OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

John Carter: the new Blade Runner...

POSTED BY: CHRISISALL
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 5, 2012 07:12
SHORT URL: http://bit.ly/yJ4qka
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Tuesday, March 13, 2012 5:03 PM

CHRISISALL


Remember that dumb little Harrison Ford movie that made no money in its initial release?
Well, this is THAT IMHO.


The Mal-like Chrisisall



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Tuesday, March 13, 2012 5:37 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Main difference being, I actually wanted to see that other one.

This one looks insipid.

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012 5:44 PM

CHRISISALL


Heh heh, and Iraq looked like they had WMD.


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Tuesday, March 13, 2012 7:52 PM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important


Hello,

70 million overseas. If this thing is going to break even, it's going to have to do it on the basis of foreign box office.

I think if more people knew what to make of it, they might prefer it to The Lorax.

--Anthony



_______________________________________________

Note to self: Mr. Raptor believes that women who want to control their reproductive processes are sluts.

Reference thread: http://fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=18&t=51196

Never forget what this man is. You keep forgiving him his trespasses and speak to him as though he is a reasonable human being. You keep forgetting the things he's advocated. If you respond to this man again, you are being foolish.

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012 8:27 PM

RIONAEIRE

Beir bua agus beannacht


The Lorax looks soooooooo dumb. Of course if you have little ones it makes sense, but looks boring and doesn't seem to resemble the book.

I can't figure out why John Carter is rated PG-13, there's nothing in there that's too scary or provocative or fowl. Why not just rate it PG? There were a bunch of little kids in there when I went, so why not have it PG.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 3:52 AM

CHRISISALL


Some of the violence is fairly intense...


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 4:13 AM

ZEEK


I know this is probably a nerd cred disaster, but I've never understood the Blade Runner love. It's entirely possible that I just haven't dissected it enough to get a lot of hidden meaning or something. I first saw it in college in the early 2000's. It just seemed like a neat little take on prejudice to me. I didn't think it was earth shattering though.

So what's John Carter's hook? It looks like space conan or something. Some trailer showed like 1900's looking Earth where a dude was missing. I don't picture a sword wielding barbarian coming out of the 1900's. Is it super spoilery to explain how that all fits together?

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 4:32 AM

CHRISISALL


The hook is that it *DOES* all fit together.
YOU REALLY SHOULD JUST SEE IT.
That & Avengers are this year's must-sees IMO.


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 4:48 AM

STORYMARK


Not to say that the audience for this wont grow over the years.... but it being the new Blade Runner - not a chance.

Much of what has kept Blade Runner alive for film lovers is the visual style, which influenced countless films in the decades since. Carter.... doesn't really do anything all that original visually.

If anything, its the new Waterworld - a movie they spent more than they should have on, which had terrible buzz leading up to release, but just barely squeaked by financially, and years later, some people flasly call it a huge flop, while others say "It wasn't that bad".

Note to self: Come up with some pity-baiting sig line so everyone sees how persecuted poor wittle me is. Then I can be just like Rappy!

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 5:02 AM

ZEEK


Quote:

Originally posted by Storymark:
Much of what has kept Blade Runner alive for film lovers is the visual style, which influenced countless films in the decades since.



Well that explains why I don't get it. I'm no film student and I don't have an eye for visual style.

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 5:28 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by Storymark:
If anything, its the new Waterworld - a movie they spent more than they should have on, which had terrible buzz leading up to release, but just barely squeaked by financially, and years later, some people flasly call it a huge flop, while others say "It wasn't that bad".


You're right- it's not the in the innovative, influential league of Blade Runner, but comparing it to Waterworld is way too far in the other direction. I'd liken it (realistically) to Dances With Wolves in terms of quality & substance, and Avatar in terms of ambition, and creating a fantasy world in which to set the story. Blade Runner compares only in its similar initial critical & box office response.


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 6:51 AM

STORYMARK


Im speaking in terms of public perception of its performance, not the quality. And in that respect, can think of no better comparison than Waterworld.

Id give Avatar the lead in terms of ambition - by a wide freakin margin.

That world was created from whole cloth. Barsoom not only is built on a hundred years worth of people's ideas and artwork - it's Utah with CGI enhancments - not an entirely created world.

