slpybear the bullfan
04-10-2004, 07:20 PM
Okay,
The slpybear went and saw this on its very first viewing at the Fossil Ridge theater in Fort Worth.
Only one thing I thought was really horrible.... It was the opening presentation of the movie at the theater, and the dolby track was messed up. For the first 20 mins of the movie we listened to "Days of our Lives" instead of the soundtrack... and then the rest of the movie the sound was of very poor quality. Turns on the CD with the sound on it was malfunctioning, so we go the old fashioned sound off of the film reel. (There almost was a second Texas revolution in the lobby as 180+ Texans threatened the manager if they didn't get a refund. We did. :) )
About the movie...
I. Overall, good job by Disney. I think they learned from Pearl Harbour... Don't try to make a historical movie about War that everyone will love. It is too much to do in 2~3 hours. In this one, they set up a great story around the overall theme that "Heroes are just like all the rest of us, except they get placed into trials and come out strong..." Or something like that.
II. Pace - The movie is pretty deliberate... it does take its time in getting to things. But it fits in with the setup for the action at the end.
III. Look of the movie - Awesome. This movie hands down is the most authentic looking Alamo movie ever made. They especially went to great lengths to make San Anonio look like San Antonio of spring 1836... not Laredo in August. Costumes were great and again, look more authentic then anything else.
IV. Acting - generally good, servicable performances by all... Billy Bob Thornton did an outstanding job as David Crockett. Dennis Quaid played Sam Houston with a little too much spite, I thought. Overall, decent performances by all.
V. Storyline - Good. You could tell that a lot of it ended up on the cutting room floor to get the movie down to feature length. This movie was begging to be a 5 or 6 hour mini series. I will enjoy the extras on the DVD when it comes out.
The story focuses on the "Real" men that are behind our Texas heroes, Travis, Bowie, Sequin, Houston, and Crockett. I won't bore you with the details, but the men all had their share of the typical problems of the day. Something that we tend to gloss over as we lionize them and enshrine them in History. But, to this poster, realizing that our Heroes were men like you and I just make them even more special.
A special note, I was pleasantly suprised how they treated the death of Crockett at the end of the battle. And on a larger note, I was pleasantly suprised that this movie kept Political Correctness at arms length and just tried to make a good Historical drama. I commend Disney for that.
VI. Reccomendation? Yes. This is not a family movie. This is not a well-rounded drama with romance, patritotism, etc. IT is a good movie about the Alamo. And it does come closer than any other I have watched to what historians believe really happened.
VII. What about John Wayne's Movie? Yeah... we can't really avoid that, can we?
John Wayne made THE MOVIE about the Alamo. No point in arguing, it is done and it is the mark by which all others have to be judged. The Duke made a thoroughly entertaining movie that the whole family could watch. Innaccurate? Yes, just as much as any other movie made in the 60s. A little over the top on the patriotism? YOU BET. It was the way the Duke did things.
Is the new one as good as the Duke's version? Well, I am gonna have to say, Yes. They are really two different styles of telling the same story. And both do a good job. If I had to choose only one? Gimme the Duke. But don't make me choose only one... :)
The slpybear went and saw this on its very first viewing at the Fossil Ridge theater in Fort Worth.
Only one thing I thought was really horrible.... It was the opening presentation of the movie at the theater, and the dolby track was messed up. For the first 20 mins of the movie we listened to "Days of our Lives" instead of the soundtrack... and then the rest of the movie the sound was of very poor quality. Turns on the CD with the sound on it was malfunctioning, so we go the old fashioned sound off of the film reel. (There almost was a second Texas revolution in the lobby as 180+ Texans threatened the manager if they didn't get a refund. We did. :) )
About the movie...
I. Overall, good job by Disney. I think they learned from Pearl Harbour... Don't try to make a historical movie about War that everyone will love. It is too much to do in 2~3 hours. In this one, they set up a great story around the overall theme that "Heroes are just like all the rest of us, except they get placed into trials and come out strong..." Or something like that.
II. Pace - The movie is pretty deliberate... it does take its time in getting to things. But it fits in with the setup for the action at the end.
III. Look of the movie - Awesome. This movie hands down is the most authentic looking Alamo movie ever made. They especially went to great lengths to make San Anonio look like San Antonio of spring 1836... not Laredo in August. Costumes were great and again, look more authentic then anything else.
IV. Acting - generally good, servicable performances by all... Billy Bob Thornton did an outstanding job as David Crockett. Dennis Quaid played Sam Houston with a little too much spite, I thought. Overall, decent performances by all.
V. Storyline - Good. You could tell that a lot of it ended up on the cutting room floor to get the movie down to feature length. This movie was begging to be a 5 or 6 hour mini series. I will enjoy the extras on the DVD when it comes out.
The story focuses on the "Real" men that are behind our Texas heroes, Travis, Bowie, Sequin, Houston, and Crockett. I won't bore you with the details, but the men all had their share of the typical problems of the day. Something that we tend to gloss over as we lionize them and enshrine them in History. But, to this poster, realizing that our Heroes were men like you and I just make them even more special.
A special note, I was pleasantly suprised how they treated the death of Crockett at the end of the battle. And on a larger note, I was pleasantly suprised that this movie kept Political Correctness at arms length and just tried to make a good Historical drama. I commend Disney for that.
VI. Reccomendation? Yes. This is not a family movie. This is not a well-rounded drama with romance, patritotism, etc. IT is a good movie about the Alamo. And it does come closer than any other I have watched to what historians believe really happened.
VII. What about John Wayne's Movie? Yeah... we can't really avoid that, can we?
John Wayne made THE MOVIE about the Alamo. No point in arguing, it is done and it is the mark by which all others have to be judged. The Duke made a thoroughly entertaining movie that the whole family could watch. Innaccurate? Yes, just as much as any other movie made in the 60s. A little over the top on the patriotism? YOU BET. It was the way the Duke did things.
Is the new one as good as the Duke's version? Well, I am gonna have to say, Yes. They are really two different styles of telling the same story. And both do a good job. If I had to choose only one? Gimme the Duke. But don't make me choose only one... :)