This feels like a super pretentious post on the heels of all this Under Siege talk but I rewatched Paul Newman's The Glass Menagerie last night. Such a good adaptation of an already incredible play. I don't go in for plays too too much tbh but this one really lands for me. Was a nice change of pace also.
PSN: frownonfun
Switch: SW-5109-6573-1900 (Pops)
"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig
@zupertramp I did The Glass Menagerie in school and yeah, the movie isn’t too bad an adaptation at all. It’s a very hard play to adapt just in terms of making the dialogue translate to film but I think they did a decent job.
@zupertramp Yeah, same as Ness, I've studied that play before. I always steered clear of the film adaptations because I'd heard that they were mediocre (and, after having also studied A Streetcar Named Desire, I was a little disappointed in the Marlon Brando movie version) but now, reading your praise, I reckon I might have to check my assumptions, or at least revisit them.
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@nessisonett@RogerRoger it's certainly a common one to read/watch in school. Although, strangely two of my three kids hadn't covered it which is much of why I chose to watch it again. It's free on YouTube, though the sound quality is atrocious.
I can understand any hesitance for film adaptations. I've seen my fair share. My biggest issue usually being the whole so-and-so big name actor being forever associated with the character in my mind. Like the way the patriarch in A Doll's House will always be Anthony Hopkins despite my seeing several versions of this play over time (and still hating it). But this is an issue with all written works of fiction really. In fact I probably should have had my kids read the play before watching it but oh well.
Other times it's just that it doesn't translate well to film. In this case though it retains its stage-like roots.
"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig
@zupertramp It’s interesting that both me and @RogerRoger studied it despite being in the UK. Obviously it’s quite rooted in the whole Reconstruction and post-Civil War wider narrative. I did love doing plays in school though because I was that annoying one who volunteered for parts when we read through in class. And then you’d watch the movie adaptation and it would either be a complete mess (Fassbender’s Macbeth), genuinely good and faithful (Newman’s Glass Menagerie) or laughably over the top (Polanski’s Macbeth). My favourite play I did was probably The Merchant of Venice (I was Bassanio, naturally), but the movie was just OK. I’ve really been hoping for a new proper movie adaptation that doesn’t include Shouty Al Pacino.
@nessisonett I remember watching that Macbeth but I don't much remember if I liked it or not. It didn't leave much of an impression I guess so it must not have been that good. Then again I'm not too keen on Shakespeare. The Bard's got enough plays that I'm sure there's something out there I like but I generally tended to dislike the stuff forced on me at school. Othello's good enough. Not seen a good film adaptation of it though. And I swear there's another out there besides the Lawrence Fishburne Othello but can't find anything that seems familiar on Google.
I admit to knowing nothing about The Merchant of Venice, nor this shouty Al Pacino you speak of. Okay he's a bit shouty but it just works sometimes lol.
PSN: frownonfun
Switch: SW-5109-6573-1900 (Pops)
"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig
The other day I was reading a ranking of every Star Wars movie/show ever, and while it's just some random critic's opinion, I thought it was pretty interesting just because these types of articles usually only include the films, and there are some unique placements nonetheless.
21. Holiday Special
20. Ewoks
19. Droids
18. Ewoks: Battle For Endor
17. Episode II: Attack of the Clones
16. Ewoks: Caravan of Courage
15. Episode IX: Rise of Skywalker
14. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
13. Solo
12. Episode I: the Phantom Menace
11. Clone Wars (film)
10. Resistance
9. Rebels
8. Clone Wars (TV)
7. Episode VII: the Force Awakens
6. the Mandalorian
5. Rogue One
4. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
3. Episode VIII: the Last Jedi
2. Episode IV: A New Hope
1. Episode V: the Empire Strikes Back
Here's the link to the original article, which also includes their reasons for the placements. Some are a bit off though, as they have number 15 between 18 & 17, 11 between 9 & 8, and 5 between 4 & 3, like they've re arranged it a few times and forgot to renumber.
@nessisonett Brilliant stuff! (Kidding, not a favorite)
@RR529 interesting list. TLJ at number 3 though? Yeah no. Should be parked between Holiday Special and Ewoks.
PSN: frownonfun
Switch: SW-5109-6573-1900 (Pops)
"One of the unloveliest and least enlightening aspects of contemporary discourse is the tendency to presume that whatever one disagrees with must be very simple—not only simple, but also simply wrong." - Elizabeth Bruenig
Wow. I had really enjoyed On Her Majesty’s Secret Service the first time I watched it but rewatching it after the Connery movies shows just how brilliant it is. Look, I love Goldfinger as much as the next person but OHMSS actually makes Bond a genuine person, rather than an infallible superhero. Lazenby is totally underrated, with a more low-key Bond who can still deliver a cheesy quip and pull it off. Telly Savalas is a great Blofeld, menacing while having an air of snobbery about him. Diana Rigg is especially good as the ill-fated Tracy, with fantastic chemistry with Lazenby. It’s not as if the action sequences took a hit with the focus on Bond’s relationship with Tracy, with more brutal fistfights and a fantastic skiing sequence. It honestly might be my favourite Bond movie alongside Casino Royale.
@Arugula I think it's on Amazon Prime, if you have that.
***
@zupertramp I wouldn't worry about showing your kids movie adaptations of plays and books in place of the original texts. The fact that you're exposing them to classic stories and cultural touchstones in any shape or form is admirable in this modern age of sequels, superheroes and Fortnite. There are always gonna be bad adaptations, but even those could spark an interest. Better to make some kind, any kind of attempt, than make no attempt at all.
***
@RR529 Yeah, that list is just... [shakes head] Although now that they've put stuff like Ewoks and Droids on Disney+ I'm thinking it's about time I gave them a shot.
***
@nessisonett Awesome, couldn't agree more! Great points about Bond's character, the sharper edge to the action, and Lazenby's chemistry with Diana Rigg. Whilst I don't think I'm ever in danger of calling it my all-time favourite, it is undoubtedly a classic, and one I'm always pleased to see receive a positive reappraisal. Best of luck with Diamonds, 'cause you're gonna need it!
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@Arugula Oh, agreed. Expose them to more than a few seconds of analytical thought and they collapse like a thing that easily collapses, but I still laughed my backside off on multiple occasions, and some of the action sequences are outstanding. And BB-8 is flawless. Glad you enjoyed!
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@Arugula You've just described why I'm not on social media. Not to avoid such behaviour, but to prevent myself becoming an example of it.
So, no apology necessary. On the contrary, I'm grateful for the reminder!
[tries to remember what page of this topic my lengthy diatribe against The Last Jedi got posted on, then thinks it's probably for the best that it stays buried]
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
I recently watched Honest Thief, the latest Liam Neeson vehicle on Amazon Prime. One of those films which starts with seven production company logos, it's predictable fare with a cookie-cutter script and setting elevated by its cast, most notably Neeson himself, who's on particularly fine form.
I also finally got around to watching Jumper, the 2008 superhero-wannabe flick starring Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Bell. I liked it more than I thought I would, again thanks to performances which exceeded the story (or lack thereof) and confusing camerawork. Whilst I can totally understand why it never sparked the trilogy it was meant to, I would've watched a sequel. Oh well.
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
Forums
Topic: The Movie Thread
Posts 5,501 to 5,520 of 8,929
Please login or sign up to reply to this topic