Avatar also was actual 3D, and not that post-converted horsecrap. No new technologies were invented to make Carter happen.

Note to self: Come up with some pity-baiting sig line so everyone sees how persecuted poor wittle me is. Then I can be just like Rappy!

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 6:58 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by Storymark:

Avatar also was actual 3D, and not that post-converted horsecrap.

Hear hear!


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 7:32 AM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)


Zeek, Blade Runner has quite a bit going on, on several different levels. There's the main question & theme - what does it mean to be human? What constitutes being "alive", having worth? And what's a life worth? And who decides?

Then there's some of the visual allegory - the nail through the hand, the releasing of the dove, the saving of others even in his time of dying, the idea of a replicant coming from off-world to save people and teach a lesson, the meeting one's maker, the idea of what that even means, or how one would react to meeting one's maker in the twilight of one's life...

The question of who is and isn't "real", who's alive and who is merely meat-sacks, and what remains of us after we're gone... Is there anything else, or are we just the sum total of our life experiences? And what becomes of those memories, those experiences, after we die? Was it all for naught, are we indeed lost like tears in the rain?

You might want to re-watch it sometime... ;)

"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 8:03 AM

CHRISISALL


Yeah Zeek, what Mike said^^^^

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 8:58 AM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important


Quote:

So what's John Carter's hook?




Hello,

Slight spoilers follow- though I give away no real secrets.

Select to view spoiler:




World-weary and war-weary civil war veteran suddenly finds new reasons to live, and new causes to fight for when he is whisked away to an alien world.

Fencing was still a thing during the civil war era, and cavalrymen still used sabers sometimes, so that's where the sword skills you see in the trailers come in. The matrixesque jumping is because the alien world has a fraction of Earth's gravity, so a human can make extraordinary leaps there (like on the moon, but with atmosphere.)




This is a sci-fi story as told by a writer at the turn of the 20th century who had none of our scientific information about what alien worlds might really be like. A chance to get lost and have fun in an adventure for a couple of hours without thinking too hard.

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

Note to self: Mr. Raptor believes that women who want to control their reproductive processes are sluts.

Reference thread: http://fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=18&t=51196

Never forget what this man is. You keep forgiving him his trespasses and speak to him as though he is a reasonable human being. You keep forgetting the things he's advocated. If you respond to this man again, you are being foolish.

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 9:15 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by AnthonyT:

This is a sci-fi story as told by a writer at the turn of the 20th century who had none of our scientific information about what alien worlds might really be like. A chance to get lost and have fun in an adventure for a couple of hours without thinking too hard.


Simple & perfectly put.


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 11:59 AM

IMNOTHERE


Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
Zeek, Blade Runner has quite a bit going on, on several different levels. There's the main question & theme - what does it mean to be human? What constitutes being "alive", having worth? And what's a life worth? And who decides?



There is that (although the book does it rather more subtly - the 'big question' of the film is moot in the book: who cares whether or not you're a real human if everything you value is artificial?)

Select to view spoiler:



...and the VK test in the book looks suspiciously like a test of religious conformity, which is something lost in the film



Its also great eye-whisky* - beautifully shot, haunting and atmospheric. Also, much copied since (the Earth-based prologue on the extended cut of Avatar, anybody?)

I think thats why it stands multiple viewings - forget the plot, soak up the atmosphere.

(*like eye candy only not as sweet, less suitable for children and something of an acquired taste)

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 1:04 PM

RIONAEIRE

Beir bua agus beannacht


I thought Blade Runner was okay. Mainly what I remember is Rachel and how they're testing her to see if she's human, because you can't tell by looking, and I remember that toy maker guy. Maybe I need to watch it again, it was a few years ago.

I personally love Waterworld, so in my mind something being like Waterworld is a good thing. I can't for the life of me figure out why it didn't do better at the theater, because lots of people I know like it now.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 2:43 PM

HKCAVALIER


I think a good summation of John Carter would be: Laurence of Arabia meets Stardust. From what I've heard, at least, word-of-mouth is great for this movie. It may surprise everyone and last through the whole summer. And, I may be the only one, but I found the 3D some of the best utilized I've seen.

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 2:49 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by HKCavalier:
I found the 3D some of the best utilized I've seen.


