list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Who Framed Roger Rabbit on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Who_Framed_Roger_Rabbit/38228/default.aspx Title: Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Year: 1988
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Plot: In Robert Zemeckis's trailblazing combination of animation and live-action, Hollywood's 1940s cartoon stars are a subjugated minority, living in the ghettolike "Toontown" where their movements are sharply monitored by the human power establishment. The Toons are permitted to perform in a Cotton Club-style nightspot but are forbidden to patronize the joint. One of Toontown's leading citizens, whacked-out Roger Rabbit, is framed for the murder of human nightclub owner Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye). Private detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins), whose prejudice against Toons stems from the time that his brother was killed by a falling cartoon piano, reluctantly agrees to clear Roger of the accusation. Most of the sociopolitical undertones of the original novel were weeded out out of the 1988 film version, with emphasis shifted to its basic "evil land developer" plotline --and, more enjoyably, to a stream of eye-popping special effects. With the combined facilities of animator Richard Williams, Disney, Warner Bros., Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, and George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic, the film allows us to believe (at least for 90 minutes) that "toons" exist, and that they are capable of interacting with 3-dimensional human beings. Virtually every major cartoon character of the late 1940s shows up, with the exceptions of Felix the Cat and Popeye the Sailor, whose licensees couldn't come to terms with the producers. Of the film's newly minted Toons, the most memorable is Roger Rabbit's curvaceous bride Jessica (voiced, uncredited, by Kathleen Turner). The human element is well-represented by Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, and Joanna Cassidy; also watch for action-film producer Joel Silver as Roger Rabbit's Tex Avery-style director. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 183
Number of Lists: 62
Number of blog posts: 6
Number of discussion threads: 33
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:40:28 GMTWho Framed Roger Rabbit1988Robert ZemeckisIn <a href="/players/P___117906/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Zemeckis</a>'s trailblazing combination of animation and live-action, Hollywood's 1940s cartoon stars are a subjugated minority, living in the ghettolike "Toontown" where their movements are sharply monitored by the human power establishment. The Toons are permitted to perform in a Cotton Club-style nightspot but are forbidden to patronize the joint. One of Toontown's leading citizens, whacked-out Roger Rabbit, is framed for the murder of human nightclub owner Marvin Acme (<a href="/players/P____37199/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Stubby Kaye</a>). Private detective Eddie Valiant (<a href="/players/P____33185/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bob Hoskins</a>), whose prejudice against Toons stems from the time that his brother was killed by a falling cartoon piano, reluctantly agrees to clear Roger of the accusation. Most of the sociopolitical undertones of the original novel were weeded out out of the 1988 film version, with emphasis shifted to its basic "evil land developer" plotline --and, more enjoyably, to a stream of eye-popping special effects. With the combined facilities of animator <a href="/players/P___116898/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Richard Williams</a>, Disney, Warner Bros., <a href="/players/P___112325/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Steven Spielberg</a>'s Amblin Entertainment, and <a href="/players/P___100308/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>George Lucas</a>'s Industrial Light and Magic, the film allows us to believe (at least for 90 minutes) that "toons" exist, and that they are capable of interacting with 3-dimensional human beings. Virtually every major cartoon character of the late 1940s shows up, with the exceptions of Felix the Cat and Popeye the Sailor, whose licensees couldn't come to terms with the producers. Of the film's newly minted Toons, the most memorable is Roger Rabbit's curvaceous bride Jessica (voiced, uncredited, by <a href="/players/P____72173/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Kathleen Turner</a>). The human element is well-represented by Hoskins, <a href="/players/P____42805/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Lloyd</a>, and <a href="/players/P____11656/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Joanna Cassidy</a>; also watch for action-film producer <a href="/players/P___111476/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Joel Silver</a> as Roger Rabbit's <a href="/players/P_____2959/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Tex Avery</a>-style director. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide183Tag Target (>10)626333http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t03398txiui.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Who_Framed_Roger_Rabbit/38228/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_July_13_Whodunit/625/43035/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 7/13/2009 8:23:06 PM
Body: [quote user="mercurial"] Gosford Park is a great recent example of a whodunit. With such an amazing cast it definitely makes me miss Altman. What do you all think? [/quote] Gosford Park's one of my personal favorites. It was simply a great way to film a mystery. So much of the information you need to take in is constantly in the background. Here's a few more that came to mind: Deceiver was a good, not great whodunit style mystery with a really good performance by Tim Roth as an expert at telling lies. He is playing a very similar role on a new show that I can't remember the name of. The Spanish Prisoner is my favorite Mamet film. This one completely blew me away the first time I watched it and I really like to revisit it once every few years. Chinatown and Brick come to mind as a couple of good neo-noir mysteries with alotta flair. ( I try to make a Chinatown reference at least once a month) And who could forget Who Framed Roger Rabbit? P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-leeeeasse Eddie.. This movie reeks of cool.
