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San Francisco, 8:17 PM
Sat Dec 19
18 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Briareosdx Briareosdx
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    My theory on the movie is that it was mis-marketed. I went into it expecting something like a psycho-Tarantino-style Dirty Dozen, which is how the film was promoted. There were nods of that (Stiglitz!), and I think that may have been the film's original form. However, Tarantino took the movie in another direction: He decided to polish his ability to create and control cinematic tension.

    Broken down, the movie consists of blocks of dialog, often 20 minutes long or longer, all leading up to a sudden burst of violence, or escape from violence. The initial scene with Msr. LaPedite and Hans Landa sets the tone, and it continues from there. Tarantino establishes Landa as a monster so terrifying he could be ensconced next to Dracula and the Wolfman, and from that scene forward it is the threat of that monster and the institution he represents that makes every moment he's on screen white-knuckled. I have never been so nervous while watching a man eat strudel with pretty girl, and it was all because I knew what Landa was capable of.

    This is something Tarantino's done before, but in this case he built the entire movie around it. It's actually quite audacious. Depending on whether it worked for you, it makes the film either an ego-piece or a masterwork.
     Reply
    Briareosdx was starred Briareosdx was unstarred
    Image of HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H.
    12/16/09

    @Briareosdx: I agree with this so much. In a lot of ways, it was a suspense flick, with Landa as the monster.
     Reply
    HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. was starred HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. was unstarred
    Image of ghelary ghelary
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    Ok, lets starts with the beginning, I'm French and I live in Paris. As a consequence, my perception of it is very different from what Americans may have.

    I came in the theater with a friend who happens to be Jewish. At the end of the movie, I had mixed feeling, I felt it was very bad taste by brilliantly shot. My friend was livid, I learned then that his grandmother had been hidden in Paris by non-jews during the whole war, she was one of the very few lucky ones of her whole family.

    The problem with the movie is that it is too well made (apart from catastrophic Mélanie Laurent/Shosanna acting), Landa in particular is really terrifying in his educated and perverse SS manners. But French and in particular French Jews know well that such persons did exist, as a consequence the dark humor pervading the movie is difficultly accepted, it's like seeing a comedy on 9/11 when you have had close member of your family victim of it. Another example is the methods used by Aldo's gang, in occupied France, killing a German soldier or a German soldier ended in the execution of several hostages. No mention of French resistance as well (as if they didn't exist). Tarantino made a joke of American ignorance, but I feel that the movie is falling as well in this very cliche by reinterpreting History is some sort of duel between German and Americans (the movie "U-571" gives credit also to Americans an achievement that they didn't do)

    Again, if this movie was bad, it wouldn't have been an issue, but Tarantino directing is good and the most actors are well playing. The fact that this film is not realistic is announced, but still this period is just too sensitive. In France, negating the Nazis crimes is a public offense and you can go to jail for it, this is the only period of History where we have such a law.
     Reply
    Falsoman promoted this comment ghelary was starred ghelary was unstarred
    Image of SmokeDiver SmokeDiver
    12/16/09

    @ghelary: I think movies such as U-571 were simply trying to tell a story, and a movie produced for an American audience is going to do better with Americans doing all the heroics. I agree, film attributes too much fantasy to American bravado instead of highlighting the combined Allied effort, and too many people use these films as their history reference. The Enigma machine has a very cool and mysterious name to it. It makes for interesting story. I don't think a film about Turing cracking it's code would have been near as interesting as a film about a bunch of sailors and Marines taking a U-boat. Sad part is, many people are going to think U-571 is truth.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment SmokeDiver was starred SmokeDiver was unstarred
    Image of sicboi sicboi
    12/16/09

    @SmokeDiver: And I was one of those who thought the U-571 was a Hollywood version of a true event and was thoroughly disgusted that it was actually a joint effort with the Brits. I don't buy the excuse that its trying to tell a story and flashing American or anyone else's bravado, there's still huge value to be gained for telling a story accurately in the main. I mean U571 would still have been a success and I think even more dynamic by having a cast of both British and American leading actors... that fact that they've falsely portrayed this event as a solo effort is just so wrong...
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment sicboi was starred sicboi was unstarred
    Image of TheHacker TheHacker
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    It's "Stolz der Nation", not Stoltz. Just FYI.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment TheHacker was starred TheHacker was unstarred
    Image of Annalee Newitz Annalee Newitz
    12/16/09

    @TheHacker: fixed, thanks
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred
    Image of redpiller redpiller
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    One thing no one mentioned is how awesome and tension-filled every scene with the Jew Hunter was. The opening scene alone was worth admission. Waltz was brilliant, Tarantino made a masterful film about revenge, and Basterds was one of the best films of the year, IMO.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment redpiller was starred redpiller was unstarred
    Image of korybing korybing
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    Can someone explain to me how this movie could be considered anti-Semetic? Other than it shows Jews being violent? The Jews were the badass heroes of the flick.

