70 or so pages to go, which means I’m not going to get it copied and in the mail before grabbing a cuppa with
Anyway, I see why it keeps getting compared to The Princess Bride, although it’s not at all Princess-Bride-like except in that it’s a fairy tale and funny. It’s far, far *far* more fantastical than Princess Bride, but it’s got that same kind of blithe joy to it. Really it’s much *more* like Legend (except good) or Willow, and I don’t know why they didn’t just market it as a fairy tale. But marketing problems aside, it was absolutely wonderful and I will go see it again. Yay!
Ted, who does not have deep emotional attachment to the books, has announced his intention of seeing The Dark Is Rising. He looked very surprised and sort of vaguely disappointed when I said I’d go see it only if somebody paid me enough money, and said, “I guess I’m going alone, then,” and then when I said, “Well, if you’re going maybe I should,” he said, “If you go then I don’t want to hear one word about how they screwed it up!” and I’m like, then why’d you look disappointed when I said I wasn’t going?! o.o!
After the movie we watched the next two episodes of Smallville, and all I can say is “Justice” = SQUEEEEEE!
This afternoon after I’ve put the book in the mail I must arrange plane tickets to Alaska and do something about various lodgings in the States. And clean the bathroom. And read a book.
I don’t think anyone in England even thinks about applauding a movie any more. Any more than they’d stand up if you played the national anthem in the cinema. (Which they used to do, when I was a little kid: cinemas, theatres, any place of public performance. And yup, everyone stood up.)
I too saw Stardust, and I too liked it very much. Except I’ve come away with this one (slightly-spoilery) issue: why in the world did Ditchwater Sal turn him into a rodent? He pays her for transport; she turns him into a rodent and puts him in a cage; she takes him where he wanted to go and turns him back again. What was the point, exactly? (I mean, it’s an opportunity for the girl to open her heart and it demonstrates the flower-power, yes yes, but those are authorial reasons. What was the character’s reason? It’s utterly meaningless, as far as I can see…)
You can tell Ted that we intend to see The Dark Is Rising.
(We’re a little behind – just go to see Run, Fatboy, Run this week, while everyone else was in for Ratatouille.)
Applauding a movie? It does seem rather daft, doesn’t it? Applauding someone who can hear you, yes. Applauding a radio, or TV, or film projector, no. Applauding an inanimate object? It doesn’t make sense to me.
A film premiere warrants applause, because the originators of the work will be there, and in such cases I do applaud. But toherwise, no.
(Weeping, laughing or gasping at the content of a film is a whole different argument, so it is.)
What was the character’s reason?
He eats a lot less that way?
Last times I remember people applauding at movies (other than special events when guests/actors where there) were Towering Inferno (when the fireman fell off the external lift into the airbag), Airport 1977 (several times) and a standing ovation at the end of Freddy Vs Jason (no idea why)
Sure, it seems daft, but it’s a way of expressing my pleasure. The film might not appreciate it, but *I* do.
My *favorite* case of people applauding at movies was when the trailer for Star Trek VI was first shown. The trailer cut to Sulu saying, “This is Captain Sulu of the USS Excelsior,” and the *entire theatre* erupted in cheers and shouting and applause. It was awesome beyond belief.
Yes, I remember the standing for the anthem
If I understood the timeline right, it was less than a day’s journey (despite being 60 miles according to the milestone, which no horse-and-wagon is going to cover in a day). Not buying that.
Well, yes.
And I’m sure if the film could appreciate the applause, it’d be chuffed at the weeping, gasping and laughing too. No, I can’t explain why one set of reactions is appropriate, and the other (to me) not, except that applause is usually a considered reaction, and the others not.
We did clap the TV the other night, when watching Heroes. Why? As George Takei’s character drove off in his big black limo, we caught sight of the number plate. Less than a second in shot, too.
This clapping for movies thing — I don’t get it, and I’m American. It perplexes me that it’s considered American, more than anything, because I have never ever seen it done, or even heard about it actually happening, beyond say, a Harry Potter movie, but they’re all fanpeople and it’s expected. Go figure.
And I saw Stardust a couple months ago (? a while anyway) and I remember thinking Sal had a reason, but darned if I remember what it wa— wait, doesn’t she do it because she sees the flower charmy thing his father had gotten from his mother, and recognizes it and tricks him out of it and then turns him into a furry to be like, ha, see this is why you had that thing, it ain’t just a purty flower, you stoopid boy. No? Am I making this up?
In the book it was a few more days than that I think – several other bits happened suring that time and his morther and the star got friendly during it – and because she could?!
…. but I have to squeal.
Heart of Stone is already on the shelf, and I’m gonna go get me some today (given I was broke yesterday ;)
Hmmph. Even if it made sense in the book, that’s no excuse for the movie. Grumblemutterscowl…
You’re not making it up at all, but that’s just a variation on ‘because I can’, doubled and redoubled by ‘here’s a handy way to explain to the audience what the value of that flower is, so that they’ll understand when it protects you later’, which is why I gnash my teeth. ‘Because I can’ is just never good enough.