]]>Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:23:06 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme7/13/2009 8:23:06 PM[quote user="mercurial"] Gosford Park is a great recent example of a whodunit. With such an amazing cast it definitely makes me miss Altman. What do you all think? [/quote] Gosford Park's one of my personal favorites. It was simply a great way to film a mystery. So much of the information you need to take in is constantly in the background. Here's a few more that came to mind: Deceiver was a good, not great whodunit style mystery with a really good performance by Tim Roth as an expert at telling lies. He is playing a very similar role on a new show that I can't remember the name of. The Spanish Prisoner is my favorite Mamet film. This one completely blew me away the first time I watched it and I really like to revisit it once every few years. Chinatown and Brick come to mind as a couple of good neo-noir mysteries with alotta flair. ( I try to make a Chinatown reference at least once a month) And who could forget Who Framed Roger Rabbit? P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-leeeeasse Eddie.. This movie reeks of cool. http://www.spout.com/blogs/the_mow/archive/2009/5/7/42100.aspx Post By: The_MOW
Post To: The_MOW Blog
Post Date: 5/7/2009 4:18:39 PM
Body: Ever wanted to see the "Looney Tunes" on the screen with "Betty Boop" (voiced by Mae Questel), then this is certainly the movie for you. However, due to some studios that loaned their characters to the movie, you won't see a few of the classic characters we love. It's the late 1940's, and "Private Detective Eddie Valiant" (Bob Hoskins) has been hired by the head of "Maroon Studios," and creator of "Maroon Cartoons," "R.K. Maroon" (Alan Tilvern) to get photographic proof of an adulterous affair between "Marvin Acme" (Stubby Kaye), creator of some of the greatest gags in cartoon history and owner of "Toontown", and popular lounge singer "Jessica Rabbit" (voiced by Kathleen Turner), the wife of popular cartoon star "Roger Rabbit" (voiced by Charles Fleischer). "Valiant" gets his proof, and shows the evidence to "Roger," who goes berserk and runs out of "Maroon's" office. The next morning, after a night of drinking, "Eddie" reads the newspaper and discovers that "Roger" has been arrested for the murder of "Acme." Now, despite his grown hatred for "Toons" since one killed his brother (Eugene Guirterrez, in his only movie role and seen in flashbacks), goes in search for "Acme's" last will and testiment that reportedly gives ownership of "Toontown" to his beloved "Toons" as he protects "Roger" from being dunked in "Dip," a chemical solution created by "Judge Doom" (Christopher Lloyd) that is the only thing known to kill "Toons." The first thing you will notice in this movie is how great the cartoon characters blend into the real world. Thanks to some robotic technology that were used to place the animated characters which interact with their human co-stars makes their reality quite convincing. The characters are also nicely animated. The animators did a great job adding shadow and other tricks to make the characters interact with real people and objects nicely. The script is nicely written. It's got great dialogue filled with some memorable lines and some fantastic one-liners that I guarantee will make you laugh. The characters, not counting "Toons," feel like they belong in a film-noir flick, which this movie gets a good chunk of inspiration from. Everything about this film, from the wardrobe to the score, nails the time the movie is set in. And the performances of all the human actors just added to the movie, as they made their performances a great tribute to 1940's movies similar to this one. The only problem I had with the film is that the version I watched was full-screen. There are numerous scenes with a lot of animated action going on that a wide-screen format would be the only way to see everything. A lot of the humor is targeted to the adult audience, but there are some jokes which target the younger members of the audience, as well as the adults. We also get to see many of the comedic bits from various cartoon characters that make a cameo in the movie that helped us grow to love them. There is very little violence, most of which is done for a laugh. But there is no blood anywhere to be seen in this film. If you want a good movie to rent this weekend, check this one out. You won't be disappointed.
]]>Thu, 07 May 2009 20:18:39 GMTThe_MOWThe_MOW Blog5/7/2009 4:18:39 PMEver wanted to see the "Looney Tunes" on the screen with "Betty Boop" (voiced by Mae Questel), then this is certainly the movie for you. However, due to some studios that loaned their characters to the movie, you won't see a few of the classic characters we love. It's the late 1940's, and "Private Detective Eddie Valiant" (Bob Hoskins) has been hired by the head of "Maroon Studios," and creator of "Maroon Cartoons," "R.K. Maroon" (Alan Tilvern) to get photographic proof of an adulterous affair between "Marvin Acme" (Stubby Kaye), creator of some of the greatest gags in cartoon history and owner of "Toontown", and popular lounge singer "Jessica Rabbit" (voiced by Kathleen Turner), the wife of popular cartoon star "Roger Rabbit" (voiced by Charles Fleischer). "Valiant" gets his proof, and shows the evidence to "Roger," who goes berserk and runs out of "Maroon's" office. The next morning, after a night of drinking, "Eddie" reads the newspaper and discovers that "Roger" has been arrested for the murder of "Acme." Now, despite his grown hatred for "Toons" since one killed his brother (Eugene Guirterrez, in his only movie role and seen in flashbacks), goes in search for "Acme's" last will and testiment that reportedly gives ownership of "Toontown" to his beloved "Toons" as he protects "Roger" from being dunked in "Dip," a chemical solution created by "Judge Doom" (Christopher Lloyd) that is the only thing known to kill "Toons." The first thing you will notice in this movie is how great the cartoon characters blend into the real world. Thanks to some robotic technology that were used to place the animated characters which interact with their human co-stars makes their reality quite convincing. The characters are also nicely animated. The animators did a great job adding shadow and other tricks to make the characters interact with real people and objects nicely. The script is nicely written. It's got great dialogue filled with some memorable lines and some fantastic one-liners that I guarantee will make you laugh. The characters, not counting "Toons," feel like they belong in a film-noir flick, which this movie gets a good chunk of inspiration from. Everything about this film, from the wardrobe to the score, nails the time the movie is set in. And the performances of all the human actors just added to the movie, as they made their performances a great tribute to 1940's movies similar to this one. The only problem I had with the film is that the version I watched was full-screen. There are numerous scenes with a lot of animated action going on that a wide-screen format would be the only way to see everything. A lot of the humor is targeted to the adult audience, but there are some jokes which target the younger members of the audience, as well as the adults. We also get to see many of the comedic bits from various cartoon characters that make a cameo in the movie that helped us grow to love them. There is very little violence, most of which is done for a laugh. But there is no blood anywhere to be seen in this film. If you want a good movie to rent this weekend, check this one out. You won't be disappointed. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/3/10/40945.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/10/2009 6:01:08 PM
