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Moriarty’s One Thing I Love Today! Catinca Untaru In THE FALL And The Art Of Directing Children!

A Good Tarsem Movie by TroutMaskReplicant	Apr 15th, 2008 07:31:47 PM
Well that'll be a big surprise...I await with interest ;-)
Maybe if he dropped the pretentious first-name-only shit by Thick McRunFast	Apr 15th, 2008 07:44:01 PM
...I might not think of him as so pretentious.
Tarsem and Brad Pitt making some extra dough by AllieJamison	Apr 15th, 2008 07:49:34 PM
I just realized that those odd commercials Brad Pitt is doing in germany are in fact directed by Tarsem. Which is even more confusing as -I think- anybody could direct this shit. I'm actually looking forward to THE FALL though. Even more so after this piece. Mori's (almost)daily love testimonals are the best thing to happen to aicn since scorekeeper showed up.
I am really looking forward to this. by kungfuhustler84	Apr 15th, 2008 07:56:35 PM
At first I was more interested in the parts sans-child actor but now that I hear the rest is good, I'm getting more excited.
Like I said before by red_weed	Apr 15th, 2008 08:20:44 PM
I have been eagerly awaiting this for years. I liked the cell, a flawed film yes, but it showed some potential and i'm glad to hear of the improvement. I was watching that documentary on the new close encounters d spielburg vd set with the kid talking about the games played to get his reactions. It's fascinating some of the things they do, but it totally makes the film. I'll look forward to seeing this, hopefully it will get a release in australia..
EAT Y'SELF FITTER by Guy Who Got A Headache And Accidentally Saves The World	Apr 15th, 2008 08:26:32 PM
What's a computer?
Danny Lloyd as Danny Torrance in THE SHINING by Le Vicious Fishus	Apr 15th, 2008 09:15:36 PM
Danny Lloyd was, for my money, the best child actor I've ever seen on film. It is a fact that he gave the best performance in the movie, and that's saying a lot (even if Nicholson got a little carried away at times). I have absolutely no idea how Kubrick got that genius performance out of little Danny, but the kid simply WAS in that film. I'm still blown away every time I see THE SHINING by Danny's absolutely honest presence every single moment he's on film. And THE SHINING was Danny's first and last film performance. I think he later became a good baseball player in the minor leagues if I recall correctly. Another great, thought provoking article, Mori. Thanks!
Oh, Mori--while I've got your attention by Le Vicious Fishus	Apr 15th, 2008 09:17:58 PM
I know this is off topic, but what do you think of Hanks as an actor? I know the man has loads of star quality--much as Jimmy Stewart did. But I want to know this: do you think he is as good as the academy (supposedly) thinks he is? Do you think, for instance, that he is in the same league as Dustin Hoffman (or Phillip Seymour Hoffman for that matter)? Last week in the JIMMY CARTER thread, MiraJeff asserted the following: "I don't think I've ever read a dumber statement... ever. You just called Tom Hanks nothing special and compared him to Gwyneth Paltrow. That's gotta be libel or something." Obviously, that really burned my ass. For the record, I asserted that Hanks is nothing special AS AN ACTOR. And, yeah, the Paltrow analogy applies because they both received academy awards for performances that were inferior to the others nominated (i.e., SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE and FORREST GUMP). To me, Hanks is just ok as an actor. And obviously overrated. What do you think?
Best child performance ever: by The Phantom Limb	Apr 15th, 2008 09:30:54 PM
Victoire Thivisol in PONETTE. She was all of five years old when that movie came out, and she carries the whole thing. It's stunningly emotional stuff. Some would contend that at that age it isn't really "acting," but whatever it is, I've never seen anything else even remotely like it. Seek it out, people.
Spellcheck? by Zoinks	Apr 15th, 2008 09:32:36 PM
Cool. About time.
Damn, TPL! by Le Vicious Fishus	Apr 15th, 2008 09:52:40 PM
I looked PONETTE up, and by god it does look like film gold! It's also apparently completely unavailable. Even fucking Netflix doesn't have it! Damn! BTW, "The Phantom Limb" is definitely one of the best screen names I've ever seen. Nice!
Looking Forward to This by flickchick85	Apr 15th, 2008 09:53:01 PM
It's obvious from the trailer that the focus of the film is the relationship between an adult and a child, which always gives me pause because one of the biggest movie killers for me is a bad performance by a child in a lead role. Glad to hear this one's great, so my one reservation about this movie is now gone. Thanks, Mori! Oh, and Lee Pace kinda rocks, too, so I really can't wait for this.
