Beowulf and the Third Wheel

[kitewithfish]

Watched Beowulf last night. I think that they had to push the visual aspect of the movie so much because the storyline is just pretty weak. As interpretations go, it's kind of what I would expect- there's been a greater push to show Grendel as some sort of victim in literature these days, which is perhaps just as bad a stereotype as the stuff that was originally written about him. There was some ludicrous addition of sex and magic to give credence to the amount of visual effects being used. The cyclical nature of the whole story was kind of cool, but there was just not enough plot going on. And for some reason, Beowulf's spine always seems to be flexing forward under the weight of his massive pectorals.

There were some fun points: the drinking songs of the Geats and Danes were impressively foul-mouthed, and Wiglaf's ride over the burning bridge would have been massively beautiful in any other film.

The altered nature of the shots is kind of... underwhelming when I think too much about it. Yes, they were glorious and perfectly lined up, but they were constructed. There was no skill in working with the scene to make the shot happen in a real situation: it was all put together later and then they could pick and choose. In such a situation, even a bad film maker could really get into the process and make a movie that takes your breath away.

I kind of hope the genre stops. It worked for Sin City, it worked sort of for Beowulf, but there was no point for it to even exist in Beowulf. There was just nothing going on that needed it.

Roomie watch 2008: I was subjected to yet another 3 am heart to heart between Roomie and on/off boyfriend, in which they both reiterated points from every previous conversation on the subject of their relationship that I have ever been been forced to overhear. They tend to get carried out at full volume, too. It's making me both annoyed and slightly jealous. I want sleep! I want a designated snuggle person!

Gah. Screw this. I am off to take my test.

Comments

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

The real killing thing about BEOWULF is that it was made to be seen in 3D. Having only seen it like that and not in any other format, I can attest (and have my best friend to back me up) that seeing BEOWULF 3D was one of the top two best experiences I had in a movie theater in 2007. Words cannot convey how excellent it was seeing it in 3D, with a full house on the big screen. It's an experience that will never be replicated, but still, they need to get the 3D technology working for DVD stat. Trust me, it was amazing. Like, dumbfoundingly so.

[beanie-platypus.livejournal.com]

I thought it was made for 3D (something about the number of things in the film that go *stabby stab stab* at the audience.)

It was still a very pretty movie, once you got used to the fact that everyone looked vaguely under-textured. And I thought the reinterpretation had promise, in terms of playing around with the concept of how, in order to introduce yourself and let people know who you were, you had to just lie your ass off. But I feel like there wasn't enough story to carry a whole movie.

I did heart Anthony Hopkins are drunken naked king man. My new favorite superhero.

Isn't like three in the morning for you now?

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Actually, this raises an interesting question: is there enough story in the original Beowulf poem to carry a whole movie?

At the time I wrote that, it was about 7am and I was waiting at JFK airport in NYC waiting for my connection flight from Seattle to DC. Frankly, I'm amazed it was as coherent as it was, as I'd received zero sleep on the red eye.