Body: If you buy the kids only one new video release this week, make it Pinocchio. Obviously. But if you have enough spending money to buy two, pick up Howard the Duck as well. Finally on DVD in America (with a Special Edition no less), the infamous flop is anything but a great film. Yet it is hardly one of the worst films of the 1980s, despite its reputation. For the past 23 years, I’ve stood by my childhood love for Howard the Duck, constantly acknowledging that I even owned Ellis Weiner’s novelization of the film. Technically, the best reason to defend the movie’s existence is that it directly led to the creation of Pixar. But this reason doesn’t influence anyone to watch the thing. So, in order to defend the movie’s onscreen worth, I’ve come up with ten points for why you should pick up the new Howard the Duck disc and not feel at all guilty about doing so. 1. It’s No Longer the Worst Lucasfilm Production Take your pick — there’s The Phantom Menace or there’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, either of which could certainly take the prize for being the worst movie to come from George Lucas in his 40 years producing films. Well, maybe not worse than More American Graffiti. But both films were far bigger creative and franchise disappointments than Howard the Duck (financial success is another story, of course), and so they have a relative sort of wretchedness that places them in the bottom of Lucas’ Sarlacc pit of a career. Even if you’re one of those defend-to-the-end Star Wars fanboys who will argue the pros of Menace, at least then consider Willow to be worse than Howard the Duck. The blatant Lord of the Rings rip-off has its historical relevance, but looking back on it now, it’s even more dated than Howard. And regardless of how groundbreaking it was, Willow’s visual effects don’t hold up quite as well as Howard’s old-fashioned, and oft-celebrated craftsmanship. But that’s another point… 2.  The Special Effects Are Technically Brilliant Those of us who prefer go-motion and other non-CGI effects work will always pay respect to ILM’s achievements on Howard the Duck, particularly their efforts with the Dark Overlord creature in the movie’s final act. People unfortunately tend to focus on the $2 million duck suit (see point #3), but even then Howard didn’t deserve its Razzie for Worst Visual Effects. To compare it to digital creatures, the monster would fit in just fine in either of the Men in Black movies. And for its own time, it was a magnificent creation. So it existed alongside a silly costumed creature in an overpriced B-movie, it still deserved an Oscar nomination for F/X in 1987, a year the Academy recognized Little Shop of Horrors and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (and incomparable winner Aliens). 3. The Duck Suit is Still Better Than Most CGI Those of us who grew up with Muppets, Chewbacca and other non-computer-generated fantasy creatures had no problem with Howard the Duck’s titular fowl being represented as a dwarf in a duck suit. The issue with the effect, though, is that allegedly Lucas had wanted Howard to be a CG creation, but the technology just wasn’t there yet. So, costumes and robotics, all of which reportedly cost $2 million, were viewed as a relative disappointment. But think of how few great CG characters there have been in the past 20 years, and then seriously attempt to argue that Howard would have been any better if made in the years of CGI supremacy. Now, also remember that 1986 was a year that gave us fine puppetry, costumed dwarfs and robotics like that found in Labyrinth (also a Lucasfilm production), Little Shop of Horrors, Legend, Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator, Troll (sure, why not?) and, yes, Howard the Duck. So really, the only thing disappointing about the duck suit is that it doesn’t really look like the comic book character upon which it’s based. Of course, it’s not likely that a CG version of Howard would have been any more faithful. 4. Parallels, Puns and Playful Philosophy Some fans of the original Howard the Duck comics could argue that the duck suit is hardly the worst offense of unfaithfulness. Other complaints might be the alteration of Beverly’s career or the occasional sacrifice of the comic’s tone in order to pander to younger audiences. But real sticklers may take issue with Howard’s origin, the inclusion of Duckworld (which did come from the comics but wasn’t Howard creator Steve Gerber’s idea of what the character’s home world was like) and the punny parallels that came with it. Yet for those of us who love corny jokes and puns, the idea of an alternate world where everything’s the same, just with descendants of ducks rather than apes, is a lot of fun. It’s the same appreciation that allowed me to enjoy the ska scene and the similarly parallel worlds of The Flintstones and Dinosaurs and the parodies in MAD Magazine. In the first few minutes, we get treated to the following cheesy but delicious sight and audio gags: a Rolling Egg magazine, a Playduck magazine, movie posters for “Splahsdance,” “Breeders of the Lost Stork” and My Little Chickadee (starring W.C. Fowls and Mae Nest), and commercials for feather fungus treatment and the Crazy Eddie spoof “Crazy Webby.” This, plus the opening credit narration and theory of Duckworld evolution were enjoyable to a kid in the midst of learning about Darwin and pondering the existence of alternate worlds. 5. Jeffrey Jones as Dr. Jenning/Dark Overlord Between Howard the Duck and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Jeffrey Jones was one of the biggest and best villains of the summer of ‘86. For kids, anyway. But even adults recognized the quality of Jones’ performance in Howard, as Dr. Jenning, the scientist who becomes possessed by the Dark Overlord. To cult audiences, he may have seemed like just another Dr. Lizardo/Lord Worfin (of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), but while John Lithgow was fine and nutty, Jones is much creepier and much, much more evil, even when he finds time to be deadpan hilarious during the greatest scene in the film, in the “cajun sushi” diner. 6. The Diner Scene Although it’s mostly thanks to Jones that this scene is so memorable, it’s not just his performance alone that makes it so terrific. Every time I watch the movie, I look forward to the entire episode, from Jones/Jenning/Dark Overlord’s exposition to the waitress’ interactions with the “family” to Howard’s pie and quack-fu fight with a bunch of rednecks. And I will always recommend the movie for this scene alone. It includes a lot of disturbing elements, such as Beverly’s claim that she’s Howard’s girlfriend and the angry mob’s desire to kill and cook a talking duck man, that might have worked better had Howard been represented as an animated character rather than a guy in a suit (bestiality and homicide is just fine in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Looney Tunes cartoons), but it’s also one of the weirdest and funniest scenes from any comic book adaptation ever. 7. Lea Thompson as Beverly Switzler I would go so far as to argue that Lea Thompson’s crimped-haired Beverly is the hottest female comic book character come to (cinematic) life, but that is certainly subjective. Plenty of people probably prefer Kirsten Dunst, Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, Michelle Pfeiffer, Pamela Anderson