Subtle yet interesting show observations -- post yours by AnimalM0ther

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

Subtle yet interesting show observations -- post yours

POSTED BY: ANIMALM0THER
UPDATED: Friday, December 7, 2007 09:19
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VIEWED: 100691
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Friday, February 10, 2006 5:47 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Amiton:

It kind of strikes me as funny...especially when River went to the Academy at 12 and was so deeply "immersed" in the program.

River went to the Academy when she was 14, I believe.

As for the s*x and River thing, I could stand to hear a little less. :) *shudder*

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Friday, February 10, 2006 6:04 AM

AMITON

Quote:

River went to the Academy when she was 14, I believe.

You're right...my mistake =)

I hate it when my memory fails me so. It's still kind of weird, though =)

Amiton.

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Friday, February 10, 2006 6:17 AM

ARCLIGHT

Jayne Cobb's cunning hat uses the same colors as Serenity's nose art.

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Friday, February 10, 2006 6:33 AM

DUG

In the movie when Serenity is being repaired Zoe is shown welding the windows on the bridge. It took a couple of viewings until I realized she was repairing the damage from the telephone poles.

Just think about that for a minute...

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Friday, February 10, 2006 7:23 AM

SHAMBLEAU

In the beginning of the pilot, there's the famous scene where Zoe tells Mal that help's not coming. We watch while all Mal's beliefs drain out of him, everything that connected him to others, that grounded him, so to speak.

And the very next scene we see is Mal floating in space, drifting and weightless. Brilliant metaphor.

I also liked that when the Alliance ships are landing, the scene is beautiful. They could have shot it as ugly and horrific. It reminds me of the scene in Blade Runner, where the last replicant is dying and talking about the terrible beauty of starships exploding off Orion. Or of the scene in The Body, on Buffy, where she's staring out the doorway after finding her mother's body, and you hear the sounds of children playing, someone practicing piano, life just going on.

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Friday, February 10, 2006 7:46 AM

CASIVONA

Something ever so subtle that I noticed in OiS. Nothing of real significance, though. Right before Early actually gets in Serenity, the camera shot shows Mal going down into this bunk, it pans around and slightly passes the hatch that Early enters from. You see the shaft of light as the hatch opens, and the camera pans back to it, as if it weren't expecting that it happen. I just though that simple move was kinda cool.

Also, I'm curious if anyone has noticed the Motorola logo in the beginning of the first episode?

___________________________________________________
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Friday, February 10, 2006 8:05 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by Amiton:
Quote:

River went to the Academy when she was 14, I believe.

You're right...my mistake =)

I hate it when my memory fails me so. It's still kind of weird, though =)

Amiton.

Hey, what can I say, memories may come and go, but browncoat friends accumulate. :)

Okay, regaining composure now, on the outtakes in the BDM, I believe there's a scene where Inara says she's been in the companion training house since she was 12. So, maybe you got the two confused? :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Friday, February 10, 2006 5:13 PM

AMITON

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
Hey, what can I say, memories may come and go, but browncoat friends accumulate. :)

Okay, regaining composure now, on the outtakes in the BDM, I believe there's a scene where Inara says she's been in the companion training house since she was 12. So, maybe you got the two confused? :)

I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I think it's just a senior moment more than anything =p I'd actually completely glazed over anything relating age with the Companion Training house =\

It's all smiles!

Amiton.

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 1:19 AM

ASARIAN

I apologize if this is already common knowledge; but yesterday, watching "War Stories" again, I noticed something shiny about our Mr. Reynolds that I hadn't realized before.

Remember when Mal gets up, half dazed still, turns to Niska, and says: "You wanna meet the real me now?" In any other movie/series, this line would just have been put in for laughs. But yesterday it suddenly dawned on me, that Niska *did* meet the real Mal, because Mal... didn't kill him! As he told Simon: "If I ever kill you, you'll be awake. You'll be facing me. And you'll be armed." Niska, at the time, was neither facing him, nor armed. Captain made the choice he said he would.