The Phantom Limb is... by Mr. Nice Gaius	Apr 15th, 2008 09:58:49 PM
...a high ranking member of the Guild of Calamitous Intent. He is not to be trusted.
Beehive by MediaNerd	Apr 15th, 2008 09:58:58 PM
Honestly hadn't remembered hearing anything about this one. Checked out the trailer, looks pretty amazing, though it seemed more action based then I expected from the description Mori wrote. As another great child performance, "The Spirit of the Beehive" is very natural and rings true.
Terry Gilliam by Samwise Ganja	Apr 15th, 2008 11:12:34 PM
TIDELAND...... 'nuff said???? the man had "pederast" put on him...... 8 year olds dude.....
Interesting insights, I was intrigued of course... by NoPIX	Apr 15th, 2008 11:35:48 PM
But you're convincing me this is a strong and moving film.
Bingo, Phantom Limb! by TheRealMoriarty	Apr 16th, 2008 12:06:40 AM
PONETTE is the exact film that Tarsem referenced when talking about his approach to the casting of this film. He loved that the little girl in PONETTE was only three and a half when they found her.
mirajeff's random post of the day by The Real MiraJeff	Apr 16th, 2008 01:38:18 AM
Can't wait to see The Fall. And it's good to hear you liked it Mori. Random thought... anyone who wants to feel free to weigh in... but I've been watching Spaced for the last week or so and I'm almost done with the first season. I know it's being remade for American TV. Would McLovin' be a good fit for that series or a bad fit? Just something I wanted to throw out there and hear the reaction to. I think it could work but as I'm sure most of you would agree, I'm crazy.
now that i think about by The Real MiraJeff	Apr 16th, 2008 02:07:51 AM
probably a bad idea. go tarsem!
Talk about manipulation, Mori by Bodenland Unbound	Apr 16th, 2008 02:12:28 AM
I'm talking about the REAL piss scene, consequence of the REAL terror the girl was living. Girl wasn't directed. She was MANIPULATED! The movie is visually intense, but also boring in some passages. The better scenes... are the stock footage at the end!
thepilgrim by max404	Apr 16th, 2008 02:16:44 AM
so pilgrim, where have you read they made the little girl in Ponette believe her real mother is dead? you sound like an extremist
Ok About The Fall by D o o d	Apr 16th, 2008 02:33:21 AM
I'm living in Amsterdam at the moment and the Fantastic Film Festival is on right now. A few friends of mine have seen The Fall already and say it's really great and a few said it's Rubbish. I'm more likely to believe the latter, but I am told that unlike The Cell, Tamsin has actually tried to tell a story. I really hate him for The Cell, but I'll give him another chance and see if I am justified.
In discussion with the child acting: by mutombo	Apr 16th, 2008 02:38:59 AM
I've seen the fall and I too have noticed the naturaly way the child acts. However, unlike Moriarity, I found this natural behaviour seem out of place compared to all the 'acting' in the film. You simply notice it as a viewer, you notice the way she's been directed. And that, too me, is a minor. This all goes away during the 2nd part of the film though, when the story just keeps getting better and better and the ending is really, really strong. Storywize, emotionally ánd on an acting level.
the pilgrim by mutombo	Apr 16th, 2008 02:41:14 AM
shut up. what about the santa clause? Easter Bunny, Jesus, Mohammed, the tooth fairy, leprechauns, god knows what kind of stories I will tell my kids to spark their fantasy when they're young.
MiraJeff by DirkD13"	Apr 16th, 2008 03:59:12 AM
You are crazy my friend. Just pop the series 2 disc in the player, sit back, relax, open a brewski and enjoy the genius of all those involved. And just you wait for the gunfight episode. On topic I always thought that little girl who played Newt was mostly great, mostly.
Saw this film at.... by can-D	Apr 16th, 2008 04:05:39 AM
...the fantastic fest in brussels and I was blown away. It has everything The cell missed. It's very touching and above all very funny. Also the real locations helped to get more sucked into the storytelling world. One to see!
by the way	Apr 16th, 2008 05:09:28 AM
I wonder how they get babies to cry on cue.