or even Margot Kidder. But Thompson is definitely in there as one of the greatest physical incarnations of a comic book femme d’ fantasy, and the scene where she goes to bed with Howard wearing barely a bit of lingerie (as creepy as the scene is infamous for being) is up there with Dunst’s wet tshirt/upside-down kiss in Spider-Man and any of Pfeiffer’s bondage-bound Catwoman scenes in Batman Returns as one of the hottest moments from any comic book adaptation ever. 8. Cherry Bomb and the Howard the Duck soundtrack Beverly may not have been a rocker in the comics, but this was the 1980s, and you had to have a great synthpop soundtrack, so the character was given a change in career as the leader of a Runaways-inspired band called Cherry Bomb. And for having beaten out more musical contenders for the role, including The Go-Go’s Belinda Carlisle and Tori Amos (then of Y Can’t Tori Read), Lea Thompson does quite well singing such catchy tunes as “Howard the Duck” and “Hunger City.” Cherry Bomb’s music also had some help from Thomas Dolby, George Clinton, Joe Walsh and Stevie Wonder. As for the rest of the soundtrack, Oscar-winning composer John Barry (Out of Africa; the James Bond films) contributes a very fine score. 9. It’s For Kids Because everyone always defends the Star Wars prequels as being for kids, as if that’s really an excuse for faulty filmmaking, I’m going to do the same here. But to do that, I guess I have to also defend the idea that it is indeed a movie for kids. Watching the thing, it’s hard to tell, because there is a lot of content and humor that only adults can or should appreciate, and certainly one of the biggest criticisms with the movie is it’s fluctuations between wanting to be a biting, sarcastic comic book adaptation for older audiences and fans of the source and needing to be a silly movie for kids. But for all the duck nudity, sexuality and other material better suited to mature audiences, there’s not really anything harmful to a kid, and there’s millions of us ‘80s children who grew up okay to prove it. So, while you adults may not be able to enjoy Howard the Duck anymore, even as a nostalgic artifact, your kids will probably like it as much as you used to. 10. It’s Not Redundant Unlike some comic book adaptations, Howard the Duck isn’t a straight lift from the pages of the source material, and it’s better off for it. Some fans of the comic may be annoyed with Howard’s appearance or Beverly’s occupation or the absence of any of Howard’s usual foes, but those of us who saw the movie first can appreciate the differences, because these allow for a better introduction to and curiosity about the comic. In a way, it’s to the original Marvel series as The Incredibles is to the graphic novel of Watchmen (though it’s certainly not anywhere near as smart nor well-crafted as The Incredibles). Now, if you still aren’t sure whether or not you should get the DVD, watch some (or all) of the movie on Hulu: Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:01:08 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/10/2009 6:01:08 PMIf you buy the kids only one new video release this week, make it Pinocchio. Obviously. But if you have enough spending money to buy two, pick up Howard the Duck as well. Finally on DVD in America (with a Special Edition no less), the infamous flop is anything but a great film. Yet it is hardly one of the worst films of the 1980s, despite its reputation. For the past 23 years, I’ve stood by my childhood love for Howard the Duck, constantly acknowledging that I even owned Ellis Weiner’s novelization of the film. Technically, the best reason to defend the movie’s existence is that it directly led to the creation of Pixar. But this reason doesn’t influence anyone to watch the thing. So, in order to defend the movie’s onscreen worth, I’ve come up with ten points for why you should pick up the new Howard the Duck disc and not feel at all guilty about doing so. 1. It’s No Longer the Worst Lucasfilm Production Take your pick — there’s The Phantom Menace or there’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, either of which could certainly take the prize for being the worst movie to come from George Lucas in his 40 years producing films. Well, maybe not worse than More American Graffiti. But both films were far bigger creative and franchise disappointments than Howard the Duck (financial success is another story, of course), and so they have a relative sort of wretchedness that places them in the bottom of Lucas’ Sarlacc pit of a career. Even if you’re one of those defend-to-the-end Star Wars fanboys who will argue the pros of Menace, at least then consider Willow to be worse than Howard the Duck. The blatant Lord of the Rings rip-off has its historical relevance, but looking back on it now, it’s even more dated than Howard. And regardless of how groundbreaking it was, Willow’s visual effects don’t hold up quite as well as Howard’s old-fashioned, and oft-celebrated craftsmanship. But that’s another point… 2.  The Special Effects Are Technically Brilliant Those of us who prefer go-motion and other non-CGI effects work will always pay respect to ILM’s achievements on Howard the Duck, particularly their efforts with the Dark Overlord creature in the movie’s final act. People unfortunately tend to focus on the $2 million duck suit (see point #3), but even then Howard didn’t deserve its Razzie for Worst Visual Effects. To compare it to digital creatures, the monster would fit in just fine in either of the Men in Black movies. And for its own time, it was a magnificent creation. So it existed alongside a silly costumed creature in an overpriced B-movie, it still deserved an Oscar nomination for F/X in 1987, a year the Academy recognized Little Shop of Horrors and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (and incomparable winner Aliens). 3. The Duck Suit is Still Better Than Most CGI Those of us who grew up with Muppets, Chewbacca and other non-computer-generated fantasy creatures had no problem with Howard the Duck’s titular fowl being represented as a dwarf in a duck suit. The issue with the effect, though, is that allegedly Lucas had wanted Howard to be a CG creation, but the technology just wasn’t there yet. So, costumes and robotics, all of which reportedly cost $2 million, were viewed as a relative disappointment. But think of how few great CG characters there have been in the past 20 years, and then seriously attempt to argue that Howard would have been any better if made in the years of CGI supremacy. Now, also remember that 1986 was a year that gave us fine puppetry, costumed dwarfs and robotics like that found in Labyrinth (also a Lucasfilm production), Little Shop of Horrors, Legend, Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator, Troll (sure, why not?) and, yes, Howard the Duck. So really, the only thing disappointing about the duck suit is that it doesn’t really look like the comic book character upon which it’s based. Of course, it’s not likely that a CG version of Howard would have been any more faithful. 