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AICN Downunder: The Spanish Apartment; The Inside Story; DoctorWho; Ghosts of the Civil Dead; Alexander the Great; Hulk
Father Geek here, surrounded by the barbwire entanglements that mark the outer boundaries of our heavily wooded and bamboo studded Geek Headquarters Compound in North Central Austin, Texas. I've just received another weekly communicae
from our Bushmaster hunting downunder editor, Latauro... "Downunder what?" You may ask... well, they've got these sacred giant termite mounds in Australia, and... well, once you get use to them... well, they're really, really big... and low cost, and protected by law, and, well we got a great deal on a whole complex of them, and Latauro needed office space, sooooooo...
Latauro reporting... Looks like I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue...
AICN-DOWNUNDER
Can anyone remember a time when politics and films have been so intertwined?
AICN-DOWNUNDER
Can anyone remember a time when politics and films have been so intertwined?
Yes, there was the great Leni Riefenstahl doing her propaganda shtick for Hitler, and of course Frank Capra & John Ford, annnnnnd even Dr. Suess & Ray Harryhausen (HAPPY BIRTHDAY... RAY!!!) doing likewise for the USA during WWII, not to mention the notoriously infamous McCarthy film industry blacklisting in the late 40's and early 1950s... but those were a long, long time ago, in a land far away, and despite the occasional crossover, or backsliding, there hasn’t been much meeting between politics and cinema in the interim. (As an aside, for those of you who don’t know, Riefenstahl directed her first film since 1954. Called Impressionen unter Wasser – or Underwater Impressions – it is an underwater documentary that was released in 2002 to coincide with her 100th birthday. Fun fact central!)
You can’t trawl through international film news these days without coming across a political connection. The controversy surrounding KEN PARK’s banning brought in lawmakers promising to create exemptions for film festivals. Recently in Australia there has been comparable arguments over Adrian Lynne’s LOLITA and the French film BAISE MOI, the latter of which was released and *then* banned.
Now we have the battles being fought in tax cuts. It’s far cheaper to shoot Hollywood films overseas, and the most popular choices have been Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Producer Barry Osborne pointed out that by shooting in New Zealand, LORD OF THE RINGS practically tripled its budget.
Representatives from AusFILM and special effects company Animal Logic traveled to Canberra on June 25th to screen MATRIX RELOADED for politicians. The presentation is part of a call for the Australian Government to extend its 12.5% refundable tax offset for the big budget productions.
Meanwhile, senior New Zealand Cabinet ministers are wary at implementing a similar tax incentives scheme. Why? Who knows. Though NZ isn’t doing badly when it comes to the Hollywood holidayers (LAST SAMURAI being the most recent to boost the economy), a tax break would definitely attract more productions. Are they being held back by the idea that Hollywood has lots of money and shouldn’t be given breaks? A valid argument to be sure, but while Australia is offering the big bucks back, the competition is going to be tipped to one side.
NEWS
* Baz Lurhmann and Dino De Laurentis have been location scouting in Broken Hill (“Look, there’s some dirt... look! Some more dirt!”) for their ALEXANDER THE GREAT pic. Strangely undeterred by Oliver Stone’s version, Lurhmann and De Laurentis are trying to convince John Howard to let them use masses of troops in the Australian Armed Forces for their epic battle scenes. (All Howard has to do now is ask Bush if it’s okay, and they’re set.)
* Ever been embarrassed by a film from your past getting re-released? Sandra Bullock, I’m looking in your direction... Evan English, the producer of GHOSTS... OF THE CIVIL DEAD would rather you didn’t know he was the producer of GHOSTS... OF THE CIVIL DEAD (and probably isn’t happy I keep repeating the fact). Australian DVD manufacturers Street Smart Films and Umbrella Entertainment are releasing the film onto the versatile disc format, and English (producer of GHOSTS... OF THE CIVIL DEAD) isn’t happy. He describes it as an “unapproved, fabricated and tawdrily exploitative” product, and is preparing legal action to prevent the 1998 film from being seen. English also directed the Nick Cave and the Badseeds video clip ‘In the Ghetto’, but is best known for producing GHOSTS... OF THE CIVIL DEAD.
