Eeeee!!! Hurrah! Wonderful review, m'dear, both coherent and witty.
So did I think this was a successful translation of O'Brian? Oh heck yeah.
Yay! I was so hoping you'd think so as well. Despite the best of intentions, I haven't yet read all the books, so it's good to hear those who've actually read The Far Side of the World comment on the adaptation.
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"?
How much do I love you for this sentence? A big "word" to what you said. The reviewers seem to forget that the movie is set in 1805, mere months before Trafalgar, so Napoleon would of course be the concern at that point in time. It makes so much more sense to take advantage of the enemy England was actually at war with at the time, than explain to the audience why Americans might be the bad guys too.
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.
Curious, how did Hollom differ in the movie? He's new to me.
I loved this movie. So, so much.
Squee! This makes me happy.
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).
Cool. I'd never really thought about him much before, although I liked several of his movies. He *does* sound like a bit of a jerk, but then, with the media, you never know. And he and Bettany seem to be good friends, so I'll give him a bit of the benefit of the doubt. He does mumble, though, you're right.
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.
This is a great description of Jack. Ah, the terrible jokes. I was so glad they included them.
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.
Yes! It was his presence that made him feel like Jack. Certainly he wasn't tall enough, but Crowe can make you *think* he's tall.
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!!!"
Hee! No surprise that my reaction was quite similar, both in volume and giddiness. This was the first time I've seen Bettany in anything, and he's already won my admiration. Fine actor, very fine. And so very cute.
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.
Hm, interesting observation. But you're right, still Stephen.
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.
And here's a great description of Stephen. I was so glad all those aspects were there, and even the ones that weren't *outwardly* there were still taken into account by Bettany. God, how I love him...
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So did I think this was a successful translation of O'Brian? Oh heck yeah.
Yay! I was so hoping you'd think so as well. Despite the best of intentions, I haven't yet read all the books, so it's good to hear those who've actually read The Far Side of the World comment on the adaptation.
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"?
How much do I love you for this sentence? A big "word" to what you said. The reviewers seem to forget that the movie is set in 1805, mere months before Trafalgar, so Napoleon would of course be the concern at that point in time. It makes so much more sense to take advantage of the enemy England was actually at war with at the time, than explain to the audience why Americans might be the bad guys too.
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.
Curious, how did Hollom differ in the movie? He's new to me.
I loved this movie. So, so much.
Squee! This makes me happy.
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).
Cool. I'd never really thought about him much before, although I liked several of his movies. He *does* sound like a bit of a jerk, but then, with the media, you never know. And he and Bettany seem to be good friends, so I'll give him a bit of the benefit of the doubt. He does mumble, though, you're right.
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.
This is a great description of Jack. Ah, the terrible jokes. I was so glad they included them.
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.
Yes! It was his presence that made him feel like Jack. Certainly he wasn't tall enough, but Crowe can make you *think* he's tall.
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!!!"
Hee! No surprise that my reaction was quite similar, both in volume and giddiness. This was the first time I've seen Bettany in anything, and he's already won my admiration. Fine actor, very fine. And so very cute.
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.
Hm, interesting observation. But you're right, still Stephen.
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.
And here's a great description of Stephen. I was so glad all those aspects were there, and even the ones that weren't *outwardly* there were still taken into account by Bettany. God, how I love him...