Miscellaneous Movie Musings the Sequel

[Cadaverous Pallor]

When you're done with all the Paris movies you should watch Forget Paris.

[Strangler Lewis]

Paris, Texas.

[Alex]

Hunger Games is a very literal translation of the book.

[flippyshark]

The Hunger Games was more engaging than I was expecting it to be. Shaky-cam-phobes beware. I moved from mid-theater to the back row thanks to the use of that hated technique here. (I guess it doesn't bother everybody, but is there really anyone who would fail to enjoy a movie if it did not use the damn shaky-cam?)

I haven't read the book, and I'm not especially inspired to do so, but I was surprised at how much this turned out to be a satire, not so much of totalitarian government, but of the present-day "reality TV" elimination genre. Since I've ever-loathed that entire field of programming, I was pleased by this aspect. (Early on, Katniss' studly guy friend says "If everyone would just stop watching," to which Katniss gives a resigned "never gonna happen." I knew just how they felt.)

Perfect casting went a long way toward getting me to willingly suspend a lot of disbelief. A couple of tropes, however, bent me to the breaking point.

This:

Spoiler:

The Mockingjays - Were these genetically engineered creatures? (I haven't read the book.) Rue merely hummed a very soft melody, and suddenly, the forest was alive with these birds singing it back and forth. I though, gosh, those birds should be mocking the cadence of every sentence these characters say if they're that sensitive!

And this:

Spoiler:

The ability of the game programmers to digitally dial up flesh and blood killer dogs just didn't work for me. If they have this technology, there should certainly be no hunger in the land, nor any material lack for anyone. Unless these were tactile holograms? (Same for the dial-up forest fire)

And, I wished for a slightly different ending:

Spoiler:

The two of them should have ignored the last-second reprieve and eaten the berries anyway. This could have triggered more riots and rebellion in the districts, which would have pleased me silly. I wouldn't even have minded if the two were somehow rescued and resuscitated, I just wanted them to make that uncompromising choice even after they didn't have to.

I know how I'd like to see things go, but I'm not sure I care quite enough to read three books or watch two more movies to find out. Still, this is so many leagues better than any sparkly vampire crap.

[Alex]

Question 1: Yes, they were. Explained in the book. Not explained in the movie.
Question 2: Yes, this is a problem in the book as well. Super technology inconsistently present.
Question 3: She couldn't because she had to survive and take care of her sister. Future movies will explore the rebellion issue more.

Personally, I thought the movie was pretty much exactly the same quality as the book. Relatively shallow presentation of complex issues. Not bad, not particularly good. Better than half the Harry Potter movies and better than two out of the three Twilight movies. But still very YA in tone and scripting.

Very good performances, better CGI than I'd been lead to expect (except for the big cheat at the end).

[Strangler Lewis]

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I went to "Mirror, Mirror" yesterday. From the commercials I had seen out of the corner of my eye, I had initially assumed that the movie cost about five dollars to make. I now realize that this assumption was grounded in Julia Roberts' snarky dialogue. The movie is actually visually stunning in all respects, but with a Nickelodeon-level script, it was pretty tough sledding.

One interesting touch: it had the semi-obligatory musical number over the credits. From his name, the director sounds like an Indian fellow, and the number seemed like something out of a Bollywood movie. (Of course, it could be a number one pop hit, and I wouldn't know it.)

[Snowflake]

Napoleon vu par Abel Gance, an incredible event, an incredible film, an incredible day. Worth every penny, worth the time ans beyond grateful I had this opportunity.

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Napoleon vu par Abel Gance, an incredible event, an incredible film, an incredible day. Worth every penny, worth the time ans beyond grateful I had this opportunity.

Sounds fantastic! I like a movie with a lunch break. Link. I saw the Carmine Coppola version at the Shrine Auditorium, back in 1980, and we had the VHS at VideoWest when I worked there. The Bioscope article says "In 2000 Brownlow unveiled the film’s colour tinting and toning for the first time at a UK screening at the Royal Festival Hall," but I remember color tinting being a big deal in the version I saw. Also, during the films triptych sequences, and to the audiences astonishment, screens were lowered down on either side of the main screen for a 1929 version of Cineramascope. I'm sure I still have my program in a box somewhere.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Napoleon vu par Abel Gance, an incredible event, an incredible film, an incredible day. Worth every penny, worth the time ans beyond grateful I had this opportunity.

I am so glad you loved it! Tom did too.

I can't put my finger on quite why - maybe my penchant for concise storytelling? - but Napoleon overwhelmed me in a way that I could not appreciate it as you both do. LOVE that last act, though.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

I am so glad you loved it! Tom did too.

I can't put my finger on quite why - maybe my penchant for concise storytelling? - but Napoleon overwhelmed me in a way that I could not appreciate it as you both do. LOVE that last act, though.

Oooh! When did you go? I'm sorry I did not see you both! But, I am SO glad you went. It was a once in a lifetime thing.

LSPE, I will give you that 2 weeks later, I could recognize and appreciate the flaws of the film. Mostly the lack of cohesive narrative and I do wish Gance had not added the useless Violine story. Had Brownlow not restored that, I would not have missed it.

For me, the whole package was the thing. 3000 people, live orchestra, incredible print and everyone (at least around me) were just embracing the whole thing, festive, going with the film, appreciating the incredible technicalities of it (for 1927) and when the triptychs revealed, well, it was just fab.

Parmasan Jim, I know you would have loved revisting this too. People I know who saw the 1980 were blown away by the latest restoration.

If you want more of my blather on it, here's my 2 centimes for the internets.