News:

Welcome to our site!

Main Menu

Rate the latest movie you've seen.

Started by GalacticBusDriver, February 16, 2013, 12:37:09 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Shiranu

Mel Brooks - History of the World, Part 1

Today on things that wouldn't last 5 seconds in modern society, despite it's glaring necessity as a film that portrays Romans and their legacy on mankind in perhaps the most historically accurate light... despite being a comedy...

It's Mel Brooks; you know it's gonna be good. Particularly the amount of call-backs and slow burn jokes are truly just from an era of movie writing long past - it's not "better", it's not "worse", it's just a product of it's time.

Kinda like the almost sickening levels of sexism Mel Brooks shows in the film... but I would like to think, given his own facial expressions, that even he was sickened men actually behaved like this and was just making fun of them.

----

On that note, started rewatching Blazing Saddles and my lord... I have not heard so many n words dropped since... uh... *insert mumble rapper who rhymes black person with black person*.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Luther Martini

Quote from: Shiranu on November 19, 2022, 06:17:55 PMOn that note, started rewatching Blazing Saddles and my lord... I have not heard so many n words dropped since... uh... *insert mumble rapper who rhymes black person with black person*.

My favorite line from Blazing Saddles:  "As honorary chairman of the welcoming committee, it is my privilege to extend to you a laurel and hardy handshake."

Gawdzilla Sama

We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Hydra009

Quote from: Shiranu on November 19, 2022, 06:17:55 PMMel Brooks - History of the World, Part 1

Today on things that wouldn't last 5 seconds in modern society, despite it's glaring necessity as a film that portrays Romans and their legacy on mankind in perhaps the most historically accurate light... despite being a comedy...
My favorite gag in the Roman chase scene is where the Roman soldiers are 420 blazing and one of them asks the other:

"You care if it falls?"
"What?"
"The Roman Empire."
"Fuck it."
*laughs*

Also, if you look closely during the Roman scenes, you can see pale marble statues missing arms (deliberate anachronism)

QuoteIt's Mel Brooks; you know it's gonna be good. Particularly the amount of call-backs and slow burn jokes are truly just from an era of movie writing long past - it's not "better", it's not "worse", it's just a product of it's time.
Exactly.  It had amazing gags that absolutely would definitely be well-received if produced.  Maybe.

Though in seriousness, it's pretty strange that no one has done this sort of a historical anthology comedy since.  It wouldn't be that hard to do a Scary Movie treatment of historical events and personalities.

QuoteKinda like the almost sickening levels of sexism Mel Brooks shows in the film... but I would like to think, given his own facial expressions, that even he was sickened men actually behaved like this and was just making fun of them.
It absolutely was.  The French king in particular was quite the SOB.  "I detest violence." *shoots peasant out of the air*

Imho, his Piss Boy doppelganger, who is genuinely kind, is meant as a scathing rebuke of his character.  A lowly peasant with more humanity than the king.

Note that none of the leaders, from Torquemada to Caesar to the Senators to King Louis, are nice or well-adjusted people.

Shiranu

QuoteNote that none of the leaders, from Torquemada to Caesar to the Senators to King Louis, are nice or well-adjusted people.

Almost like inbred man-children who were pampered from birth beyond belief, and given the right to end entire villages or nations as a birthday gift at 13 aren't exactly fit to be emperor or king - even with education they mostly missed more than hit.

Can't imagine why there is tomes upon tomes, poems upon poems of people crying about how horrible monarchy is... hmm...

Nope, just cant see the connection.

QuoteThough in seriousness, it's pretty strange that no one has done this sort of a historical anthology comedy since.  It wouldn't be that hard to do a Scary Movie treatment of historical events and personalities.

I would love to do a Biblical comedy, or even a realistic drama with none of the mysticism (just setting, no lore), but given the current climate... eh...

Maybe once I have the ability to get out of the country.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Hydra009

Quote from: Shiranu on November 19, 2022, 10:32:49 PMAlmost like inbred man-children who were pampered from birth beyond belief, and given the right to end entire villages or nations as a birthday gift at 13 aren't exactly fit to be emperor or king - even with education they mostly missed more than hit.
Yep.  A lot of ink is spilled condemning the person and their personal failings, as if the Roman Emperors or the French Kings or modern dictators suffered from unique psychological problems, which if removed, would lead to just and prosperous reigns.

Much less attention is paid to the system that took a child and rewarded (or at least not punished) a LOT of misdeeds, from small to large to global, invested them with almost unlimited power, and then set them loose in the world.  The road to hell was already paved before any of these people could walk.

