MovieChat Forums > Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning (2008) Discussion > Why can't Kevin Sullivan Leave it Alone?

Why can't Kevin Sullivan Leave it Alone?

posted 17 years ago by librarian4kids
30 replies | jump to latest

I'm still not quite ready to forgive Kevin Sullivan for screwing up the third film with all of that Anne in WWI nonsense. Now he seems set to muck it all up yet again rather than make amends for that monstrosity of a film! I'm surprised that whomever owns the rights to the books is allowing this. I mean, the first two took a couple of liberties - but you can understand why they did what they did. But the third film and probably now this one too, seem to feel the need to try and "improve" on the original stories. The question is - WHY????

This seems to be a story about an older Anne from the looks of things - not to be confused with the new BOOK, which is a prequel. I haven't read it yet, but Budge Wilson is a great author, and a Maritimer, so I think it will be just fine. But Barbara Hershey in a red wig - PLEASE!!!! SPARE US!!!!

[–] cardinal_biggles 17 years ago

The question is - WHY????

Big fat stacks of Canadian dollars, probably.

At least we still have the first two movies.

What confuses the crap out of me is that they're having two of the actors from Anne of Green Gables return -- Patricia Hamilton (Rachel Lynde) and Jayne Eastwood (Mrs. Hammond) -- despite it now being what, 23 years since it originally aired?

[–] Mart-Short 17 years ago

It is all very confusing to me as well. However, I must admit, I liked the Third film, but I do understand why some don't care for it. I am curious about this film, but the lack of Gilbert is kinda a bummer. One of the things about the 3 films that always did it for me was the chemistry that Megan Follows had with Jonathan Crombie had with one another. I just don't see a Anne film being great without that. As far as Patricia Hamilton and Jayne Eastwood go, it will just be nice to see them again, regardless of the who and the why's.

[–] Saracia 17 years ago

this is so depressing... i'm reallly sorry i heard about it

the third one was so awful, such a disgrace

i'm going to go watch the old ones and reread the books, and never ever watch this one

[–] nikkibelle 17 years ago

"The question is - WHY????"

According to WikiPedia:

Sullivan was sued by the descendants of and heirs to the novel's author, Lucy Maud Montgomery. Their contractual agreement with Sullivan said that he would pay them a flat $425,000 (CAD) fee for the right to adapt the first book (and another $100,000 to do the second movie, Anne of Avonlea), plus 10% of all the profits of both. The contract also gave them the right to examine Sullivan Entertainment's financial records. However, when Sullivan claimed that neither of the movies had earned any money (even though, as noted above, they were among the highest-rated television programs in Canadian history) and refused to allow them to audit his books, they took him to court. Sullivan counter-sued for libel, insisting that the heirs should pay him $55 million because they had defamed his character. A Superior Court of Ontario judge dismissed his suit on January 19, 2004, saying that Sullivan's claim that the movies had never turned a profit was "a joke," and that Sullivan was "one of the most evasive witnesses [she had] encountered."

He stayed away from making movies 3 and 4 anything like the books to avoid further legal actions. He should've paid them the money he owed them and gotten on to making REAL Anne movies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Green_Gables_%281985_film%29#Lawsuit

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] jody90 17 years ago

I wholeheartedly agree. Kevin Sullivan is a jerk and this is all about $$$$

I can't believe they are making this new "Anne of Green Gables a New Beginning"

and excluding Gilbert Blythe! Megan Follows could have played the part of

older Anne too. This gets me angry- I'm sure children will enjoy this new film-

It does star Shirley McLaine- but the whole idea ruins it for me. Sullivan

Ent Inc. is rude too. I called their customer service several times to inquire

what ever happened to Wind At My Back- and they would not discuss it with me.

I emailed them and they would not respond. Great Customer Service

We bought the 1st two DVD's then they

suddenly stopped making them. Turns out I discovered that Disney has a suit

against Sullivan Ent. Inc. for the rights to WAMB- and there will be no WAMB

DVD's until further notice. I think you get the idea...

[–] CakesAndAle 17 years ago

wow. sullivan sounds like a real slimeball.

[–] oufold 17 years ago

O.K. I was as disappointed as any true fan with the third film. I mean really... it left me wondering exactly what happened to Kevin Sullivan's copies of the books? With that said..... I'd like to ask, has it occured to anyone - that is complaining about who Sullivan hired to portray the older Anne - do you think it possible that after the third movie she decided she was finished with his mess. I think that it is entirely possible and very probable that she was offered the role and turned it down flat. Remember she has been known as Anne for a very long time and I'm sure that she has read the books. I think perhaps she may have refused based partly on the fact that he has moved so far away from the character Lucy Maud Montgomery created that she's decided to be finished with the whole thing. I mean think about.... the third movie couldn't have done for her career what the first two films did. In fact the 3rd. film may have even hurt her career.
You know really..... it's almost like..... the main character actors have washed their hands of the whole thing.
Just my opinion.... and yes... I wish that someone else had the rights to making the films. They would probably follow the books (the ones that pick up after the second movie)a little better.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] weird_beard 16 years ago

Books fall into public domain gradually, older books becoming PD sooner.