4. Parallels, Puns and Playful Philosophy Some fans of the original Howard the Duck comics could argue that the duck suit is hardly the worst offense of unfaithfulness. Other complaints might be the alteration of Beverly’s career or the occasional sacrifice of the comic’s tone in order to pander to younger audiences. But real sticklers may take issue with Howard’s origin, the inclusion of Duckworld (which did come from the comics but wasn’t Howard creator Steve Gerber’s idea of what the character’s home world was like) and the punny parallels that came with it. Yet for those of us who love corny jokes and puns, the idea of an alternate world where everything’s the same, just with descendants of ducks rather than apes, is a lot of fun. It’s the same appreciation that allowed me to enjoy the ska scene and the similarly parallel worlds of The Flintstones and Dinosaurs and the parodies in MAD Magazine. In the first few minutes, we get treated to the following cheesy but delicious sight and audio gags: a Rolling Egg magazine, a Playduck magazine, movie posters for “Splahsdance,” “Breeders of the Lost Stork” and My Little Chickadee (starring W.C. Fowls and Mae Nest), and commercials for feather fungus treatment and the Crazy Eddie spoof “Crazy Webby.” This, plus the opening credit narration and theory of Duckworld evolution were enjoyable to a kid in the midst of learning about Darwin and pondering the existence of alternate worlds. 5. Jeffrey Jones as Dr. Jenning/Dark Overlord Between Howard the Duck and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Jeffrey Jones was one of the biggest and best villains of the summer of ‘86. For kids, anyway. But even adults recognized the quality of Jones’ performance in Howard, as Dr. Jenning, the scientist who becomes possessed by the Dark Overlord. To cult audiences, he may have seemed like just another Dr. Lizardo/Lord Worfin (of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), but while John Lithgow was fine and nutty, Jones is much creepier and much, much more evil, even when he finds time to be deadpan hilarious during the greatest scene in the film, in the “cajun sushi” diner. 6. The Diner Scene Although it’s mostly thanks to Jones that this scene is so memorable, it’s not just his performance alone that makes it so terrific. Every time I watch the movie, I look forward to the entire episode, from Jones/Jenning/Dark Overlord’s exposition to the waitress’ interactions with the “family” to Howard’s pie and quack-fu fight with a bunch of rednecks. And I will always recommend the movie for this scene alone. It includes a lot of disturbing elements, such as Beverly’s claim that she’s Howard’s girlfriend and the angry mob’s desire to kill and cook a talking duck man, that might have worked better had Howard been represented as an animated character rather than a guy in a suit (bestiality and homicide is just fine in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Looney Tunes cartoons), but it’s also one of the weirdest and funniest scenes from any comic book adaptation ever. 7. Lea Thompson as Beverly Switzler I would go so far as to argue that Lea Thompson’s crimped-haired Beverly is the hottest female comic book character come to (cinematic) life, but that is certainly subjective. Plenty of people probably prefer Kirsten Dunst, Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, Michelle Pfeiffer, Pamela Anderson or even Margot Kidder. But Thompson is definitely in there as one of the greatest physical incarnations of a comic book femme d’ fantasy, and the scene where she goes to bed with Howard wearing barely a bit of lingerie (as creepy as the scene is infamous for being) is up there with Dunst’s wet tshirt/upside-down kiss in Spider-Man and any of Pfeiffer’s bondage-bound Catwoman scenes in Batman Returns as one of the hottest moments from any comic book adaptation ever. 8. Cherry Bomb and the Howard the Duck soundtrack Beverly may not have been a rocker in the comics, but this was the 1980s, and you had to have a great synthpop soundtrack, so the character was given a change in career as the leader of a Runaways-inspired band called Cherry Bomb. And for having beaten out more musical contenders for the role, including The Go-Go’s Belinda Carlisle and Tori Amos (then of Y Can’t Tori Read), Lea Thompson does quite well singing such catchy tunes as “Howard the Duck” and “Hunger City.” Cherry Bomb’s music also had some help from Thomas Dolby, George Clinton, Joe Walsh and Stevie Wonder. As for the rest of the soundtrack, Oscar-winning composer John Barry (Out of Africa; the James Bond films) contributes a very fine score. 9. It’s For Kids Because everyone always defends the Star Wars prequels as being for kids, as if that’s really an excuse for faulty filmmaking, I’m going to do the same here. But to do that, I guess I have to also defend the idea that it is indeed a movie for kids. Watching the thing, it’s hard to tell, because there is a lot of content and humor that only adults can or should appreciate, and certainly one of the biggest criticisms with the movie is it’s fluctuations between wanting to be a biting, sarcastic comic book adaptation for older audiences and fans of the source and needing to be a silly movie for kids. But for all the duck nudity, sexuality and other material better suited to mature audiences, there’s not really anything harmful to a kid, and there’s millions of us ‘80s children who grew up okay to prove it. So, while you adults may not be able to enjoy Howard the Duck anymore, even as a nostalgic artifact, your kids will probably like it as much as you used to. 10. It’s Not Redundant Unlike some comic book adaptations, Howard the Duck isn’t a straight lift from the pages of the source material, and it’s better off for it. Some fans of the comic may be annoyed with Howard’s appearance or Beverly’s occupation or the absence of any of Howard’s usual foes, but those of us who saw the movie first can appreciate the differences, because these allow for a better introduction to and curiosity about the comic. In a way, it’s to the original Marvel series as The Incredibles is to the graphic novel of Watchmen (though it’s certainly not anywhere near as smart nor well-crafted as The Incredibles). Now, if you still aren’t sure whether or not you should get the DVD, watch some (or all) of the movie on Hulu: Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_What_is_your_favorite_movie_where_live_action_c/657/40172/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: dj4our
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 2/2/2009 6:07:31 PM
Body: I'm suprised The Three Caballeros doesn't get enough love. That movie is just bugnuts crazy! DAVID [quote user="Risselada"] Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Bedknobs and BroomsticksCool WorldThe Incredible Mr. LimpetLooney Tunes: Back in ActionMary PoppinsPete's DragonSo Dear to My HeartSong of the SouthSpace JamThe Three CaballerosWho Framed Roger Rabbit [/quote]
]]>Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:07:31 GMTdj4ourMovie Polls2/2/2009 6:07:31 PMI'm suprised The Three Caballeros doesn't get enough love. That movie is just bugnuts crazy! DAVID [quote user="Risselada"] Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Bedknobs and BroomsticksCool WorldThe Incredible Mr. LimpetLooney Tunes: Back in ActionMary PoppinsPete's DragonSo Dear to My HeartSong of the SouthSpace JamThe Three CaballerosWho Framed Roger Rabbit [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_What_is_your_favorite_movie_where_live_action_c/657/40149/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 2/2/2009 1:11:44 PM
Body: I'm not surprised that Who Framed Roger Rabbit is currently winning by a landslide. It's certainly my favorite too. Check out my blog: Who Framed Roger Rabbit Pete's Dragon is one of my favorites as well (so kudos to whoever voted for it!), but the animation isn't nearly as extensive as some of the other films I'd say. I'm interested by Merc declaring Cool World as his favorite. I've been pretty curious to see it even though it received mostly pretty harsh reviews.