The world could benefit from a similar shift in perspective for current manchild billionaires and "populist" right-wing demagogues.

Shiranu

It was hard to remember if I was talking about medieval kings or the current aristocracy, to be honest.

Even on the inbreeding part...
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Cassia

Well done but depressing German fuhrerbunker docudrama movie "Downfall". Link below works for me.

https://ww6.0123movie.net/movie/downfall-10637.html



Mr.Obvious

I prefer the original title 'der untergang'
It's not dubbed, i hope?
"If we have to go down, we go down together!"
- Your mum, last night, requesting 69.

Atheist Mantis does not pray.

Gawdzilla Sama

We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Mr.Obvious

Good! Think it would lose much of it's strength otherwise.

Weird thing to translate only the title but keep the original language though.

I'm a nitpicking little bitch, i know.
"If we have to go down, we go down together!"
- Your mum, last night, requesting 69.

Atheist Mantis does not pray.

Gawdzilla Sama

I hate reading subtitles, so I didn't get very far into it.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Shiranu

The Mysteries of Chaco Canyon (1999)


I went to this place a few years ago - it's an amazing place. Walls that tower above you, like castles from Europe - 5 stories high, in a semi-circle that could have housed thousands if it was meant for that.

But it was something more special - it was part of a both solar and lunar chart that spanned dozens of miles... requiring 11 generations to study the skies, study the geometry needed to build these places, and then align them in such a way that walls align with the solar and lunar equinox.

Imagine asking someone to do that today.

Imagine what this place must have been like... 5 stories tall, likely painted or covered with carvings... it would have rivaled any cathedral, mosque, synagogue or temple you could find in the world today.

But the climate changed, and evil people likely invaded. The locals say that the people of Chaco held too much power, and this is what lead to their downfall.

Either way, something we can learn from. An amazing place, but only 1 of so many that the United States buries under landfills, shopping mall parking lots and fracking operations.

We disrespect so many, what can we expect?
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Hydra009

#6748
Just watched Avatar 1 in anticipation of Avatar 2 (a good friend of mine is a big fan, so I gave it a shot)

As this extended trailer shows, I think Avatar lays the groundwork for a fantastic PS3 game.

I'm joking of course, but I'm not exaggerating much.  I truly thought I was watching a video game movie. 

Most of the characters are flat and easily forgettable, the story is okay but incredibly derivative, and the CGI is absolutely gorgeous most of the time.  Definitely the MVP of the film.

But it bothers me that humanity is portrayed as cartoonishly sadistic and lacking empathy.  I know, I know, cue the real history where that portrayal was spot on.  But if I have to hear another macho "get some" or one more physical disability slur...

Maybe I'm one of those bleeding heart scientists or that inexplicably conscientious pilot, but I kinda feel like if we found alien life, especially intelligent alien life whose full capabilities are unknown to us, we'd be a little bit more peaceable.  If Supcom has taught me anything, it's that being nice to aliens and other humans is a good idea.

And speaking of other scifi, I can't help but feel like almost everything in Avatar was done better in other media.  A strange alien world with all sorts of exciting wildlife was done better in Alien Planet.  A positive portrayal of natives was done better in...take your pick.  And more specifically, a western outsider assimilating into the tribe and fighting back against colonial injustice was done better in Dune and District 9.  The Gaia hypothesis was done better in Endless Legend.  The ecological message was done better in Fern Gully.  Even really specific stuff like communing with the spirits of the dead under a tree was done better in A Song of Ice and Fire.

You'd think that all those shared tropes with other stuff I like would endear me to Avatar, but it just makes me appreciate that stuff even more.

One last thing that really, really bothers me about megahits like this is that they might inadvertently teach a sort of luddism.  The triple threat of industrialism, militarism, and profit motive is rightly condemned, but not a lot of care is made to make sure that the audience learns the right lessons from that.  Presumably, the audience's take-away is that industrialized civilization is inexhorably expansionist and militaristic and materialistic and a hunter-gathering is a more fulfilling, noble lifestyle and we should all smash our cars, put on loincloths, and go swing from trees.  I dunno, maybe I'm blowing certain scenes out of proportion, but I honestly did get more than a whiff of that in my viewing.

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Hydra009 on December 24, 2022, 05:52:26 AMJust watched Avatar 1 in anticipation of Avatar 2 (a good friend of mine is a big fan, so I gave it a shot)
I watched the extended (3:16ish) Avatar in prep for this one. Honestly, the second one was better than the first. I am a sucker for cetaceans.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers