Miscellaneous Movie Musings

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

I loved 'Resevoir Dogs' and was underwhelmed by 'Pulp Fiction'.

Underwhelmed by Pulp Fiction? Underwhelmed by Pulp Fiction?! But...but...it's Pulp Fiction! Question, did you see it when it first came out, or later?

Bill & Ted's is totally non non non non non non NON heinous.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Underwhelmed by Pulp Fiction? Underwhelmed by Pulp Fiction?! But...but...it's Pulp Fiction! Question, did you see it when it first came out, or later?

Saw it opening night. In Arizona... of all places!

I'm a huge fan of 'Resevoir Dogs' loved all of it. Even the ear scene. The cast was superb.

Now 'Pulp Fiction'...
There are parts I adore in this film. The movie begins with a bang. Love it. It sets up everything well. You know that this isn't going to be a family film. Truly brilliant beginning. The dance scene with Uma and Travolta is hysterical. Loved the cutting up the linear flow of the movie and rearranging the scenes, it was a nice touch. (A fun thing to do is think of the movie in its linear shape. If I remember it correctly, the movie actually ends with Bruce Willis riding off with his motorcycle. I forget where it actually starts, the meeting with Band Aid neck, I think...)
But that's where it ends for me.

I'm not big on films that portray violence in a realistic fashion for a laugh. 'Kill Bill 1' is hysterical. The violence is 'South Park' violence meets bloody Kung Fu movie from the 70's. That's funny. Watching someone with blood spurting out from their shoulder which is obviously coming from a hose is funny. Seeing a kid getting shot in the face in the back seat of a car with John Travolta laughing, isn't. And I do not need to see brains in Sam Jackson's Jeri Curl. Yuk.
The movie makes offing someone look kind of fun.
I found the Pawn Shop scene to be offensive. It hones in on the fears of someone being sodomized by a gay man. Like that happens every day. It portrayed someone gay as being weird with S&M partners in trunks. I thought it was a cheap attempt at freaking out the audience. The end of the scene has you rooting for a despicable mob boss. I don't agree with that. One has to look at the social implications of what they're putting on film and Tarantino didn't. (It's my same beef with Gibson's flaming prince and murder of his partner in 'Braveheart'. It was done for a laugh as was 'getting primeval on your ass', I found it unfunny.)
Not to mention that 2/3 of this film is boring boring boring. Let's talk about pancakes and Burger King and the cost of milkshakes for no apparent reason. The banter at the coffee house with the Resevoir Dogs set up each character as being somewhat likeable. You have no idea what they are capable of until later. It served a purpose. The banter in 'Pulp' often didn't serve a purpose. It was supposed to have come of as cool and, to me, it came off as dull.
The music in 'Pulp' was wonderful. My hat's off to Tarantino for using Dusty Springfield's 'Son of a Preacher Man' in his flick. Nice.
However, Tarantino's uberviolent films strike me as being as unimportant and banal as 'The Simpsons' comic book guy's delusions of grandeur.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

The music in 'Pulp' was wonderful.

Don't forget Dick Dale

[mousepod]

Back in my imbibing days, "Drink along with Nick & Nora" was always a fun way to turn a social gathering into a nice swanky drunken mess.... It's the easiest drinking game, just drink when they do...

Tonight I'll be watching the Phantom of the Paradise... just got the special edition DVD from France.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Kill Bill Vol 1 is a great film.

X3 was fun to watch in the theaters and I enjoyed the stupid moments.

I've decided - I'm going to see Superman. I read an article about it in Wired that pushed me. I'm not forcing GD to come with me but it looks like he doesn't want to get left out. I may have to wear earplugs for the argument after we leave the theater

[innerSpaceman]

It was a stylish homage to so many B-movie genres. It transcended everything it saluted.


I've been waiting for freakingever for a DVD box set that might have the international version (some of the violence was watered down for the U.S. release). I'm not bothering to buy Vol. 2 until then. It took a totally different turn, and was also a really good movie ... but not in the same league as Volume 1 (imo). Odd, though, that they were filmed and intented to be released as a single movie. The tone is so completely different between the two.

Volume One is kick-ass, rambunctious, hysterical, sly, lowbrow, highbrow fun galore. Uma Thurman (despite her feet) is a goddess, and Tarantino completely redeemed himself.



(Uma's new movie, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, makes for a funny trailer, but looks to be a stupid film. I hope to get my superhero kicks with Superman Returns on opening night at Grauman's Chinese. Warner Brothers is being very civilized in playing it at ten p.m. instead of making the fans wait until way-past-bedtime midnight.)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Kill Bill Volume 1 was an incredible movie. What made it for me was the Tarantino faithfully created a live action anime. From the cinematography right down to the over-the-top cartoon gore, it was completely faithful to the style, a perfect reproduction. Absolute genius.

[innerSpaceman]

And the actual anime segment was really coolsville, too!

[Alex]

I thought both Volume 1 and Volume 2 were diminished by the separation from the other and that it was a huge mistake to break it into two parts. I'll wait to own it until I can watch both versions in one seamless go (I may already be able to do that, I haven't actually looked at what is available on DVD).

Together they are a kick-ass movie, separately I was underwhelmed by both.

[scaeagles]

Well, I guess I am once again (big shock) in the minority here.