Definitely seeing it that way before it vacates, then! Thanks HK.


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 3:00 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.


Blade Runner came out thirty years ago and we're still talking about it because it was a great, multi-layered story told with superb style. John Carter won't have that kind of longevity at all, and will fade from memory with only an occasional thread by Chrisisall to remind us.



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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 6:06 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by ecgordon:
John Carter won't have that kind of longevity at all

If you didn't come from the future, I might not be as inclined as I am to take your predictions so seriously...


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 8:08 PM

OONJERAH



    Firefly's longevity is 10 years with no sign of slowing down.
     

    John Carter previews weren't very interesting to me. :(
Then I took a look at Taylor Kitsch on YouTube to see if he is a socially redeeming feature.
He came across as a model with a pleasant manner. No big deal.


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Thursday, March 15, 2012 1:55 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.


Chris, you and I do agree on some things (Blade Runner is a great movie!), but a lot of your other favorites I think are mediocre at best. I actually hope I am wrong that John Carter won't be successful, both now and in the future, but I doubt it. I'm not sure why, but I actually have the inclination to reread A Princess of Mars. Considering I didn't care for it the first time, that's saying something.



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Thursday, March 15, 2012 6:34 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by ecgordon:
a lot of your other favorites I think are mediocre at best.

Oh, like, Escape From LA isn't a great movie...



BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Thursday, March 15, 2012 6:40 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.


Well, it's not as good as Escape from New York.



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Thursday, March 15, 2012 7:47 AM

STORYMARK


My ranking of the key Carpenter films (excluding Halloween, which Im not fond of):

Escape from LA < Escape From New York < Big Trouble in Little China < The (motherfuckin') Thing.

I really love The Thing, BTW.

Spoon!

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Thursday, March 15, 2012 7:58 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by Storymark:

I really love The Thing, BTW.


That movie creeps me out. Big time.
It's awesome.


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Thursday, March 15, 2012 8:05 AM

STORYMARK


The remake/prequel.... not so much...

Spoon!

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Thursday, March 15, 2012 8:07 AM

CHRISISALL


The Morricone soundtrack was classic.


The Mal-like Chrisisall


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Thursday, March 15, 2012 11:57 AM

JOHNNYREB


Blade Runner was one of the best and most influential movies put to film!!!!!!!

It inspired Bale's Batman and the Matrix! It introduced future noir! It asked the question: What does it mean to be human? Do humans recite poetry and avenge loved ones? Do they aspire to be gods? Or do they shoot unarmed women in the back while the run? Do they pass out drunk on the couch and date rape their girlfriends? Do they bludgeon people with pipes or play chess and show off? Do they risk it all, not just for life, but photos? Photos! At the end Harrison Ford muses (in the original with a voice over) "I don't know why he saved me..." That's the human confused by this, people! Was Deckard an android himself? How did Gaff know to leave a unicorn, just what Deckard dreamed? How did Roy Batty know to call him Deckard in the final hunt where the hunter becomes the hunted? You don't know. What does it mean to be human? These androids weren't bio-something-or-others on a chasis. They were flesh and blood through and through. John Carter looks like a sack of ca ca next to Blade Runner. (Plus I'd so bone Joanna Cassidy.) BAH!

Take my love. Take my land...

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Thursday, March 15, 2012 5:04 PM

OONJERAH


       Blood of Heroes


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Saturday, August 18, 2012 5:48 AM

SHINYGOODGUY


Quote:

Originally posted by ImNotHere:
Quote:

Originally posted by Kwicko:
Zeek, Blade Runner has quite a bit going on, on several different levels. There's the main question & theme - what
Also, much copied since (the Earth-based prologue on the extended cut of Avatar, anybody? -

Agreed. I wondered if anyone else caught that, but the questions remains....is it a rip-off or a tribute to that film?

SGG


does it mean to be human? What constitutes being "alive", having worth? And what's a life worth? And who decides?



There is that (although the book does it rather more subtly - the 'big question' of the film is moot in the book: who cares whether or not you're a real human if everything you value is artificial?)

Select to view spoiler:



...and the VK test in the book looks suspiciously like a test of religious conformity, which is something lost in the film



Its also great eye-whisky* - beautifully shot, haunting and atmospheric. Also, much copied since (the Earth-based prologue on the extended cut of Avatar, anybody?)