This means, in this instance, that currently anyone has the right to make any kind of movie they want about a girl named "Anne Shirley" who lives in "Green Gables," but that you'd need permission to use material from the newer books.

[–] jarth-2 16 years ago

for the record, I hate The continuing Story. The only true Anne films, and the only ones any good are the first too.

It continually amazes me how people misspell the simplist of words here. Did you graduate from high school? The word you want is two, not too.

[–] weird_beard 16 years ago

It continually amazes me how people misspell the simplest of words here. Did you graduate from high school? The word you want is simplest, not simplist.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Profiler3 15 years ago

Jarth, we are all so glad to have you back to correct our spelling. Did you get your meds regulated?

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] blahhhhhhhhh 17 years ago

Totally Depressing...it's all for money! And the main reason I loved the books and films were because of Anne and Gilbert's relationship, and Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie were so perfect. They had the talent, good looks, and chemistry onscreen.

[–] HollyAF3 17 years ago

Even though this new film may be all about money, I am very glad that Megan Follows chose not to be a part of it. The description posted on IMDb sounds perfectly terrible. Mr. Sullivan sounds like he is trying to turn a serial book into a soap opera. I think both Follows and Crombie are consummate actors that would only damage their own carriers by being part of this new production. Unlike many American actors, they can say "No" when scripts are bad; they still have some professional dignitary.

[–] history_girl 16 years ago

This is all so sad - I had always hoped for all 7 books to be fairly faithfully done - esp. with the children. Loved the first 2 movies depsite being slightly inaccurate and missing a lot of the novels.

The third movie was a waste of money and really shouldn't be part of the Anne series and this one? Give me a break - why didn't they just go and make another movie with different names instead of dragging the Anne series down - thank goodness they didn't get hold of the Emily series!

[–] jmiah22 16 years ago

I agree!! Leave Anne of Green Gables alone!! If you want a REAL treat, read any of L.M. Montgomery's books that you can get your hands on. I snatch any I can get my hands on and still cannot get enough of her writings! I am just now starting my annual reading of the Anne of Green Gables books. I just recently saw the third Anne film and was absolutely appalled! Leave it alone already! It absolutely sickened me to see Diana and Fred portrayed as having a troubled marriage and Anne off trotting the globe looking for Gilbert and staying with another man. Oh please! Spare me! The only thing that kept it was being too soap opera-ish was a sex scene! Give me a break! L.M. Montgomery must be spinning in her grave! Revolting to the extreme! And forget it...if Megan Follows isn't Anne I ain't watching it. She is and always will be Anne. Even when I read the books I picture Megan Follows as Anne and Colleen Dewhurst as Morilla.

[–] prodigylover 16 years ago

It's like Kevin Sullivan made a bet with George Lucas to see who could best sully (ha) their respective franchises. Like Anne, I'm going to "imagine things different from what they really are" and pretend this movie doesn't exist.

[–] Renny_Sue 16 years ago

"The only thing that kept it was being too soap opera-ish was a sex scene!"

Want the bad news? They actully did film a sex scene. It wasn't put in, but apparently is on the DVD. I bet its on YouTube if you want to scar yourself for life!

Consedering in the books, the word pregenant is never used, its a disgrace!

[–] aravis3 16 years ago

for the record, I hate The continuing Story. The only true Anne films, and the only ones any good are the first too.

[–] kimsala-1 16 years ago

If he insist on making another one, why not do "Rilla of Ingleside"? NOw that I'd like to see, rather than the Anne 3 which was horrendous and this new monstrosity!

"Rilla" would show the older Anne and Gilbert, which is fitting as the actors are older now, and it'd show Rilla in the spirit of Anne!

This new storyline is.... riddiculous!

[–] misty-robbins 16 years ago

He couldn't do that because he already screwed up the time-line. Rilla was having her coming-of-age experience during WWI...and Anne has already been there. I totally agree with everyone else's post. The first two movies stayed true to the character and Ms. Follows did a wonderful job at being Anne. Why, with this abomination and the one before it, could Sullivan not just have kept the story the way he had it, but not pretended that it was Anne and her family. It would have been a perfectly acceptable story if the main character was a totally random new person. And (since I am already ranting and might as well make it good) it really makes me mad that he strayed so far from the books with the second movie because it seemed like he completely ruined (not just changed) the character worth of Anne. In the books she happily becomes a mother and a wife and is content in the life that she leads. In the third movie, she becomes this psycho chick who can't let her husband go to war and must go find him. Did anyone else notice how selfishly she acted trying to get to her husband. It seemed like she was totally oblivious to everything outside her own immediate desires. The point is, Sullivan should just let it go already.

[–] Tomatish 11 years ago

I'm sure fans would be willing to forget the timeline mess if he decided to make a Rilla that is true to the book. I for one often pretend like the two latter movies never happened. The problem is, I think, Sullivan lost the magic. I don't think he can't do it again even if he wanted.

[–] video_man 15 years ago

The lawsuit prevented him from continuing L.M. Montgomery's storyline.

But arrogance and conceit tells him that he is Montogery's equal as a writer. Course the money doesn't hurt either.