Movies

[Kathy Li]

Tui, I dunno that I'd rule out Magician's Nephew just yet. I think they're just doing the first one to test the waters, and if it's successful, then maybe they'll go whole hog (as evidenced by the fact that the full title is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). That they're starting in the traditional order doesn't bother me. The fact is that if you read them in the "story" order, you miss out—a lot of what happens in both MN and H&HB has impact for the reader because they've read LW&W, PC, VotDT, etc. first. Why not let movie audiences make the same “ah-ha!” connections?

And yes, Adamson's being a Kiwi reassures me, while the sense of humor that made Shrek what it was sort of gets me nervous. Narnia really does need to be done straight, not tongue-in-cheek. But from the clips Apple's put up, it looks right.

PM: ah... Ok. As for inventions shorts, I meant the "Cracking Contraptions" short films.

PPC: I dunno that Watson's necessarily trying to go for the next Posh Spice, but I can see your point. Still, doesn't bug me nearly as much as Cuaron making Gambon into some weirdo in velvet and claw-like nails instead of just letting him be Dumbledore. Damnit. He's GAMBON. He could be a Dumbledore that blows Harris's off the screen, if they'd just let him. (sigh).

[Cress]

I would like to second the comment about The Horse and His Boy. I LOVED that one. It was my favorite of all those books. I actually haven't read any of them forever, which I should probably do, and I didn't know there was a movie coming out, but I'll see it anyway.
I agree completely about the Hermione comment. Not that I didn't like when Hermione punched Malfoy, but I could never see her doing it that way. She would not get all huffy and stuff, she's really calm in general. They also make her all girly around Ron. They don't emphasize her intelligence, which was what she was all about in the book, AND they make her a complete snob at the beginning, whereas in the books you could see how she could be nice.
I have Creature Comforts on VHS. It is hilarious. Has anyone seen Not Without My Handbag? I think my favorite quote of all time comes from that. "My auntie is a zombie from hell" except you have to imagine it in a highpitched girlie girl voice.

[Peter Murray]

I think The Horse and His Boy was the first Narnia book I read - the last was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. So I finally found out what the context of my first book was .

As for the Prisoner of Azkaban film - well, Hermione in the book first slapped him, and then drew her wand to threaten him, so it's not that different in the film, except that the scene happens outside. Remember, she was suffering badly from a lack of sleep at that point of the book, and was being very snappy and short-tempered; something they left out of the film.

Steve Kloves was the screenwriter for the first four Harry Potter books, but has left the series, so OotP will have a new writer.

[papercrane]

Re Dumbledore: I know. They didn't even let him pretend to be vaguely the same person as Harris. Gah.

Re Horse and Boy: For some reason, that didn't come across as complete and well-thought-out as TLWW to me. Then again, I haven't read them for a while...



Re Hermione-slap/punch: While it is obviously in the same ballpark on the surface, I don't think the various executions imply anything alike. In the book, she is rather straightforward about it--Malfoy, you've crossed the line, I'm going to slap you now because I have a right to and you deserve it. It's completely in-character. He reacts accordingly, being a bit shocked but avoiding physical retaliation against a female like any good pureblood. Despite how he may insult her, he's not going to start brawling or anything.

In the movie, it's more of a 'sassy' thing where she waves her wand at him initially, backs off, then swings around and punches him. That's just no good on so many levels.

For one thing, Draco snivels absurdly. Despite what he knows of her prowess, despite her talent and knowlege, she is in his year and he could probably hold his own in a fight. Look how he reacted to Moody: he jumped right back up and threatened the man who just physically abused him (Yes, he was evil, but at the time he was an authority figure and his behavior was inexcusable; no matter their personal feelings towards his victim, the Trio should not have been okay with it, particularly Hermione 'protect-all-underdogs' Granger) and humiliated him in front of his rivals.

Also, it was a girly punch from the shoulder that would have hurt her hand if she tried it in real life.


As for Kloves...yeah, I'm glad he's leaving. In interviews he was a bit creepy about the virtues of Emma Watson.

Wow, this post turned out a lot longer than I thought it would. I've edited it for easier reading.

[Birdhead]

I'm with Amber on Emma Watson: although I don't COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY DESPISE her as much as I used to, I don't think she's the best Hermione possible at all- and I think what they started doing with Emma early on-making her dress pretty and silly stuff like that- is actually spilling across to the rest of the film, in the way that all of a sudden everyone wears jeans and a t-shirt unless they absolutely have to wear robes, and things. I mean, yes, I think they wear jeans and stuff in the holidays and maybe in the weekends, but proper robes are not just, like, cloaks chucked on over normal clothes, they're like... dresses, I guess only, robe-like.

Yeah, that bugs me a little bit. Anyway. I also dislike Emma Watson because, way back when they first started filming, I read an interview when she was asked if she thought Hermione was much like her and she said "Oh, no, she wears all these gross jumpers and things, I dress much better" and hello, three things:
- SCHOOL UNIFORM
- SET TEN YEARS AGO, you know, when people DIDN'T dress like tarts when they're elven (uh. Sorry. My sister's eleven and the way little kids dress is a sore point for me at the moment)
- WHO CARES WHAT SHE'S WEARING, the point is she's a clever witch. I mean, I dunno about you, but that's WAY cool enough for me.

Hmm, Kathy, you might be right, now that I think about it. About the order, I mean, although I'm still not convinced they'll ever to MN. Also, I'm not sure that being a Kiwi is necessarily such a guarantee of good taste, although of course I hope it is.

