| Author |
Message |
|
| whiskeypriest |
 Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:44 pm |
 |
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 6916
Location: "It's a Dry Heat."
|
Yeah, I have a problem with the voice over too. That's flaccid, sloppy writing. Any idiot can write a voice-over narration to explain the thoughts of a character.
Or something like that. Actually, the narration in (D)DoS sounded to me like they didn't have the budget to hire James Earl Jones. Didn't mind it so much. |
_________________
I ask you, Velvel, as a rational man, which of us is possessed? |
|
| Back to top |
 
|
| Marj |
| Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:18 pm |
|
|
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 10497
Location: Manhattan
|
I think it depends. In some cases the use of voice over in films is a case of sloppy writing, I agree. But then there are a few that are intentional and are used to great affect. Either way, I loved it in Little Children. For me it gave the film a rather interesting dynamic. One that it needed.
I was promised by Netflix that I would receive The Hurt Locker and Inglorious Bastards, next week. (I've been waiting almost a month.) So tonight I revisited Persepolis. God, I love that film. |
|
|
| Back to top |
 
|
| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:40 pm |
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
|
| I agree with Marj about some narrations being better than others. Little Children and DDoS were movies where it worked well. Narration still bugs me, though, even when it works. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:44 pm |
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
|
I really need to see Persepolis.
I'm a little surprised you had to wait so long for IG and HL. I would have thought they stocked lots of copies.
The big problem I'm finding with Netflix is that I'm the king of procrastination, and though I have a a number of movies in my queue I'm eager to see, I have yet to put the previous friggin' dvd in the mail so the next movie will arrive. |
_________________
You've got a great brain. You should keep it in your head.
-Topher |
|
| Back to top |
|
| ehle64 |
| Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:48 pm |
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 7149
Location: NYC; US&A
|
| I do that ALL THE TIME! I've had the Depp/Dillinger film for a month and a half, but my friend keeps slipping me screeners, so it gets put on the backburner over and over and over again. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:06 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
|
Joe Vitus wrote: I really need to see Persepolis.
I'm a little surprised you had to wait so long for IG and HL. I would have thought they stocked lots of copies.
The big problem I'm finding with Netflix is that I'm the king of procrastination, and though I have a a number of movies in my queue I'm eager to see, I have yet to put the previous friggin' dvd in the mail so the next movie will arrive.
The minute I finish watching a movie from Netflix, I put it back in the sleeve and put the whole thing in front of the front door so I remember to mail it next time I leave the house. It usually works. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Syd |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:10 am |
|
|
Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
|
| While watching Looking for Richard, I came to the conclusion that Al Pacino would make a great Shylock. Unfortunately, he was preparing to play Richard III, and was more than a bit off. I was offput by the all the street scenes on how difficult it is to understand Shakespeare, including Richard III, which is one of the easiest Shakespearean plays to understand. Richard is murdering his way to the throne and telling you how he's going to do it, each step of the way. If this is difficult, what are you going to do when you face King Lear or Measure for Measure? |
_________________
I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Marj |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:11 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 10497
Location: Manhattan
|
I do the same thing, Billy. And Joe, when I spoke with Netflix today the customer service women told me that Netfilix is expanding. They're going to begin stocking more disks, so this kind of thing won't happen next year.
And yes, you do have to see Persepolis.
Billy, the only other movie that I can think of hand where narration was essential was The Shawshank Redemption. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Syd |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:21 am |
|
|
|
Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
|
| Yes, you have to see Persepolis. |
_________________
I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
|
| Back to top |
|
| yambu |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:42 am |
|
|
Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 6441
Location: SF Bay Area
|
Syd wrote: While watching Looking for Richard, I came to the conclusion that Al Pacino would make a great Shylock. Unfortunately, he was preparing to play Richard III, and was more than a bit off. I was offput by the all the street scenes on how difficult it is to understand Shakespeare, including Richard III, which is one of the easiest Shakespearean plays to understand. Richard is murdering his way to the throne and telling you how he's going to do it, each step of the way. If this is difficult, what are you going to do when you face King Lear or Measure for Measure?
I love Olivier's version, but I always have trouble keeping track of just who is who. |
_________________
That was great for you. How was it for me? |
|
| Back to top |
|
| yambu |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:51 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 6441
Location: SF Bay Area
|
Marj wrote: ....And yes, you do have to see Persepolis.....[/i] |
_________________
That was great for you. How was it for me? |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Syd |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:51 am |
|
|
|
Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
|
yambu wrote: Syd wrote: While watching Looking for Richard, I came to the conclusion that Al Pacino would make a great Shylock. Unfortunately, he was preparing to play Richard III, and was more than a bit off. I was offput by the all the street scenes on how difficult it is to understand Shakespeare, including Richard III, which is one of the easiest Shakespearean plays to understand. Richard is murdering his way to the throne and telling you how he's going to do it, each step of the way. If this is difficult, what are you going to do when you face King Lear or Measure for Measure? I'm partial to "the making of..." flicks, and this one is one of the best. I love the way he and Kevin Spacey play off each other. And their Richard III climactic scene is powerful drama.
I love Olivier's version, but I always have trouble keeping track of just who is who.
It's fun trying to work out Henry V's claim to the throne of France. Fortunately for Shakespeare, he didn't really have to work out Henry VII's dubious geneological claims. |
_________________
I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
|
| Back to top |
|
| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:20 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
|
yambu wrote: Marj wrote: ....And yes, you do have to see Persepolis.....[/i] In the Netflix preview, the subtitles are half unreadable, because they are not white on black. If the film is this way, I will reluctantly pass.
I tried to watch a well-reviewed Asian horror movie called The Host last night. Didn't get too far because of just the problem yam is referring to. People should wise up about that. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:22 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
|
| I am an Al Pacino fan in general, but his personality in Looking for Richard was a complete turn-off for me. He was condescending and narcissistic, playing the star card for all it was worth. And, yes, I agree that Richard III does not require all that elaborate deconstruction. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:52 am |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Syd wrote: While watching Looking for Richard, I came to the conclusion that Al Pacino would make a great Shylock. Unfortunately, he was preparing to play Richard III, and was more than a bit off. I was offput by the all the street scenes on how difficult it is to understand Shakespeare, including Richard III, which is one of the easiest Shakespearean plays to understand. Richard is murdering his way to the throne and telling you how he's going to do it, each step of the way. If this is difficult, what are you going to do when you face King Lear or Measure for Measure?
Mentioning difficult to understand Shakespeare plays, King Lear immediately popped into my head.
Funny that you concluded that Pacino would make a great Shylock, because he played Shylock in the 2004 The Merchant of Venice. And he was very good. From what I remember it was the only memorable performance. Outside of Shylock and his character, it's really not a very good play and the last scenes are embarrassingly bad. I got the suspicion that someone other than Shakespeare tacked on that silliness. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
