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STARSHIP TROOPERS review
Ok folks, you all know that I am off to Los Angeles to attend the world premiere of
STARSHIP TROOPERS. This raises issues of being bought off, and of being in the
pocket of "them". Well, I decided that I didn't want to be thought of in those respects, so
I contacted my spies, who have infiltrated every level of power in Hollywood, and they
managed to get me a print of Starship Troopers in advance.
So I've watched it, and now I'm set to give you a review, so I will be immune to the
inevitable earthly delights that await me in LA. To the spies that got me this print, I salute
you. Good show.
STARSHIP TROOPERS is a cool movie. In fact it's a super cool movie. I've watched
my print about 4 times and I can't wait to fly across the country to see it again! Why?
Because it's that cool.
Now the print I have is a work copy, meaning it's got a lot of flaws (ie breaks between
reels, unfinished effects, and an incomplete soundtrack), but it is an incredibly cool film.
I like these actors, to me they are exactly who they should be... young, idealistic, full of
piss and vinegar. They are perfect victims/recruits for the Mobile Infantry. They are clean
cut seemingly perfect and unchipped beings. And they must deal with the worst nightmare
you could possibly imagine.
In alot of ways this is what I wanted from JURASSIC PARK. Spielberg made the film he
had to, to be as broad base as possible. But Verhoeven is not necessarily about
demographics. He wants to show viscious creatures ripping through men and women like
there is no tomorrow. He doesn't tame these animals, there are no "cute" monsters in his
world. Here they are all evil and mean. And as weird as it sounds... that's remarkably
refreshing to me.
When I screened the film, I got as many people I knew together to watch it. And even
with this crappy copy with screwed up sound, they cheered, whooped and hollered!!! All
as it should be!!!
The effects by Tippet, Boss, ILM and the many many other companies are staggering.
The teeming masses of bugs, the ships in space, the... well that'd be telling wouldn't it?
Suffice to say, you effects junkies will go nuts.
It is a bit slow at the get go, but this is what we call development. You know to show
why Rico got where he did. When those that gripe about the film, show up, it'll be this
part that they highlight. Personally, I love the way it contrasts with the rest of the film.
That sort of "Barbie" existence followed quickly thereafter with the "anti-Barbie"
existence where nothing is pink (exept for the...) and fluffy.
And as for the "hair" issue. Well, let's just say the advancement in hair care has
progressed to a startling level of perfection. Which is where the world should progress,
cause isn't it always about the hair?
And finally, for my non-spoiler part of the review, a look at Verhoeven. Once again he
proves why he is the "madman" I love. Noone would assault you like he does. He
reaches down and pulls up that "Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan, this is sooooooo frigggginnnnnn'
coooool!!!!" just right out of ya. When I started off in support of this film way back in
September of last year (as you long timers'll remember) I talked about a level of scope that
these battle scenes would have. How Tippet would bring an incredible world to life, and
how Verhoeven would interact in that world. Well, they did it. He made a cool film that,
for me anyway, justifies all the energy I put into the "spying" that I helped organize. Am I
biased towards this film. Ya damn straight I am. This was a cool movie I didn't want to
see pass us by. I wanted everyone to know, THIS was gonna be a good one. This is the
sci-fi action film you wade through Johnny Mnemonics for. This is that immature kickass
balls to the wall cool flick you salivate over. That you buy action figures from, and that
you talk about in endless arguements in newsgroups and forums.
Well, I'm going to bed, I have to wake up in about 6 hours to catch a plane to LA to see
the world premiere of this baby on a gigantic screen with super sound. I can't wait. I'm
giddy and excited. I have cool spy meetings arranged left and right, and you my friend
will hear the results!!! That's it for the non-spoiler review. Like I said, this print was
incomplete. So if you are wondering why I don't mention the Basil Poledouris score,
that's because in this BAD print sound wasn't it's best. So when I get back from LA you'll
be getting a full report on the finished film and "The First Seduction Of Harry" Will Harry
succumb to the evil that lies in LA? We'll see... If you want to read below about why I
think Starship Troopers is a western go ahead, but be warned, there will be spoilers!!!
SPOILER WARNING TO PROVE MY POINT!!! DON'T READ BELOW TILL
AFTER YOU HAVE SEEN THE FILM!!!
