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Jiffy says ALAMO is a different film!
Hey folks, Harry here... The first reviews of THE ALAMO were talking about cliches, tedious trite scenes that had nothing to do with THE ALAMO and cheese... They also discussed Billy Bob's performance as being pretty damn fantastic. A friend recently saw the film and told me that the cuts they've been making and changes they've been doing have been making it a much better movie... This review seems to confirm that. I would much rather have a good to great ALAMO movie than a mediocre one... this is good news... Beware of SPOILERS (I know some of you are ignorant of the most significant event in human history!)
Hi, Harry.
Never written anything before, but have decided to tonight... just got back from a test screening of THE ALAMO in Woodland Hills, California. Having read the previous reviews of this I was kinda reluctant to go. I had my barf bag at the ready. But...
The filmmakers must have taken the last reviews to heart 'cause it seems like I saw a different movie than the last guys did. For starters, I was waiting to see the storyline about the two young kids who end up "coincedentally" meeting at the end, brother vs brother. I didn't see it -- 'cause it ain't there.
I did see some pretty cool moments and performances, particularly from Billy Bob. He really stands out in this movie, playing Davy Crockett as a regular guy. He plays it with just the right amount of fear and bravado played with dignity while at the same time managing to diss. Jason Patric and whoever the guy was that plays Lt Colonel Travis are also both solid.
Storytelling is straightforward, effectively building toward the big battle. There were a few close calls where I thought "this is it" but then the soldiers end up waiting around more. Waiting for the real battle to start felt kinda like waiting for the boat to hit the iceberg... everyone knows it's coming, just a matter of time. There is still a little too much time before all hell breaks loose, but when it does -- it's nicely done depending: on whether or not you like gore with your battle scenes. This was the most intense, bloodless battle I have ever seen. Still, very intense, lots of action, and I dug it.
I don't know much Alamo lore or Texas history so I can't really say with any genuine amount of knowledge whether or not the movie "got it," but just on the basis of just going to a movie (one I didn't think I was going to particularly like) I was pleasantly surprised. I cared about these characters, I didn't find any of it too melodramatic, I thought a lot of the scenes leading to the battle were good, and the battle itself well done. So either this movie is getting better or I have no idea what the hell I'm talking about.
*One exciting part of the movie didn't actually take place in the movie, but instead in the movie theater. Towards the end of the movie, seemed like some people sitting near the front accused some other people of stealing a wallet or a purse or something. There were people standing and yelling at each other for a few minutes and for a few seconds I thought there was gonna be a brawl. But there wasn't. And that all took place after the battle and after (*Nother spoiler) Dennis Quaid exacted his Texas revenge so it was all good.
If you decide to post this I'll go ahead and be "Jiffy."
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In the basement. By the way, first.
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... you make me laugh. You're a gentleman and a scholar. Leave it to a film geek to see "Alamo" and instinctively think of Pee Wee. God bless you, sir.
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uh-huh....... I hope that's sarcasm my large ginger haired friend.......
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Jan 16, 2004 5:55:16 AM CST
For a while there I thought Max Payne had taken over this site.
by jackburton2003
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Jan 16, 2004 6:15:05 AM CST
A cookie for the first idiot who mentions the basement under the
by hiperaktiv
I guess that makes me the idiot then.
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Jan 16, 2004 7:52:30 AM CST
The most significant event in human history was the election of
by vikingkitty
Because Reagan made us feel proud of being American's again, and was unashamed of his patriotism. I hope he makes a cameo in this film; didn't he fight there? Someone help out a man that doesn't know anything about history. Wasn't Jimmy Carter a colonel during this conflict, and offer to surrender at the first sight of fighting?
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I have a Plant, YAAAAYYYY!!! I give it water and Sun, YAAYYYY!!!
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Since he's from Texas, you see. sk
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Just kidding. I posted that once before and got a lot of shit. I'm totally kidding. What's up with a bloodless battle scene? Half of the fun of big gunfights is seeing the squib effects and whole YAAARGH!!! factor, like the awesome battles in Braveheart. The gore shows the reality of the battle, the pain, the sacrifice, dare I say, the HUMANITY!!!
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Jan 16, 2004 9:10:17 AM CST
The most significant event in human history was the birth of...
by wee willie
SAMMY HAGAR!!!! Don't you forget it! Billy Bob is perfect casting for Davey Crockett. I can't wait to see this. I wonder if it'll kick the Missing's ass. Ole Richie Cunningham'll be kickin' hisself.
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Patrick Wilson. Two time tony award nominee, who starred as the closeted mormon Joe Pitt in HBO's Angels in America, and will be playing Raoul in Schumacher's Phantom of the Opera.
Fucker...he's having my career. -
Why are you kidding? You're right. It was fought to keep slaves. It was like the Civil War pt. 1. Here is the screen play...
North America, 1820s
White Southerners: Let's move to Texas. ::coughandtakeourslavescough::
Mexico: Did you say something about slaves?
White southerners: No.
Mexico: Oh, sure then.
Texas, Mexico, 1830s
Mexico: Hey. We've decided to outlaw the whole slavery thing. Just cuz, you know, it's wrong.
Texicans: Wrong? Ummm. Hmmm. Well, you're certainly right, slavery is pretty hard to justify... let's just fight a war over it, m'kay?
Mexico: Jesus. You Southerners and your thinking it's okay to own people.
War ensues. At first, Texicans get their ass kicked. Eventually, through luck on their part and poor decision making on Mexico's part, Texas wins. They declare independence, join the USA several years later, and get to write the history books. Losing is turned to heroism, and fighting for an unjust cause is turned into a righteous battle for self-determination (of the whites, you know).
Texas. Everything is bigger here.* Even our lies.
* Actually, Texans have anomolously small penises, that they make up for by lying about shit. -
Just thought I'd contribute.
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He surrendered like Frenchman and he was executed the next day.
Also, the Mexicans were the good guys. The Texans were just a bunch of racist rednecks fighting to preserve slavery....and they were drunk when they were attacked. The battle of the Alaomo had zero historical significance and the cooters and peckerwoods that defended it deserve no respect at all. -
This is impossible. How do you show a battle scene of any type of warfare without blood? What are these filmmakers thinking? My friend went to the premiere in Woodland Hills and he says this new movie of "The Alamo" shows no blood. I told him he was crazy. But sure enough I read it here also.
Disney must be really groping for straws and are scared to death this 100 million dollar epic is not going to appeal to a wide enough audience. They must want kids and females to see it as well as older folks whhp prefer their violence without all the dressing. What other possible explanation is there?
I knew that when Disney was making this movie it would not be very good. They just won't go for the violence in any real fashion. PG-13 is not the way to tell a story of a bitter struggle. It's the way you show movies like Pirates of the Carribean. Not the Alamo. It looks like this will probably be the last Alamo movie for some time. I believe John Wayne's was the last. Too bad. The subject is an interesting one. But if you try and tell it in the sippy fashion that Disney is it comes off being just another version of the same thing done basically the same way. I think I will make other plans when this bomb lands in theatres.
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