Just thought that was really classy, is all.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 5:21 AM

2X2

Quote:
Originally posted by Avatar37:
"In the very last scene with Inara... she has absolutely no makeup on."

I don't think she was giving up being a companion so much as finally feeling comfortable enough around Mal and Serenity as to finally start treating it like her home. Previously, she always made a point that the shuttle was her home. I think, in her own way, it was her way of showing Mal that she loves him.

This is one of my favourite scenes, just because she looks so young and innocent - the real Inara, soft and open, no Companion facade, and I don't mean just makeup... I love her smile in this scene so much... but enough about that!

There are a couple things to consider with this scene, I think... one is that they've presumably spent a fair amount of time docked while they repair Serenity, and they've been working on her, the kind of work that, really, it doesn't make much sense to get made up for. Secondly, remember that she only left one trunk of 'sundries' and such on board Serenity, and left the training house in rather a hurry with Mal, so, it's also very possible that she doesn't actully have much in the way of makeup or shiny clothes at the moment... which I think would lead perfectly into your thought Avatar37, that by the end of the movie, she has become comfortable without her Mask - and I believe her Companion composure that has always kept her separate - through happy circumstance and, yes, I also believe she is acknowledging, to herself as much to Mal, her love for him as well as Serenity, as well as new found respect for Mal. She's seen him rise to the occassion, be willing to sacrifice everythign for what is right, and she has discovered that, hey, guess what? Mal wasn't so wrong about the Alliance after all, they aren't the shiny benevolent organization that Inara, raised in the Core of Core planets has grown up believing (and I know she's been aware of this through what's happened to River and Simon, but I believe that she has only now, after Miranda, come to truely believe in the 'wrongness' the Alliance is capable of, and has committed - a lifetime of belief is a hard thing to change, and it's much easier to fool yourself into disregarding a lot of evidence in order to maintain the comfort of your beliefs, but after the horror of Miranda, Inara has had no choice but to face the illusion of that belief - and losing belief is a powerful thing, like being lost without a compass. But there's Mal, and now, after Mirande and his moral and even noble actions, I think she has committed herself to him, and his beliefs, and she has a lot mroe respect for him than she did before. She's now treating him as The Captain, the respect is just there, naturally, unconsciously, without the sarcasm to obsure it ... There's no calm, assured response from her when he asks if she's ready to leave again. Instead, she's hesitant, and openly vulnerable as she, in reality, is asking his permission to be allowed to stay, waiting on his reply to know if she's still welcome or not. It's a very different dynamic for their relationship up till this point, and demonstrates just how much the events of the movie have changed them. As Joss states in his commentary, there is such a feeling of potential between Mal and Inara after this scene, and as I mentioned, I love her smile. To me, that is her most stunningly beautiful look in the entire franchise... that smile just makes my toes curl with happiness...

But anyway, I hope this hasn't been too much of a babbling ramble, and is still sort of ontopic for this conversation... it touches a nerve, as I said, being one of my favourite scenes in the entire franchise.... and sometimes when I start going on, I discover all kinds of things I didn't even realize I felt or knew myself, and I always love some character exploration, so thanks for this topic, and the discussion about this scene in particular...

And now I'll shut up ;o)

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 6:16 AM

BLINKER

Quote:
Originally posted by Amiton:
Add to that, as subtly as you can in a comic, the crew is on the bridge in one cell after Wash and Zoe were, erm...busy, and in the midst of everyone else's very focused dialog, River's line is "It smells like sex in here."

It kind of strikes me as funny...especially when River went to the Academy at 12 and was so deeply "immersed" in the program. Does she personally *know* what sex smells like???

I took that as River blurting out what Jayne was thinking. It feels more like one of his lines (cf. "Smells like crotch.")

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 6:53 AM

MYSELF

My husband's favorite sci-fi peeve is hearing explosions and such in space. I like the silence- it makes the out in space shots feel vast and empty, like a good void should.