]]>Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:11:44 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls2/2/2009 1:11:44 PMI'm not surprised that Who Framed Roger Rabbit is currently winning by a landslide. It's certainly my favorite too. Check out my blog: Who Framed Roger Rabbit Pete's Dragon is one of my favorites as well (so kudos to whoever voted for it!), but the animation isn't nearly as extensive as some of the other films I'd say. I'm interested by Merc declaring Cool World as his favorite. I've been pretty curious to see it even though it received mostly pretty harsh reviews. http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_What_is_your_favorite_movie_where_live_action_c/657/39993/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 1/27/2009 6:16:55 PM
Body: This is a hard one. The first of these I remember watching is Song of the South and I loved it (being completely ignorant of the utterly racist undertones throughout the film). I still find myself sometimes whistling Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Mary Poppins was one of those staples in my childhood film diet that I could watch over and over and over. But I never really cared for the animated sequence part of the film. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was the first movie I remember being amazed at the combination of animated characters with real actors and it all being so flawless. But ultimately I have to choose Cool World. It was my first exposure to Brad Pitt and Kim Basinger and the first pseudo pornography I'd ever seen. It's just a batsh*t crazy movie that most parents at the time let their kids watch without taking the time to realize what an adult movie it actually is.
]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:16:55 GMTmercurialMovie Polls1/27/2009 6:16:55 PMThis is a hard one. The first of these I remember watching is Song of the South and I loved it (being completely ignorant of the utterly racist undertones throughout the film). I still find myself sometimes whistling Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Mary Poppins was one of those staples in my childhood film diet that I could watch over and over and over. But I never really cared for the animated sequence part of the film. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was the first movie I remember being amazed at the combination of animated characters with real actors and it all being so flawless. But ultimately I have to choose Cool World. It was my first exposure to Brad Pitt and Kim Basinger and the first pseudo pornography I'd ever seen. It's just a batsh*t crazy movie that most parents at the time let their kids watch without taking the time to realize what an adult movie it actually is. http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/What_is_your_favorite_movie_where_live_action_char/657/39979/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 1/27/2009 3:42:17 PM
Body: Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Bedknobs and BroomsticksCool WorldThe Incredible Mr. LimpetLooney Tunes: Back in ActionMary PoppinsPete's DragonSo Dear to My HeartSong of the SouthSpace JamThe Three CaballerosWho Framed Roger Rabbit
]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:42:17 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls1/27/2009 3:42:17 PMPlease reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Bedknobs and BroomsticksCool WorldThe Incredible Mr. LimpetLooney Tunes: Back in ActionMary PoppinsPete's DragonSo Dear to My HeartSong of the SouthSpace JamThe Three CaballerosWho Framed Roger Rabbit http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/1/9/39324.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 1/9/2009 3:31:31 PM
Body: Who Framed Roger Rabbit This has always been one of my favorite movies ever since I saw it when it first came out in the theater (one of my earlier and favorite movie theater memories). Since then I have seen it more times than I could possibly remember well enough to count. I like using the words "contrast" and "context" when talking about movies (or talking about all kinds of things for that matter). This is the movie that always comes to mind first when I think about how much I like those words. The consists of my favorite historical film genres thrown together: film-noir and zany cartoons. Both of these genres reached their pinnacle around the same time I'd argue, somewhere between the mid 1940s to the mid 1950s. They sprung out of the same Hollywood in the same era, reflections of different aspects of the same American culture. But they are in may ways seemingly completely opposite in tone and attitude. Film-noir is often menacing and scary while classic cartoons are silly and funny. Film-noir is often very gritty and realistic (although yes also stylistic in many ways) while classic cartoons are exaggerated and have hilarious slap-stick violence where all the injuries are cartoonish and thus amusing rather than gut wrenching. Film-noir is often dark or stark in appearance, usually in black and white or with heavy shadows while cartoons are flowing and colorful. When you put a film-noir character in a zany cartoon world or a cartoon character in a film-noir world it adds a flavor of menace or danger to acts that would normally be comedic or laughable. Or it may cause you to find humor in a situation that would normally seem to be dark and grim. These are only some of the dimensions. Both of the genres are so fleshed out that if you are a fan of both genres this movie really brings a fuller range of emotion to a bigger world than either of them could either create on their own. Yes I'm gushing here, but this movie brings out the perfect king of ying and yang that I get out of my favorite films. It has to be the right king of ying and the right kind of yang though. If you are fans of either of these genres and you've actually never seen this gem before please do yourself a favor and see it soon! And has anyone out there actually ever read the original novel this was based on? Who Censored Roger Rabbit? I read that one is based more on comic strip characters over cartoons and is a lot more crass. Can anyone who has read it and also loves this movie recommend it? Rating: 10/10
]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:31:31 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog1/9/2009 3:31:31 PMWho Framed Roger Rabbit This has always been one of my favorite movies ever since I saw it when it first came out in the theater (one of my earlier and favorite movie theater memories). Since then I have seen it more times than I could possibly remember well enough to count. I like using the words "contrast" and "context" when talking about movies (or talking about all kinds of things for that matter). This is the movie that always comes to mind first when I think about how much I like those words. The consists of my favorite historical film genres thrown together: film-noir and zany cartoons. Both of these genres reached their pinnacle around the same time I'd argue, somewhere between the mid 1940s to the mid 1950s. They sprung out of the same Hollywood in the same era, reflections of different aspects of the same American culture. But they are in may ways seemingly completely opposite in tone and attitude. Film-noir is often menacing and scary while classic cartoons are silly and funny. Film-noir is often very gritty and realistic (although yes also stylistic in many ways) while classic cartoons are exaggerated and have hilarious slap-stick violence where all the injuries are cartoonish and thus amusing rather than gut wrenching. Film-noir is often