Master and Commander blather

[ealgylden]

I meant to write this last night, but Adam Beach was on the TV and you know me and shiny things. Wee Coyote Waits review with no spoilers and almost no verbs- Adam Beach pretty, Wes Studi's voice cool, Sheila Tousey cooler, Graham Greene coolest, Keith Carradine old now and vaguely seedy (though less so than David), dialogue slightly awkward, underscore lovely and in need of a CD release, scenery even more lovely (but harder to put on a CD), plot jumpy and overly edited from the book. Which I haven't read, but I'm assuming that's the case, since Chee and Leaphorn are detectives, not psychics.

Right, Master and Commander. I was very amused that we had a commercial for Battlestar Galactica before the previews, complete with Lieutenant Archie Kennedy heading off to fly spaceships. Jamie Bamber looks good in the ad, though he's about the only thing that does. Poor fella. I'd say he should stick to costume dramas, but presumably he won't get killed off in BG, so I suppose the novelty of that, at least, might be worth it. Not that Archie's dead, 'cause he's not. Nope. Anyway, on to my new favorite thing! Huzzah!

Way back in the day, someone out there (viva_gloria maybe?) commented along the lines (and this is a rough paraphrase from faded memory) that it looked like this movie was going to be a big, shiny, expensive, fanfic version of O'Brian, like the LotR flicks have been called fanfic versions of Tolkien. And yeah, kind of. Really, really, really good fanfic that I need to see many more times. The movie isn't Master and Commander and The Far Side of the World cast straight from the page onto the screen. It wouldn't be possible; even if one could find some way to combine both plots comprehensibly without cutting or changing, there's a substantial passage of time between the two books and the characters aren't the same people in M&C as they are in FSotW. And do you know how long that movie would be? Days long (not that that's entirely a bad thing). So yeah, there are changes. A filmed adaptation of a text is necessarily a translation, and no translation is perfect. But a translation that works, one that captures the language, colors, and spirit of the original work and makes it intelligible to an audience who may or may not be able to (or choose to) access the original, can be a thing of beauty (I'm think of books like Robert Fitzgerald's translations of Homer and Virgil, and possibly Seamus Heaney's flawed but fascinating translation of Beowulf, or movies like Roger Michell's Persuasion. I'd also count LotR, but I know them's can be fightin' words). So did I think this was a successful translation of O'Brian? Oh heck yeah.

The one change I've seen commented/snarked on by a majority of pro reviewers is the shift of enemies from American to French, and many of them have said that this was done because TPTB didn't dare offend Americans while the French are fair game, current political atmosphere intruding on the text, Hollywood bowing to Washington (and possibly Weir and Collee bowing to the suits at 20th Cen. Fox/Miramax/Universal), blah blah blah. I don't believe it. If these reviewers argued that money was responsible for the change rather than politics (especially considering the time, effort and expense of bringing a project like this to fruition), I could possibly be persuaded- the film was financed by US-based production companies, the US audience composes a substantial slice of the ticket-buying pie, and so on. It's the "the enemies are French because France is hiss-able to American yahoos" thing that trips me up. How about "the enemies are French because the protagonists are English (English naval officers, no less), and France has been at war with England for more years combined over history than many nations have existed"? If you're going to make a movie based on the corpus of Patrick O'Brian, as opposed to a movie based entirely on the two books in the title (which was, I think, Weir and Collee's intention, since the credits include a general "based on the works of Patrick O'Brian" credit), the French (or to a lesser degree the Spanish, their on-again, off-again allies) are the natural choice for an enemy. There's no one Jack battles more often (including himself), and I'd assume Napoleon rates higher on the instant recognizability scale with the masses than James Madison, as far as an ultimate antagonist goes. So that change didn't bother me. Nor did most of the others, really, like Hollom's character arc and death- movie!Hollom wasn't precisely like book!Hollom, but he was an effective character nonetheless, and his plotline worked logically and emotionally. So possibly I'm just easy to please, but by and large the changes worked for me.

I loved this movie. So, so much.

Jack

Unlike a lot of people, I'm a Russell Crowe fan. I'd never want to meet him because he sounds like kind of a jerk, but I really like his acting style, with all its subtle shadings and undercurrents of violence and danger (though he does, unfortunately, mumble). So I was pleased to see that he made a wonderful Jack. Bold and daring, concerned for his men and devoted to his duty, able to be tender or stern as the situation requires, fond of his wine and his terrible, terrible jokes. Russell wasn't as stout as book!Jack, but he looked big. Broad, muscular and fit, like Sean Bean as Boromir (and the leonine hair suits him, too). He had presence, and Jack needs to have presence.

