Discuss: ‘The Happening’ … the greatest B-Movie ever?

Say what you will about the man’s movies, one thing that has been gradually growing out of check since M. Night Shayamalan’s first film is the director’s inflated sense of self. From the way he describes his own work to his gratuitous cameos in his films, Night has been walking on thin ice for awhile. Now comes this newest example of narcissistic hyperbole from an interview with CNN about his latest, “The Happening”:

CNN: So a lot of people are going to see this and say, “Is this an environment movie?” Are you sending an Al Gore-like message out here, or is it just a thriller?

Shyamalan: No. 1, it’s a B movie. This is the best B movie you will ever see, that’s it. That’s what this is. If there’s other things that stick to your ribs as you walk out, that’s great, but it’s supposed to be, you know, zombies eating flesh.

That’s right, M. Night has just confirmed that in his mind this

is superior to little things you might remember like

The Blob

Deathrace 2000

Escape From New York / Escape From LA

Phantasm

and so on and so on. Maybe M. Night needs a trip to his local video store to remember the difference between the true classics and his own films. Because characters in movies have been getting killed by scarier things than trees for a long time now, and furthermore

KRITES NEVER NEEDED A TWIST!