Fincher - Tarsem comparison by VoxMillennium	Apr 16th, 2008 05:39:17 AM
I agree with Moriarty that they have something in common, but in my opinion it is that their first films were judged unfairly harsh in both cases. The hatred on TB against The Cell is totally overblown and unjustified. Sure, the plot is derivative, but not nearly as bad as the majority that comes out of Hollywood; besides, it was the guy's first feature, so give him a fucking break and then some idiot wonders that "Tarsem made a good movie" as if the guy has been making crappy movies for twenty years or so. Tarsem admitted himself that the story was secondary to him. The visuals were fantastic and kept me at least on the edge of my seat throughout the movie. We should be grateful for directors like this who at least try to do things a bit different then 90% of the crap that comes out of Hollywood. The biggest problem with "The Cell" was I think that it missed an emotional core, nobody that took you by the hand and drew you into the movie, and Americans, being sentimentalists, just can't stand being ignored as a viewer that way. Grow the fuck up!
I thought Lucas Black was a good child actor... by tonagan	Apr 16th, 2008 07:16:02 AM

If you teach your children to believe in Santa Claus... by Bobo_Vision	Apr 16th, 2008 07:22:09 AM
...the Easter Bunny, and leprechauns, then you're no better than pedophiles...and terrorists. In fact, you're a terrorist pedophile.
when does this get released? by Jonah Echo	Apr 16th, 2008 08:21:16 AM
Im looking forward to your review Mori. I recall your dislike for The Cell, so Im excited to see that this film appears to have won you over. When is this coming out? Spring? Summer?
What spell checker? by BGDAWES	Apr 16th, 2008 09:18:55 AM
I dont cee any spel chek?
...pilgrim said... by redhankyspanky	Apr 16th, 2008 09:22:20 AM
"Children are very easy too convince otherwise." - Thats rich, child psychology coming from someone who sucks his dad off for his allowance.
Ok by Series7	Apr 16th, 2008 10:52:28 AM
So what I gather is that like the Cell, the cool Dali/Escher world takes place in someones mind/imaginationland? Thats cool that he got a good story to go along with it, but I want to see this guy just make a whole fucking movie in his crazy cool visual world. Just go all out, don't worry about trying to base the main story in reality. Just go all out.
I sympathize, Pilgrim, but you jumped the gun. by Jollymorphic	Apr 16th, 2008 03:12:46 PM
It would appear from a story in the Chicago Reader's "On Film" section that the actress in PONETTE was not told her mother was dead, but rather was part of a children's acting workshop wherein these scenarios were slowly introduced and developed over a six-month period. Had this not been the case, I would essentially agree with the Pilgrim's sentiments, as falsely convincing a child this age of a parent's death would be an act of inhuman and unforgivable cruelty. Here's the link: http://tiny url.com/553qpx
Hmm. by The Phantom Limb	Apr 17th, 2008 12:25:00 AM
Didn't expect to be opening up such a can of worms by praising Victoire Thivisol. I can't say I take too kindly to the intimations that I and anyone else impressed by her work in PONETTE are no better than pederasts. This is precisely why I usually avoid the Talkbacks, as it's so incredibly easy to lob the most incendiary accusations and insults. But anyway. Others have already defended the way in which the film was created (though apparently not adequately for some), so I won't go into that. But I will say that, last I heard, Thivisol is quite proud of what she accomplished in the movie and is growing into a well-rounded young woman. Granted, she's only made two more films since, but isn't that more likely due to the fact that she's in school and even might have found other passions? After all, most children don't pursue the same interests at 16 as they did at 4. And now that I've been duely chastised by the more vulgar and inflammatory members of this Talkback, I'll crawl back in my hole for another couple of years. Ciao!
Derr. by The Phantom Limb	Apr 17th, 2008 12:32:31 AM
Guess I'm not quite done, as I kind of forgot to include part of my point...specifically, that the fact she hasn't done any movies lately is much more likely because she's grown up than that making this film traumatized her. If I'm wrong about this, I will certainly issue formal apologies, retractions, denunciations of the films, the whole nine yards.
The FALL is FUN! by BranMakMorn	Apr 17th, 2008 06:01:18 AM
I didn't expect to write this about a Tarsem film but the one element that was missing in his previous work was a sense of playfulness to his subject matter. This film reminds me a bit of Guillermo Del Toro's more personal films but I enjoyed THE FALL more than PAN's LABYRINTH, and that's saying a lot. This is miles ahead of THE CELL.

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Moriarty’s One Thing I Love Today! Catinca Untaru In THE FALL And The Art Of Directing Children!

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