* Sick of waiting for the BBC to get off their arse and greenlight a DOCTOR WHO series with Paul McGann (I know I’m fucking sick of waiting)? Andrew Merkelbach (of, coincidentally, Merkelbach Films) is about to make a feature film called (wait for it) DOCTOR WHO: DRAMAS OF THE ALTERNATE. We wish Merkelbach the best in his endeavour, and assure him that despite not granting him the rights, the BBC is very unlikely to pursue legal action. *Cough*!!!
* After a massively positive response at the Tribeca Film Festival, Robert Sutherland’s film THE INSIDE STORY is finally getting a cinema release. The season will kick off on July 31st at the Rivoli Cinemas in Melbourne, with others to follow. AICN-D will run a feature on this local film in the coming weeks.
* Melbourne television producer Paul W. Fraser passed away in the US after being struck by a car. Fraser produced local variety series HEY HEY IT’S SATURDAY and THE DONE LANE SHOW, and had most recently produced international versions of THE WEAKEST LINK and WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE. Sincerest condolences to his family and friends.
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
50TH SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
One of the more controversial film festivals closed on June 20th. THE SPANISH APARTMENT (directed by Cedric Klapisch) took away the award for Best European Film as well as the audience award for Best Feature Film.
52ND MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The festival began on June 25th, and is playing at various locations around the city. The big announcement is that anticipated local feature JAPANESE STORY and fame-attracting animated short HARVEY KRUMPET will make their Australian premiers at the festival.
4TH MELBOURNE UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL
This dangerous and wild festival opens on July 3rd at the George Cinemas. For more information, go to www.muff.com.au.
AUSTRALIAN FILM COMMISSION: FILM DEVELOPMENT
This Monday evening at 7:30pm, the AFC will hold a seminar at the Australian Centre for Moving Image (at Melbourne’s Federation Square), to discuss guidelines for funding programs. Topics include documentaries, fellowship programs for experienced filmmakers, indigenous films, business skills workshop for producers, and more. The guidelines will be officially launched at the AFC office in Southbank this coming Thursday at 10am.
BOX OFFICE
WHALE RIDER dipped down to 6th position after an astonishingly impressive run. Despite WHITE OLEANDER’s star power in Ms Z and Ms P, it barely scratched the office at 8th. The top five are now solely US product, with Carrey, Walker and Reeves taking the top three spots.
Here's the winning flicks...
- 1. BRUCE ALMIGHTY
- 2. 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS
- 3. MATRIX RELOADED
- 4. BULLETPROOF MONK
- 5. THE CORE
RELEASED THIS WEEK
Eddie Murphy takes his career to new heights, Afghan refugees work illegally in Iran, brother Ang and Stan cook up green, Samantha Lang convinces herself she’s French, Disney waits almost a month before remaking WHAT A GIRL WANTS, France finally make a film about a repressed Frenchman living in occupied France during WWII, while Rachel Griffiths plays against type as ‘quirky’.
Soooo here's the new ones...
- DADDY DAY CARE
- BARAN
- HULK
- L’IDOLE
- THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE
- MONSIEUR BATIGNOLE
- VERY ANNIE MARY
REVIEW
"YOU WON’T LIKE ME WHEN I’M MAINSTREAM..."
HULK
"YOU WON’T LIKE ME WHEN I’M MAINSTREAM..."
HULK
When I left the cinema, the first thing I was going to say to the four dudes with me was ‘This is definitely a love it, or hate it film’, a comment which I’d expected to follow up with ‘No, seriously, there are people who don’t like this film’. I never got the chance to say any of that, however; turned out I was with the people who didn’t like this film.
And these are not people who go to films solely for the action content, so it’s not like I can dismiss their opinions with an ‘Oh, they just don’t like the dramatic elements’. That’s both the best and worst thing about films: you can’t argue someone into liking or disliking something.
Me? I’m in the love it camp. And I’m the worst kind of geek. I’m a faker. Totally. Sure, I know my film trivia back to front and then back again (although every time Harry writes about obscure silent films I’ve never heard of, I curse myself for not having yet seen a fraction of what he and others have), but I’m a total faker with comic lore. I’m a Latty-come-lately. Up until a few years ago, I knew Batman and Superman from the films and that was about it.
It was when the X-MEN and SPIDER-MAN hype started that I headed down to the comic book store to see what the fuss was about. And I liked what I saw. I’ve only read a couple, but it all seems good. Still, everything I knew was garnered from online discussions and articles on sites such as AICN. That way I was prepared to talk with some modicum of intelligence about the Universe that Matt Murdoch and Peter Parker inhabit.
So what did I know about HULK when I went in? What information had I read up on in order to sound like an expert when the end credits ran? Almost nothing. I knew angry meant green, and that was it. I didn’t even know if he had any enemies.
This is a film whose visual language has been re-invented by comic book artists. The ‘live-action comic book panels’ is infinitely more effective (and far less hokey) than it’s been in the past. Ang Lee breaks many different cinematic rules (crossing the line, breaking continuity, etc), and yet it’s all seamless.
It’s bizarre watching Eric Bana in this role. In Australia, we know him as a stand-up comic (a fact that he’s gone to great lengths to cover up, it seems). I only recently saw him in CHOPPER, and I’m sorry I missed it at the cinema because it is easily one of the best Australian films ever made. Between these two films, it’s clear that Bana has the dramatic chops to carry a film... even if it’s not him that carries the film.
It ain’t the Hulk, either. There’s a much-mentioned forty-five minute period before we see the beast, and I don’t believe for a second that the spectacle is what this film is about. It’s the drama between father and son, father and daughter, between former lovers. The opening carries itself with effortless momentum, I almost felt like I was watching something written by Alan Ball.
I adored this film, but not for the reasons I thought I would. This is easily one of the best inter-personal dramas since AMERICAN BEAUTY – the CGI is simply a bonus.
NEXT WEEK...
- Danny Boyle to direct Sandra Bullock in a sequel to 28 DAYS
- Carl Franklin to direct THE THING sequel as a weepy family drama
- Jonathon Demme to direct a more ‘honest’ sequel to CHARLIE’S ANGELSPeace out,
Latauro
downunder@aintitcoolmail.com
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Jun 29, 2003 1:24:55 PM CDT
I remember when Baz was in the lead in the race to film "Alexand
by 007-11
But then delays sprang up and Oliver overtook him. I just hope there's still plenty of audience left for him when his movie comes out. I know i'll be there.
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... are words that immediately come to mind when I think of Ang Lee's HULK (as opposed to the wonderful Lee/Kirby creation that has yet to be translated successfully to the big or small screen). The script (storyline and dialogue) was horrendous. Eric Bana (or is that banal?) and Jennifer Connely had all the emotional range of a coffee table and Nick Nolte was so 'over-the-top' that his performance bordered on camp. Also, many of the transition effects and multiple angles (panels?) were completely unnecessary and distracting. The material would have been much better served by a competent mainstream director (with an entirely different script, of course). No, this film was a turkey of Thanksgiving Day proportions. It is guilty of the worst crime in entertainment - it is simply BORING.
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Gee, Ivan, who're you to call the Hulk boring. This is like fifth time you've put up the exact same posting. But I can see why you'd be proud of it, though. "Bana" and "banal." Ho, ho, hee, hee. Oh, my ribs. Such wit. You're too much, stop, please.
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A great lady is gone from us forever, but we will remember her that same length of time. If you don't know her work, do yourself a service, and go rent 'The Desk Set', 'Lion in Winter' or 'Bringing up Baby'.
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It's time like these with the recent passing of Gregory Peck, Robert Stack and James Coburn that I find comfort in the talents of none other than Mega Movie Star Ben Affleck for Hollywood's future.
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I am just an average movie-goer like everyone else on this board. The fact that I paid my admission at the door to see this movie (as opposed to downloading it) gives me the right to express my opinion on its merits (just as someone who buys tickets to his/her favorite sports team has the right to boo their team if they feel they are not performing to the best of their abilities). I disliked the movie intensely and stated my reasons pretty clearly for it. You liked it with no explanation given. Let's agree to disagree. By the way, I must have been experiencing a technical problem on my end because when I originally attempted to post a similar criticism, I was not able to view it. I apologize for the multiple posts.
