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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 10, 2006 11:23:18 GMT -5
I saw this last night, I've been hearing about it for a while now. Since I like Ralph Fiennes and Willem Dafoe I went ahead and checked it out. All the actors were pretty strong, I thought. Personally I was more interested in the supporting roles of Kip, Hana, and Caravaggio than Almasy and Katherine but it wasn't bad. Yes, Almasy was intriguingly intense at first but then he just went to possessive-controlling-oh-get-over-yourself. Not sure what to think about Katherine. (Is it wrong that all I could think was "Get your tongue out of my mouth cause I'm kissin' you goodbye"?)
I've always liked Willem Dafoe, although I had to cover my eyes during the interrogation. (I actually managed to not be too distracted by Kevin Whately as Sgt. Hardy.) Forget the bathtub and Herodotus, I thought the sweetest part was the candlelit path and the harness to look at the paintings in the monastery. Whee! The music, by the way, was amazing.
I can understand the criticism that it's long and slow, however I think that works here for the character study. But I still have to laugh at the Seinfeld response, which I know of courtesy of Wikipedia: "Shut up! Quit telling your stupid story about the stupid desert and just die already! Die!"
And I actually haven't read the book, so I can't comment about accuracy/true to story. Any reccomendations or thoughts on the picture?
--Catbird
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Post by Techguy on Sept 10, 2006 13:51:16 GMT -5
"Long and slow" is a rather kind and gentle way of putting it. This is another movie Mrs. T wanted to see, and for which I'm grateful I only paid $1 to rent on bargain night. Sitting through this movie was a rather difficult test of endurance for me--I'd rather have root canal without anesthetic and nitrous oxide gas by comparison--but at least my wife appreciated the sacrifice.
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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 10, 2006 13:55:59 GMT -5
So Techguy, did you not think the characters warranted that much time? I know and acknowledge that it's a chick flick, so a guy's perspective would be interesting. Any redeeming aspects?
--Catbird
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Post by Techguy on Sept 10, 2006 14:03:22 GMT -5
Catbird, I thought the cinematography was the best aspect of the movie, although if I want desert vistas I'll take "Lawrence of Arabia" any day of the week.
As for the characters, I have little "patience" with them or their dilemmas--suffice it to say my response is very very Seinfeldian.
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Post by spaniard on Sept 10, 2006 15:18:52 GMT -5
At the begining I thought it was a I-want-to-be-Out-of-Africa movie but later views have given me a better perspective. It is a bit slow but who cares, Almasy is so sexy! Ok, ok, back to common sense. The script is quite solid, the characters are logical, they are faithful to their personalities. I have it on vhs but I never watch it but I take a look when it is on tv.
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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 10, 2006 15:42:08 GMT -5
Techguy, feel free to go retch in the back, we understand!
See, Almasy lost his appeal for me. Like I said, he started out intriguing but by the end he was--well, not quite Heathcliff but definitely not worth it. Arrogant from the get-go too, then throw in manipulative, callous, and slightly hypocritical. I like what I've seen of Ralph Fiennes, but the character just wasn't so sympathetic. (Apparently I'm that freak who is attracted to sweet functional guys with whom it's possible to, you know, have an everyday life.) I must give kudos to the makeup department--listed in credits as the Jim Henson Creature Shop for the prosthetics--man that looked awful after the plane crash.
Like I said, I'm not sure what to think of Katherine. Something was going on underneath, but I honestly couldn't tell whether she really loved Almasy or if it was just chemistry, and yes I think there's a difference. (Yeah, love and hearts of fire and all in the letters, but I didn't see so much in her.) Hana I liked, I can see her forming that nurse/patient caring thing. Poor thing, losing everybody. Kip had the least characterization I think, the mysterious defuser, but what there was I can see why Hana would go for him. Slightly underwhelmed with Caravaggio; not Defoe's performance, but the way the role was written. Poor Colin Firth as Geoffrey. And I liked the minor role of Sgt. Hardy: a decent guy just trying to do his job, sympathetic when need be but hints at the lighter side. (The little shuffle bringing in water while music was playing, celebrations with the other soldiers after the war was over.) I actually managed to forget that Kevin Whately was Lewis.
I do wish they hadn't flashed quite so many boob shots, I didn't think they were strictly necessary.
--Catbird
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Post by spaniard on Sept 10, 2006 15:52:42 GMT -5
After 32 years in Spain I don´t pay attention to any boob, butt or weenie I see, we´ve seen too many, on tv, movies and beaches. And yep, they were unnecessary.
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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 10, 2006 18:19:08 GMT -5
Yeah, I know American TV censors are stricter than Europe--at least in prime time. Don't get me started on the "Girls Gone Wild" ads which show up during "Daily Show/Colbert Report". Dear God deliver us. It's always the women who get objectified. (I think Ewan MacGregor made a crack about that when asked about his nude scenes; something along the lines of "Well, women have been naked in films for years, I'm just trying to even the score.) It's not that I'm a total prude, it's just that buck nekkid sex scenes aren't really my thing.
--Catbird
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Post by Techguy on Sept 10, 2006 22:01:10 GMT -5
Techguy, feel free to go retch in the back, we understand! |
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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 10, 2006 23:24:22 GMT -5
Oh yeah Techguy, how bout them sand dunes? (Actually the desert shots were impressive, I knew what you meant.)
I still think the music was lovely. And my roommate has been mildly interested in the movie, so I'll probably be seeing it again this week. But chick flicks don't tear me up--hopelessly separated lovers, intense longing, meh. (Vasily who would like to have seen Montana, now, is a different story. That gets me sniffly.)
--Catbird
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Post by spaniard on Sept 11, 2006 4:08:00 GMT -5
I like the movie but I know that if I want to lose my man or find out how deep is his love, I only have to make him watch this movie. If he doesn't cry of pain for not being able to run away from the seat, then it's true love.
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Patrick Roy, 2006 inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame