Posted on 03/04/2012 5:16:17 PM PST by rrebo
Just saw a pre-screening of "John Carter", a new Disney movie scheduled to open on March 9. It pretty much followed the Edgar Rice Burroughs Martian books. We saw it in 3D and it was quite good. Action all the way. Pretty sure there will be sequels by the way it ended.
So, do I need to see it in a theater? I rarely see things at the movies and usually wait til they’re on ppv, but some things call for the big screen. This seems like one of those.
In fact the entire opening scene(s) are done better in the movie than in the book.
In the book John Carter had, at first, only one cause - the cause of Dejah Thoris. He tells her that he loves her, but wants nothing from her so long as he is her only source of possible rescue. That is quite heroic enough in my mind - rather than the invented cause that the Helimites were saving the planet while the Zodongans were destroying it.
John Carter was never the reluctant warrior. He would often throw himself into combat for no other reason than that he saw one skilled (and presumably heroic) opponent about to be overcome by several (who were cowardly teaming up to bring down the better man).
let’s start with .. . BEANS.
if you just don’t want to go to a theater no movie would ever be worth it.
This is one of the rare times I wanted to actually go to the movie theather to see it on the big screen.
(3d is pointless)
and then only if it is a nice newer theater.
Yeah. That and the various scenes and imprisonment escalations as they had their abortive conversation about John Carter's military career as a Virginia cavalry officer was TOO FUNNY.
“The first item on the list is BEANS.”
Also liked that they included the ERB angle and the tomb that opened from the inside only! That was direct from the book, other than the Therns (the only place in the movie I felt the Therns worked 100%) which made it more exciting and brought the story more “full circle”.
The changes from the book in the intro and resolution I thought were very well done.
The other changes as far as the arranged marriage and such - not so much.
It wasn’t a bad movie. Just not what I personally had hoped for.
FYI
“John Carter” (Disney) Opened to $30.6 million. $70.6 million overseas in 55 foreign markets.
from latimes
We don’t mind going to the Premier Theater here, it’s pricy but we go a few times a year if it’s something worth seeing on the big screen. Nice inside, expensive enough that you don’t have to deal with jerks and we always have a good time. But I wouldn’t waste it on a crummy movie.
I understand. I haven’t read the Mars books (only the Moonmaid series and very long ago). I think I should wait and see the movie first and THEN read the books, maybe then I won’t be disappointed.
if in doubt take in a matinee and make it a “date night”.
Man protecting Damsel in distress.
Damsel “surrendering” to said manly man.
Save the princess, save the world, stop the bad guys
(this is one to I will be adding to the permanent collection.)
either way you should see it if you enjoy a good adventure movie
to paraphrase for its time
(when men were men,
six legged dog things were six legged dog things,
and wormen were grateful for the above....with appologies to Douglas Addams.)
Well, I’m sorry you didn’t like the movie as much as you’d hoped. But I’m very sorry you didn’t like Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris. I actually saw the movie again tonight. I’d be happy to win her, no problem!
The scene where Carter wakes up on mars shows him surrounded by ochre moss. I agree that they needed to show scarlet swards of martian grass and other signs of agriculture—if only to establish they have the raw materials to make clothes and all those flags!
I actually bought a three-volume omnibus of the original books based on the strength of the movie. Now looking forward to seeing how they compare!
I’ll have to read some of John C. Wright’s books. I enjoyed his criticism of the movie. Unlike so many others—even critics—who can’t seem to describe their likes and dislikes with any degree of coherency or consistently, John did trouble to genuinely argue his points.
As for the good in the movie, I agree with all his points.
I honestly didn’t see all the PC nonsense that Mr. Wright saw, but I can see how political correctness may have subtly influenced the director and writers—and certainly the studio—to reign any impulses to follow the source material more closely. They either sublimated it pretty well or I need to give my PC detector a more sensitive tune-up.
...But he really prefers Suzee Pai to Lynn Collins? The same Suzee Pai who was the Penthouse centerfold? And he has the marbles to call Lynn a skank??? Whatevs. This red-blooded American male grokked both the movie and Lynn Collins!
I must say that the girl who plays Princess Dejah seems OK to me on the clips I have seen of her. She could perhaps be more red in colour, and wear a little less, but hey, Disney.
As far as John C. Wright goes, I actually got turned onto his blog a few weeks ago when I read a hate screed against him on a liberal leaning site. I ordered his first books, the “golden age” trilogy after I lightly perused all his blog, and yes there are some really well written blog entries, you gotta tip your hat to a conservative author who isn’t afraid to get into politics or religion. The libs HAAATE this guy.
He is a big fan of Jack Vance and Gene Wolfe. Which also counts a bunch in his favour, at least in my book.
So far the “Golden Age” reads like it was written in 1955, and as if a scifi master took into account what might eventually happen with computers.
Freegards
I’ll mostly watch for the six legged dog things. :)
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