Stephen

I love them both, but Stephen's my favorite (both in the books and now in the movie). Paul Bettany was a much more controversial choice for Stephen than Russell was for Jack, as we know. Too tall, too good-looking, too much an unknown quantity. I had hopes, though, because I've liked what I've seen of his work and I thought he'd do well with a character as complex as Stephen, and because he and Russell are friends in real life and I hoped that would translate to the screen. So I'm happy to say I was pleased on both counts (heh, listen to me, all formal. My actual reaction in the theater was closer to "EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! StephenStephenStephenStephen!!! EEEEEEEEEE!!!" But I'm tired and it's raining again and I'm just not feeling giddy). Paul was wonderful, just wonderful. Movie!Stephen seemed more like M&C!Stephen than FSotW!Stephen (while something closer to the reverse was true for Jack, I thought), but he was still him. The espionage was only present in one oblique remark and the drug use was largely absent, but the rest of Stephen, his medical brilliance, his devotion to science and music, his utter uselessness as a seaman, his deep love for Jack even when he doesn't understand or agree with him, his melancholy, his slightly mordant sense of humor... that was all there. He was just so, so good.

Jack and Stephen (I'm going nuts with the creative titles, here)

And the two of them together, well. Lovely. So many good moments. Stephen collaring Jack after the first battle and treating wounds that Jack hadn't really noticed yet. The affectionate tone to Jack's voice when he explained for the hundredth-plus time what this or that nautical doohickey was all about. The way the room went quiet when Stephen inadvertently insulted Surprise by calling her old- you could just see the officers thinking, "oooooh!", but Jack just lovingly ran his hands over his dear ship and corrected Stephen. The sort of bitter arguing that can only be done by people who know each other well enough to know just where to stick the knife, and the fact that both men showed their wounds openly to the other (Stephen's expression after Jack yelled, "We do not have time for your damned hobbies, sir!" was painful, as was the hurt in Jack's voice when he said, "I hate it when you speak of the service in this fashion. It makes me so very low."). The discussion about holding the men's lives in their hands and not drowning in self-blame when those lives are lost. The pleasure and release in their duets, and Jack's longing look at Stephen's silent cello after he's been shot (though it was pretty careless of Stephen to leave it propped up like that. One good wave and it's goodbye, expensive instrument.) Stephen requiring Jack's strong, steady hands while he does surgery on himself (ow! ow ow ow!), and asking Jack if he's all right (!). The little exchange of disappointed "ah"s when it becomes clear that Stephen's still not going to be able to go get his specimens from the Galapagos at the end. "He fights like you, Jack." "Name a shrub after me. Something prickly and hard to eradicate." They fit together so well, their love so deep and encompassing (and chaste- I still can't slash them, even though this Stephen's prettier and better dressed, Sophie's just a name on a letter and Diana’s not even that), their relationship so obviously of prime importance in both of their lives, that even if we never get a sequel to this movie, I'm nearly as satisfied to watch them sail off into the sunset together as I was at the end of Blue at the Mizzen. Which isn't to say that I'm not still crossing all my fingers and toes that Peter Weir ignores his general distaste for sequels and makes one anyway. There are so many more books in the series that it seems a shame to miss seeing Post Captain: The Letter of Marque or The Fortune of War: Treason's Harbor or The Nutmeg of Consolation: The Truelove (well, not that last one. Clarissa bugs me, though I do like saying "Nutmeg of Consolation"). How about a trilogy, Peter? All the cool directors are making trilogies these days. You know you want to.

Surprise and Acheron

I was all excited when I heard that Surprise was going to be played by the tall ship Rose, since I read James L. Nelson's "Revolution at Sea" series over the summer and the original HMS Rose is the ship of Isaac Biddlecomb's British nemesis. That is one gorgeous ship, even disguised as a whaler (not very convincingly, though the smoke was a great touch). Even with the figurehead all chipped and wounded, and the rigging in a shambles, and the rudder useless. Even covered in snow and ice. Especially covered in snow and ice. Acheron was just as good-looking (was that a real ship or a really good fake? I don't have the "making of" book yet because my Borders only had it in paperback), but creepy. Seriously, that first battle in the fog when Acheron appears and disappears and there's just a sense left that there's something out there, and then that shot comes out of nowhere and wrecks havoc? Creeeeepy. I don't blame the sailors for getting jumpy about phantoms, not to mention that the French crew must have had some phenomenal gunners or the Devil's own luck to make a shot like that on a foggy night, and that's almost scarier than ghost ships.

Everything else I liked

The sense of the daily life of the crew (including stretches of "hurry up and wait," which I loved), and the fact that the ship was their whole world, cramped and crowded as it was. "This ship is England." The guns with names, and the cannons in Jack's cabin. Beating to quarters. The fact that these ships were so sturdy yet so breakable.

Poor doomed Hollom, who just can't get it right. From his indecision at how to respond to maybe seeing something in the fog, to not quite knowing where the lines are drawn between the officers and the men, to seeing that a crippled boy is already a better officer than he'll ever be... he's just not suited for the life he lives, and his options are slim at best. Poor Hollom.

