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Finnegan

Let's have a films thread.

By Finnegan, in General Chat

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21st Century Fox

21st Century Fox

Posted
Posted

Not sure if I liked 12 years a slave or not. At the time I thought the storyline wasn't very gripping or really that interesting. But there is something about the film that has managed to imprint itself on my mind, and not many movies can do that. I think it's probably the brutality - there are a couple of scenes you might struggle to forget. But then does brutality really make a movie great, it is it just a cheap use of shock value through subject matter that nobody dares criticise?

 

Can it be shock value if it's a true story?

21st Century Fox

21st Century Fox

Posted
Posted

For the viewer I think it can be yes. We hear about these things having happened but seeing a realistic on screen depiction can still be a shock.

 

But 'shock value' makes it sound exploitative. I would've thought that it's being just that 'realistic'.

MooseBreath

MooseBreath

Posted
Posted (edited)

But 'shock value' makes it sound exploitative. I would've thought that it's being just that 'realistic'.

It's a good question. I'm just not sure making realistic depictions of brutality is necessarily good movie making. If someone makes a movie out of the India bus rape incident, and shows her ordeal in horrific realistic detail, it would be shocking viewing, but that alone wouldn't make it a good movie for me. Anyone can film true stories of horrific brutality.

Edited by MooseBreath
Merging Cultures

Merging Cultures

Posted
Posted

Personally, I like really graphic realism. These things happen and we should feel shock and pain from them. But it doesn't always have the impact it should.

 

I took my Dad through Tanzania when I lived there. He was shocked by the poverty and how people lived. He said, he sees it on tv etc, but it's just numbing until you see and smell it up close. Then you get to appreciate how the majority of the world live.

 

The world is brutal, movies should express it and we should be shocked by it.

21st Century Fox

21st Century Fox

Posted
Posted

It's a good question. I'm just not sure making realistic depictions of brutality is necessarily good movie making. If someone makes a movie out of the India bus rape incident, and shows her ordeal in horrific realistic detail, it would be shocking viewing, but that alone wouldn't make it a good movie for me. Anyone can film true stories of horrific brutality.

 

It's a really interesting point. Realism certainly isn't an exclusive facet of 'good' film-making. I guess it depends whether you think the brutality is gratuitous and exploitative and there to shock for shock sake or to possibly deflect weaker aspects of the film. On the other hand McQueen does have a track record for making films that are absolutely stark and brutal in their depictions of suffering. I guess when you're dealing with a subject matter like slavery, you obviously are't really just dealing with a single narrative and there's the question of how far you want to take it, in that you're dealing with a wider issue and this is just one experience picked from 100,000's of others. 

 

But then I guess there's also the question of why brutality in the context of depicting a true story is more jarring and uncomfortable that when it's exploitative and for entertainment in something like Django Unchained?

 

It also reminds me of the debate around the 10 minute rape scene in Gaspar Noe's Irreversible.

James.

James.

Posted
Posted

12 Years A Slave really does imprint itself on your mind which is why I considered it outstanding as that rarely happens with me and films.

 

I think much of the impact is through the way in which certain scenes are drawn out almost painfully long. The bit where Solomon is hanging from the tree goes on for absolutely ages, I thought that scene was stunning... it wasn't brutal as such but it is something that will last long in the memory, and in my opinion was beautifully shot. (this drawn out approach was done in Hunger as well - the corridor cleaning scene sticks in the mind)

 

For me it was the combination of the music score, the cinematography, some unforgettable scenes such as that above, a wonderfully understated performance from Ejiofor and great performances from others such as Fassbender that made it such a good film.

Webbo

Webbo

Posted
Posted (edited)

Cemetery Junction- I thought it might be crap and I wasn't wrong. Were the scenes at the train station filmed at the Great Central Railway in Quorn?

Edited by Webbo
hairy

hairy

Posted
Posted

Also just watched Rush. Brilliant film. Niki Lauda is an inspiration.

 

Watched this last night. It was a good watch but I much prefer the documentary that was on recently. Rush seemed to miss the build up to the final race and had too much of the Hollywood glaze IMO

ozleicester

ozleicester

Posted
Posted

MV5BMTQzNDU1NjE0NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODA3

 

Unpleasant movie! well made and probably valuable for anyone who doesnt know of the Burma railway, but most unpleasant.

 

Colin Firth and (plastic) Nicole Kidman are too young to play the parts.

Mickey O'Neil

Mickey O'Neil

Posted
Posted

I watched "Star Trek - Into Darkness" last night. Fuggin' quality. I'm not a Trekkie but these last two movies may have turned me. The previous movie was very good, and this was even better.

I think they're much better than the latest wares that the Star Wars franchise offers.

Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

Can it be shock value if it's a true story?

 

Is there such a thing as a true story?

 

I certainly don't think films should be classed as truth in any situation.

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