tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post7315327226245981254..comments2023-11-03T10:19:18.187+01:00Comments on A Medium of Images: essay: bloody epic spectaclesDaniel Vellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099442012010439440noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-25536873219743677022010-06-16T04:26:51.843+02:002010-06-16T04:26:51.843+02:00Even attempting to compare these two films is laug...Even attempting to compare these two films is laughable. Apocalypto was such a enthralling film made with the assured touch very few directors possess.Tellmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840106565668175402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-81749780528095629032010-06-16T04:22:13.503+02:002010-06-16T04:22:13.503+02:00And though it was massive in scope, the amount of ...And though it was massive in scope, the amount of nuance and thoughtful detail involved in it was astounding. Sure it may be considered an epic popcorn movie, but in the same way The Shining is considered a horror movie or Stalker a science fiction movie. There is so much more to offer in Apocalypto, with Mayan dialects being used, a cast of performers that seamlessly worked with the intended authenticity of recreating a mayan cast of characters and the rich design in wardrobe and set decoration. 300 had none of these, it was a 2 hour music video and the details thrown up on the screen were almost entriely born out of artistic license rather than an attempt at authenticity.Tellmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840106565668175402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-74517183710247753582010-06-16T04:08:55.714+02:002010-06-16T04:08:55.714+02:00Even attempting to compare these two films is laug...Even attempting to compare these two films is laughable. Apocalypto was such a enthralling film made with the assured touch very few directors possess.Tellmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840106565668175402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-90829398137007179042007-08-19T16:35:00.000+02:002007-08-19T16:35:00.000+02:00I was not aware that an Elric film was in developm...I was not aware that an Elric film was in development; the Elric stories represent a very different, character-focused approach to traditional epic high fantasy, with moral, spiritual and emotional personal conflict writ large. It would be interesting to see a film version of the stories, though I fear a big-budget production, which they would have to be, could not take the risks involved in doing justice to them.<BR/><BR/>As I said in my post, neither 300 nor Apocalypto is really a very good film, though Apocalypto has enough going for it, to these eyes, to make it Gibson's most interesting film (granted, that's not saying much, but anyway).Daniel Vellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02099442012010439440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-70332142664115099092007-08-18T20:40:00.000+02:002007-08-18T20:40:00.000+02:00It will be interesting to see what sort of scale i...It will be interesting to see what sort of scale is chosen for the Elric movie(s) now in development; whether a movie can handle both the intimate nature of the internal struggle of the protagonist as well as the vast battles in which he is involved. At least PJ showed, with LOTR, that epic scale battles can be made convincing whilst keeping sight of the stories of individuals.<BR/><BR/>300 seemed to me to be a film looking for a reason to exist (other than cashing in on the historical/epic bandwagon). As for the Mel Gibson piece... well, I won't go there.Graeme K Talboyshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00147746990011686351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-80459812586310542472007-08-13T13:15:00.000+02:002007-08-13T13:15:00.000+02:00And to Robert - well, not all epics can be describ...And to Robert - well, not all epics can be described as "bloody battle films" (though the description/summary fits 300 perfectly), simply because if done well the battles are an integral part of a more significant whole - as in LotR or, say, Kurosawa's Ran or Seven Samurai. If the characters , the world and the situation have been well-developed, then the fighting and screaming can be more than fighting and screaming. <BR/><BR/>Ultimately violence in some form or other is one of the base elements of narrative, it can be used badly but there are some brilliant films (I can think of Oldboy, Seven, Alien, the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre...) whose effect is at least partly built on the visceral, physical impact of implied or explicit violence. <BR/><BR/>I'm not surprised you're not into epics though, as a general tendency you tend to shun films, books or music that's self-consciously, ponderously Big and Important, and a lot of epics are that...Daniel Vellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02099442012010439440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-29499043200388681602007-08-13T13:07:00.000+02:002007-08-13T13:07:00.000+02:00In fact I mentioned that Apocalypto blurs the line...In fact I mentioned that Apocalypto blurs the line somewhat - there are some elements which suggests it might be aiming to be an epic, but really it's a historical action film. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it is what it is. Its CGI use is nowhere near as extensive as 300's, but it undeniably contributes to the film's memorable midsection.Daniel Vellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02099442012010439440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-29074359891922124442007-08-13T08:37:00.000+02:002007-08-13T08:37:00.000+02:00I wouldn't say Apocalypto is actually an "epic" mo...I wouldn't say Apocalypto is actually an "epic" movie, at least not in the 300 or even Braveheart style; the movie involves the story of one man as he tries to survive through hell itself... in that respect, it's more similar to Predator than anything else. Also, its highlight definately came in the middle, with the amazing, hallucinatory even, section in the city - which had very little action outside the dizzying blur of imagary, from jade toothed nobility to the ritual violence. Also I don't agree with it being CG enchanced... outside from the city scape, there's very little aesthetic stylisation that wasn't result of 'real world' work. <BR/><BR/>As for 300, that was a case of the gravy not even being tasty enough to cover up for the small portion of not to good meat, if the contrived culinary metaphor can make any sense at all.magnumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05827410628913666930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749077055847143193.post-91189431296963106482007-08-12T19:41:00.000+02:002007-08-12T19:41:00.000+02:00Hmm an interesting essay.I always found it difficu...Hmm an interesting essay.<BR/><BR/>I always found it difficult to understand the bloody battle ( and i've seen a good number- due to my parent's taste in films) films. Even great ones such as lotr parts 2 & 3 leave me cold. The thought of people just fighting and screaming has never really involved me. maybe the closest i'll ever get to enjoying a battle sequence will be the fight in Kill Bill one. <BR/>Im not a big fan of violence in films too difficult to relate to.bobbloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10221997102897106322noreply@blogger.com