READ A BOOK!!
Jul. 8th, 2004 12:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolven7I've ranted, once, on the horror that appears to be the upcomming film "I,Robot," but i have something new to say... It looks like it might not be completely terrible... I have a theory.
Edwin Collins - [A Girl Like You]--- Packaging influences thoughts, about something, especially if all we're allowed to see is that packaging. All i've seen of the "I,Robot" movie has been the American release trailers, with their pretense of Big Dumb Action Movie™, because that's what Americans want, from their summer block busters. They want action, and explosions, and good versus evil, and clear winners, and clear good guys... So, the more trailers i saw, and the more Asimov i read, the more i was made to think about some fundamental factors.
Nine Inch Nails - [The Perfect Drug]--- First of all, Alex Proyas is directing this. This is the man who brought us The Crow and Dark City. He knows what he's doing, and he does it well. He fucks with our heads, for a living. Next up is the fact that this is (at the very least) based on an Asimov story... He did the same thing. Fucked with our heads, and made us reconsider things, in lights of new evidences. He never let us leave with the same preconception with which we walked in. Factor these in with the new thoughts of Marketing, and you have Me, Doubting.
It may be a lure. The scenes we're getting may be that of a Big Dumb Action Movie™, to entice the Summer Blockbuster audience, and pull them toward the theater. Once there, they may be confronted with something that both entertains and makes them think. (Razed In Black - [Nightmare]). It's the kind of sneaky shit i would pull, to broaden people's minds... So i have hope.
In support of my new hopefull hypothesis, have the Japanese Trailer, which also leads to actually making me want to give this movie a chance... {2.06am: When Sonny holds the gun, watch his hand... That says a lot, right there...}
Still... Read a Book....
Edwin Collins - [A Girl Like You]--- Packaging influences thoughts, about something, especially if all we're allowed to see is that packaging. All i've seen of the "I,Robot" movie has been the American release trailers, with their pretense of Big Dumb Action Movie™, because that's what Americans want, from their summer block busters. They want action, and explosions, and good versus evil, and clear winners, and clear good guys... So, the more trailers i saw, and the more Asimov i read, the more i was made to think about some fundamental factors.
Nine Inch Nails - [The Perfect Drug]--- First of all, Alex Proyas is directing this. This is the man who brought us The Crow and Dark City. He knows what he's doing, and he does it well. He fucks with our heads, for a living. Next up is the fact that this is (at the very least) based on an Asimov story... He did the same thing. Fucked with our heads, and made us reconsider things, in lights of new evidences. He never let us leave with the same preconception with which we walked in. Factor these in with the new thoughts of Marketing, and you have Me, Doubting.
It may be a lure. The scenes we're getting may be that of a Big Dumb Action Movie™, to entice the Summer Blockbuster audience, and pull them toward the theater. Once there, they may be confronted with something that both entertains and makes them think. (Razed In Black - [Nightmare]). It's the kind of sneaky shit i would pull, to broaden people's minds... So i have hope.
In support of my new hopefull hypothesis, have the Japanese Trailer, which also leads to actually making me want to give this movie a chance... {2.06am: When Sonny holds the gun, watch his hand... That says a lot, right there...}
Still... Read a Book....
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 09:33 pm (UTC)As much as I want beleive that the directoer of The Crow could fix a script by that hack, not even Spielberg could fix the fiasco that was the Lost World: Jurrasic Park script.
Re: I must disent.
*lines up Firing Squad*
Anywho, i know he's created Shite, in the past, but, honestly, i don't know that Proyas would have signed on, if he didn't think he could do SOMETHING with it.
I hold out hope. If it turns out bad, then we boycott. Simple.
Re: I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 09:48 pm (UTC)I rather liked FF:TSW. I wouldn't call it a bad movie by any means. A very Final Fantasy-esque movie, yes, which isn't to the taste of most Americans. But not a bad one.
Re: I must disent.
Re: I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 10:20 pm (UTC)Re: I must disent.
Re: I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 10:50 pm (UTC)Re: I must disent.