I think thats why it stands multiple viewings - forget the plot, soak up the atmosphere.

(*like eye candy only not as sweet, less suitable for children and something of an acquired taste)


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Saturday, August 18, 2012 6:27 AM

SHINYGOODGUY


Waterworld was more a public relations disaster than anything else. The movie was not as bad as people made it out to be. Blade Runner did not get the recognition it gets today because it WAS different than anything of it's time. The visual style notwithstanding, Blade Runner had a particular rhythm, a kind of film noir effect going for it. So the comparison was not made because of BR's style so much, but rather, the lack of vision moviegoers and some critics had during it's original release. The pacing and storytelling rhythm was quite unique for a major release back in 1982.

I dare say that John Carter may have been misunderstood, but it's more likely that the Disney marketing machine erred in the set up and presentation of it's $200 million dollar movie. They incorrectly thought that having their trademarked name, and that of Pixar's Andrew Stanton, would be enough to get people in the theatres - wrong! No, John Carter is a good film. Pacing, story and, surprisingly, the acting was top notch. I seem to have this cringe affect whenever I hear Disney made it. I was pleasantly surprised with the original Pirates of the Caribbean. My brother, of all people, convinced me to go. He said Johnny Depp, how bad could it be. Who knew. And so, I went to see John Carter with some reservation.

Still though, I could help but wonder about the title, John Carter, so I looked it up. I still wasn't convinced. Then I saw a trailer, not bad. I thought - a trip to Mars, a princess who needs saving (where have I heard that before), Edgar Rice Burroughs? WTF? But I said, why not? I convinced my son to tag along. And I had a good time, suspended my belief and everything. It is a cross between Star Wars, Cowboys vs. Aliens and the Three Musketeers. There was the possibility of seeing horses and spaceships? A theme I'm particularly fond of. I'll have you know that the audience in the theatre where I watched John Carter was enthusiastic and even applauded at the end. Now when do you ever see a movie audience applaud a movie?


SGG

Virginia, Jump!

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Saturday, August 18, 2012 7:25 AM

TWO

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/folder/1uwh75oa407q8/Firefly


Quote:

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
I dare say that John Carter may have been misunderstood . . .

Most modern blockbusters have the exact opposite problem of John Carter of Mars, in that they don't try to make sense at all. Michael Bay is a terrible filmmaker, but at least that dude knows the value of just being like "fighting robots! Go!" And that's it (no really, that's often all there is).

John Carter opens with twenty plus minutes of information that is only there so that it can be of (not so compelling) use later, if that. This whole unleashing of relevant information is something that only a few movies of a certain kind can get away with . . . You know, like mysteries! Where information and plotting and the puzzle actually matter and provide propulsion for the story. They certainly don't belong in a swashbuckler epic that spends the middle hour on character.

The John Carter prologue feels like a filmmaker obsessed with everything in his story making sense and losing track of the actual emotional sense. The movie plays like puzzle that has been pieced together by logic. And John Carter needs traditional drama. It's not a mystery. It's sci-fi swashbuckler designed for everyone. http://badassdigest.com/2012/04/08/film-crit-hulk-smash-hulk-vs-the-jo
hn-carter-script
/

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

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Saturday, August 18, 2012 8:14 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.


I've seen John Carter three times now, and I've liked it more each time. I bought the Blu-Ray and it is a spectacular transfer. The only problem this film has is that while its story is outdated and most are not familiar with the source material, for the average movie viewer it will seem completely derivative. But what they think it copied it actually inspired.



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Saturday, August 18, 2012 9:20 AM

TWO

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/folder/1uwh75oa407q8/Firefly


Quote:

Originally posted by ecgordon:
I've seen John Carter three times now, and I've liked it more each time.

