Dan's Media Digest

GOOD NIGHT MR SHYAMALAN?

Talented? Yes.

Original? Kind of.

Interesting? Often.

Egotistical? Always.

That sums up my feelings for auteur filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, writer-director of many sci-fi and fantasy films since his breakthrough hit The Sixth Sense (1999).

That particular ghost story remains his masterpiece; an effective, creepy and emotional piece of storytelling where everything clicked. The script was razor sharp, the acting was compelling and Shyamalan's direction accomplished.

But since then, things have gone downhill for the odd-named filmmaker. Unbreakable disappointed many with its slow-burning tale of an indestructible "superhero", but won praise for putting a fresh spin on the tired comic book genre. Indeed, six years later and Heroes owes it a debt of gratitude. But, then again, Heroes owes everything comic-related a debt of gratitude...

Signs was next, starring Mel Gibson as a farmer caught in the middle of an alien invasion. For some, this is where the rot began to creep in with its contrived ending (aliens allergic to water choose to invade a planet covered in H20?) Gimme a break!

But it wasn't until The Village that people really began to stick the knife in. Iit was his most original tale, but audiences felt cheated by its twist ending. Personally, I think The Village is unfairly vilified. I certainly didn't predict the twist in its tail, and it made sense to me.

Still, the damage had been done. Shyamalan's name no longer carried the weight it once had. He'd done a great job marketing himself as the "Stephen King of cinema", or "the new Rod Sterling", but The Village had just annoyed many people.

If you've ever seen fake documentary The Buried Secret Of M. Night Shyamalan, which suggested he's genuinely in contact with the supernatural, you'll know that Shyamalan has an ego. A big one. There's a reason his name dominates his film's posters and his cameo appearances get bigger, folks...

Clearly refusing to face his diminishing status, Shyamalan kicked up a stink when Disney execs turned down his idea for Lady In The Water. After publically rubbishing these doubters, he made the film with another studio and it was released to universal dirision in 2006.

Lady In The Water may have been original, but the tale of a sea nymph who lives in the swimming pool of an apartment complex left everyone ambivalent. Shyamalan's head had noticeably ballooned thanks to the inclusion of a character whose written work will one day influence the world's destiny. Who did he base that guy on, I don't wonder...?

Which brings us to 2007, and there are signs Shyamalan may be taking stock of his career. Finally. His latest spec script, The Green Effect, was bandied around Hollywood... and everyone passed on it. Everyone. It seemed that the words "Written by M. Night Shyamalan" on a screenplay had become a stigma after Lady In The Water drowned at multiplexes.

Which is a shame, because it was the studios who were being childish now. Insiders who read The Green Effect have championed it as one of Shyamalan's best efforts. The premise has nature fighting back against mankind's environmental destruction by releasing neurotoxins that cause people to commit suicide. Relevant stuff given how global warming has dominated the news in recent months.

Undeterred, and to his credit, Shyamalan rewrote the script based on feedback, rebranded it The Happening and it now looks to be moving ahead following positive online reviews. Mark Wahlberg has signed on to take the lead.

Good news. Shyamalan's still had more hits than misses. He's also set to direct Avatar: The Last Airbender, an adaptation of the Japanese anime. It will be the first time Shyamalan has tackled a project he hasn't written, which is another good move for him.

So give the guy a break. I think we can look forward to many more spooky stories from Shyamalan. Once he gets over himself...