Beowulf

[happyfilmluvguy]

I can't seem to find a thread on the new film but I swear I saw one before. Anyways, I just saw it this past weekend and after the amount of people that saw "300", the same sort of crowd went to this see film. It's completely computer generated and really a cartoon for grown ups. I've never read the epic poem so I didn't know much about the story behind the film. It was a fun experience to watch and I can see how close we are getting to perfect manipulation of human interaction in the cinema. Some of the film was so picture perfect, I was able to count the wrinkles and hair lines on the character's heads. That's detail.

The only issue so far that I've seen with computer animation of this quality is it's too perfect to be human. That shouldn't be an issue with seeing this movie as it's a little corny in a good way and when I saw unbelievable stunts and action, I couldn't help but laugh and enjoy it. Even though I didn't see it in 3-D, I think that's the way it should be seen. Not many 3-D movies are made and now you have the chance to see one with a lot of eye opening scenes.

If you are into action movies with a good story that doesn't get swelled up in explosions, and if you enjoyed the kind of imagery that "The Polar Express" gave to us, than you should see Beowulf.

 

[thebadmamajama]

I've read Beowulf 3 times and I don't know if I can bring myself to watch it. I fear it's an extreme case of book-better-than-the-movie. Hollywood...sometimes so great but sometimes so...what were you thinking, again, dahling?

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Whoops. Already I've misspelled something. haha. I have a feeling that there is more to the story than there is to the movie. Then again, most novel length tales are cut down to fit into a movie. I want to read it and find out.

 

[Camille]

I have to say I'm sceptic. The movie hasn't had its premiere here yet (in a few weeks, I beliave) but the trailer made it look like a computergame.

As you said, it seems to be full of the "too perfect to be human"-scenes. Those always annoyed me.

Also, most movies that are made from epic sagas are just crap, imho. Perhaps it's because I was raised with Beowulf, and to me it's so filled with wonders and mystics that I don't want it spoiled by a B-Hollywood production.

/nag

(I'm probably gonna go see it anyway, though. )

 

[scotrace]

I've read Beowulf 3 times...

That's impressive. Most people, when asked if they've read it, make a sheepish "sort of..." reply!

 

[Doctor Strange]

As an old English Major, I'm curious about the changes they've made to the story: if it were live-action, I'd already have seen it... But the CGI just looks way too bogus for me to handle.

I'll wait a few months until I can get the DVD out the library, and then I won't feel so bad about giving up fifteen minutes into it if it disappoints and creeps me out as much as I expect...

 

[deadpandiva]

It's been a while since I read Beowulf but based on the commercials the movie seams to feature Grendel's mother very prominently . I don't remember her having such a big part in the book.

 

[thebadmamajama]

That's impressive. Most people, when asked if they've read it, make a sheepish "sort of..." reply!

Haha, by the 3rd time I finally conceded that I liked it . Although, being forced by a feminist professor to write a feminist manifesto on BEOWULF was not, um, impressive.

 

[Doctor Strange]

An interesting commentary on the film by a well-known animator and animation authority. Briefly, he hated it, and not so much in terms of its allegedly state-of-the-art technique as simply lousy storytelling:

http://mayersononanimation.blogspot.com/2007/11/bo-wulf.html

 

[Benny Holiday]

Looks like the ultimate computer-generated heavy metal video, with all that Viking/Anglo-Saxon warrior jive those guys are so into. Miniature Stonehenge stage set, anyone? ha ha!

I've only seen the shorts, but if they're anything to go by . . . the acting looks Z-grade.

 

[jake_fink]

Looks like the ultimate computer-generated heavy metal video, with all that Viking/Anglo-Saxon warrior jive those guys are so into. Miniature Stonehenge stage set, anyone? ha ha!

I've only seen the shorts, but if they're anything to go by . . . the acting looks Z-grade.

Yeah, it looks awful, just hideous.

Every one of Zemeckis' films should be in that thread that just won't die, you know, the overrated movies one. Gimmicks and gimcrackery, every last one of them. This one looks particularly heinous.