    I really enjoyed this movie, and I especially enjoyed Christoph Waltz's performance. I thought he made an amazing villain. I also enjoyed the use of multiple languages, as so many WWII movies seem to think that everybody just speaks English with some sort of accent.
     Reply
    Edited by korybing at 12/16/09 12:20 PM korybing was starred korybing was unstarred
    Image of Byronotron Byronotron
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    yeah, this film was great. and being a german jew it was great to watch those natzees buuuuurrrrn.
     Reply
    Byronotron was starred Byronotron was unstarred
    Image of jaredgibbs jaredgibbs
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    Don't understand the hate for this film. I thought it was in the top ten of 2009. Thoroughly enjoyed it... AND I'm a hard bastard to please..
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment jaredgibbs was starred jaredgibbs was unstarred
    Image of Annalee Newitz Annalee Newitz
    12/16/09

    @jaredgibbs: I loved it too.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred
    Image of Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H. Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
    12/16/09

    @jaredgibbs: people hate it?
     Reply
    Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H. was starred Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H. was unstarred
    Image of Alexis Alexis
    12/16/09

    @jaredgibbs: People who hate this film hate it for overblown dialogue, excessive violence, and long scenes.

    In other words, they hate it 'cause its Tarantino.
     Reply
    Alexis was starred Alexis was unstarred
    Image of Mike White Mike White
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    Roth with that outfit and cigarette looks like such a douche.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment Mike White was starred Mike White was unstarred
    Image of Annalee Newitz Annalee Newitz
    12/16/09

    @Mike White: I think that's the idea. :)
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred
    Image of acrobatic rabbit acrobatic rabbit
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    I was incredibly disappointed in this movie. The dialogue was total crap. And the Basterds themselves were just a sidenote, IMO. I wanted more of that Tarantino ass-kicking. I guess that's what I was expecting. I know Tarantino loves his dialogue and I usually do too. But this was just boring and drawn out. My friend actually fell asleep beside me and she usually loves his films.
     Reply
    acrobatic rabbit was starred acrobatic rabbit was unstarred
    Image of falsage-1 falsage-1
    12/16/09

    @acrobatic rabbit: Agreed. I don't understand why people fawn over Tarantino when all he does is rip off exploitation movies and replace the exploitation with long scenes of boring dialog. It's frustrating, as he used to be able to write snappy conversations with tense plots. His post-Pulp Fiction output has been a long, steady slide into dullsville and self-indulgence.

    Except for Kill Bill, Vol. I (and only Vol. I). That was pretty fun.
     Reply
    gods-n-clods promoted this comment falsage-1 was starred falsage-1 was unstarred
    Image of gods-n-clods gods-n-clods
    12/16/09

    @falsage-1: It's weird, you've got a point. I was watching the extended Death Proof at a specialty theater this weekend (a film I disliked originally). After consulting a lil' Roger Ebert, it dawned on me: Tarantino makes movies about -watching- movies and the movie experience. Every movie he made: great actors, great performances, intriguing dialogue, a hooky plot-twist... ALL the things that make a great movie.
    But what are his movies about? Nothing, relatively speaking. They are not deeply emotional, no serious pathos or gravitas trying to communicate the human condition (also known as "Spinach Films"-- you watch them to smarten-up/feel good about yourself: Shindler's List, The Reader, Saving Private Ryan). Tarantino's movies are homages to traditionally considered "bad" films: exploitation (Pulp Fiction, Death Proof), tawdry crime capers (Jackie Brown), bloody action flicks of a genre-stripe (Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds).
    He turns shit-into-gold, and vice-versa. Watch it with a withered eye, and you could see where his head is at. He makes anti-Oscar films, and I love that now.
     Reply
    gods-n-clods was starred gods-n-clods was unstarred
    Image of HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H.
    12/16/09

    @falsage-1: Let me put it this way: How many times have you watched some shitty old exploitation movie and said, "Damn, in the hands of a good director, and with a decent budget, this could have been something really great!"?