I have seen people refer to this as a "war" film based on World War II. Personally, I see it
as a western.
My evidence?
All spaceships are treated like Stagecoaches in space. They arrive and depart the different
worlds just like the old stagecoaches arriving to a valley.
First the "indians"/"insects" destroy a civilian settlement, specifically the one that our hero
is from.
Second the "good guys" convince themselves that they are smarter than the
"indians"/"insects" and severly underestimate the enemy and are nearly destroyed entirely.
Third, the "good guys" use their "advance technology to wipe out a whole community of
"insects"/"indians"
Fourth the "insects"/"indians" slaughter everyone in a fort and lay a trap for a
dispatchment of soldiers, which only the "cavalry"/"spaceship" can save them from as the
"good guys" retreat, only to come back for...
The Fifth and final bit where they have to capture the "insects"/"indian" version of
"chief"/"brain bug" to end the fighting or understand the fight more.
In between the third and fourth violent events, there is a "light" interlude of rest. In here
they bring out a fiddle and they play western period music, including the song (I believe
it's call La Golda Drema) from THE WILD BUNCH. This is the song that is played when
everyone is with the "whores" before the perverbial "sh*t" hits the fan. It is used likewise
here.
Phrases like "mount up", "saddle up" are used to order troops to do their thing.
It definately has war aspects, but the locale, types of fights, and specifically the "party"
reminds me of the western genre. Of course that fourth battle is reminescent of ZULU, as
the men in the fort fight and fight and fight as the Zulu hordes' dead bodies pile up at the
base of the walls.
I'll see this film a whole bunch more!!!
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+ Expand All
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Great shoot 'em up. But this is also a solid look at what a war for survival might do to society. The aliens are SOTA F/X, but changes to plot-line government are matched with the impact of heavily wounded veterans in every room of adults. The ending has Earth at the point of destruction from our hubris -- our critical weakness. The mental attitude of the paratroopers is pretty realistic. This film deserves comparison with SPR, if only because it takes the sacrifices of the veterans with utter seriousness. The price of survival and freedom is ugly and horrible.
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this is a pretty cool movie because it sort of makes fun of the audience. It's as though it's a poetic, well thought out, mutlimillion dollar "fuck You". I like the way they parody all those ww2 propaganda films that I used to watch in history class.
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Certainly not Starship Troopers. Although I have enjoyed this movie, it's a joke to science fiction. The aliens look like a bunch of origamis. Bullets?! Jesus Christ, they got light speed engines and they're using god damn bullets?! Even the movie Aliens was a little disappointment because they used bullets, but they also used dope ass Pulse Rifles. Paul Verhoven....never liked his movies much. They seem all cheesy. Robocop Trilogy made me throw up. Total Recall? Shows strange visions of the future, but not good. Out of 1-10, I give it a 6.
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Harry- I agree with what you say about the quality of the action sequences. But I really, really hated this movie. Please read the book Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. In it, the author speculates about a society where only those who have demonstrated a willingness to die for the greater good are allowed to vote. When the book came out Heinlein was accused of being a Facist, something that is untrue to the point of ridiculousness. In this movie the Govt. logo resembles the Nazi eagle, and the dress uniforms are highly reminiscent of German Army and SS uniforms. Essentially it amounts to a mockery of the book by Verhoeven. Regardless of what you think about Heinleins ideals, surely this is a tacky way to treat ones source materials. This and Puppet Masters could have been great movies, but instead we get this crap.
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May 05, 1999 11:22:46 PM CDT
We're looking for some kind of bird. Some kind of surfing bird.
by keithmelcher
Is it me or was anyone else kind of turned on by the fact the brain bug's mouth or what ever it was, closely resembled a vagina. Oh man, sorry about that, I'm looking up too much insect porn.
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I think this film is one big sick joke about the courruption of a 'Beverly hills 90210' generation. Note, Rico turns into a blood thirsty sergent, and his friend turns into this gestappo type Nazi spy.
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Don`t all of you fuckers who claim that this movie is a fascist sicko movie go fuck your-selves? Dont you understand that this movie makes fun of that kind of society? PS: This movie is much more simular to for exampel Saving private ryan, with the FABOLOUS actor Giovanni Ribisi in it, than any western movie...
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God, I love her.
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Poor Piss Boy...
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