Sandra

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 7:07 AM

MYSELF

You get to see a toilet in the Serenity pilot episode, too. You see Mal zipping up, and it's like a murphy toilet that stows away into the wall, and the sink pulls out like a drawer. I noticed because I'd actually like a toilet like that- my bathroom is really small.

Sandra

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 8:02 AM

SAVEWASH

Now I am learning about scary.

One of the little touches I always liked in the BDM happened when the Operative is looking at Mal's record and in the shot of Mal, you can see him rolling his eyes. That's so perfect! Of course he'd be rebellious even when in custody.

"Honey, I'm home."

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 9:11 AM

ANIMALM0THER

I just noticed this yesterday while watching Out of Gas. When Inara and Simon are having a conversation about the current grave situation facing the crew and what they thought of Serenity, Simon says how he thought the ship sounded "funereal" but Inara has the opposite feeling: she says she loves the ship and has since she first layed eyes on it. Hmmm, she's basically describing exactly how Mal feels about the ship when he first layed eyes on it at the end of the episode. Its interesting considering the relationship those two have; regardless of the differences among their characters, they both dearly love Serenity. They both fell in love with Serenity at first sight and arguably had immediate feelings for each other in their first meeting.

I'll be in my bunk.

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 9:15 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by Blinker:

Quote:
Originally posted by Amiton:

Add to that, as subtly as you can in a comic, the crew is on the bridge in one cell after Wash and Zoe were, erm...busy, and in the midst of everyone else's very focused dialog, River's line is "It smells like sex in here."

It kind of strikes me as funny...especially when River went to the Academy at 12 and was so deeply "immersed" in the program. Does she personally *know* what sex smells like???

I took that as River blurting out what Jayne was thinking. It feels more like one of his lines (cf. "Smells like crotch.")

I like that explanation. :) I'm going with that. Thank you!

/me, feeling ever-so relieved. :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 10:10 AM

MICO

I guess I'll jump in here with my favorite subtle observation: In the BDM, where Mal is making his big "I aim to misbehave" speech, he says that the Alliance will some day, maybe next week or maybe ten years from now, come back around to the idea that they can make people . . . better. In that pause he very pointedly looks directly at River as he says the word "better." It's hard to see because of the lighting. Every time I see that, I know that a big part of Mal's motivation for his misbehaving is to redress not only the wrong done to the people on Miranda, but also the wrong done to River. It's very personal to him at that point.

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 10:32 AM

BLUE786

Something I haven't seen mentioned:

In the pilot, right after Mal uses the toilet, he washes up in the sink. Except he seems to be very careful to use the absoulte minimum amount of water to wash his hands an splash water on his face.

Concerned with the limited amount of water on a ship--or maybe just a habit from being a foot soilder.

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 12:21 PM

LADYSINGS

This scene is VERY subtle. In fact, you have to zoom in on it to be able to see it. In Ariel when Jayne is preparing to forge the ident badges, look at the pictures of Jayne, Zoe, Mal and Wash. Jayne, Zoe and Mal are all serious but Wash has this goofy grin on his face!

Also in Ariel when Jayne gets hit by a blaster after River and Simon are taken away by the Feds....they have him cuffed but after he is hit with blaster "fire", his hands are free. (I guess that's more of a blooper!)

I don't know if this is only on the US version of the DVD's but if you watch The Message with the audio commentary, you'll notice that the commentary is actually ahead of the episode. In other words, when the ship is close to being hit by gunfire from the rogue Fed ship, Jewel and Alan react to it before it happens! (guess that one is somewhere between a subtle/interesting observation and a blooper! LOL)

"Well ya know, we studied bludgeoning in the academy first year but by the time you graduate, you just forget everything. I'm a bad cop." ----Lawrence Dobson

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 3:34 PM

ELOISA

About the Jayne and handcuffs moment in Ariel, the Feds only get the cuffs on one wrist before he gets shot. I think. Ooh! An excuse to watch the episode again!

