The World Beyond BetterMost > The Culture Tent
Resurrecting the Movies thread...
southendmd:
Having now read the Fitzgerald story, I could see how and English lit grad would not like it. It's heavily adapted. The original story seems satirical in nature, and the film is more fable-like.
I'm not surprised there are vastly different opinions of the film. I recall many people finding BBM to be a snooze-fest too.
To each and every, their own!
MaineWriter:
I just got home from seeing Slumdog Millionaire. Oh my. I went in knowing absolutely nothing about it. I hadn't read a single review which is unusual for me. It was good seeing it "cold" like that.
It's very very good. In fact, it's probably more than good, once I've had a chance to let it sink in a little bit.
There was a line (unusual) and everyone was seeing either Milk, Benjamin Button, or Slumdog. No one wanted to see Valkyrie. Poor Tom Cruise, I think his day has passed.
Paul...interesting review of Benjamin Button. I read the short story a few weeks ago (free on my Kindle!). It sounds like the only thing in common with the story is the title! They've changed the location (from Baltimore to New Orleans), the time frame (the movie goes up to 2005 according to the New York Times review), the War (in the story it was the Spanish American War and a little bit of WWI), and just about everything else it seems. If I see it, I'll forget about the short story.
Similarly, Lance and I just read Farewell to the Master, the 1940 short story that was the basis for The Day the Earth Stood Still (both of them). The 1950 movie had very little to do with the story and Lance tells me the 2008 version has even less. BTW, he didn't think much of the film and said Keanu Reeves had his bored/board expression in place all the way through.
L
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: southendmd on December 27, 2008, 05:49:55 pm ---Having now read the Fitzgerald story, I could see how and English lit grad would not like it. It's heavily adapted. The original story seems satirical in nature, and the film is more fable-like.
I'm not surprised there are vastly different opinions of the film. I recall many people finding BBM to be a snooze-fest too.
To each and every, their own!
--- End quote ---
and
--- Quote ---Paul...interesting review of Benjamin Button. I read the short story a few weeks ago (free on my Kindle!). It sounds like the only thing in common with the story is the title! They've changed the location (from Baltimore to New Orleans), the time frame (the movie goes up to 2005 according to the New York Times review), the War (in the story it was the Spanish American War and a little bit of WWI), and just about everything else it seems. If I see it, I'll forget about the short story.
--- End quote ---
Exactly what I had read prior to my friend seeing the movie. It's like Hollywood can't come up with its own concepts anymore, but takes them from existing stories, but then homogenizes them into crowd-pleasing box office palatables - which, of course, destroys what the author really intended to say with his story.
However, having said that, if put in the hands of a talented enough Hollywood story-teller, the story can take on a different life of its own.
I watched the DVD extras on the movie "The Golden Compass" and saw what the book's famous award-winning author thought of his story going Hollywood (the director was quite public in how he adapted the story). Pullman was really strict on the difference between a movie and his story. He replied, "They didn't change my story at all. It's still in my book, right there on the shelf."
Front-Ranger:
--- Quote from: Ellemeno on December 26, 2008, 11:34:58 pm ---Wow, now I want to see Benjamin Button, Paul.
And I have always loved that meaning of the word "muddle." I'll have a Sazerac too, when I see it. :)
--- End quote ---
Reminds me of that scene in A Room With A View where that great actor who played the father said, "It seems to me like you're all in a muddle!!"
southendmd:
--- Quote from: MaineWriter on December 27, 2008, 06:08:33 pm ---..it's probably more than good,
--- End quote ---
Well, Leslie, I think that's a rave! I hope to see Slumdog Millionnaire soon !
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version