Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12/18/15)

[furystorm]

No excuse for stupidity. And it's rampant around these parts.

 

[karamazov80]

I think 70s version was.

Nah, that was CG all the way. Here's the scene with the dinosaurs.

 

[Wor-Gar]

70's Kong was 99.9% Rick Baker in Ape Face. That movie sucked.

Great poster though.

 

[jye4ever]

70's Kong was 99.9% Rick Baker in Ape Face. That movie sucked.

Great poster though.

Yup.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Kong '76 was a bad movie. No doubt about that.

BUT.

There are some very interesting aspects to it and I have to commend them for putting in the effort.

-The premise that the expedition was sent out to look for a new source of oil. It was the height of the gas crisis in the 70s and they made good use of a topical theme.

-They used the World's Fair location in Queens to show off Kong. Makes actual sense that they would do that because the location has ample room as opposed to Manhattan.

-Kong is drawn to the WTC because it reminds him of a rock structure on his island home. Clever--it gave him a reason to climb it. It also made good use of the then newly opened WTC.

-The whole ending scene when Kong is lying on the ground dying, and you hear his heart beating, looking at Dwan (Jessica Lange's character), and the heart beat stopping, then the crowd rushes in and surrounds her, and Jeff Bridges is trying to get to her as she is calling for him. But then Jeff stops, seeing that it's hopeless to get to her, as she's drowning in the crowd, and the movie ends! What a weird, strange ending, don't you think? That ending would never fly now. I have to give it kudos for such a WTF ending.

Like I said, it is genuinely a bad movie, but there are some very interesting things in there.

 

[Wor-Gar]

But then Jeff stops, seeing that it's hopeless to get to her, as she's drowning in the crowd, and the movie ends! What a weird, strange ending, don't you think? That ending would never fly now. I have to give it kudos for such a WTF ending.

I think that ending is meant to be ironic: Dawn finally gets the stardom/attention that she so desperatlye wants, but at this terrible cost.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

I think that ending is meant to be ironic: Dawn finally gets the stardom/attention that she so desperatlye wants, but at this terrible cost.

That kind of subtext is unheard of in current movies, much less in action movies. Would you really expect that kind of deep introspective reflection of a character in a cheesy 70s King Kong movie? Seriously, a real WTF kind of ending.

 

[Wor-Gar]

That kind of subtext is unheard of in current movies, much less in action movies. Would you really expect that kind of deep introspective reflection of a character in a cheesy 70s King Kong movie? Seriously, a real WTF kind of ending.

Yeah but, that ending is VERY 70's -- anti-social and depressing. Be careful what you wish for; questionable social values; etc. Up until Star Wars, most movies ended on a sour note, and the hero's best friend always died. To the point where it ceased to be maningful, just formulaic.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Yeah but, that ending is VERY 70's -- anti-social and depressing. Be careful what you wish for; questionable social values; etc. Up until Star Wars, most movies ended on a sour note, and the hero's best friend always died. To the point where it ceased to be maningful, just formulaic.

Good point! It's interesting that I had seen it plenty of times growing up (I remember specifically watching it on broadcast TV as an "event", maybe over 2 nights?), but that ending didn't really stand out to me until I caught it maybe 10 years ago. I just looked at it quizzically and thought, WTF?!? So you're right--I was probably accustomed to that kind of strange ending before, when I watched the movie closer to its time. But when I saw it in the context of decades of Hollywood happy endings (especially for broad appeal action movies), it was so bizarre and avant-garde!

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

Kong '76 was a bad movie. No doubt about that.

BUT.









Like I said, it is genuinely a bad movie

Fixed*

 

[Gully Foyle]

Jackman is a true showman in every sense of the word.

Yeah . . . he's Fabulous all right.





____

 

[jye4ever]

Yeah but, that ending is VERY 70's -- anti-social and depressing. Be careful what you wish for; questionable social values; etc. Up until Star Wars, most movies ended on a sour note, and the hero's best friend always died. To the point where it ceased to be maningful, just formulaic.

/\ Nice

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Fixed*

 

[Wor-Gar]

I was probably accustomed to that kind of strange ending before, when I watched the movie closer to its time. But when I saw it in the context of decades of Hollywood happy endings (especially for broad appeal action movies), it was so bizarre and avant-garde!

Yeah, I remember as a kid fully expecting for Han to die in ESB -- really die, not frozen -- and then would have bet everything that he was to die in ROTJ. All left-over expectations from years of 70's anti-happy endings.

Now its been years of the opposite, so having a tragic ending is a real downer.

I mean look at the Superman thread right now -- people outraged that Superman causes destruction to save the world.

 

[NAZGUL-KING]

Kong '76 was a bad movie. No doubt about that.

BUT.

There are some very interesting aspects to it and I have to commend them for putting in the effort.

-The premise that the expedition was sent out to look for a new source of oil. It was the height of the gas crisis in the 70s and they made good use of a topical theme.

-They used the World's Fair location in Queens to show off Kong. Makes actual sense that they would do that because the location has ample room as opposed to Manhattan.

-Kong is drawn to the WTC because it reminds him of a rock structure on his island home. Clever--it gave him a reason to climb it. It also made good use of the then newly opened WTC.

-The whole ending scene when Kong is lying on the ground dying, and you hear his heart beating, looking at Dwan (Jessica Lange's character), and the heart beat stopping, then the crowd rushes in and surrounds her, and Jeff Bridges is trying to get to her as she is calling for him. But then Jeff stops, seeing that it's hopeless to get to her, as she's drowning in the crowd, and the movie ends! What a weird, strange ending, don't you think? That ending would never fly now. I have to give it kudos for such a WTF ending.

Like I said, it is genuinely a bad movie, but there are some very interesting things in there.

Yes, looking back it was pretty bad. I was four when it came out and I totally loved that version of Kong throughout my childhood. I somehow managed to hang on to a rubber '76 King Kong (missing half an arm)and my Son now has it. I still have to give credit to Rick Baker's costume and portrayal of Kong. I also thought it very cool that they made a full sized robot Kong (as stiff looking as it was) for his break-out scene.

 

[jye4ever]

And #1 song is Because I'm Happy.

 

[Deckard]

New Lego set leaks. Poe's X-Wing and the Falcon :

Pics of 75102 Poe

 

[a-dev]

And #1 song is Because I'm Happy.

I'll bet he is. ****ing hate that song.

 

[pixletwin]

New Lego set leaks. Poe's X-Wing and the Falcon :

Pics of 75102 Poe

Looks the Falcon is

Spoiler

stolen by the ganster dude and Leech only to be recovered by Han and Chewie... Hence the "We're home" bit from the trailer..

or not.

 

[Magpie 7]

If you thought Kong (1976) was bad, Kong Lives will really **** your mind