***
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Creative Writing

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 4:04 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

A lot of the planet and place names go back to Roman and Greek mythology or Shakespeare-Hera (wife of Zeus-goddess of the hearth),Ariel, Persephone (spouse of Hades, he kidnapped her-she revists her mother on the earth for 6 months-Spring, Suumer- then spends 3 months with Hades-Winter), Belerophon, Osiris etc are the ones from mythology.

Some of the Shakespeare references are from "The Tempest" and other plays-Miranda(Prospero's innocent and nieve daughter), Caliban etc. Joss himself in the commentary refers to Mal's speech in the dining room in the BDM as his "St. Crispins Day speech".

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 4:19 PM

HUMBUG

I love the fact that Jayne's very favourite gun is called Vera - which means Faith or Truth in Russian, and Summer in Albanian!!!

So Jayne is fighting using Faith and Truth.......... ian't THAT ironic!

And, of course, the connection with Summer Glau's name. As well as the Russian connection: River's safe words are in Russian.... Spooky connections!

Faith (or lack of) is a theme running through Joss' work:

Faith, the other Vampire Slayer
The Scoobies faith in Buffy
His team's faith in Angel
Caleb, the mad preacher in Buffy (played by Nathan)
Shepherd Book's faith in God
The Crew's faith in Mal and Serenity, and so on.. .....

So Cool!!!!! Shiny!!

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Saturday, February 11, 2006 4:38 PM

GUTTERBALL

Quote:
Originally posted by Humbug:
I love the fact that Jayne's very favourite gun is called Vera...

I love that gun. His devotion to it brings a tear to the eye. *sniff*

Melts this ol' Ice Queen every time.

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Sunday, February 12, 2006 2:58 AM

ASARIAN

Yesterday, at the end of the BDM (only in my possession for four weeks now), I had a Duh! moment (still like to call it "subtle", though, so as not to make me appear stupid).

Mal and Zoe walk towards each other, in the cargo bay; then halt, facing each other closely.

Zoe: Inspection's pos' and we're clear for up-thrust.
Mal: Think she'll hold together?
Zoe: She's tore up plenty. But she'll fly true.

How would Zoe know whether "she'll hold together"? (notice the "she"). This would really be the proper conversation to have with the ship's mechanic, Kaylee. Then I suddenly realized: captain ain't talking about his boat; he's talking about Zoe! And asking her whether she will hold up after what she gone through (what with Washes untimely demise and all).

Now y'all think: didn't you realize that? No, I didn't. :)

And another one:

At Miranda, River throws up after hearing the recording. Simon walks up to her.

Simon: River.
River: I'm all right.
...
River: I'm all right.

See? I didn't get that before, either. But yesterday it suddenly dawned upon me, as well. At the second "I'm all right" (and you can hear it in her voice) River's no longer talking about the retching, but realizes, and effectively says, for the first time, "Things will be fine, Simon; I'm gonna be okay!"

(now I'm all choked up again)

This is, in fact, a turning point for River (after, in the pantry, River had said: "Things are going to get much, much worse.")

Sniff. Who could not Love River!?

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Sunday, February 12, 2006 3:56 PM

DONCOAT

Two great revelatory moments there, Asarian.

You weren't the only one to miss the implications of the Mal/Zoe exchange. In one of the commentaries, Joss mentions that Gina came to him and said, "This is about me, isn't it?" Nathan was standing there too, and he said, "What? It is?... Oh God, I don't believe I missed that!"

Joss also said it was funny to him *because* Nathan almost always "got it".

It took me a couple viewings to get that one, too, but I caught the River moment right away. It was quickly confirmed, too, because I read the script in the Visual Companion. That line includes the notation that River's eyes are full of clarity on the repitition of the line. That makes Joss' intent pretty clear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't disagree on any particular point.

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Monday, February 13, 2006 3:20 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:

Two great revelatory moments there, Asarian.

You weren't the only one to miss the implications of the Mal/Zoe exchange. In one of the commentaries, Joss mentions that Gina came to him and said, "This is about me, isn't it?" Nathan was standing there too, and he said, "What? It is?... Oh God, I don't believe I missed that!"

