Miscellaneous Movie Musings

innerSpaceman · 03-22-2008, 07:53 AM

It's a movie, G.C. Get over it. By definition, it cannot be historically accurate. I happen to prefer when it's more so than less so, and I regret this one was very much less so.

I also regret it portrayed Elizabeth as a lovesick teenager obsessed with menopause. Bah. And I hated the portrayal of Walter Raleigh as Stock Debonnaire Adventurer.

But I liked the art direction, and the directorial stylisticness. I agree, a poor film. But, to me at least, an interesting failure.

I'm with you on most of the critiscims, G.C. .... but please show me an historically accurate history movie or two. Alex was prolific with decades-later role revisitings; surely you can provide a handful of historically accurate, non-documentary films.

* * * * * *

EH1812 - right on, sista, about Across the Universe. The vividly and imaginatively re-worked covers of Beatles tunes revitalized my interest in their music.

Interestingly, I ran right out and bought the Across the Universe CD ... but found the songs were lame without their visuals. Not lame, exactly, but not a one where I preferred the cover to the original. Yet, in the film, I find most of the covers absolutely brilliant.

They work for their medium. I like that. And yes, the characters are weakly drawn and rely on the music to propel their meager arcs and the minor story. But it's an operetta, after all, with barely 20 minutes of dialogue. And, as I've mentioned before, major points for non-lip-synching 90% of the time. Live singing captured on film. Name me the musical that's done that before.

Alex???

flippyshark · 03-22-2008, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

And, as I've mentioned before, major points for non-lip-synching 90% of the time. Live singing captured on film. Name me the musical that's done that before.

At Long Last Love - Peter Bogdanovich's disastrous 1975 musical starring Burt Reynolds, Cybil Sheppard and Madeline Khan singing Cole Porter standards. The singing was performed live on set, which was highly touted in the film's publicity. The result was apparently so awful, and the reviews so scathing, that Bogdanovich ran an apology ad in the papers.

I caught a little bit of At Long Last Love on TV back in maybe 1982, and it did look pretty bad, but I'd happily watch the whole thing given the chance. It's never been released on video, but perhaps it turns up on AMC or something now and again. Anyone have it?

Gemini Cricket · 03-22-2008, 01:11 PM

I just watched Sicko by Michael Moore. I didn't see it in the theatres.
A very interesting documentary. I really, really liked it.
It's astounding how bad our health care system is.
Yes, that whole Cuba scene was dorky and clunky, but the rest brought up very interesting questions that need to be answered.

Gemini Cricket · 03-22-2008, 11:44 PM

CoasterMatt, madmonkeygirl and I watched Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at their abode.
It was... well it was what it was.
For me, it was one of those movies that are so bad that it's good.
Loved Aerosmith and Earth Wind & Fire in this one.
Man, there must have been Costco-sized hairspray cans all over the set just for Barry Gibbs' do alone.
It made me long for the Beatles' versions of their songs.

Let's just say that this movie made Across the Universe look like Casa-freakin-blanca.

wendybeth · 03-23-2008, 12:53 AM

It was hideous, but Peter Frampton was pretty darned cute.

(And Gibbs looks like an Aqua-net extra firm rock hard insoluble polymer kind of guy).

wendybeth · 03-23-2008, 01:00 AM

We watched August Rush the other night. I wanted to shoot myself. (That is generally a bad sign.) It didn't suck as badly as The Holiday, but it was close. I really hate movies that lack subtlety and beat the absolute **** out of you with their horrid dialog and one-trick-pony premises. A client made me watch Holiday because she wanted her hair cut like Cameron Diaz's, and she's lucky I like her because I seriously considered giving her Jude Law's do instead.

03-22-2008, 07:53 AM	#1
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	It's a movie, G.C. Get over it. By definition, it cannot be historically accurate. I happen to prefer when it's more so than less so, and I regret this one was very much less so. I also regret it portrayed Elizabeth as a lovesick teenager obsessed with menopause. Bah. And I hated the portrayal of Walter Raleigh as Stock Debonnaire Adventurer. But I liked the art direction, and the directorial stylisticness. I agree, a poor film. But, to me at least, an interesting failure. I'm with you on most of the critiscims, G.C. .... but please show me an historically accurate history movie or two. Alex was prolific with decades-later role revisitings; surely you can provide a handful of historically accurate, non-documentary films. * * * * * * EH1812 - right on, sista, about Across the Universe. The vividly and imaginatively re-worked covers of Beatles tunes revitalized my interest in their music. Interestingly, I ran right out and bought the Across the Universe CD ... but found the songs were lame without their visuals. Not lame, exactly, but not a one where I preferred the cover to the original. Yet, in the film, I find most of the covers absolutely brilliant. They work for their medium. I like that. And yes, the characters are weakly drawn and rely on the music to propel their meager arcs and the minor story. But it's an operetta, after all, with barely 20 minutes of dialogue. And, as I've mentioned before, major points for non-lip-synching 90% of the time. Live singing captured on film. Name me the musical that's done that before. Alex???
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03-22-2008, 01:11 PM	#3
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	I just watched Sicko by Michael Moore. I didn't see it in the theatres. A very interesting documentary. I really, really liked it. It's astounding how bad our health care system is. Yes, that whole Cuba scene was dorky and clunky, but the rest brought up very interesting questions that need to be answered.
	Submit to Quotes

03-22-2008, 11:44 PM	#4
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	CoasterMatt, madmonkeygirl and I watched Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at their abode. It was... well it was what it was. For me, it was one of those movies that are so bad that it's good. Loved Aerosmith and Earth Wind & Fire in this one. Man, there must have been Costco-sized hairspray cans all over the set just for Barry Gibbs' do alone. It made me long for the Beatles' versions of their songs. Let's just say that this movie made Across the Universe look like Casa-freakin-blanca.
	Submit to Quotes

03-23-2008, 12:53 AM	#5
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	It was hideous, but Peter Frampton was pretty darned cute. (And Gibbs looks like an Aqua-net extra firm rock hard insoluble polymer kind of guy). __________________
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03-23-2008, 01:00 AM	#6
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	We watched August Rush the other night. I wanted to shoot myself. (That is generally a bad sign.) It didn't suck as badly as The Holiday, but it was close. I really hate movies that lack subtlety and beat the absolute **** out of you with their horrid dialog and one-trick-pony premises. A client made me watch Holiday because she wanted her hair cut like Cameron Diaz's, and she's lucky I like her because I seriously considered giving her Jude Law's do instead. __________________
	Submit to Quotes