Directed by Alan Smithee

No one sets out to make a bad movie, but you can be certain that Alan Smithee's name on a film indicates a celluloid disaster. "Smithee"--who has 47 films to his discredit--is the authorized Directors Guild of America pseudonym of last resort, used in cases when a filmmaker wants to take his name off a project. "Smithee's" filmography includes westerns (Death of a Gunfighter), science fiction (Solar Crisis), action-adventure (Let's Get Harry) and comedy (Morgan Stewart's Coming Home). Compelling for film buffs, this documentary explores the creative battle between a director's artistic vision and the harsh realities of big budget filmmaking, with the tumultuous productions of the Shaft remake, American History X and The Joy of Sex serving as cautionary tales. Once "Hollywood's secret shame," Smithee is now mainstream enough to rank a reference on The Simpsons. But, says director Martha Coolidge, a Smithee credit is no laughing matter. "Some poor soul bled over that decision to take [his or her] name off a picture," she reminds us. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Lee Benson)