Pullings, on the other hand, made me happy. James D'Arcy is one of those up-and-comers I keep almost-but-not-quite seeing in things (Hugh Dancy's another one), and he made a fabulous Pullings. The shot of Pullings and Jack aloft looking so damned pleased with their lives made me grin like a fool (it would have been cute with Stephen there instead of Tom, except for the whole "gets tangled in the rigging and promptly falls to his messy death" factor). Pullings was capable, brave and cute (heh), and I wasn't the least bit disappointed. Besides, it just made me happy to see him again. I'd missed him. Billy Boyd as Bonden was also great, (though I'm ashamed to admit that I kept thinking, "Gee, he's so tall," every time I saw him), as were Warley and Nagle. I loved their model of Acheron (done from memory! Now that's impressive) and Jack's proud, intrigued expression as he studied it. Also liked Mr. Higgins a lot, though it took me far too long to place where I knew him from (Persuasion and Heat of the Sun). Speaking of knowing actors from elsewhere, Captain Howard was Stephen Keene from Highlander! He was in "Forgive Us Our Trespasses," aka "Shut Up, Duncan." Nice to see him again, too.

Mr. Lamb! I love Mr Lamb! Padeen! I love Padeen! Killick! I... don't precisely love Killick, but I wouldn't change him for the world, and David Threlfall was perfect.

Soused hog's face! Floating archipelago! Toasted cheese! One of these days I'm going to cook out of my Aubrey/Maturin cookbook instead of just reading it. I won't be making millers or anything, but there must be something that isn't scary (mmm, toasted cheese). Side note- I loved poor Stephen lying lonely in his hammock while everyone else enjoys the soused hog's face and the good company. Aww. I hate it when you two are fighting, too, Stephen!

Wee, brave Lord Blakeney. I loved this kid. I can't even imagine the pain of having your arm amputated, but he barely makes a noise (I would have been screaming so much that the French would have known right where Surprise was). The scene where Jack gives him the book about Nelson with "all of his battles in it, and some very fine illustrations" was lovely. I particularly liked the close-up on the portrait of Nelson. I read one review (Jason Epstein in the NYT maybe? He was pretty negative overall) where the reviewer was complaining that Jack didn't say outright that Nelson had lost an arm as well, and that lots of viewers don't know Nelson (presumably he meant them thar iggerant American audiences) and wouldn't get it, and blah blah. I thought it was pretty obvious from the close-up, but hey, what do I know (aside from whom Nelson was, I mean). Anyway, I liked that scene, with all of its layers to Jack's approach to Blakeney and Blakeney's "tell me a story!" response (nicely echoed by Calamy later, and is it just me or did Calamy look a little like Wellard from Hornblower "Mutiny"/"Retribution" to anyone else? I think it's the dark eyebrows on pale, pale skin). I also loved Blakeney offering Stephen a beetle and reassuring him that he could have walked all over the islands and never found it (not to mention the others' smiles when Stephen accepts it and cheers up a bit- they don't just respect his skills; they like him). What else... Stephen and Blakeney drawing together. Blakeney and Calamy doing just about anything together, and then Blakeney sewing his fallen friend into his hammock after the battle (his quiet request for help made me sniffle a bit. Okay, a lot). Blakeney's drawings from the Galapagos, with the beetle that eats earthworms and the seal saying "argh!". Blakeney pondering becoming a "fighting naturalist" like Stephen. Blakeney ordering the men to tie their kerchiefs on their arms and then becoming a mini!Nelson in battle. Just Blakeney in general really. It was a wonderful performance by a kid who came out of nowhere, and I hope to see more of him in the future.

Other random loves- Ambergris. Jack writing in his log book. Stephen's spectacles. HOLD FAST. Stephen speaking Portuguese. Chanties. "Run like smoke n'oakum." The sailors' superstitions, ranging from Jack having the middies do that spinning around thing to Hollom as a Jonah (I'm assuming the masts were stuck full of knives when they were becalmed and we just didn’t get to see it). The middies' lessons with the sextants. Stephen fighting like a man who's learned the sword as a skill or an art, but who doesn't fight for a living. "The devil's at the wheel of that there phantom ship." "The lesser of two weevils" (groan). Stephen waking up on the Galapagos after surgery (I just thought he looked pretty). Stephen's forward-brushed Napoleonic hairdo and Jack's mane. "Put down that woman!" (heeeeee!) "Let me guess. A stick?", and then the tiny, subtle head tilt of "ah ha!" when he sees through the phasmid's disguise.

Lastly, the music (big thing with me, as you might know). I think the score works both in and out of context, particularly in its use of source music. The Bach for the arrival at the Galapagos, the playful duet at the end, and especially the Vaughn Williams at the loss of Warley were among the most successful uses of classical works that I've seen in a movie. The score for the action scenes relies on almost Asian-sounding percussion instead of brass for its drive, and the choice is a good one, IMO (if not as "swashbuckling" as some reviewers seem to have expected). There's an eerie descant (synthesizers, I think) appearing at points in "The Far Side of the World" and some tense strings in "The Phasmid" that sound like the wind in really creepy riggings. It's a nice effect, and a good textural addition to an overall strong score.

So, um, I liked it. I need to see it again. And that’s about it.


Other than that, here's a positive and fairly detailed review of the RotK score from Film Score Monthly (score spoilers, I guess). Five more days until that's released (yay!).

I'm slooowly catching up on comments (I owe castalianspring and alethialia about a hundred each, I think), and one of these years, I might actually succeed in that. Darn LJ moves so quickly.