Miscellaneous Movie Musings - Page 408

Alex · 02-18-2009, 02:59 PM

I'd say that a real historical event could be the backdrop, though best one with little strong societal emotion still involved, but the specific dramas depicted need to be well in the realm of fiction.

Airport '75 and United 93 are both movies essentially about a plane full of people in peril and the reactions of those people as well as spectators on the ground. But emotionally they are very different things. And I'd say there is a certain emotional remove to Disaster Movies that isn't necessarily reflected in the literal meaning of the phrase.

innerSpaceman · 02-18-2009, 03:06 PM

Perfect examples, Alex. Airport '75 is a disaster movie. United 93 is not. If you cannot grok the difference, there's nothing I can do to help.

mousepod is unequivocally wrong.

Titanic, for example, may be many terrible things, but it is not a disaster movie. Mixing plenty of hogwash fiction with remarkable depictions of fact does not change that the disaster really happened. Such a thing cannot be cheesy enough to rise (er, lower) to the level of a Disaster Movie. And believe me, Titantic tried real hard.

mousepod · 02-18-2009, 03:10 PM

Titanic was both a disaster and a Disaster Movie.

JWBear · 02-18-2009, 04:09 PM

Don't get me started on Titanic....

innerSpaceman · 02-18-2009, 04:15 PM

ok, since you ask (hey, you and i never had that discussion) ...

I loved the verisimilitude of the "look" They bothered to get every set perfect, down to the china patterns. The ship, the costumes, all were top notch and spot-on. The special effects were great. If you turn the sound off, you have a fantastic visual representation of the Titanic's maiden fateful voyage.

That is all. When I watch the film, which I rarely do ... but I'm a Titanic buff, so I must every now and again ... when I do, I simply pretend the director meant to do it in the style of a corny mellodrama of the era.

Too bad the far better film, A Night to Remember, which did not fictionalize the characters, was filmed on a ferryboat with no budget to speak of.

If only the two films could be melded, with the best qualities of each left intact. Le sigh.

Tom · 02-18-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

If only the two films could be melded, with the best qualities of each left intact. Le sigh.

This sounds a little like a challenge. I might consider trying a creative editing project.

innerSpaceman · 02-18-2009, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

This sounds a little like a challenge. I might consider trying a creative editing project.

OMG, I would love you. Can I consult?

Adding to the degree of difficulty, one film is in b&w in standard aspect ration, the other in glorious color and Panavision.

Have fun!

Tom · 02-18-2009, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Adding to the degree of difficulty, one film is in b&w in standard aspect ration, the other in glorious color and Panavision.

Aspect ratios can always be adjusted, and color can be made b&w quite easily (the reverse is more difficult).

Cadaverous Pallor · 02-18-2009, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousepod

...and Arthur Hailey also wrote "Runway Zero-Eight", which was based on his script for the 1957 movie Zero Hour!, the movie that Airplane! spoofs.

(According to Wikipedia, the story first appeared as a CBC TV Movie called Flight Into Danger, which I've never seen).

Holy crap. I had never even heard of Zero Hour!. And holy crap again, wikipedia says that they bought the rights to the film when they made Airplane! and used the screenplay mostly verbatim. No f'n way!

I must see this.

Strangler Lewis · 02-18-2009, 04:28 PM

Somewhat on topic:

I just saw the funniest logline for a screenplay that supposedly has been sold and will be produced:

"Pride and Predator." An alien crash lands and begins to butcher the mannered characters of a Jane Austen novel.

02-18-2009, 02:59 PM	#1
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I'd say that a real historical event could be the backdrop, though best one with little strong societal emotion still involved, but the specific dramas depicted need to be well in the realm of fiction. Airport '75 and United 93 are both movies essentially about a plane full of people in peril and the reactions of those people as well as spectators on the ground. But emotionally they are very different things. And I'd say there is a certain emotional remove to Disaster Movies that isn't necessarily reflected in the literal meaning of the phrase.
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02-18-2009, 03:06 PM	#2
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Perfect examples, Alex. Airport '75 is a disaster movie. United 93 is not. If you cannot grok the difference, there's nothing I can do to help. mousepod is unequivocally wrong. Titanic, for example, may be many terrible things, but it is not a disaster movie. Mixing plenty of hogwash fiction with remarkable depictions of fact does not change that the disaster really happened. Such a thing cannot be cheesy enough to rise (er, lower) to the level of a Disaster Movie. And believe me, Titantic tried real hard.
	Submit to Quotes

02-18-2009, 03:10 PM	#3
mousepod You broke your Ramadar! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,635	Titanic was both a disaster and a Disaster Movie. __________________ "Give the public everything you can give them, keep the place as clean as you can keep it, keep it friendly" - Walt Disney
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02-18-2009, 04:09 PM	#4
JWBear Worn Romantic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach California Posts: 8,435	Don't get me started on Titanic.... __________________ Unrestrained frivolity will lead to the downfall of modern society.
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02-18-2009, 04:15 PM	#5
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	ok, since you ask (hey, you and i never had that discussion) ... I loved the verisimilitude of the "look" They bothered to get every set perfect, down to the china patterns. The ship, the costumes, all were top notch and spot-on. The special effects were great. If you turn the sound off, you have a fantastic visual representation of the Titanic's maiden fateful voyage. That is all. When I watch the film, which I rarely do ... but I'm a Titanic buff, so I must every now and again ... when I do, I simply pretend the director meant to do it in the style of a corny mellodrama of the era. Too bad the far better film, A Night to Remember, which did not fictionalize the characters, was filmed on a ferryboat with no budget to speak of. If only the two films could be melded, with the best qualities of each left intact. Le sigh.
	Submit to Quotes

02-18-2009, 04:28 PM	#10
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	Somewhat on topic: I just saw the funniest logline for a screenplay that supposedly has been sold and will be produced: "Pride and Predator." An alien crash lands and begins to butcher the mannered characters of a Jane Austen novel. __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
	Submit to Quotes