Joss Whedon's Magic Waning?

POSTED BY: serena777
UPDATED: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 07:44
VIEWED: 5795
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THEPISTONENGINE

Thursday, January 26, 2006 8:41 PM

I disagree with Serena777 emphatically. I believe the movie did an excellent job of characterization. Sure, the particular motives are more understandable if you have seen the series (Which I watched after the movie, by the way), but there is a profound sense of past in the movie. We don't know what that past was, we don't even really know Mal was fighting against the alliance unless you put together three or four clues.

I think I can articulate my point better.

Joss, in the movie, does a superb job of not inserting us into a vacuum. Going into the plot, not just stemming from it (where a lot of movies fall short), all the characters have their own motives, feelings, allegiances, morals, and personal dilemmas. A lot of those characterizations are spelled out better in the series, mostly because we can see the different facets at different angles with each episode, but there was never a sense of lacking in the character. They were developed, the important bits hinted at, and they were exceptional.

The only department I would say the movie falls short of the series... Ok, two departments.
1) I love the episodic nature of series because they allow big events to happen on small scales. If Serenity were a whole season of Firefly, we'd have a whole episode devoted to the freeing of River, then the security payroll job... leaving no ground to go to, etc.
2) (The big one) The series had a profoundly deeper sense of family than the movie. Maybe that's what Serena meant when saying he didn't have time to develop the characters. I think what Serena really is seeing WE didn't have time to see them as family.

JUBELLATE

Thursday, January 26, 2006 9:50 PM

Its a movie only twice as long as a series show. Very few directors can make a story dense enough that every backstory is given and new developments are all incorporated.

Joss wrote this movie for the fans. He wanted to finish the segment of the story he started. He had two hours to summ up something he could have spread out over an entire season.

In my humblest of opinions, he put forth a brilliant effort and rewarded those fans that had been with him the entire time along with drawing new people into the fold like myself.

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule. – H.L. Mencken

MISTERNISHKA

Thursday, January 26, 2006 10:02 PM

The movie was pretty much the 2nd half of the season he had written only condesed. It close a few chapters on the revers and River for me. It answers a lot of questions.

But we know there are more stories and quests of the gang we haven't heard, thats why the series needs to be brought back!

--------------------------------------------------
"The Hero of Canton, the man they call Jayne!"

THECOLLECTOR

Thursday, January 26, 2006 10:09 PM

There's a difference of storytelling in a movie. And storytelling in episodic format.

And with saying that... In no way is Joss's talent waning. First off the movie had to go a tad bit "Faster" mind you, because otherwise the movie would've ended up being the two and a half hour mark area easily... most production studios don't really want movies to go over the two hour mark. I mean there are exceptions... but not many.

In TV you can leave loose ends to be tied up later on. You can extend character progression to incredible lenghths. Reason why is that you have as much time as needed to do so as long as you wrap up the general story.

Finally, you also have to take into account of the average movie goer. The people who go to movies just so they can see stuff blow up and go to see awesome graphics. The people who could care less about character progression.

RHYIANAN

Thursday, January 26, 2006 11:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Dataless:
I think Serenity is the most amazing piece of story telling. I saw Firefly first on fox. I have TiVo powers so I never missed an episode. I know first hand how amazingly horrible fox failed Firefly. As we all know they aired the episode Serenity last, but it was that moment I really understood what the show could be. The movie isn't the same as the series would have been. I think it would have taken at least 3 seasons to get to the point where the moive ended, but I think it would have happened very much the same. We would have learned more about the Big Damn Heroes but we still have that chance. In novel, comic, and movie form. Personally I welcome the chance to read, see or even write a story as long as I get more Firefly/Serenity. I hope every one who calls them selves a Browncoat would feel the same (I understand if you feel can't write.) This way there will always be something out there that we can call Firefly/Serenity. If you feel like the movie failed you insome way write your own episodes. Create the on going series for all of us to read or see if you can film it. I have to say that would be very cool. If any one does write I would love to read it. Please let us know.

I agree with the wanting to know more, however, I'd rather get the OFFICIAL version of what's going on rather than just anybody's interpretation. Some of that kind of thing can get really mediocre. I don't mean to insult anyone or anything, (It's just my personal opinion) but Joss is the master of firefly/serenity. He's the only one that truly knows where it was supposed to go originally. That's the story I want to hear......However I can get it.

Wash: Yeah, but psychic? That sounds like science fiction.
Zoe: You live on a spaceship, dear.

DATALESS

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 7:44 AM

While I agree that Joss is The Master of FF/S, I think the the more we show network or movie execs and Joss that we really want more they will want to make for us. The more we can scare, I mean impress them with our desire to see more in any from the more value there is in FF/S. So do anything to get People to see Firefly and Serenity, like stand out side of Best Buy when the PS3 comes out playing the episodes (even if you don't plan to buy one.)

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