After three times you know John Carter's background story with his wife and family dying. The first time viewer only knows that late in the movie. Once explained you're then with Carter from that point on, no questions asked. We know why he is a despondent asshole in search of gold and we totally understand it. He's an asshole we'd empathize with. And we would implicitly understand that Carter's secret motive is to find love again, which is really the whole point of the movie. We would have dramatic stakes in his romancing of the princess if they established what happened to his family first. The way it's presented in the film for the first hour and a quarter, people might think Carter was screwing around on his living Earth wife.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

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Tuesday, August 21, 2012 12:07 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST


Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Quote:

Waterworld was more a public relations disaster than anything else. The movie was not as bad as people made it out to be. Blade Runner did not get the recognition it gets today because it WAS different than anything of it's time. The visual style notwithstanding, Blade Runner had a particular rhythm, a kind of film noir effect going for it. So the comparison was not made because of BR's style so much, but rather, the lack of vision moviegoers and some critics had during it's original release. The pacing and storytelling rhythm was quite unique for a major release back in 1982.

I dare say that John Carter may have been misunderstood, but it's more likely that the Disney marketing machine erred in the set up and presentation of it's $200 million dollar movie. They incorrectly thought that having their trademarked name, and that of Pixar's Andrew Stanton, would be enough to get people in the theatres - wrong! No, John Carter is a good film. Pacing, story and, surprisingly, the acting was top notch. I seem to have this cringe affect whenever I hear Disney made it. I was pleasantly surprised with the original Pirates of the Caribbean. My brother, of all people, convinced me to go. He said Johnny Depp, how bad could it be. Who knew. And so, I went to see John Carter with some reservation.

Still though, I could help but wonder about the title, John Carter, so I looked it up. I still wasn't convinced. Then I saw a trailer, not bad. I thought - a trip to Mars, a princess who needs saving (where have I heard that before), Edgar Rice Burroughs? WTF? But I said, why not? I convinced my son to tag along. And I had a good time, suspended my belief and everything. It is a cross between Star Wars, Cowboys vs. Aliens and the Three Musketeers. There was the possibility of seeing horses and spaceships? A theme I'm particularly fond of. I'll have you know that the audience in the theatre where I watched John Carter was enthusiastic and even applauded at the end. Now when do you ever see a movie audience applaud a movie?



I have to say I agree with you here Shiny. Nicely stated.

I just caught John Carter a week ago and I thought it a really enjoyable film. Old fashioned in it's narrative style but thoroughly enjoyable. As far as the comparisons with Bladerunner go I guess I can see what Big C is getting at. Though I'd suggest it compares closer to Tron (1981) than Bladerunner. However all those films share one thing in common which is an impressive visual style. Some of the 'design' for John Carter was epic and almost in a total sub genre of it's own. I loved those winged flying/sailing crafts! Absolutely beautiful. A sort of iSteampunk :D

I do feel sorry for Andrew Stanton though because I think he did an excellent job and clearly undertook a lot of hard, hard work to getting this realised but for some strange reason the Zeitgeist decided long before it's release that is was to be a failure.

However sci-fi films tend to alienate an audience unfamiliar with the genre: Bladerunner, Tron, Dune, Brazil, SERENITY and now John Carter.... It sort of comes with the territory.

I wouldn't be surprised if in thirty years time we get a sequel :D




°...Well here I am.°

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Saturday, September 1, 2012 12:11 AM

SHINYGOODGUY


Hey Sleepy,

I agree wholeheartedly with your take on misunderstood sci-fi films. I also like your list of films, Bravo my friend.
For the general public, an unfamiliar sci-fi movie is risky business for the studios and producers. The studios that backed Star Wars were extremely nervous (no really known actors,except for Alec Guiness and an unknown story) until people actually went to see it and word of mouth (remember no internet) spread like wildfire. The first true blockbuster was born.

The Matrix was another unknown quantity, but what helped it was the advent of "Bullet-time." That got the juices flowing among the sci-fi geeks (such as myself) and, of course, they drag their friends along who wind up loving the film. The original Tron was a technical marvel at the time that pushed the boundaries of our senses. But it also had a very simple story, wonderful premise and the irrepressible Jeff Bridges going for it. Sci-fi geeks were in sci-fi heaven. One of the reasons why I was so bummed about Tron Legacy is that it completely lost the simplicity of the original and took itself too seriously. Imagine never having Tron involved till close to the end and then making him a henchman. Blasphemy! Gone was the User worship, gladiator-like reverence that made Tron a sci-fi cult classic. What were they thinking?