    Tarrantino is that director, and he gets those budgets.
     Reply
    HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. was starred HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. was unstarred
    Image of Alexis Alexis
    12/16/09

    @gods-n-clods: Well said.
     Reply
    Alexis was starred Alexis was unstarred
    Image of gods-n-clods gods-n-clods
    12/16/09

    @Alexis: (hearting you because I'm a sucker for positive reinforcement; that and I can't take all the credit-- I love Sensei Ebert, and "shit-into-gold" is strictly Jodorowsky)
     Reply
    gods-n-clods was starred gods-n-clods was unstarred
    Image of gods-n-clods gods-n-clods
    12/16/09

    @HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H.: I'm still awaiting the gritty and terse remake of "Plan 9 From Outer Space".
    We need to make this happen.
     Reply
    gods-n-clods was starred gods-n-clods was unstarred
    Image of AErikson AErikson
    12/17/09

    @gods-n-clods:
     Reply
    gods-n-clods promoted this comment AErikson was starred AErikson was unstarred
    Image of gods-n-clods gods-n-clods
    12/18/09

    @AErikson: Oh my stars n' garters. Everything, I have seen it.
     Reply
    gods-n-clods was starred gods-n-clods was unstarred
    Image of Jonny_eh Jonny_eh
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    How could anyone criticize this movie as anti-semetic? Speaking as a Jew, I don't hesitate to classify it as Jewish revenge fantasy porn. It was awesome!
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment Jonny_eh was starred Jonny_eh was unstarred
    Image of Annalee Newitz Annalee Newitz
    12/16/09

    @Jonny_eh: I'm also a Jew, and that's the feeling I got. I love the scene where Aldo is telling the Basterds about how they'll "owe" him 100 Nazi scalps and we pan to Eli Roth who is smiling this huge, insane smile.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred
    Image of Jonny_eh Jonny_eh
    12/16/09

    @Annalee Newitz: I suppose you can interpret it as anti-semetic if you view that kind of lust for violence as a negative trait.

    1) Violence is bad
    2) The movies have Jews doing some insane violence
    3) Therefore, the movie makes Jews look bad
     Reply
    Jonny_eh was starred Jonny_eh was unstarred
    Image of Pessimippopotamus Pessimippopotamus
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    I can't believe how superfluous and unnecessary the Americans were in the movie.
     Reply
    Pessimippopotamus was starred Pessimippopotamus was unstarred
    Image of Sarastro42005 Sarastro42005
    12/16/09

    @Pessimippopotamus: See that was part of the movie that I appreciated the most. And I say this as a guy who was weened on movies like the Dirty Dozen and Where Eagles Dare. We Americans think we single-handedly won the war. This is of course very far from the truth and it was nice to see a movie that acknowledged that.
     Reply
    korybing promoted this comment Sarastro42005 was starred Sarastro42005 was unstarred
    Image of hdgotham hdgotham
    12/16/09

    @Pessimippopotamus: This was not just a film about the war, but a film about war movies. The Americans and the British plot and scheme, and it's a French Jew that gets the job done.
    Pushing the American influence to the side was intentional.
     Reply
    Pessimippopotamus promoted this comment hdgotham was starred hdgotham was unstarred
    Image of LittleDragon LittleDragon
    12/16/09

    @Sarastro42005: Wait. We didn't single-handedly win the war? I've been LIED to. Next you will be telling me that Princess Leia lied about the location of the rebel base.
     Reply
    LittleDragon was starred LittleDragon was unstarred
    Image of Pessimippopotamus Pessimippopotamus
    12/16/09

    @hdgotham: Then why bother even keep them there? Even for a Tarantino film, they did absolutely nothing to the story.
     Reply
    Pessimippopotamus was starred Pessimippopotamus was unstarred
    Image of earthclanbootstrap earthclanbootstrap
    12/16/09

    @LittleDragon: I am soooo sorry that I have to be the one to break this to you, but... Ma and Pa Kent are not Clark's real parents. Oh, and Palpatine is actually Darth Sidious. Hard to believe, I know.
     Reply
    LittleDragon promoted this comment earthclanbootstrap was starred earthclanbootstrap was unstarred
    Image of hdgotham hdgotham
    12/16/09

    @Pessimippopotamus: It's hard to make a movie about how Americans think they did more than they really did if there are no Americans in the movie.
     Reply
    hdgotham was starred hdgotham was unstarred
    Image of LittleDragon LittleDragon
    12/16/09

    @earthclanbootstrap: No. Nooo. That's not true. That's impossible!
     Reply
    LittleDragon was starred LittleDragon was unstarred
    Image of daveNYC daveNYC
    12/16/09

    @Pessimippopotamus: One word: "Bon-journ-o"
     Reply
    daveNYC was starred daveNYC was unstarred
    Image of earthclanbootstrap earthclanbootstrap
    12/16/09

    @LittleDragon: Search your feelings, you know it to be true!
    Oh, and by the way, if anybody ever calls claiming to be your Uncle Jar Jar... just hang up. Just. Hang. Up.
     Reply
    Edited by earthclanbootstrap at 12/16/09 5:01 PM earthclanbootstrap was starred earthclanbootstrap was unstarred
    Image of ManchuCandidate ManchuCandidate
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    Killing Hitler in 1944 probably would have been the worst thing for the Allies in WW2 as most of Nazi Germany's strategic mistakes were caused in large part because of him.

