354 replies to this topic

[Ken Santa Fe]

Steven Broomfield, on 30 November 2011 - 08:54 AM, said:

puff preceding it is what annoys me. It is being touted as pretty well one of the Best Films Ever Made, and, as commented on here, quite likely taken by many as "History" too. ...also dislike being assaulted by the musical battering ram that is John Williams' music

Kill your TV, you'll find Pop Culture becomes a lot easier to ignore.

[alex falbo]

SteveMarsdin, on 30 November 2011 - 05:02 PM, said:

Perhaps Spielberg should film a biography of Haig ?

*Quickly don's Brodie, finds a better 'ole and awaits the artillery....

[John Gilinsky]

"They Shoot Horses Don't They?"

and

within 1 year or less the USA may allow commerical selling of horse meat!

Wonder if they were inspired by this movie?

[NigelS]

Click

Whilst I can appreciate that Michael Morpurgo might have had the best of intentions for doing this, is it really correct to attempt to bring reality to a work of fiction in such a way even if you are the author?

NigelS

[Kate Wills]

Ahh, but Nigel, there are a number of huge marketing departments scurrying away in the background.

I too heard Michael Murpurgo's piece on Radio 4's The World at One, and pleased as I might be for the extra bit of custom for the village pub and local B&Bs, the real financial winners are Morpurgo, his publishers and Spielberg. Those marketing folk have done them proud, and in the run-up to Christmas too!

Interesting comment from Morpurgo, which is germaine to this thread:

"Michael said: "I think people wanted to believe that this horse was there hanging in the village hall, because for some people, it was a story that they loved and I think when you love a story you really want to believe in at least the truth of some part of it." - Press Association

[GRUMPY]

I saw the stage production in London very early on. I did not know if the 'orse was going to survive. I am cynical, worldly-wise and very very old.

I was spell-bound ...... the suspension of disbelief in the puppets happened in a twinkling, there was humour and pathos, the stage effects were fabulous and I really enjoyed the total offering.

Don't bother with the film, spend a bit more and see the show if you can!

[truthergw]

GRUMPY, on 01 December 2011 - 03:58 PM, said:

I saw the stage production in London very early on. I did not know if the 'orse was going to survive. I am cynical, worldly-wise and very very old.

I was spell-bound ...... the suspension of disbelief in the puppets happened in a twinkling, there was humour and pathos, the stage effects were fabulous and I really enjoyed the total offering.

Don't bother with the film, spend a bit more and see the show if you can!

I was giving a friend a help to tend to a horse yesterday. He was dripping mud from ears to tail and tried to eat my pocket. After his lordship had been returned to the field, we spent an hour with barrow and scoop.A puppet has suddenly become quite attractive.

[dycer]

Read the "Metro" on the bus this morning,don't ask.
A small article,in it momentarily,caught my eye.
I've neither read the book nor seen the Play.
However,the story apparently unfolds,from a painting of "Joey"?which hangs in an English Village.The Author readily admits that he chose the existence of the painting as the figment of his imagination in order to write his book.
As the Village does not "possess" a painting of "Joey?" One has been commissioned and is  currently being painted, for the Village to display,per the article.
George

[Kate Wills]

Ah, The Metro too! Those marketing folk have achieved blanket coverage.

(Please see post #55)

[RoyEvans]

Kate Wills, on 01 December 2011 - 05:17 PM, said:

Ah, The Metro too! Those marketing folk have achieved blanket coverage.

(Please see post #55)

Not so! It hasn't made the 'Wolverhampton Chronicle' (yet).

Roy

[Kate Wills]

Have patience Roy. Doubtless the nail used to hang the painting was made in the Black Country.

[Steven Broomfield]

truthergw, on 01 December 2011 - 04:34 PM, said:

I was giving a friend a help to tend to a horse yesterday. He was dripping mud from ears to tail and tried to eat my pocket.

Blimey. Poor beggar. Was the horse wet and hungry, too?

[truthergw]

Steven Broomfield, on 01 December 2011 - 05:40 PM, said:

Blimey. Poor beggar. Was the horse wet and hungry, too?

I can see that your hospital attracts few, if any, equine patients. They are always hungry.

[seaJane]

You can see the picture here now that the BBC has picked up the baton on the story: http://www.bbc.co.uk...-devon-15983214

[matt2568]

New trailer up.