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Jun 29, 2003 9:48:49 PM CDT
Count me in the HATE it crowd. Actually, count me in the BURN EV
by theginger twit
I didn't find the jump cuts, line crossing and split screens seemless. I found them frustratingly distracting. Did Inspector Gadget get this kind of praise for doing the same shit? The fact is that I've seen this site destroy films like Scoobie Doo, Spiderman and the Star Wars Prequels - then a piece of shit like the HULK comes along and everyone is so bewildered by it that it MUST be good. (Intense stare as I shake my head 'no') The HULK was the worst Hollywood film thus far. i put it up there with Batman and Robin, Tomb raider, and Mission Impossible 2. ow yeah.
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Apart from the fact that I'm convinced it was a slap in the face to all those people who seriously waited years to see a HULK film. I think that all the talk of workprints and bad reviews not being accepted was because UNIVERSAL knew it had a piece of shit on it's hands. What better way to stop the bad press than to make up the story that there was a rough cut work print out that every one was seeing and was vengfully hated and rumoured about. This works two ways. First, anyone who says that the HULK is shit (like it truely is) then the makers can pass it off as being a work print that was reviewed.... then if the film fails, the makers can pass it off by saying that it got a bad rap on the internet and that everyone watched the workprint - thereby, the Internet is a target of future hatred and is considered a terrorist by BUSH and he'll shut it down... and now I'm just going overboard. But ther point is that the HULK was fucked. Get over this dilusion that ANY Hulk film is better than NO Hulk film. I actually think they could salvage it a little with a re-edit - shortening it, getting better takes, and removing all of those GOD AWFUL transitions.
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Jun 29, 2003 11:08:52 PM CDT
To Bazz and Dino: seriously guys, get over it! One Alexander fli
by chien_sale
Can you just imagine how gay Decrapio will look against Farell`s Alexander? `tell you what: it would be a logical progression for Dino to do the actual Hannibal warrior so do that instead. Either ways, Oliver Stone will own your asses!
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Baz and crew had planned their movie before ol'"Wall Street" stepped onto the scene. The only reason he's getting his into theaters first is because of some unfortunate delays.
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I'm betting that Oliver Stone will make a much darker more brutal film, while Dino Delorentis and Bazz have the stageset for a great old fassioned adventure. Persoanlly, I can't wait for either!
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Jun 30, 2003 12:17:06 AM CDT
I am absolutely bewildered how much I hate the HULK. I'm not a f
by theginger twit
It's a joke. It's a piss take. Hollywood is truely experimenting with us - just slap together the worst piece of shit you can and see if we can still make a few million profit. It aint gunna happen. I seriously hope ANG LEE is never allowed near any studio ever again.
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...good catchphrases just appear spontaneously. This is not a good catchphrase, its a bag of wank.
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Rumor is the BBC inadvertently signed over the rights to make a DW TV series to Universal when the mediocre 1996 movie with McGann was made, and it would cost to much to buy them back. If true, this has got to be the dumbest screw up in a long line of incompetence from Auntie Beeb. The success of the spin off Audio Dramas, and the original novels, not to mention the still massive hardcore fanbase (just check the traffic on the DW newsgroups) all point to DW being a cash cow for the BBC. So what gives? Are they really that stupid?
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It's only redeeming feature is that it was the first film I ever saw that had the word 'cunt' in it. Apart from that, and Nick Cave's appearances, it's the kind of pretentious, plot-less toss that usually only filmmakers like Richard Lowenstein and Rolf De Heer get away with.
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Well, I betcha Marvel learned a lesson with Hulk and its underperformance at the box office. Since Blade started this I think it's been their first real misstep commercially at the box office. Yes, it will make its money back -- eventually. But the Hulk as a property had the chance to do $250-$300M domestically in its theater run.
Instead it will top out around $140M. Considering the movie cost about $172M to produce ($137M production costs and $35M in marketing) this is a let down. They'll need to make their money back in the foreign market and then on home video. And you know that's not what they were planning when they greenlit the film.
They were planning on sequels -- trust me, there will be no sequel to Hulk any time soon.
Marvel will learn a lesson that you have to remember that "fun" is a big part of these characters. These high-minded "auteur" directors who sign up to do these films should be familiar with them and should have grown up with the characters. That's why Sam Raimi did such a good job. He knows how to make a "fun" film (see Evil Dead) and he grew up on Spider-Man (see the now famous story of his parents paying a local artist to do a Spider-Man mural on his wall).
Keep it simple. Keep it fun.
The Hulk is Dr.Jekyll meets Frankenstein. NOT Dr. Jekyll meets Frankenstein meets Oedipus or whatever the hell was going on with the father thing.
