Serenity cops a beating on Maxim.com

POSTED BY: Leonidas
UPDATED: Saturday, October 6, 2007 06:49
VIEWED: 10494
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JONGSSTRAW

Friday, October 5, 2007 12:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by reginaroadie:
Well, with A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, the term is actually referenced in the book, but was left out of the movie, and it generally refers to something biological or natural that's been tampered with to function like a machine, thus Alex becomes a clockwork orange. Ironically, the movie is about free will.

PULP FICTION opens with the dictionary definition for pulp, and since the stories in the movie are over the top and sensationalist, then the title is pretty apt.

The rest of them I think tie into their movies one way or another, except for Goodbye Columbus. Judging from the plot description on imdb, I really don't think the title has to do with anything.

Goodbye Columbus....at the very, very end of the movie we hear the "fight song" played on a record for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ali McGraw's brother, the tall, lanky guy in the movie was an ex-basketball player who went to Ohio State...that's the refernce to the title Columbus....as if could not let go of his past glory.
Please tell me any reference for A Patch of Blue.

BULLET0IN0THE0BRAINPAN0SQUISH

Friday, October 5, 2007 1:49 PM

Quote:

lmao! i almost didn't read your reply... i was too busy watching Seremuppety!

btw, how come we have the same name???

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I don't know what I'm saying. I never know what I'm saying.... -River Tam, Serenity (2005)

BULLETINTHEBRAINPANSQUISH

Friday, October 5, 2007 1:57 PM

We have the same name because you tried to steal mine, but there is only one BULLETINTHEBRAINPANSQUISH!

"Kaylee, find that kid who's takin a dirt nap with Baby Jesus: we need a hood ornament!"

REGINAROADIE

Friday, October 5, 2007 2:11 PM

I havn't seen the movie, but I read the short story in high school. The girl in the story is blind, but she wasn't blind from birth. She went blind when she was five. And when the guy asks her what she remembers, she says "a patch of blue", which is in reference to the sky. Basically, it's her one happy memory from when she was little. And the relationship she has with this new guy is her patch of blue.

**************************************************
"And it starts with a sentence that might last a lifetime, or it all might just go down in flames. If I let you know me, then why would you want me? Each day I don't is a shame. Each day I don't is a great shame."

Loudon Wainwright III - "Strange Weirdos" off the "Knocked Up" soundtrack

ZOID

Friday, October 5, 2007 3:19 PM

Well, considering that the topic of this thread is an 'editorial' piece in Maxim titled, "MOST MISLEADING MOVIE TITLES", I don't consider this off-topic.

...And perhaps the Maxim correspondent, as ReginaRoadie suggests, is not that far off-base in claiming that Serenity was mistitled. I never really thought about it before, since I was a dyed-in-the-wool Firefly fan since it originally appeared on F*x, and hence, understood the references; but, perhaps the titles, "Firefly" and "Serenity" were both the actual reason for the series' and movie's failure.

That's pretty bold, I know. But, I also know the general mindset of rank-and-file TV viewers and moviegoers. You have to hit them over the head with a two-by-four and use really short words to get them to understand anything. Especially with a title like "Serenity" -- which contains four syllables in a single word -- there is too little description of the movie's content (and what information the title does convey would be totally misleading) to an American viewer scanning the 'Now Showing!' webpage for their local cinema.

For example: In my little 'metropolis', if one peruses the website of the various cineplexes, one is presented with the titles and showtimes, sans promo items. If one wants to see those, one must first click on the movie title, which will then deposit the surfer on the movie's promo page.

So, when presented with a page of 20-or-so titles, like "Pirates of the Carribean: The Drain on Credulity", or "Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Stomach Acid", the title "Serenity" sticks out like a sore thumb as a movie to be avoided by action/adventure adrenaline junkies...

Ergo -- and I know this has probably been discussed many times 'round the Jossnet -- the question is: Did the title sink the movie?

I'm not saying that the 'journo' who did the Maxim piece (heh-heh, used 'Maxim' and 'piece' in the same phrase) was correct in his total argument regarding "Serenity" -- specifically, wherein he says the movie itself was a bad idea. However, had he argued that the movie was well-conceived and -delivered, and that only the title had sunk it at the theatres, well, that would have been a compelling argument, and harder to refute.

...A title like, "Space Pirates and the Attack of the Reavers", while totally banal, would have put the right fannies in theatre seats, in the traditional American style, given the total lack of discernment of your typical moviegoer.

Speculatively,

zoid

P.S.
Increasingly, Americans find it easier to watch movies and other streaming pretty pictures/noises, while simultaneously finding it harder to read anything. It's all about The Quest For Meaning, and yet being too lazy to make a proper job of it...

P.P.S.
The question Joss should ask himself, in the future, is: Would Jayne (his lowest-common-denominator everyman) watch this movie based on this title?
_________________________________________________

"I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDBOF'

JONGSSTRAW

Friday, October 5, 2007 3:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by reginaroadie:
I havn't seen the movie, but I read the short story in high school. The girl in the story is blind, but she wasn't blind from birth. She went blind when she was five. And when the guy asks her what she remembers, she says "a patch of blue", which is in reference to the sky. Basically, it's her one happy memory from when she was little. And the relationship she has with this new guy is her patch of blue.

Thanks for that explanation. I have actually seen the movie several times, yet I must have missed the reference. It's very hard to watch, and very sad, and the ending is a bit murky. Shelley Winters was amazingly talented in her role of un-fit and cruel parent & Poitier was again a strong moral character. Thanks!

BULLET0IN0THE0BRAINPAN0SQUISH

Saturday, October 6, 2007 3:31 AM

i didn't actually. but hell, it all belongs to Joss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I don't know what I'm saying. I never know what I'm saying.... -River Tam, Serenity (2005)

MYOTHERCARISAFIREFLY

Saturday, October 6, 2007 6:49 AM

well, nobody reads maxim for the articles (like they do playboy *wink wink*) lol

MYOTHERCARISAFIREFLY

Saturday, October 6, 2007 6:49 AM

well, nobody reads maxim for the articles (like they do playboy *wink wink*) lol

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