To applaud a movie you know is good is not daft, if you ask me. When I was at Otakon and we screened “5cm/sec”, there was sustained applause — not for Makoto Shinkai, the director, who was most certainly not present, but as a way of affirming between ourselves, the audience members, that what he had done was outstanding and worthy of merit. And applause.
YAY! First sighting! HOORAY!
We also just don’t have any other typical way of expressing our enjoyment of something like that. Though, I haven’t really been at that many films where people did applaud, so I dunno how it’s a ‘gauche and american’ thing :)
Good luck with the book, and what’s the episode with Flash, Supes, Arrow, Cyborg, and Aquaman striding out of the explosion?
(Answer, later: Justice)
When I saw Stardust I wanted to fill in a little line: “murdered by pirates is good.”
I saw Dark is Rising last week… even with my own vague memories of the book, I can’t see that it is even vaguely like it. Not a truly bad fantasy movie on its own… but I don’t think the screen writer understood:
the plot; mythology; or how The Hero’s Journey is supposed to be played out.
I’ve encountered clapping and cheering on a few movies — in NYC and Alabama. When Aragorn beheads the uruk-hai near the end of the Fellowship of the Ring, the audience erupted in cheers.
The wildest audience I witnessed was when I saw “The People Under The Stairs” in a theater in Times Square on Halloween night. The audience was quite lively and interacted with the film all the way through.
As far as Stardust goes, I haven’t seen it, though I have heard good things about it. I didn’t even realize The Dark Is Rising had been made into a move. Here in the US it is called The Seeker, with no reference to the book. So far, I have heard nothing good about it. It sounds like way too much was changed from the book.
I still do
Actually I think I said ‘hollywood’ rather than ‘american’
It’s a Hollywood thing to do – Applaud at the end (which I suppose makes some sense since there IS often a chance someone involved is in the cinema..)
So do I – when it’s played
Why in the world did Ditchwater Sal turn him into a rodent? He pays her for transport; she turns him into a rodent and puts him in a cage; she takes him where he wanted to go and turns him back again. What was the point, exactly?
Hmm, to me it seemed like the kind of thing Sal would do to someone any time she could get away with it, just so she wouldn’t have to bother dealing with them.
If she just gave Tristan a ride as asked, she would’ve had to treat him like a person. He might want to make *conversation*. He might want *tea*. He might go poking about in the back of her trailer where she couldn’t see what he was *doing*. Humans are so pesky that way. And she’s got used to keeping her slave in animal form to avoid trouble too.
(Plus, she does seem like the kind of witch who enjoys showing off. The young man won’t forget the day he was cheeky enough to bargain with a witch, oh no…)
After the movie we watched the next two episodes of Smallville, and all I can say is “Justice” = SQUEEEEEE!
Isn’t it. Everything from the Watchtower through to the line “it will involve Justice”
Sure it wouldn’t make sense if the Justice league didn’t exist as a comic series(and everything else) but why not make use of the universe you have and make jokes for your fans.
By the way i am really Enjoying Heart of Stone.
You kept very quiet about Stardust today. Just think about all of that wasted spoilering time damnit!
I am rather of your mind about The Dark is Rising – Will seems to have an American accent and I am already bristling. However if Ted wants company I will tag along and keep quiet (except for possible head clutching and strangled moans) because I REALLY want to go see a movie before next year.
Goes back to trying to persuade Mum to babysit so can go see Stardust with my honey and not in shifts.
They made Will an American military (?) kid, in order to “enhance his sense of displacement”. I could *almost* bear that. I can understand introducing a love interest, because, well, it’s a movie and Jane’s not in this one. But it’s the super strength, super speed, and fireball-throwing abilities that make me go AAAAAAAAAGH!
AAAAAAAAAGH!
When I saw Stardust I wanted to fill in a little line: “murdered by pirates is good.”
Actually, yes, I was genuinely expecting that line. :)
Squeeeeee! :) Yes. In jokes are good. :) :) :)
YAY glad you’re enjoying it! :)
Hee! And I /so/ can’t afford the buy.
But it’s mine, all mine!
*cackle-cackle-hack-cough-dies*
They still play it here in military theatres. *Smacks FireFox for saying “theatres” is spelled wrong, then smirks as it also marks “FireFox” as wrong* Everyone either stands up — usually at attention, saluting if in uniform, hand on heart and hats off if not — or gets glared at.
Then I shall anticipate my copy being sent by Amazon forthwith.
Here in Ireland and it seems in the UK as well the practice of playing the anthem at the theatres and cinemas stopped years back – dunno why.
It hasn’t been done here for easily 25 years or so. Only theatres on military bases still play the anthem.
I read a detailed resume of the changes they’re apparently making for TDIR and was depressed for a week. It’s one of my favourite books. Don’t think I can face the movie.
hmmmmmmmm I don’t remember the Gift of Grammarye including a fireball spell. Although, thinking on it now it might have been a damn useful idea if it had. There was some random psionic pyromania though I do recall. My instinct says that the movie is pants but after yesterday’s pie experience my gut could still be stoned.
“like Legend (except good)” makes me laugh and laugh!
I agree on the Dark is Rising — I actually saw the trailer and it took me a really really long time to identify the movie from it and then I was horrified! That sound you hear is the sound of my childhood screaming.
OK, we saw it.
We were not impressed.