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Jun 30, 2003 8:29:24 PM CDT
It's either a comic book, or it's a movie. No experimental merge
by theginger twit
I swear, putting aside all the brilliant work ILM did, and always does, I could have taken all the footage from this film and edited exactly the same way on my own equipment. I undertsand all the jump cuts, different camera angles and sliding split screens and ... that God aweful death scene with the Explosion and the paper cut out was all to make it look Comic-bookish, but I didn't go to see a Movie pretending to be a comic book. I went to see 'Superman', or 'Spiderman' ... hopeing closer to 'Blade' - but no dilusions it'd be that graphic. This was more like Darkman, only worse - Something seemingly impossible. (Funny, Darkman was Sam Raimi - The man learned his lesson fast) Cudo's to the screen writer for trying to give us a 'grand' story. but personally i'd have much prefered a simple straight forward story. Bruce Banner and Girlfriend - she cheats on him or thinks he's a loser scientist with no real future. His anger builds. He takes Tony Robbins anger management or some shit like that. He's experimenting with muscle building chemicals - but none work, then through a gammer ray mishap, he triggers the missing components or some shit - y'know. look, alls I'm saying is........... Hulk was fucked up beyond repair. Now we have to wait about 10 - 20 years before they try again.
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Your review and criticism of Ang Lee's HULK was dead on target and extremely well articulated. It's strange that I have not heard any of the film's supporters deliver an equally compelling explanation of why they enjoyed it. You echo my sentiments exactly.
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I saw it a few years ago and remember being quite impressed by it. Good performances, especially by Nick Cave, and a remarkable handling of the more sensationalistic elements in a matter-of-fact manner. It was no more exploitative than "OZ". And I really like "OZ".
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Let's not waste time on formalities, hm? First, the ACTING. You say everyone is either "morphine subdued or on speed freak rants." How is that? Jennifer Connelly as Betty delivers a fine performance. Sure, she doesn't fly off the handle in every scene, but she's a scientist. And scientists by nature tend to look at things objectively. They stand back and say, "Okay, time out. What's going on here?" They're coool. And Jennifer delivers as such, i.e. the first time she meets Hulk, and the Hulk dogs scene. But there are also moments of true emotion, for she, after all, is only human. Look at the scene where she first sees Bruce after the gamma accident. The tears. The tremble in her voice. The deliverance. That was great acting on Jennifer's part. Or many of the scenes with her father. "Morphine subdued", IndustryKiller? Please, look again. Sure, until the gamma accident, we don't see much from Betty, but why should we? We see her interact with Bruce, and until Bruce's existence begins to turn into a lost episode of "This is (really) your Life!", he thinks his present life is perfectly normal. Which brings us to...Eric Bana. Okay. True. In the beginning, we don't get a lot of stuff from Bruce. Some ask, "Shouldn't he be angry or something?" or "Shouldn't he be repressed if that's what HULK is about?" No, not really. See, up until the re-emergence of David Banner into Bruce's life, Bruce thinks his life is perfectly normal. What should he repress, or be angry about? Life is fine. Maybe he's a tad bit emotionally distant, such that apparently some supposed relationship between he and Betty didn't exactly work out, but that's it. Of course, this normalcy is an illusion, and Bruce cannot see through that illusion. Life is good. Thus, we get a Bruce Banner who is at a normal point in his life. No need for anger. And you criticize Eric Bana for his acting when he is supposed to throw tantrums? Well, remember from the outset that, save for science, Bruce isn't a very passionate guy. He isn't used to displaying emotions to others so freely. Of course he should seem awkward or out-of-place when he screams "Get out!" at David Banner. He's not used to it. It's all new. And of course we don't see much passion between Betty and Bruce. That's why the relationship didn't work. Betty coerces, while Bruce pretends like nothing is wrong at all. We see this in almost every interaction between the two "lovebirds." Love. It's all about communication. And David Banner as acted by the incomparable Nick Nolte, who has no such problems. Mr. Nolte deserves a Best Supporting Oscar for this (certainly not get shot!). Why? Remember how I said scientists by nature are cool? Well, I was referring to normal scientists like Betty. David