Joss also said it was funny to him *because* Nathan almost always "got it".

It took me a couple viewings to get that one, too, but I caught the River moment right away. It was quickly confirmed, too, because I read the script in the Visual Companion.

Thank you, DonCoat, for your nice and complete reply.

I wonder where you heard all those commentaries. Seems I'm a little slow on the uptake.

One other thing, though, what is this Visual Companion you're referring to? I've seen it mentioned before. It sounds like a must-have item (visual 'companion', now there's a disturbing mental image; eew; lol).

Thanks!

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Monday, February 13, 2006 6:14 AM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
One other thing, though, what is this Visual Companion you're referring to? I've seen it mentioned before. It sounds like a must-have item (visual 'companion', now there's a disturbing mental image; eew; lol).

Serenity The Official Vissual Companion
ISBN 1-84576-082-4

Edit: Available through Amazon via the link on the home page.

It's basically the shooting script, an interview with Joss, and some production notes combined with lots of pretty pictures from the movie, concept art, story boards and the like.

I would call it a must have.

David

You wanna go, Little Man?
Only if it's someplace with candle light.

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Monday, February 13, 2006 7:19 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by daveshayne:
Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
One other thing, though, what is this Visual Companion you're referring to? I've seen it mentioned before. It sounds like a must-have item (visual 'companion', now there's a disturbing mental image; eew; lol).

Serenity The Official Vissual Companion
ISBN 1-84576-082-4

Edit: Available through Amazon via the link on the home page.

It's basically the shooting script, an interview with Joss, and some production notes combined with lots of pretty pictures from the movie, concept art, story boards and the like.

I would call it a must have.

Thank you very much!! I am soooooo ordering this! :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Monday, February 13, 2006 7:52 AM

GUTTERBALL

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
Thank you very much!! I am soooooo ordering this!

*big grin* Does nothing ever get you down, Asarian? Have you been taking notes from Kaylee?

Not a snark! I swear!

You just confound me some, is all.

________________________________________

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Monday, February 13, 2006 8:00 AM

PINGJING

Quote:
Misstressahara wrote:
Monday, January 30, 2006 15:48
No, your not wrong Nandi, it's in the original 2 parter Serenty pilot. It's lead in from the conversation Inarah and Book are having talking about the Captain.

She asks "Why are you so fascinated by him?" he replies "Because he's somewhat of a mystery. Why are you?" she answers "Because so few men are." This fades to us seeing him buttoning up his pants (Damn, too late) him kicking up the toilet seat and then pulling out the sink and washing his face.

I didn't notice the toilet in the BDM, but I did notice this in the pilot. I love this scene, because not only is it very real, it's also a subtly hilarious scene - Inara was just saying Mal is a mystery, and the next thing you see is Mal taking care of a basic need...I guess in some ways he's not that mysterious after all...

Julia

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Monday, February 13, 2006 10:38 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by GutterBall:

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:

Thank you very much!! I am soooooo ordering this!

*big grin* Does nothing ever get you down, Asarian? Have you been taking notes from Kaylee?

Not a snark! I swear!

You just confound me some, is all.

Behold, I got glad tidings about a Visual Companion who can be mine, if only money exchanges hands, and this is supposed to get me down? :) LOL. Well, what can I say? I love my Kaylee! She's a regular sweetheart.

Funny how that works, though. Only the other day I expressed a worry to a fellow browncoat here, how I went off again, all heavy-handed, on a River Tam tangent, and how I probably brought the whole room down; and how I might look all creepifying and weird. And today, I appear too cheerful. Ha! :) So, lemme see if I got this right; morbid and creepifying, you got no problem with, long as I'm not cheerful? :) Wow! What brave new 'verse that has such creatures in it!