I, for one, appreciated the storytelling aspect of John Carter. My only criticism, at first blush, was the confusion over who was fighting who at the beginning of the movie. It wasn't clear to me who were the bad guys and throwing all those names around didn't help. But once I got that straight, I was hooked. I too loved the winged flying battleships. It reminded me of the Viking ships from the old classic swashbuckler movies. Getting back to the storytelling, I really liked the way they revealed why this man wouldn't fight for any cause. I thought that part was well set up. That is usually my pet peeve with many of today's movies - improper scene and story set up. Stanton did, I think, an excellent job (except for that opening sequence with the Helium and Zodanga warriors). I also enjoyed how they moved the story along about the Goddess Isis and the different names of the planets. I was unsure about the Thurns. Granted they were evil, but what was their purpose. I know they weren't gods because Carter proved they could be killed, but rather they relied on magic.

I sure do hope that they don't take 30 years to make a sequel. BTW, I read somewhere that Disney plans to revisit the Rocketeer. I'm a sucker for classic movies, especially sci-fi and action adventure.

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Saturday, September 1, 2012 6:17 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST


Ahhh The Rocketeer. I do so love that film. I honestly think two/three years earlier and this film would have been a huge success, but it came just a bit too late. The 80's naiveté was no longer tolerable with movie audiences and I fear it was just a little too charming for it's time. It was after the darkness of Burton's BATMAN and folk now wanted their heroes to be brooding and severe. The Rocketeer was just too simple a chap really.... That said it's one of my rainy day films. Along with
Tron
Starman
Mysterious Island
Big Trouble in Little China
Inner Space
Gremlins II
& now
John Carter.

:D

As for the Tron Legacy while I concur about the misguided use of Tron this film did encourage non sic-fi fans to enjoy sic-fi. So I have to congratulate it for that. The reason I say this is I pretty much dragged my girlfriend and her girlfriends to go and see it and to my great delight they all loved it! And prior to that they were pretty defiant anti-sic-fi chicks. So I was very impressed by that.

So John Carter. I think you've nailed it really Shiny. There were moments of head scratching you're right, and it was a touch ambiguous at times whom we should be routing for, but I actually don't mind this. Just means I'll have another reason to watch it again :D I have that same vibe from City of the Lost Children







°...Well here I am.°

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Sunday, September 2, 2012 11:20 AM

CHRISISALL


And I loved it on DVD too. Damn movie has me in tears every time when he remembers you know what.

Chrisisall, wearing a frilly Mal thing on his head, and ready to shoot unarmed, full-body armoured Tharks

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Sunday, September 2, 2012 4:57 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.


Quote:

Originally posted by chrisisall:
And I loved it on DVD too.


Even better on Blu-Ray!



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Sunday, September 2, 2012 5:54 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by ecgordon:

Even better on Blu-Ray!



Whaddya think Ec, the last movie of its kind? Takin' its time, old fashioned (albeit state of the art tech)...

Chrisisall, wearing a frilly Mal thing on his head, and ready to shoot unarmed, full-body armoured shakey cams

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Monday, September 3, 2012 7:02 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.


Quote:

Originally posted by chrisisall:
Whaddya think Ec, the last movie of its kind?


Extremely difficult to say anything like that without waiting to see the thousands of other movies that will be made while I'm still alive and kicking.

I think it's safe to say it will be unlikely we'll get a sequel anytime soon, and definitely not from Disney.

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Wednesday, September 5, 2012 7:12 AM

CLJOHNSTON108


I saw John Carter at a theater that's still using that archaic technology—"film", I believe it's called—with the scratches & dust, and it was slightly out-of-focus, and the sound was cranked too high, so much of the dialogue was unintelligible.

Thank the Great Maker for DVD! Ever so much more enjoyable with headphones and subtitles (for the more mumbly bits)!

@Zeek: I hear ya! I went to see Blade Runner the first show on opening day here in Hollywood, and while I loved some of the visuals, it didn't really do much for me.
My Dad, however, who was a set designer for TV, had a religious experience when he saw it, and he was about ready to disown me when I pointed out some of the goofs I noticed (Which, BTW, were all corrected digitally for the Final Cut, but my Dad died in '95, so vindication was not mine).

I've watched the whole movie straight through maybe twice on DVD, but that first 10 minutes I've watched about 57 times!
Doug Trumbull is my favorite Visual Effects artist.


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