Also, Horse and his Boy is definitely my favourite Narnia book... It may be the only time when girls are really taken seriously and treated as almost as tough as boys. I mean, there's no WAY Aslan would have clawed, say, Lucy, or heaven forbid Susan.

[Cress]

I agree completely with PPC about the Hermione punching thing. That was more what I was going for. The attitude was different, and in the books it felt right, but in the movies it was wrong.
I HATE that they wear muggle clothes in the movie. I never imagined that they would wear jeans, unless they were muggle born. I mean, Ron's parents wear robes in normal everyday life, so he's used to it. He thinks muggle clothes are weird, so why does he go around wearing them?
I loved Horse and His Boy, but I can't remember any of it, so no comment there.

[alla]

*dancesdancesdancesdances* Aussie gets the PotO DVDs before the states!!! I have... *counts* whats the date today the eighth? I have 12 days to go!!!

*fends off Poot*

[Cress]

LUCKY! I only got to see it ONCE because nobody wanted to see it with me. However (sadly) I don't know if I'm going to buy it when it comes out. I'm pondering saving up and buying all of Buffy on DVD because it's cheaper that way than buying it seperately. At least I have the soundtrack though.

[Crazy Carl]

Wait wait the hitchiker's guide to the galaxy series used to be a RADIO PLAY? WOW! I had always thought that it was just a book series written by a very cool if slightly insane author who's books drive people crazy...(CoughmeCough)

Moved from the DD's non-wizard books topic, as it fits here but not there. - PM

[Peter Murray]

Yes, in 1978 (if I'm remembering correctly) it was a radio series, six 30-minute episodes. Later it was a book, based (loosely) on the radio series. Then it was another book, a TV series (where people complained about the robot head Zaphod wore - but it was visible all the time, unlike in the trailers from the new film!), an Infocom adventure game (co-written by Douglas Adams), a Christmas special on the radio, another five episodes, three more books...

I think I missed something. Oh yes, there was a towel, which had the Guide's entry on towels on it. (I don't have the towel. I have everything else on the list above, though.)

Now the later books have been adapted into two more radio series, so the circle is complete, or something. The last series hasn't been broadcast yet, unless I missed it. I think it's on in a few weeks.

[papercrane]

Yeah, I was rather upset to learn that Zaphod's head will appear and disappear at the touch of a button. That's just wrong.

-----

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. With that in mind--five worst movies I've seen in 2004! A list of shame in no particular order.
Any ideas for additions?

A Cinderella Story
Hilary Duff. 'Nuff said.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Discussion has already taken place.

Chasing Liberty
'You lied to me!'

The Prince and Me
It missed its one chance to be good.

The Village
Ancient plot, badly presented

[Kathy Li]

PM, slightly confused. The Quandary Phase of the H2G2 starts up in May (four episodes). They still haven't scheduled the Quintessential Phase.

I saw Sin City and really enjoyed it, but then, I really enjoyed the comic as well, and knew what I was in for. It was just bizarre seeing a comic book actually adapted into a movie as is, where the cinema was trying to mimic what the comic did, rather than just turning a comic into a movie. Rodriguez and Miller really deserve kudos for this one. The second that white silhouette hit the screen, you knew you were in for a Miller evening.

If anybody else is interested, NPR's Morning Edition website has an hour-long interview between Rodriguez, Miller, and Kevin Smith about the making of the movie. It's fascinating stuff.

I also found myself watching His Girl Friday on Turner Classic Movies this weekend. Twice. I'd forgotten just how amazingly tight that film is--nothing's wasted. And the humor and incident still work today. The West Wing only wishes it knew how to do dialogue that fast and overlapping. I'd also completely forgotten the meta-humor jokes, and burst out laughing at both of them. The first, when the blonde floozie that Walter Burns is sending out to get Bruce arrested asks what he looks like, and Walter (Cary Grants) says, "He looks like that fella in the movies--Ralph Bellamy." (Bruce is being played by Ralph Bellamy), and the other line where Walter says, "that's what Archie Leach said to me, just before he cut his throat." (Archie Leach is Cary Grant's real name).

Makes you weep at how stupid movies have gotten since then. Howard Hawks was a master. Dang. Now I gotta go find a copy of Bringing Up Baby or something...

[Peter Murray]

Oh. I've heard so many versions of what's happening with the radio series - there's three more phases, there's just two more phases. Then the next one will start about the same time as the film - and the film seems to be out in April. So... I am all confused, not slightly confused.

I've never read Sin City, and now I'll let you recover from that heart attack you just had.

His Girl Friday sounds worth looking for, though.

This is my 1,000th post, apparently. Wow! Now I'm a senior member as well as a senior on duty .

[Kathy Li]

Congrats, PM, on the seniorhood! I am so NOT surprised you haven't read Sin City...

His Girl Friday (1940) is definitely worth looking for. It's based on Ben Hecht's The Front Page, only during the initial read-through, Hawks let his secretary read Hildy's role, and he decided that it worked even better with Hildy as a woman.

Two other Hawks screwball comedies that I love are Bringing Up Baby (Katharine Hepburn with a pet leopard and poor Cary Grant as a nerdy paleontologist), and Ball of Fire (Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper), which Hawks later remade into the Danny Kaye musical, A Song is Born.

Odd thinking of the same guy making Scarface and Red River and The Big Sleep.

[meteorite]

IMHO, Sin City will be -- should be -- nominated for an Oscar for cinematography. The editing and the camera shots and the CGI all combined most wonderfully.

Most amusing thing in the movie: the highway sign that reads "Basin City -- 700 feet". Not miles, or kilometers, or anything else expected. Just like the rest of the movie.