    As for the film? I guess I'm not a style over substance kind of guy.
     Reply
    ManchuCandidate was starred ManchuCandidate was unstarred
    Image of KaneBaker KaneBaker
    12/16/09

    @ManchuCandidate: I think once heturned on the russions no strategy could cahnge the end. Too many enemies on the dance flor, too many enemies. Russians scared me more than the germans anyways.
     Reply
    Dirk Anger promoted this comment KaneBaker was starred KaneBaker was unstarred
    Image of Trystero Trystero
    12/16/09

    @ManchuCandidate: By 1944, strategic mistakes by the Germans just made the war a bit shorter. The Allies were already well on their way to victory. The real question is whether the Russians would stop their advance just because Hitler and elements of the High Command had been assassinated. I'm thinking no.
     Reply
    Trystero was starred Trystero was unstarred
    Image of Loserface Loserface
    12/16/09

    In reply to Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For "Inglourious Basterds" DVD
    I thought Aldo Raine was part Jewish and Native American -- not white.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment Loserface was starred Loserface was unstarred
    Image of Annalee Newitz Annalee Newitz
    12/16/09

    @Loserface: Really? Because they called him "the Apache"?
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred
    Image of Loserface Loserface
    12/16/09

    @Annalee Newitz: I could be wrong but I remember reading -- or it was in the movie that he was part Jewish and part Apache.

    Again could be wrong.
     Reply
    Loserface was starred Loserface was unstarred
    Image of Loserface Loserface
    12/16/09

    @Annalee Newitz: Hm, seems pretty ambiguous. You may be right! I may be right! We're both right! (Hurray!) Since it's ambiguous and I'm Jewish, I'm considering him half Jewish / half Apache.
     Reply
    Loserface was starred Loserface was unstarred
    Image of Annalee Newitz Annalee Newitz
    12/16/09

    @Loserface: Haha since I'm half-Jewish and half-Texan (is that really something you can be? yes.) I will claim him as that.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred
    Image of Ghost_in_the_Machine Ghost_in_the_Machine
    12/16/09

    @Loserface: I don't think he's Jewish. He put together a team of Jewish soldiers because they'd be highly motivated but he's a southern moonshiner with some Native American blood. Also the SS colonel talked to him as a fellow officer which I don't think he would do if he thought Raines was Jewish. But I may be wrong.
     Reply
    Ghost_in_the_Machine was starred Ghost_in_the_Machine was unstarred
    Image of Loserface Loserface
    12/16/09

    @Annalee Newitz: Hell YEAH. Half Jewish Half Puerto Rican, myself. It's part of the reason why I loved the movie, an Alternate History of Jews killing Nazis! What more could a boy want for Christmas?!
     Reply
    Loserface was starred Loserface was unstarred
    Image of daveNYC daveNYC
    12/16/09

    @Ghost_in_the_Machine: Hans Landa (the SS guy) wouldn't have cared if he was Jewish. Landa didn't really care one way or another about Jews. He cared about doing the best job he could. That's what makes him such a great character. He is both quite likable, and utterly reprehensible.

    "There are hardly any excesses of the most crazed psychopath that cannot easily be duplicated by a normal kindly family man who just comes in to work every day and has a job to do."

    -T. Pratchett
     Reply
    daveNYC was starred daveNYC was unstarred
    Image of Ghost_in_the_Machine Ghost_in_the_Machine
    12/16/09

    @daveNYC: Hans may not have been overt, but you don't get to be a colonel in the SS by being tolerant of others. I doubt he would treat a Jewish or black officer the same way he would treat a white (and non-Jewish) one.
     Reply
    Ghost_in_the_Machine was starred Ghost_in_the_Machine was unstarred
    Image of reddingofish reddingofish
    11/09/09

    In reply to Clone Wars Grows Up In Front Of Your Eyes In New Box Set
    I watched the cartoon's first season with the belief that the entire 100 episodes had been planned out into an arch. I was disappointed that season 1 did not have an arch. It did have a couple of two and three parters but no arc. Season 2 on the other hand seems to be arced. The first 5 shows have mostly impressed me. I agree that "Landing At Point Rain" was a bit harsh for Cartoon Network but it is shown during the Adult Swim time slot so I guess the network gave the writers some lea way.
    I hope they keep the story line moving along and don't get mired up in the whole Aniken and Padmae love affair too much. It is an easy trap for the writers to fall into. #starwarstheclonewars
     Reply
    reddingofish was starred reddingofish was unstarred
    Image of bonniegrrl bonniegrrl
    11/08/09

    In reply to Clone Wars Grows Up In Front Of Your Eyes In New Box Set
    Great review Graeme! Thanks for taking time to dissect the DVD box set!

    Did you find the Easter Eggs? #starwarstheclonewars
     Reply
    bonniegrrl was starred bonniegrrl was unstarred
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