Well originally today you were going to get my review of THE PRINCE OF EGYPT. But... well instead you’ll get Goldfinger’s. Why? Well, I was invited to a press screening of the film this morning. I was supposed to go by myself, in fact it wasn’t so much as an order as it was a request, it said ‘please’. No problem, I’ll just hop in the Tick (my bloodsucking van) and put-put on out to the BartonCreek Theater. Well, I hopped into the Van and “chugachugachugachugachugachuuuugachugaaa...” Then finally “......” SUCKOLA! Dammit. I was so up to go see the film. It was a cold wet morning, and so desperate was I to go see the movie that I called up Tom Joad, woke him up on his ‘day off’ and asked him to drive all the way North to where I live, then take me all the way out South to where the theater was, and we’d see THE PRINCE OF EGYPT. Those four magic words got his ass in gear faster than a call from Reese Witherspoon.

We drive out, about a 30 minute journey, and finally arrive. Joad had been up all night editting his short film, and I had been up all night writing reviews for y’all. Tired, wet and cold we get to the theater. We walk on in, the manager being quite cordial. We ask him what theater we would be sitting in, and he was unsure, so we just stood in the lobby while he went to inquire. Nice guy. Then in walked... HIM. The screening representative. Well, to cut a long story shut, he wouldn’t let Joad in. Telling him about the car breaking down... nope no good. Joad would have to play ‘video games in the lobby’ while I watched the film.

What crap, I thought. You’re talking about a theater that holds 500 people, and there were only going to be 3 people for the screening. That left 497 other seats empty. Gosh... Well, I tell him if Joad doesn’t see the film, neither do I, and I walk out of the theater.

Ya see I don’t leave my friends that wake up at the asscrack of morning to fiddle with video games while I see what I feel will be one of the damned coolest films of the year and one of the absolute best. HIM calls out, “Mr Knowles, Mr Knowles!” I go back, and he seems to be confused as to why I’m being the way I am, he offers to drive me home, and Joad could just ‘leave now’. Oh that’s warm. “Season’s Greetings” “Merry Christmas” “Ho ho ho” ya know?

So I take off with Joad, the rest of the morning followed the trend, disappointment after disappointment. Bummer... When I got home, well Dreamworks had left an answering machine message being nice and cordial and inviting me, and just about everyone I know to the Austin screenings they’re conducting next week, so expect my Review sometime Tuesday or Wednesday morning. Originally I wasn’t even going to mention the incident, but when they offered the other screenings... well it kinda felt like they wanted me to not talk about this morning, and well, I don’t play those games. I personally believe, and have always believed this film will be amazing, and nothing some little HIM can do will change that opinion. There really was no need to give me a call about it. I’m not so invested in myself that not seeing a movie a week early would make me... HATE the film. Those sorts of opinions are reserved for the actual screening. And til then, here’s what Auric Goldfinger has to say about the film....

So I fired up the gold-plated Rolls Royce, tossed Oddjob the keys, and was driven over to the Universal Citywalk where I found it surprisingly easy to walk right in to the Employee Screening of THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, which is Dreamworks' big foray into the world of feature length animation (not counting ANTZ - I'm talking traditional animation).

Does the "Mouse" need to worry about this new kid on the block? Definitely. However, even beyond the spectacle of the film, I ultimately was dissapointed in it.

"WHAT?" you cry. Well, don't get me wrong: I really enjoyed the film and was amazed at the technical aspects of the animation, the combination of computer-generated imagery and hand-drawn art, the voice talent, and even the music wasn't too shabby; but the story just wasn't what I had hoped.

I am very familiar with the Moses story, and in fact THE TEN COMMANDMENTS is one of my favorite films. I understand (in fact, there's even a disclaimer at the beginning of the film) that THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is a little different, and focuses (or so they say) more on the "brotherly" relationship between Moses and Rameses. Well, that's fine - but the the key points of the Moses story which are INTERESTING are glossed over in montages which are covered by a song and last a minute or so. For example, the 10 plagues provided an amazing opportunity for conflict and heightening tension ultimately resulting in the slaying of the first born. But instead they decided to quickly shoot throught the first 9 plagues, all the while a song (a good song, I might add) is playing. It doesn't last very long, but the imagery is really spectacular - and I would have liked to see more of it.

The "money" segment (aka the Parting of the Red Sea) is definitely an amazing technical feat, and the sequence is really impressive - but that's really about it. I was impressed, but not engrossed in the film. I was really hoping for something a bit more substantial in terms of the story, but I guess we can't win them all.

However this is definitely a good start for Dreamworks, and I look forward to their future animated films in the years to come. Watch out Disney!

Goldfinger