dark or stark in appearance, usually in black and white or with heavy shadows while cartoons are flowing and colorful. When you put a film-noir character in a zany cartoon world or a cartoon character in a film-noir world it adds a flavor of menace or danger to acts that would normally be comedic or laughable. Or it may cause you to find humor in a situation that would normally seem to be dark and grim. These are only some of the dimensions. Both of the genres are so fleshed out that if you are a fan of both genres this movie really brings a fuller range of emotion to a bigger world than either of them could either create on their own. Yes I'm gushing here, but this movie brings out the perfect king of ying and yang that I get out of my favorite films. It has to be the right king of ying and the right kind of yang though. If you are fans of either of these genres and you've actually never seen this gem before please do yourself a favor and see it soon! And has anyone out there actually ever read the original novel this was based on? Who Censored Roger Rabbit? I read that one is based more on comic strip characters over cartoons and is a lot more crass. Can anyone who has read it and also loves this movie recommend it? Rating: 10/10 http://www.spout.com/groups/The_Imagination_of_Fantasy/Re_The_Best_Fantasy/47/38868/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: The Imagination of Fantasy
Post Date: 12/26/2008 9:31:00 PM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] I had to check your list to see how broadly you classified a movie as being fantasy. I see you put Groundhog Day on there which really doesn't have a lot of fantastical elements other than one basic anomaly that causes him to keep reliving the same day over and over. Other than that, each day is actually pretty normal without any magic or strange creatures or fantastical geography. So it's kind of hard for me to determine in my mind which movies that have some fantastical element are fantastic enough to be considered "fantasy" Here are a few good ones though: Ugetsu Monogatari - although ghosts aren't that uncommon in East Asian storytelling. I think more people have historically considered them a part of reality more than in the west. The Devil and Daniel Webster - again, how real this is may depend on your belief in the spritual world, but mostly it's an alegory. Groundhog Day / It's a Wonderful Life - Groundhog Day is a great movie, and if we are going to include that, I think we should inclued It's a Wonderful Life too. The Seventh Seal - I guess it looks like most of my absolute favorites feature spiritual or ghostly elements. Here we have Death personified. Star Wars - the whole first trilogy of course! No Such Thing - kind of an exploration of fantasy and monsters and why the human race needs or no longer needs these characters Who Framed Roger Rabbit All of Miyazaki's movies Stalker - Stunning! Sleepy Hollow / Beetlejuice - some of my favorite Tim Burton fantasy Shoot, I'm going over 10. Let me list a couple more: Alice in Wonderland, The Sword in the Stone, Pete's Dragon, The Green Mile, Time Bandits, Hellboy, The Thief of Bagdad [/quote] Ah, but see in our Fantasy group, it's not all about dragons and magic and elves and unicorns and things. If you'll notice, the other lists include topics like "What If?" movies because, basically, if you're imagining an answer to a "what if?" that could take on many shapes and sizes, you're engaging in fantasy. Case in point: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, just released, imagines a what if scenario asking the question "what if a person is born old and grows young?" Maybe that's too obvious, though. Groundhog Day imagines, "What if you were stuck in the same day over and over again, what would happen or what would you do." Similarly, It's a Wonderful Life imagines, "What if you were never born?" Those are all questions that involve flights of imagination, and fantasy. Note dictionary.com's uber-available definition (noun form only): fan⋅ta⋅sy   /ˈfæntəsi, -zi/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [fan-tuh-see, -zee] Show IPA Pronunciation noun, plural -sies, verb, -sied, -sy⋅ing. –noun 1. imagination, esp. when extravagant and unrestrained. 2. the forming of mental images, esp. wondrous or strange fancies; imaginative conceptualizing. 3. a mental image, esp. when unreal or fantastic; vision: a nightmare fantasy. 4. Psychology. an imagined or conjured up sequence fulfilling a psychological need; daydream. 5. a hallucination. 6. a supposition based on no solid foundation; visionary idea; illusion: dreams of Utopias and similar fantasies. 7. caprice; whim. 8. an ingenious or fanciful thought, design, or invention. 9. Also, fantasia. Literature. an imaginative or fanciful work, esp. one dealing with supernatural or unnatural events or characters: The stories of Poe are fantasies of horror. Besides, the AFI validates Groundhog Day and It's a Wonderful Life on these fronts, if you have any truck with them: http://www.afi.com/10top10/fantasy.html So, yes, this is a long-winded way of saying let's include them, we like it all here, but you did go over 10. Can you limit your list and pick the absolute 10 best fantasy films from your nominations? I know it'll be a challenge, but I'm going to hold myself to that too! If you can't, that's ok, but there's a method to the madness...:-)
]]>Sat, 27 Dec 2008 02:31:00 GMTpippin06The Imagination of Fantasy12/26/2008 9:31:00 PM[quote user="Risselada"] I had to check your list to see how broadly you classified a movie as being fantasy. I see you put Groundhog Day on there which really doesn't have a lot of fantastical elements other than one basic anomaly that causes him to keep reliving the same day over and over. Other than that, each day is actually pretty normal without any magic or strange creatures or fantastical geography. So it's kind of hard for me to determine in my mind which movies that have some fantastical element are fantastic enough to be considered "fantasy" Here are a few good ones though: Ugetsu Monogatari - although ghosts aren't that uncommon in East Asian storytelling. I think more people have historically considered them a part of reality more than in the west. The Devil and Daniel Webster - again, how real this is may depend on your belief in the spritual world, but mostly it's an alegory. Groundhog Day / It's a Wonderful Life - Groundhog Day is a great movie, and if we are going to include that, I think we should inclued It's a Wonderful Life too. The Seventh Seal - I guess it looks like most of my absolute favorites feature spiritual or ghostly elements. Here we have Death personified. Star Wars - the whole first trilogy of course! No Such Thing - kind of an exploration of fantasy and monsters and why the human race needs or no longer needs these characters Who Framed Roger Rabbit All of Miyazaki's movies Stalker - Stunning! Sleepy Hollow / Beetlejuice - some of my favorite Tim Burton fantasy Shoot, I'm going over 10. Let me list a couple more: Alice in Wonderland, The Sword in the Stone, Pete's Dragon, The Green Mile, Time Bandits, Hellboy, The Thief of Bagdad [/quote] Ah, but see in our Fantasy group, it's not all about dragons and magic and elves and unicorns and things. If you'll notice, the other lists include topics like "What If?" movies because, basically, if you're imagining an answer to a "what if?" that could take on many shapes and sizes, you're engaging in fantasy. Case in point: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, just released, imagines a what if scenario asking the question "what if a person is born old and grows young?" Maybe that's too obvious, though. Groundhog Day imagines, "What if you were stuck in the same day over and over again, what would happen or what would you do." Similarly, It's a Wonderful Life imagines, "What if you were never born?" Those are all questions that involve flights of imagination, and fantasy. Note dictionary.com's uber-available definition (noun form only): fan&sdot;ta&sdot;sy&ensp; &ensp;/ˈf&aelig;ntəsi, -zi/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [fan-tuh-see, -zee] Show IPA Pronunciation noun, plural -sies, verb, -sied, -sy&sdot;ing. &ndash;noun 1. imagination, esp. when extravagant and unrestrained. 