Seriously, though, you don't believe there's a power in the 'verse that can stop me from being cheerful? You'd be wrong. Life, well, it sucks. :) Like that guy, yesterday, talking about his taxes. Why, see, I get that! In fact, that is precisely why I'm here: this world does NOT suck. :) Here, in the 'verse, everything is shiny. In "This Land" I can Love River Tam; and she makes me happy; and she makes me believe in humanity. And no one mocks that dream; in fact, many a shiny browncoat shares it with me; yup, a thousand points of light -- the FireFly variety. And the greatest charge I have yet been submitted to, is that of of being cheerful. Good man, do you not see? That alone makes me cheerful! :) I am genuinely happy here! See, now I got all emotional. Breaks the heart.

To finally answer your question (terse I am not; nor laconic), I got the worthier notes from River, of course; but this one I tore out of Kaylee's book, and it did not just turn into paper: you just gotta have faith in people!

Cheerfulness keeps the 'coat shiny. I Love shiny; and River Tam; and not necessarily in that particular order. :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Monday, February 13, 2006 11:20 AM

GUTTERBALL

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
So, lemme see if I got this right; morbid and creepifying, you got no problem with, long as I'm not cheerful?

Heh, that's about the size of it.

Kidding! Actually, I rather marvel at your chipperness. I tend to be more snarky. Even a little cynical. Never outright a downer, as I rarely take anything seriously, but never quite smiley, either.

Don't change, Asarian. We like you just as you are, River-loving and all.

Quote:
...this world does NOT suck. :) Here, in the 'verse, everything is shiny. In "This Land" I can Love River Tam...

*shiny grin* Does that mean that, in This Land, I get Jayne?

Woot! Sign me up! Maybe This Land is worth savin' after all!

*hides the button again*

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Monday, February 13, 2006 3:19 PM

DONCOAT

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:

Two great revelatory moments there, Asarian.

You weren't the only one to miss the implications of the Mal/Zoe exchange. In one of the commentaries, Joss mentions that Gina came to him and said, "This is about me, isn't it?" Nathan was standing there too, and he said, "What? It is?... Oh God, I don't believe I missed that!"

Joss also said it was funny to him *because* Nathan almost always "got it".

It took me a couple viewings to get that one, too, but I caught the River moment right away. It was quickly confirmed, too, because I read the script in the Visual Companion.

Thank you, DonCoat, for your nice and complete reply.

I wonder where you heard all those commentaries. Seems I'm a little slow on the uptake.

Well, I've seen and read enough interviews and commentaries (plus seeing him in the flesh at the Flanvention) that I can't really remember which particular one(s) included those comments. I would have said it was in the Serenity director's commentary as a first guess, but I could easily be wrong.

I'm glad to see you've already gotten the information about the VC. You will find it does nothing to diminish your cheerful demeanor, I'm afraid...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't disagree on any particular point.

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Sunday, February 19, 2006 11:36 AM

GUTTERBALL

This one's from the BDM:

Did anyone else notice that the Operative only calls Mal "Mal" after he stabs him during the big fight at the end? It's weird!

Before, he only called him "Captain" or "Malcolm", very formal, very proper. But they're fighting, there's the stab...and a look of almost regret passes over the Operative's face, and he murmurs, "Do you know what your sin is...Mal?"

It's almost like only then does he respect the man enough to use the more familiar term. To be almost friendly, in a way.

It's like now, he knows Mal well enough to acknowledge it.

Very subtle, but a very nice touch.

Heh, there's also the benefit that I had to watch the movie all over again just to be sure I hadn't just imagined it. Woo-hoo!

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Sunday, February 19, 2006 3:33 PM

QWERTY

Maybe I'm way off base here, but after viewing "Shindig" a couple of times, I keep going back to the scene where River is tearing the labels off the cans, and smashing up the crackers.

When Book and Simon go to try and calm her down, Book seems to be more irritated/angry than the situation seems to call for when he mentions, "We'll just have a couple of mystery meals".

It seemed to hearken to the scene in "Objects in Space" when River 'hears' Book comment snidely, "I don't care if you're innocent or not, so where does that leave you?"

I dunno, it just struck me as a bit odd.