Anyway, why do we need two Beowulf's in as many years?

(Well, at least this one doesn't have that Butler fellow with the big lungs)

 

[Nick D]

A group of us medievalists are going to see it tonight. I'm not sure what to expect, I actually heard good things about it from one of the PhD students here who is a hard core Anglo-Saxonist.

We have a small medieval film club that watches medieval period movies every Wednesday, last week we watched 'Beowulf and Grendel' as a sort of preparation for this week's jaunt to the cinema. This new movie couldn't possibly be as bad as B&G, could it?

I've read the poem several times as well, and I love it. There's beer and pizza after the movie, so even if it's terrible, the night will not have been in vain.

 

[thebadmamajama]

I've read the poem several times as well, and I love it. There's beer and pizza after the movie, so even if it's terrible, the night will not have been in vain.

fftopic:

Grad school and free food. One of the oddest and greatest phenomena.

 

[Hondo]

As an old English Major, I'm curious about the changes they've made to the story: if it were live-action, I'd already have seen it... But the CGI just looks way too bogus for me to handle.

I'll wait a few months until I can get the DVD out the library, and then I won't feel so bad about giving up fifteen minutes into it if it disappoints and creeps me out as much as I expect...

Thats exactly how I feel, I felt the same since "300" CGI or animation tends to leave a good and bad taste to my mouth.
Patience is virtue

 

[Quigley Brown]

I went to see it with a group the other night. I didn't think the CGI (Imagemotion) captured the facial emotions very well. The women in our group were a bit disappointed during scene where Mr. B was running around naked and there always happened to be something in the way...if you know what I mean.

 

[RetroModelSari]

Funnily my boyfriend and me watche the mvie "Beowulf and Grendel" which is an international production on original setting and we rather liked it:http://www.beowulfandgrendel.com/

Anyway we kept joking about the many many explosions and hollywood-effects it would have if made in Hollywood. A day later we watched tv and there was the commercial for the Hollywood Beowulf with tons of explosions and special effects. Judging from the trailer alone we won´t be seeing that one....

 

[Hondo]

Funnily my boyfriend and me watche the mvie "Beowulf and Grendel" which is an international production on original setting and we rather liked it:http://www.beowulfandgrendel.com/

Anyway we kept joking about the many many explosions and hollywood-effects it would have if made in Hollywood. A day later we watched tv and there was the commercial for the Hollywood Beowulf with tons of explosions and special effects. Judging from the trailer alone we won´t be seeing that one....

Now thats more like it!!! In fact awesome!!! Hollywood has gone too far with live action animations cartoonish look, once upon a time it was neat, sweet but too much! so Thank You for the link, I hope it appears in U.S. theaters soon or in DVD either way would be great.

 

[VanillaT]

I went to see it in 3D, and I must say that I really liked the 3D part. However, I didn't think that the actual movie was that good... especially because I thought it was so violent. I kept grabbing at my boyfriend's arm and telling him that there was no way this could be PG-13! I do wish they would make more all 3D movies though, that part was great... and I really do think it would get more people back into the theaters.

 

[dostacos]

my #3 son saw it in 3D and we both saw it today.

He liked it a lot {he would give it 5 stars out of 5}
He said the 3D was great BUT there were scenes in the 2D that were sharper.

I never read or saw anything re: Beowulf, so I went in with no expectations. In the beginning they were, or seemed to, not be speaking English and it was hard to figure out what was going on.

I did not like the CGI style, they did show some of the main characters' faces clear and with none or little change, other times it was obvious, mainly they could not do the teeth well and some of the arm motions just did not work.

the good news is actors do not yet need to worry about unemployment because they are making all movies on computers.

I would like to rent it IF it is in 3D otherwise I don't see myself renting it anytime soon.

I give it 3 stars {netflix score} I am old enough to remember when there were 2 movies, a cartoon, a short subject and a newsreel, THIS would have been the B movie, #2 on the bill, or #1 with a really BAD #2

Dan, not that impressed.....