2. the forming of mental images, esp. wondrous or strange fancies; imaginative conceptualizing. 3. a mental image, esp. when unreal or fantastic; vision: a nightmare fantasy. 4. Psychology. an imagined or conjured up sequence fulfilling a psychological need; daydream. 5. a hallucination. 6. a supposition based on no solid foundation; visionary idea; illusion: dreams of Utopias and similar fantasies. 7. caprice; whim. 8. an ingenious or fanciful thought, design, or invention. 9. Also, fantasia. Literature. an imaginative or fanciful work, esp. one dealing with supernatural or unnatural events or characters: The stories of Poe are fantasies of horror. Besides, the AFI validates Groundhog Day and It's a Wonderful Life on these fronts, if you have any truck with them: http://www.afi.com/10top10/fantasy.html So, yes, this is a long-winded way of saying let's include them, we like it all here, but you did go over 10. Can you limit your list and pick the absolute 10 best fantasy films from your nominations? I know it'll be a challenge, but I'm going to hold myself to that too! If you can't, that's ok, but there's a method to the madness...:-) http://www.spout.com/groups/The_Imagination_of_Fantasy/Re_The_Best_Fantasy/47/38814/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: The Imagination of Fantasy
Post Date: 12/24/2008 1:01:46 PM
Body: [quote user="pippin06"] Hi fantasy lovers! You may have noticed if you joined the group that there is a list, currently locked, called "The Best Fantasy." I created that list when I created the group, mostly because it was an excuse for a list I could create, but most of the entries are what I think are the best. I locked it because I realized - I think we need a compiled list from the membership. Something a la some of these other groups I belong to...something like a poll, or a Top 5, or a list of collaborative recommendations (and credit to all from whom I am, uh, tweaking the idea). Therefore, it's time for you to weigh in! Pick your favorite fantasy movies. No fewer than one, no more than ten. Tell us why you think they are the best! With enough responses, we can compile our very own Best Fantasy list, and then, perhaps, we can Spout it for all of Spout to hear! Mwa ha! After all, who better to make this list than us? I'll let you get the ball rolling, since I already made that list...give us a start. I'll contribute my faves asap! [/quote] I had to check your list to see how broadly you classified a movie as being fantasy. I see you put Groundhog Day on there which really doesn't have a lot of fantastical elements other than one basic anomaly that causes him to keep reliving the same day over and over. Other than that, each day is actually pretty normal without any magic or strange creatures or fantastical geography. So it's kind of hard for me to determine in my mind which movies that have some fantastical element are fantastic enough to be considered "fantasy" Here are a few good ones though: Ugetsu Monogatari - although ghosts aren't that uncommon in East Asian storytelling. I think more people have historically considered them a part of reality more than in the west. The Devil and Daniel Webster - again, how real this is may depend on your belief in the spritual world, but mostly it's an alegory. Groundhog Day / It's a Wonderful Life - Groundhog Day is a great movie, and if we are going to include that, I think we should inclued It's a Wonderful Life too. The Seventh Seal - I guess it looks like most of my absolute favorites feature spiritual or ghostly elements. Here we have Death personified. Star Wars - the whole first trilogy of course! No Such Thing - kind of an exploration of fantasy and monsters and why the human race needs or no longer needs these characters Who Framed Roger Rabbit All of Miyazaki's movies Stalker - Stunning! Sleepy Hollow / Beetlejuice - some of my favorite Tim Burton fantasy Shoot, I'm going over 10. Let me list a couple more: Alice in Wonderland, The Sword in the Stone, Pete's Dragon, The Green Mile, Time Bandits, Hellboy, The Thief of Bagdad
]]>Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:01:46 GMTRisseladaThe Imagination of Fantasy12/24/2008 1:01:46 PM[quote user="pippin06"] Hi fantasy lovers! You may have noticed if you joined the group that there is a list, currently locked, called "The Best Fantasy." I created that list when I created the group, mostly because it was an excuse for a list I could create, but most of the entries are what I think are the best. I locked it because I realized - I think we need a compiled list from the membership. Something a la some of these other groups I belong to...something like a poll, or a Top 5, or a list of collaborative recommendations (and credit to all from whom I am, uh, tweaking the idea). Therefore, it's time for you to weigh in! Pick your favorite fantasy movies. No fewer than one, no more than ten. Tell us why you think they are the best! With enough responses, we can compile our very own Best Fantasy list, and then, perhaps, we can Spout it for all of Spout to hear! Mwa ha! After all, who better to make this list than us? I'll let you get the ball rolling, since I already made that list...give us a start. I'll contribute my faves asap! [/quote] I had to check your list to see how broadly you classified a movie as being fantasy. I see you put Groundhog Day on there which really doesn't have a lot of fantastical elements other than one basic anomaly that causes him to keep reliving the same day over and over. Other than that, each day is actually pretty normal without any magic or strange creatures or fantastical geography. So it's kind of hard for me to determine in my mind which movies that have some fantastical element are fantastic enough to be considered "fantasy" Here are a few good ones though: Ugetsu Monogatari - although ghosts aren't that uncommon in East Asian storytelling. I think more people have historically considered them a part of reality more than in the west. The Devil and Daniel Webster - again, how real this is may depend on your belief in the spritual world, but mostly it's an alegory. Groundhog Day / It's a Wonderful Life - Groundhog Day is a great movie, and if we are going to include that, I think we should inclued It's a Wonderful Life too. The Seventh Seal - I guess it looks like most of my absolute favorites feature spiritual or ghostly elements. Here we have Death personified. Star Wars - the whole first trilogy of course! No Such Thing - kind of an exploration of fantasy and monsters and why the human race needs or no longer needs these characters Who Framed Roger Rabbit All of Miyazaki's movies Stalker - Stunning! Sleepy Hollow / Beetlejuice - some of my favorite Tim Burton fantasy Shoot, I'm going over 10. Let me list a couple more: Alice in Wonderland, The Sword in the Stone, Pete's Dragon, The Green Mile, Time Bandits, Hellboy, The Thief of Bagdad http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
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