Re: I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 10:37 pm (UTC)As to your points mentioned in a later comment, just b/c you throw in some hackneyed idea about spirits of the earth does not equate to mysticsim or fantasy. It felt nothing like a FF game and I have played most of them. it felt like a rushed sci-fi flick at the same time it felt like an overcooked sci-fi flick.
Furthermore, much like you feel about Starship Troopers, the studio should not have used the title "Final Fantasy". That title evokes feelings of good vs. evil, swords, magic, and big ass weapons and mythical creatures...at least for me and the majority of America, which is the main reason the movie bombed.
But it's very pretty to look at.
Re: I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 10:57 pm (UTC)I felt it was very much in the spirit of the games, and I, too, have played most of them (to be specific, every one except for the two only released in Japan and anything after 8). To me it felt very akin to them, as much as it could with being translated into a permutation of our universe. I think, though, that they may have done that to get a wider audience, which alienated a lot of fans, and made lots of non-fans scratch their heads. I know that a lot of fans were vastly disappointed by the more sci-fi turn in FF7 and later games, and the FF movie would have been a giant disappointment. Square certainly could have stayed more true to the FF roots - I don't think they did themselves a favour by trying to get more mass market appeal.
I still maintain that it's a decent movie, but I can understand many of the reasons why some folks don't like it.
Re: I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 11:16 pm (UTC)Re: I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 11:32 pm (UTC)Re: I must disent.
Date: 2004-07-07 11:49 pm (UTC)It's a fine movie, relatively speaking, but in the scope of an adaptation, which is what this thread was about, it doesn't stand up. And sure, we can end this.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-07 09:39 pm (UTC)Having not read the book, and therefore not associating the book with the movie....
I wanna see shinyprettykindacreepy robots wreaking havoc.
no subject
Seriously... It's better than the movie could ever be...
no subject
Date: 2004-07-07 09:51 pm (UTC)Now, I don't approve of them doing that - I mean, look at the whole Starship Troopers thing, eugh - but, like you, I think the movie won't necessarily be a fiasco, but could be entertaining and maybe even good. I just wish they hadn't felt the need to try to associate themselves with a story that's only vaguely related. >_
no subject
So i'm still leery... Ish.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-07 10:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Here's hoping...
no subject
Date: 2004-07-07 10:40 pm (UTC)I was starting to think it might not suck too bad as an adaptation, partly thanks to tthe Japanese trailer, hoping I maybe was just imagining those images of robots running amok, but tonight Will Smith was on Leno and had a clip that started off very promising and making ok usage of the 3 laws, but then it ended with a robot hurling Will Smith across a room in clear violation of the first law.
My main issue though is not the quality of the film (which honestly I would be watching opening night if it shed it's Asimov adaption aspirations), but with the fact that there is an excellent screenplay out there already written by Harlan Ellison which gets everything right and would still make an exciting (though not as action packed) film. You can buy it here or read it for free from that horrible evil book sharing system known as the library.
no subject
The First Law can be circumvented, if it is modified, very slightly. As it stands, it is "A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm." 'Modify" that, and you get... Interesting results.
Existentially, without modification, a Robot could come to view Life as the Ultimate Harm. And did, at one point. Asimov showed it himself...
*sigh* What's done is done... All over, except the crying, as they say...
no subject
Date: 2004-07-07 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Check the Japanese trailer, again; when Sonny holds the gun, watch his hand shake... That says a lot, right there.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-07 10:31 pm (UTC)I have never read the novel and have no intention to.
no subject
There was much more of a point to the story.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-07 11:14 pm (UTC)And its not that I have no respect for Heinlan, just that I never knew it was a novel b4 the movie, now that I love the movie and hear only how the book is nothing like the movie, I see no reason to read it, esp. as I have grown out of reading sci-fi.
no subject
Not saying you have to love Heinlein, or hate him. Simply stating what i stated.
starship troopers
Date: 2004-07-07 11:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-07-08 06:07 am (UTC)no subject