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Sunday, February 19, 2006 5:32 PM

NANOMOOSE

This isn't very 'subtle' or 'interesting', but it IS adorable and hilarious - In Our Mrs. Reynolds, watch Alan Tudyk's face while YoSafBridge does her "Stars" speech. His expressions are wonderful. He's clearly reacting to the subtext in that speech, going from a little interested to deeply uncomfortable and even round-eyed in surprise. It's a fun sequence, and it makes his discomfort later even funnier.

Yub, yub.

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Monday, February 20, 2006 5:02 PM

GUTTERBALL

Subtle and amusing...and not at all important:

In The Train Job, when they come out of the Alliance-friendly bar swingin', please notice that Mal's fighting one guy, Zoe's fighting one guy, and Jayne...is fighting THREE.

Heh. Love that guy.

And he's the one that wasn't gonna fight because he "didn't fight in no war. Best o' luck, though."

*snort* As if he would miss out on a good brawl.

________________________________________

Please remember that the 9:30 show is completely different from the 7:30 show. Don't forget to tip your waitress.

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Monday, February 20, 2006 6:07 PM

DREAMSPHOTO

i have two very favorite very subtle things that haven't been mentioned yet...

in war stories, at the very end, when mal's ear has been re-attached... you might notice, that the only place on his neck/cheek that's clean is around his ear. like that's all simon needed to clean to do the op, and that's all he was going to.

and the other is in trash, watching it again, knowing that the crew knows the plans, kaylee's reactions to everything said, and especially wash's overabundant outbreak... classic, and very subtle, cuz your eyes are not on her. and you can even see her calm herself down to get to business... its great...

my third fave has already been mentioned with the 3 switches thing...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

How did your brain even learn human speech? :D

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Tuesday, February 21, 2006 11:54 AM

RAGUA

In "Serenity" the pilot, Simon forces Mal's hand by threatening to withhold medical attention from Kaylee, who has been shot in the stomach. In the BDM, these actions come full circle: Simon gets shot in almost the exact same spot when he stands up to get his medkit in order to attend to Kaylee.

I originally thought maybe it was just a coincidence, but after having read all the other subtleties here, I'm begining to suspect otherwise!

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Wednesday, February 22, 2006 7:33 PM

AGIRLYMAN

Don't kill me, I don't have all the episode names commited to memory, yet. This about the "Bounty hunter" episode, when River is walking through the ship listening to everybody...she comes up on Wash and Zoe in a very intimate moment...and their passion for each other overwhelms her...then River said "I'll be in Jayne's bunk".

Sorry, I made that last part up

AM I NOT MERCIFUL?!?!?!?

Tee Hee

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Wednesday, February 22, 2006 8:07 PM

CANTONHEROINE

I've posted mine in a blog before, and it refers not so much to the movie, but the deleted scenes.

When the crew arrive at Haven, there's a scene where you see Jayne handing Book some cigars. The subtle bit is where he snatches one back at the last minute to keep for himself. (Mercenaries obviously don't make good gift-givers

).

Book smokes one of his during his fire-light conversation with Mal, and Jayne's smoking the withheld cigar in the funeral scene at the end of the BDM.

All Adam's idea, apparently.
I love that guy.

-----
"Now somethin' about that is just downright unsettlin'."

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Wednesday, February 22, 2006 8:19 PM

ETHAN

In 'Out Of Gas'during the Kaylee introduction scene when she and Fester are "ahem" bringing their engine room festivities to a climax, Mal yells "Fester....Fester....Fester!!!" It sounds like he's rooting them on, "Faster...faster...faster!"

Mwuhahaha..it is an evil laugh...

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Wednesday, February 22, 2006 8:56 PM

WORKWORKWORK

Actually, the first mechanics name was 'Bester', but your observation is interesting anyway.

As to the "Jayne fighting three guys" reference earlier, I remember that just before Jayne bursts out of the saloon door, Mal says to Zoe, "Is Jayne even awake?"