is not a normal scientist. He's a mad scientist. Capable of going from hot to cold in mid-sentence. And that's what we get. All "speed freak rants?" Hardly. The first meeting between David and Bruce is awkward, but they don't even know each other. It should be that way. We get moments of Nolte-trademark calm as talks under his breath. Then he goes all passionate on us. There is a moment of true sincerity when he recounts to Betty the unintentional murder of his wife. We don't see him for the whole scene, but the tone of his voice, the deliverance, rings nothing but sorrow and remorse for a past life. See it again. You can't tell me it doesn't. Then there's the one man show thing at the end. Here, Nolte gives alternate faces of pity for his son, disgust at his weakness, anger at the world, passion for science and power, and of course, sheer lunacy. All in one movie. Nick Nolte nails a perfect Mad Scientist, and for this, he deserves the Oscar. Oh, and the "Find her! And don't let anything stand in your way!" line? Well, he was talking to a bunch of dogs. You know, like, "Sit, Spot. Good boy! Now play dead!" Try to bring up any other line given by Nolte in the film and you will contradict yourself. Seriously. I won't go so much into Josh Lucas as Glenn Talbot. True, he was a bit over the top, but he played a similar role as David Banner. He was merely meant to be a catalyst for Bruce. Someone to pick on poor Banner so as to bring out the Hulk in him. He gives anger, so he gets anger. Green anger, that is. Therefore, the over-the-top performance by Lucas. That's all. Now, on to the REPRESSION AND CHILD ABUSE issue. First, this film had nothing to do with child abuse. In fact, in the flashbacks, David is quite a loving father. However, he knows he has bred a monster. So he tries to find a cure for his son (mingled with a bit of curiosity). That's not really abuse. It's when this quest for a cure is unendingly frustrated that David finally loses it, and tries to kill Bruce. So, let's drop the child abuse issue. Okay, REPRESSION. You say repression is talked about, but never shown? Ah, but it is shown, IndustryKiller. It's shown in numerous flashbacks that Bruce doesn't remember until he has that nightmare in the "Hulk" chamber. It's shown at the beginning in which we see a completely fucked up Bruce Keitzler/Banner living a "normal, healthy, all-American" life, who has no idea his life is about to go crazy. What does he have to be angry about at such a point in his life? Nothing. That's the repression. We see repression in the character of Bruce himself, who is a Hulk waiting to be unleashed. See, here, repression isn't about consciously repressing something, IndustryKiller. It's about not realizing anything is being repressed to begin with. Next. The EDITING. Okay, sure the split-screens, wipes, and super-impositions are sort-of tributes to Hulk's comic book roots, but they're more than that. Filmmakers have been using these techniques for a long time. Usually, it's to provide the viewer with more information. Here, And Lee actually takes it a step further. He uses the super-impositions to great effect in the dream flashbacks, to do just that, emphasize the dream aspect of it. He uses the multi-panels during moments of tension, such as during the initial gamma test, or when Glenn calmly hounds Betty at the airport, or when Hulk is first captured. At moments of calm, the editing is thus subdued. Sorry you missed that, IndustryKiller. As for Glenn Talbot's comical Austin Powers-like death scene, well, Glenn was such a jerk in the movie, I'm sure Ang Lee felt the asshole deserved a little disrespect as he bought it. And the reason Bruce getting gamma-rayed is such a classic scene in the comics as rendered by Jack Kirby, is because there's the mushroom cloud image in the background. Today, can't use the gamma bomb as a catalyst. We don't test anymore. Gotta be more modern. A boring research lab, for instance. Here's where Ang Lee's superb editing vision comes into play again. As we see the negative image of Bruce as he is bombarded, we cut to the image of the mushroom cloud, thus giving weight (aesthetically and thematically) to the scene, as well as a tribute to the comics. And please don't call Mr. Ang Lee an asshole. You're the asshole in this little scenario, IndustryKiller. Oh, and the coincidence thing with Bruce's mother staggering into the front yard, seeing the mushroom cloud as she died, that's not a coincidence. David Banner flipping out and trying to kill Bruce had everything to do with that mushroom cloud. But let's move on. The CGI HULK. Lord, the Hulk did not look fake! Some scenes were better than others, but a vast percentage of people who SAW the film will agree that Hulk was rendered wonderfully. Some kids I took to the film BELIEVED there was a 15 foot green behemoth jumping through the