War horse trailer II

hmmmm

[Grantowi]

GRUMPY, on 01 December 2011 - 03:58 PM, said:

Don't bother with the film, spend a bit more and see the show if you can!

From what a friend (who has seen the show), I gather it can get quite dusty in these theatres.

I'm gonna have to wait for the DVD

Grant

[MartinBennitt]

NigelS, on 01 December 2011 - 03:09 PM, said:

Click

Whilst I can appreciate that Michael Morpurgo might have had the best of intentions for doing this, is it really correct to attempt to bring reality to a work of fiction in such a way even if you are the author?

NigelS

Not even out yet and they're calling it a "blockbuster". Hype, hyper, hypest.

cheers Martin B

[Ken Santa Fe]

Here's the scene, it's the holidays, disparate groups of families are together looking for activities to pass the time before the adults uncork the wine again. There's a movie, it's got horsies, explosions, it's Spielberg!!! What's not to like and to top it all off NO VAMPIRES.

[hesmond]

Slightly diffrent aspect ,as Stephen Speilberg keeps on retelling the story of the Searchers in many of his movies and even he will admit scene stealing from other films ie Triumph of the Will in Star Wars ect just at looking at the trailer i can see at least one classic scene lifted direct from Horse  Soliders ,and Speilberg does love a John ford Movie ,so i will enjoy the film as i sit there telling the Mrs yes thats from ? and thats from ? hours of fun winding her up !  and another note i have no issue if this movie gets kids intrested in the Great War ,we did not all get our intrest by reading some wordy classic ,but like many an i will admit, from back in the 1960s with the likes of the Victor comic and its front page stories of dearing do many from the Great War and how VCs and Even DCMs were won ,which then brought me down the slippery slope collecting medals ,letters ,diarys photographs ect so ,even though it may not be to the purists approval ,and i for one whish they had gone for Harris Covenant with Death or even Storm of steel ,lets see the film and enjoy on what ever level you chose .

[ph0ebus]

Ken Santa Fe, on 03 December 2011 - 01:13 AM, said:

Here's the scene, it's the holidays, disparate groups of families are together looking for activities to pass the time before the adults uncork the wine again. There's a movie, it's got horsies, explosions, it's Spielberg!!! What's not to like and to top it all off NO VAMPIRES.

Wot, the horse doesn't sparkle?



-Daniel

[LiamS]

It's an awful pity he's so locked in to the Hollywood definition of what makes a great movie as he has the power and I believe the talent to make a great film (which is why I liked the very atypical Schindler's list) but he seems to revert all the time to the big kid mentality and a certain way of telling his stories. After I read what he said in a recent interview about there being no more great Hollywood (!) films I really did feel like sending him Sophie Scholl to let him see what can be done with peanut budgets and unknown actors. I'm not sure who said it but there's the old saying about the difference between Hollywood and European cinema,one tells a small story with a big budget and the other exactly the reverse.

Best/Liam

[Gibbo]

I will be able to watch this film and ignore sentimentality, hard-tugging music, historical inaccuracies and WWI cliches on one condition. The film must feature the scene stealing star of the play; the goose!

[Steven Broomfield]

Ken Santa Fe, on 03 December 2011 - 01:13 AM, said:

and to top it all off NO VAMPIRES.

Boy wizards  

Incidentally, the dear olf Tottygraph is in overdrive pushing this movie. Today it has a photo of Spielberg with his daughter, Destry, at some do.

Which makes me wonder: how many children has he, and are they all named after James Stewart movies? Is there a Vertigo Spielberg, a Mr Smith Spielberg, a Winchester 73 Spielberg, a Carbine Williams Speilberg ... the list is almost endless (I appreciate it could be a Marlene Dietrich theme, but Blue Angel Spielberg, or Shanghai Express Spielberg just sound silly).

[ShirlD]

I confess I have succumbed to the hype, can't wait to see it
It was my granddaughter who read the book first and got me to read it, and through that we saw the Show in London, and it was one of the most moving stage shows I have seen.
Cheers
Shirley

[Kate Wills]

Steven Broomfield, on 06 December 2011 - 09:01 AM, said:

but Blue Angel Spielberg, or Shanghai Express Spielberg just sound silly).

No sillier than Fifi-Tinkerbell, or however it was Bob Geldof chose to label his kids.