John Carter: the new Blade Runner...
POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 5, 2012 17:12
VIEWED: 11583
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Quote:You're right- it's not the in the innovative, influential league of Blade Runner, but comparing it to Waterworld is way too far in the other direction. I'd liken it (realistically) to Dances With Wolves in terms of quality & substance, and Avatar in terms of ambition, and creating a fantasy world in which to set the story. Blade Runner compares only in its similar initial critical & box office response.
Originally posted by Storymark:
If anything, its the new Waterworld - a movie they spent more than they should have on, which had terrible buzz leading up to release, but just barely squeaked by financially, and years later, some people flasly call it a huge flop, while others say "It wasn't that bad".
The Mal-like Chrisisall
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Im speaking in terms of public perception of its performance, not the quality. And in that respect, can think of no better comparison than Waterworld.
Id give Avatar the lead in terms of ambition - by a wide freakin margin.
That world was created from whole cloth. Barsoom not only is built on a hundred years worth of people's ideas and artwork - it's Utah with CGI enhancments - not an entirely created world.
Avatar also was actual 3D, and not that post-converted horsecrap. No new technologies were invented to make Carter happen.
Note to self: Come up with some pity-baiting sig line so everyone sees how persecuted poor wittle me is. Then I can be just like Rappy!
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Quote:Hear hear!
Originally posted by Storymark:
Avatar also was actual 3D, and not that post-converted horsecrap.
The Mal-like Chrisisall
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Zeek, Blade Runner has quite a bit going on, on several different levels. There's the main question & theme - what does it mean to be human? What constitutes being "alive", having worth? And what's a life worth? And who decides?
Then there's some of the visual allegory - the nail through the hand, the releasing of the dove, the saving of others even in his time of dying, the idea of a replicant coming from off-world to save people and teach a lesson, the meeting one's maker, the idea of what that even means, or how one would react to meeting one's maker in the twilight of one's life...
The question of who is and isn't "real", who's alive and who is merely meat-sacks, and what remains of us after we're gone... Is there anything else, or are we just the sum total of our life experiences? And what becomes of those memories, those experiences, after we die? Was it all for naught, are we indeed lost like tears in the rain?
You might want to re-watch it sometime... ;)
"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservatives." - John Stuart Mill
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Yeah Zeek, what Mike said^^^^
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Quote:
So what's John Carter's hook?
Hello,
Slight spoilers follow- though I give away no real secrets.
Select to view spoiler:
World-weary and war-weary civil war veteran suddenly finds new reasons to live, and new causes to fight for when he is whisked away to an alien world.
Fencing was still a thing during the civil war era, and cavalrymen still used sabers sometimes, so that's where the sword skills you see in the trailers come in. The matrixesque jumping is because the alien world has a fraction of Earth's gravity, so a human can make extraordinary leaps there (like on the moon, but with atmosphere.)
This is a sci-fi story as told by a writer at the turn of the 20th century who had none of our scientific information about what alien worlds might really be like. A chance to get lost and have fun in an adventure for a couple of hours without thinking too hard.
--Anthony
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Note to self: Mr. Raptor believes that women who want to control their reproductive processes are sluts.
Reference thread: http://fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=18&t=51196
Never forget what this man is. You keep forgiving him his trespasses and speak to him as though he is a reasonable human being. You keep forgetting the things he's advocated. If you respond to this man again, you are being foolish.
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Quote:Simple & perfectly put.
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
This is a sci-fi story as told by a writer at the turn of the 20th century who had none of our scientific information about what alien worlds might really be like. A chance to get lost and have fun in an adventure for a couple of hours without thinking too hard.
The Mal-like Chrisisall
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Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Zeek, Blade Runner has quite a bit going on, on several different levels. There's the main question & theme - what does it mean to be human? What constitutes being "alive", having worth? And what's a life worth? And who decides?
There is that (although the book does it rather more subtly - the 'big question' of the film is moot in the book: who cares whether or not you're a real human if everything you value is artificial?)
Select to view spoiler:
...and the VK test in the book looks suspiciously like a test of religious conformity, which is something lost in the film
Its also great eye-whisky* - beautifully shot, haunting and atmospheric. Also, much copied since (the Earth-based prologue on the extended cut of Avatar, anybody?)
I think thats why it stands multiple viewings - forget the plot, soak up the atmosphere.
(*like eye candy only not as sweet, less suitable for children and something of an acquired taste)
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I thought Blade Runner was okay. Mainly what I remember is Rachel and how they're testing her to see if she's human, because you can't tell by looking, and I remember that toy maker guy. Maybe I need to watch it again, it was a few years ago.
I personally love Waterworld, so in my mind something being like Waterworld is a good thing. I can't for the life of me figure out why it didn't do better at the theater, because lots of people I know like it now.
"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya
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I think a good summation of John Carter would be: Laurence of Arabia meets Stardust. From what I've heard, at least, word-of-mouth is great for this movie. It may surprise everyone and last through the whole summer. And, I may be the only one, but I found the 3D some of the best utilized I've seen.
HKCavalier
Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.
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