The Nightly News

The weeks of negative media attention being given to that ever-so-humble director, M. Night Shyamalan, seem to be cresting with the relatively weak box office results over the weekend for his “Lady in the Water” – and yet I must admit having a good time with Patrick Goldstein’s Hollywood column as he gets in a few well-struck punches. Most of them come straight from Michael Bamberger’s new book, “The Man Who Heard Voices,” which could turn out to be publishing’s first-ever puff piece turned hatchet job. My favorite story has Night insisting during a meeting at his agent’s office that if he had unlimited time practicing his jump shots, he could hold his own with any NBA player. Another snippet:

What makes the book especially damaging, despite its relentlessly sycophantish portrayal of the filmmaker, is that Night violated Hollywood PR Law No. 1: Never let people see you as you really are. In an era when stars hide behind their handlers, who vet writers, limit their access and keep them miles away from any dirty laundry, Night let Bamberger see it all — straight, no chaser. If Night weren't so insufferable, his honesty would almost be charming. In one scene, he is put out that (ex-Disney executive Nina) Jacobson is late arriving home from a children's birthday party to meet Night's assistant, who is delivering a closely guarded copy of the "Lady" script.

As Bamberger puts it, "Night felt the reading of his script shouldn't be considered work. It should add to the weekend's pleasure."

Night's supporters say that, despite his bad reaction to Jacobson's criticism, he was not unwilling to listen to advice. In fact, Warner Bros.' (Alan) Horn says the filmmaker made a number of significant changes based on studio notes and research-screening reactions. "I found Night to be both collaborative and surprisingly humble," says Horn. "He wasn't arrogant at all. He was always willing to engage in dialogue with us. I like what he set out to do and what's inside him."