tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211112229982829419.post8412318990848464047..comments2022-03-24T16:11:50.124-04:00Comments on The Man From Porlock: Tears for Fears (War Horse and Melancholia)Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01450775188328918558noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211112229982829419.post-91217257807046277232012-01-15T21:47:49.361-05:002012-01-15T21:47:49.361-05:00Thanks, Hokahey. I like what somebody commented el...Thanks, Hokahey. I like what somebody commented elsewhere: "It has some well-made scenes, but I still hated it." And I still feel that Spielberg, for all the risks he takes, still isn't willing to go as far as his power and creative freedom could take him. (I can imagine the pre-production discussions: "Kids hate subtitles, so better make all the characters speak English.")Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01450775188328918558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211112229982829419.post-17783860557510298672012-01-15T17:45:52.391-05:002012-01-15T17:45:52.391-05:00I agree, Craig, that there are many irritations in...I agree, Craig, that there are many irritations in this film. Jason would agree with that. But there were elements and scenes I really enjoyed. Could have done without most of the farm scenes, except for the scene in which Mum shows Albert the war medals. Could have done without a second auction. Could have done without the French grandpa and girl. But there are some striking images here that I pinpoint in my post. <br /><br />Again, I share the frustration with Spielberg. He may have been half-heartedly invested in this movie, as Jason states, but also he's over-extended (Tintin and Lincoln going on at the same time) and he's getting old and careless - and he's got the money to do whatever he wants and people will go and see his movies. But as for making a truly well-made film, scene for scene, he's his own worst enemy.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211112229982829419.post-28346335135649187782012-01-15T15:03:11.167-05:002012-01-15T15:03:11.167-05:00With everyone speaking accented English, it's ...<i>With everyone speaking accented English, it's less that Spielberg avoids choosing sides than he makes everyone seem to be on the same side, albeit momentarily opposed (as in, "It was only a matter of time before we all got back to getting along..." which of course isn't the tone of that war at all).</i><br /><br />Excellently put. It makes Joey's journey feel a lot less epic. And you've underscored the problem with the ballyhooed No-Man's-Land scene, where little feels at stake if the characters really aren't so different to begin with.<br /><br /><i>Still, I will predict that 20 years from now someone will write a biography of Spielberg that will try to reason away the forgettableness of War Horse and Tintin by suggesting that Spielberg was dealing with some personal crisis while he made those movies -- perhaps the death of a family pet.</i><br /><br />Since Zanzie will be writing it, let's ask him.Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01450775188328918558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211112229982829419.post-30364893873016266952012-01-15T09:28:00.469-05:002012-01-15T09:28:00.469-05:00OK, War Horse ...
We saw a lot of the same things...OK, <em>War Horse</em> ...<br /><br />We saw a lot of the same things here. Indeed, this seems like a movie that's unsure of its protagonist (not that a movie needs just one; it's the uncertainty that's glaring). Indeed, having the Germans speak German and the French speak French and so on wouldn't have just erased some of the confusion, generally classed up the joint and added emotion to the moment when the German proves to "speak English well," it would have also underlined the vastness of the war. With everyone speaking accented English, it's less that Spielberg avoids choosing sides than he makes everyone seem to be on the same side, albeit momentarily opposed (as in, "It was only a matter of time before we all got back to getting along..." which of course isn't the tone of that war at all).<br /><br />As for this, "You don't think of anybody else's movies while watching his," I generally think that's true, but certainly not in <em>War Horse</em>, especially after Albert returns to Tara at the end.<br /><br />I don't have an especially strong opinion on Spielberg in general. It's debatable how many <em>great</em> movies he's made -- although I do think he's made a few -- but he has a remarkable ability for making <em>very good</em> movies, and few of his failures are painful (although <em>The Terminal</em> sure is). I got the sense while watching <em>War Horse</em> that, as much as certain shots remind of Spielberg at his best, his heart just wasn't in this one. I'm not saying that's the truth; it's just how it felt. Still, I will predict that 20 years from now someone will write a biography of Spielberg that will try to reason away the forgettableness of <em>War Horse</em> and <em>Tintin</em> by suggesting that Spielberg was dealing with some personal crisis while he made those movies -- perhaps the death of a family pet.Jason Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18150199580478147196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211112229982829419.post-18254376687393786622012-01-11T11:24:03.708-05:002012-01-11T11:24:03.708-05:00Thanks, JM. You might be right.
Sam: Ha, of cours...Thanks, JM. You might be right.<br /><br />Sam: Ha, of course. Believe me, I want to like Spielberg, but with few exceptions his films over the last several years just aren't doing it for me. I did like <i>Melancholia</i> a great deal. It's in my top echelon, too.Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01450775188328918558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211112229982829419.post-6241234790981438092012-01-10T21:29:54.149-05:002012-01-10T21:29:54.149-05:00Craig:
Both WAR HORSE and MELANCHOLIA made my rec...Craig:<br /><br />Both WAR HORSE and MELANCHOLIA made my recently-published Ten Best list.<br /><br />We are still friends, right? LOL!<br /><br />Just kidding of course. I wrote my own essay praising Spielberg's movie to high heaven so I'll just say that your brilliantly-penned takedown is food for though no matter how one stands.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211112229982829419.post-18517914932337431882012-01-01T23:30:58.016-05:002012-01-01T23:30:58.016-05:00Aww.. I liked Frank McCourt's memoirs. My gues...Aww.. I liked Frank McCourt's memoirs. My guess as to the love for War Horse is <br />A)it was released at Christmas <br />B)everyone secretly harbors a ten year old girl's love of horses.JMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03223879013564312871noreply@blogger.com