Miscellaneous Movie Musings

[Alex]

Spoiler:

No, he knew. That is what was so creepy about it. Every night's performance was an act of suicide. And a painful one.

By the way, that whole element of the movie is not in the book. A lot of people complained about the significant changes to the book in translating it to the movie. I liked both and understand the reasoning. The book's version would have been too hard to do without a lot of exposition of voiceover.

If anybody wants to read the book I'd be happy to send it along.

[€uroMeinke]

Sigh - I feared that's how it ended, and so like it a little less. Where the illusionist annoyed me with CGI Magic to make you think the trick is real (and not just the trick), this annoys me in the introduction of a lame fantasy element to complete the story - it would have been much better as another elaborate trick. I mean, if you had that Tesla Machine magic tricks would be the last thing you'd do with it.

[CoasterMatt]

I'd transfer my pictures from wireless device to wireless device, effortlessly.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by Alex

Spoiler:

No, he knew. That is what was so creepy about it. Every night's performance was an act of suicide. And a painful one.

By the way, that whole element of the movie is not in the book. A lot of people complained about the significant changes to the book in translating it to the movie. I liked both and understand the reasoning. The book's version would have been too hard to do without a lot of exposition of voiceover.

If anybody wants to read the book I'd be happy to send it along.

Spoiler:

According to p. 147 of the searchable screenplay on Amazon, Angier didn't know whether he'd be committing suicide or murder.

[Alex]

What page? I don't remember anything being said about this in the movie.

Spoiler:

But he did know that the body walking into the box would die. Whether the consciousness died with it or transferred to the next body would be a different issue.

If there is ambiguity in the movie, there is none in the book.

[Ghoulish Delight]

You know those movies that have a cast of a few really excellent actors, but that just don't really make sense together and thus, despite the talent, make for a terrible movie?

I fully expected Mad Dog and Glory to be one of those. De Niro, Uma Thurman, Bill Murray. I love all 3, but Bill Murray just seemed out of place in that cast list.

Much to my surprise, it's a really well put together film. I quite enjoyed it.

[Gemini Cricket]

It's been awhile since I've seen MD&G. I guess I should check it out again. I don't remember what I thought about it.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

DeNiro's performance in Mad Dog and Glory was just wonderful, and is worth a viewing. I didn't like Uma as much, but then, I always have mixed feelings about her acting style. Murray was well cast, except for the part where he has to act physically tough. I don't think I could see Bill Murray holding his own in a fist fight.

[Alex]

Mad Dog & Glory is one of those movies I need to see again. I saw it in the theater my freshman year of college so I was 18. And I hated it. But it was critically successful so I suspect I was just an immature punkass.

To me it is Uma Thurman who sticks out since the other two can act.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Sigh - I feared that's how it ended, and so like it a little less. Where the illusionist annoyed me with CGI Magic to make you think the trick is real (and not just the trick), this annoys me in the introduction of a lame fantasy element to complete the story - it would have been much better as another elaborate trick. I mean, if you had that Tesla Machine magic tricks would be the last thing you'd do with it.

Hence why The Prestige was a better book. Vague spoiler:

Spoiler:

It was used for more than just magic, in the end.