Perfect comic timing. I love watching a good bar fight and Firefly/Serenity have given me some great ones!

Mal: You can't open the book of my life and jump in the middle. Like woman, I am a mystery.

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Saturday, February 25, 2006 12:14 PM

EMPXENU

Quote:
Originally posted by GutterBall:
Before, he only called him "Captain" or "Malcolm", very formal, very proper. But they're fighting, there's the stab...and a look of almost regret passes over the Operative's face, and he murmurs, "Do you know what your sin is...Mal?"

It's almost like only then does he respect the man enough to use the more familiar term. To be almost friendly, in a way.

It's like now, he knows Mal well enough to acknowledge it.

Maybe he's familiar with the works of Shan Yu.

"I've been following the footsteps of a carpenter for some time now" - Book. Double meaning there, I guess.

----
"I think, therefore I am... I think"

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 3:24 AM

AUSSAY

Not really a subtle thing but I just like watching for Jayne's face for his reactions as they are almost always hilarious. Like when Simon is cutting open the corpse in The Message, he has an excited look on his face.

One thing I dont think thats been mentioned is the in 'Trash' in one scen when Safron looks out the window you can see Earlys ship

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 5:42 PM

ITHAS2BME

So subtle they didn't even mention it in the commentary...

The Message: Han Solo encased in carbonite quietly watching over Kaylee as she listens to the message on the ipod-thingy from the "dead" Tracey.

If you weren't aware, I'm sure you are in disbelief. Follow the link my friends:

still-flying.net/images/themessage/index.php?image=themessage269.jpg

Nice little subtle indication for the really astute that Tracey was in fact, not dead. Now if we can just find the secret, has no business being on the ship, clue to Book's past and Inara's secret.

...I'm in.

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 2:06 PM

TEALCANDTRIP

First of all, the guy's name is Bester. Fester was a guy on the Adam's family.

I only recently noticed that Zoe always tucks a napkin into Wash's collar. She does it in War Stories and Out of Gas, possibly a few others too.

When did she start that habit? and Wash just seems to take it.

"I also hear that there's something called Firefly, which is either a canceled science-fiction television show or a new religion, I'm not clear on that. Either way, prayers for the resurrection are involved." – Lore Sjoberg

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 3:45 PM

ASARIAN

It's not really subtle, either, in that it's in plain sight; but, in the BDM, when River is lying on that grid in the pantry, cuffed, the crew is talking about her. Jayne says: "She goes woolly again, we're gonna have to put a bullet to her." Mal replies: "It's crossed my mind." But you see River when he says that, and just the back and/or side of Mal's head superimposed over that scene, with River lip-syncing those words with him.

Like I said, not really subtle; but cinematographically certainly beautiful; and very reminiscent of Objects in Space, of course.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 4:31 PM

FLETCH2

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Friday, March 3, 2006 5:47 AM

HANSWURST

Re the opening shot: I think that they do slyly edit, when Mal is walking away from the Doc saying "This ship is my home..." The camera swings back to Simon but is in black for an instant as it pans the wall and then Simon appears. Perfect place for a sneaky cut and splice (digitally speaking) and allows for Jayne and Zoe to appear in the cargo bay--without the actors having to unreasonably scramble to get in position.

It's all illusion.

Quote:
Originally posted by Kizyr:
Two things:

1) It wasn't until I'd watched the Serenity pilot three times that I noticed Mal kissing the cross around his neck at the Battle of Serenity Valley. Me and my friend just looked at each other in amazement, since it was the first time he'd noticed it, too.

2) In the Serenity movie... the entire opening with Mal walking through the ship from the cockpit to the cargo hold is shot in one take. No cuts. Not quite subtle, but really amazing when you realize it. KF

~KF

Lord, I'm walking your way. Let me in, for my feet are sore, my clothes are ragged.
Look in my eyes, Lord, and my sins will play out on them as on a screen. Read them all.
Forgive what you can and send me on my path. I will walk on until you bid me rest.
~Haven Prayer

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