desert. I believed it. People around me believed it, as I heard variant "Woah!s" and "Holy shit!s" from fellow moviegoers. And sorry, but the Hulk is not just about Rage. There were a few storylines in the comics where that was the case, i.e. John Bryne's run, but in the complete history, that is not the case. And it's not the case here. Hulk is about rage. But he's also about freedom. he's about power unleashed, about the inner self unleashed. He's about atomic power and genetic forces gone horribly, yet wonderfully, wrong. He's about sorrow. He's about a simple kind of love, and a simple kind of hate. He's about the desire to be left alone. If you think Hulk is supposed to be nothing but a raging monster, IndustryKiller, well, you'd be wrong. Ask Stan Lee, he'll tell you. And the reason Hulk's action scenes take place in the desert...Well, if you go back and read 1963 Hulk #1-6, and all of the Tales to Astonish issues (which I'm sure you've never read), you'll see they all take place in the desert. The desert is where Hulk was born, and it's to the desert that he returns. Classic Hulk. Simple enough. Besides, Hulk couldn't very well go smashing San Francisco, where peace and love reign, where Woodstock was born, where Haight-Ashbury resides, could he? After all, deep down inside, Hulk is a hero. Now, even though I'm 100% in the right, and you in the wrong, I'm sure you'll find some way to continuously self-delude yourself that you're still right, because nobody likes to be proven wrong. It's human nature. So, talk back if you like. I'll just have to put you in your place again. It's okay. I've got plenty of time on my hands. And, oh yes, HULK IS THE STRONGEST ONE THERE IS!!
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So far, it is. The joy of great fantasy done right, great acting, solid story. I can believe I would say that for a genre film, but yea of all the films that i`ve seen this year Hulk was the best. With films like Whale Rider, X2, Elephant, Finding Nemo, Dogtown and Nolte`s The Good Thief in the mix. Also, I believe that the detractors of the Hulk movie at ACN are plants.
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Jul 01, 2003 5:55:19 PM CDT
I posted a reubuttle Antoninus, but shortly thereafter I was ban
by industrykiller
Ill put it up again if I feel like writing another one. Rest assured it proved you wrong and Ill do it all over again when I have more time.
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MOVIE REVIEW
All right, Marvel, stop it with the zoom through DNA sequence intros... it's getting really old really fast!
The first half hour of the movie could have been summed up in five minutes. My girlfriend and I were wishing for pillows for half the movie.
Once Bruce is the Hulk, I was thrilled! but I gotta say, the comic book layout for a movie should only be used for silly movies (like making a 1966 Batman movie or that kind of thing) not on a story about rage and deceit. I loved the last half, hated the first half. And the soundtrack doesn't suit the movie at all, sorry Ang. My girlfriend is a bellydancer and just shook her head the whole movie about it.
I love Ang Lee, and wish he could fix it up; but once it goes into the theater, that's what we're stuck with. I'll only watch it the once and maybe watch the fight scenes again one day. Off to Terminator 3 I go.... -
The first half hour could have been summed up in five minutes, huh? Just jump right into the Hulk, right? Let me guess, you enjoyed the hell out of the 1998 Godzilla movie, didn't you? Sorry Ang Lee didn't deliver the mindless non-stop action movie you expected, but, as the Rolling Stones song goes, "you can't always get what you want, but...sometimes, you might find, you get what you need." However, my main point is the Danny Elfman soundtrack. "Unsuitable," you say? I'd have figured your girlfriend, being a bellydancer, might have appreciated the soundtrack, since it had a heavy middle-eastern influence. The brilliant HULK score was an amalgam of several influences, actually, including Native American music, Celtic(green!), Indian, Australian Aboriginal, African, a bit of Max Steiner's KING KONG perhaps, and a little of Igor Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring," among others. All this as filtered through the artistic flair of Danny Elfman. See, the HULK filmmakers were going for primal here. Primitive savage music for the primitive savage Hulk. My personal favorite music/image scene is of Hulk "flying" through the desert, free at last, the primal rhythms urging him on. In fact, on the soundtrack, this sequence is called "Hulk's Freedom." Brilliant. Sorry you missed it the first time. See HULK again, maybe you'll see it. And perhaps on a second viewing, your girlfriend will be shaking her belly, and not her head.
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