Miscellaneous Movie Musings - Page 64

Alex · 07-19-2006, 05:32 PM

I mostly enjoyed the film except for two things:

1) It has all the bad things (in my opinion) about a Werner Herzog movie. I'm generally ok with slowly paced films but Herzog seems to feel that there is no reason to say nothing in 90 seconds when you could do it in 5 minutes. I could have done with few long shots of the boat cruising around a bend in the river.

2) The whole endeavor is ultimately rendered meaningless but him doing what he could have done from the beginning of the movie. I know that was much of the point, but still it made me feel like I'd watched 40 long shots of a boat going around a bend (metaphor!) for not good reason.

SacTown Chronic · 07-19-2006, 05:35 PM

Couple years ago the kids and I were channel surfing when we came across Led Zepplin's The Song Remains The Same right when they were performing Stairway to Heaven so we stop to watch.

Well, Robert Plant was wearing some tight spandex and no underwear that day, tell you what. It was all outlined for the cameras: mushroom, shaft, balls. My how we giggled like schoolgirls (even Cat, the schoolgirl). Every movement or motion caused another fit of laughter from the immature SacTown Clan.

Good clean family fun.

flippyshark · 07-19-2006, 06:23 PM

Alex, did (does) the Fitzcarraldo DVD include the amazing documentary Burden Of Dreams? That's a great example of the "making of" story being just as compelling, at least, as the finished film. Sure, Herzog could have used models, but he HAD to drag a boat over that mountain. It also includes footage of Robards performance before he left the production. Great stuff, right up there with Hearts of Darkness.

Not Afraid · 07-19-2006, 06:26 PM

I forgot about Burden of Dreams! That was great.

scaeagles · 07-19-2006, 07:40 PM

Back to Lady in the Water....it opens tomorrow and it is getting just slammed on. 10% on Rotten Tomatoes (only two good out of 21 thus far).

Do I see it and have Shyamalan ruined for me forever, or do I skip it and hope his next is better? Hate to enjoy his first three so much only to have him consistently throw out junk.

Cadaverous Pallor · 07-19-2006, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SacTown Chronic

Couple years ago the kids and I were channel surfing when we came across Led Zepplin's The Song Remains The Same right when they were performing Stairway to Heaven so we stop to watch.

Well, Robert Plant was wearing some tight spandex and no underwear that day, tell you what. It was all outlined for the cameras: mushroom, shaft, balls. My how we giggled like schoolgirls (even Cat, the schoolgirl). Every movement or motion caused another fit of laughter from the immature SacTown Clan.

Good clean family fun.

This is totally a page out of my family's book.

innerSpaceman · 07-19-2006, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flippyshark

did ... the Fitzcarraldo DVD include the amazing documentary Burden Of Dreams? That's a great example of the "making of" story being just as compelling, at least, as the finished film.

Ooooh, another in this category is the DVD of The Blair Witch Project. It's the commentary track that's just as, if not more, compelling as the feature. In fact, on the rare ocassions I watch this disc, I always choose the commentary over the movie.

The filmaking process was far more interesting, and almost scarier than the story that was filmed. They got three amateur actors, told them the general outline of the story, and then filmed them (and had them film each other) while they completely improvised.

The actors were left alone in the woods for days. Each morning, different actors would receive different notes about the direction their characters were to take in the story. They also awoke to all the scary crap the film's characters awoke to, experienced the same frightning stuff in the night, and one day had one actor simply disappear with no explanation. The actors eventually became completely sh!tscared, and their freaked out performances were not really "performances" in the usual sense at all.

It's one of the most interesting filmmaking stories ever told, and one of the rare times a DVD extra is arguably better than the feature film.

Alex · 07-19-2006, 09:46 PM

No, the only real extra was a commentary by Werner Herzog but it put the disc back in the envelope without listening to that.

Alex · 07-20-2006, 11:05 AM

Wednesday is solo movie night for me so I went and saw Nacho Libre (has to be something I haven't already seen and that Lani has no interest in).

It was horrible.

Gemini Cricket · 07-20-2006, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Wednesday is solo movie night for me so I went and saw Nacho Libre (has to be something I haven't already seen and that Lani has no interest in).

It was horrible.

Were ya expecting it not to be?

07-19-2006, 05:32 PM	#631
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I mostly enjoyed the film except for two things: 1) It has all the bad things (in my opinion) about a Werner Herzog movie. I'm generally ok with slowly paced films but Herzog seems to feel that there is no reason to say nothing in 90 seconds when you could do it in 5 minutes. I could have done with few long shots of the boat cruising around a bend in the river. 2) The whole endeavor is ultimately rendered meaningless but him doing what he could have done from the beginning of the movie. I know that was much of the point, but still it made me feel like I'd watched 40 long shots of a boat going around a bend (metaphor!) for not good reason.
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07-19-2006, 05:35 PM	#632
SacTown Chronic the myth of the dream Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,217	Couple years ago the kids and I were channel surfing when we came across Led Zepplin's The Song Remains The Same right when they were performing Stairway to Heaven so we stop to watch. Well, Robert Plant was wearing some tight spandex and no underwear that day, tell you what. It was all outlined for the cameras: mushroom, shaft, balls. My how we giggled like schoolgirls (even Cat, the schoolgirl). Every movement or motion caused another fit of laughter from the immature SacTown Clan. Good clean family fun.
	Submit to Quotes

07-19-2006, 06:23 PM	#633
flippyshark Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,852	Alex, did (does) the Fitzcarraldo DVD include the amazing documentary Burden Of Dreams? That's a great example of the "making of" story being just as compelling, at least, as the finished film. Sure, Herzog could have used models, but he HAD to drag a boat over that mountain. It also includes footage of Robards performance before he left the production. Great stuff, right up there with Hearts of Darkness.
	Submit to Quotes

07-19-2006, 06:26 PM	#634
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	I forgot about Burden of Dreams! That was great.
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07-19-2006, 07:40 PM	#635
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	Back to Lady in the Water....it opens tomorrow and it is getting just slammed on. 10% on Rotten Tomatoes (only two good out of 21 thus far). Do I see it and have Shyamalan ruined for me forever, or do I skip it and hope his next is better? Hate to enjoy his first three so much only to have him consistently throw out junk.
	Submit to Quotes

07-19-2006, 09:46 PM	#638
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	No, the only real extra was a commentary by Werner Herzog but it put the disc back in the envelope without listening to that.
	Submit to Quotes

07-20-2006, 11:05 AM	#639
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Wednesday is solo movie night for me so I went and saw Nacho Libre (has to be something I haven't already seen and that Lani has no interest in). It was horrible.
	Submit to Quotes