Definitions
Sorry, no definitions found. Check out and contribute to the discussion of this word!
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word alan smithee.
Examples
Sorry, no example sentences found.
sionnach commented on the word alan smithee
The pseudonym that a Hollywood studio slaps on a film's credits if the original director insists on having his name removed from the project.
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (the onscreen title is simply Burn Hollywood Burn) was made in 1997 and released in 1998. It was regarded as one of the worst films of all time, and scooped five awards (including Worst Picture) at the 1998 Golden Raspberry Awards. The film had an estimated budget of $10,000,000 and grossed $45,7791, which, accounting for inflation, is less than Plan 9 from Outer Space (often labeled "The Worst Film Ever Made") made during its release. The film's creation set off a chain of events which would lead the Directors Guild of America to officially discontinue the Alan Smithee credit in 2000. Its plot (about a director attempting to disown a movie) eventually described the film's own production; director Arthur Hiller requested that his name be removed after witnessing the final cut of the film by the studio.
Ebert on BHB
February 12, 2010