's cinematic position cannot be
10:52understated. That said, he is not the sole reason behind the successful trio of movies,
10:57and one of the most legendary lines from the Dark Knight is proof of this. Brace yourselves, folks.
11:03In a Deadline article reflecting on the director's career, as well as that of frequent collaborator
11:08Cillian Murphy, Nolan revealed that Harvey Dent's famous line on the fickle nature of heroism and
11:13villainy, written by his brother Jonathan, initially did not make sense to him. Despite this, he did still
11:19choose to keep the line, and only after the movie's success, and in particular the line's impact on
11:24audiences, did he finally understand its significance. While he lightly lamented not writing it, he readily
11:30acknowledged its weight in addition to finally understanding it. This was fortunate, to be honest,
11:35as few lines in most movies, let alone comic book inspired ones, capture their film's thematic
11:41content as succinctly as Dent's properly tragic dying a hero one-liner. Better late than never, eh, Chris?
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