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Ken HPoJ
Supreme Potentate
USA
1530 Posts |
 Posted - 05/02/2006 : 1:24:50 PM
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Eric-
You're no doubt true that a human villain serves to eat up running time without resorting to special effects. It's also laziness, though. They churn these movies out, and obviously work off a template.
As noted, Descent is a pretty great horror movie with no villainous character in it. However, that takes *work,* and it takes *talent.* Corman had no money back in the '50s either, but he still made cheapass films that are interesting to watch even today. I doubt the UFO filmography will be as admired 50 years from now.
PEGGY: I don't see how having a girl on the team would ruin it. Did a woman judge ruin the Supreme Court?
HANK: Yes, and that woman's name was Earl Warren.
--King of the Hill |
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Earl Allison
Minister of the Sacraments of Jabootu
31 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2006 : 06:41:47 AM
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Why does a human (esp. military or government) have to be a villain?
Can't you reach the same plots with well-meaning people? I'm reminded of some comments from Ken's "The Green Slime" review, where the hero makes what would normally be sensible, well thought-out decisions that turned out, through no fault of his own, to be absolutely the WRONG ones.
If you absolutely have to do something like this, why not have it be with the best of intentions? We shoot down a UFO over US airspace (maybe set it up as if it appears to be a genuine threat), and THAT'S what triggers the monster attack, either they're pissed off that we shot at them, or worse, the "monsters" were cargo that had been safely contained until the crash.
The military "caused" the incident, but without malice. Then, you can work in the heroic sacrifice with someone who was part of the attack making up for what he did.
It's just that, to quote Waylan Smithers from "The Simpsons," so many of these turkeys have human villains that transcend the barriers, and ascend to "comic book villainy." No one acts like that, no one TALKS like that. It isn't social commentary, it's lazy writing that insults the viewer (IMHO). Very few people these days tie women to railroad tracks, foreclose on orphanages, and laugh maniacally while twirling their mustaches ... the literary/dramatic shorthand is just getting out of hand :)
Take it and run. |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2006 : 11:21:58 PM
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Well, the tradition of evil human villains thwarting heros in the midst of sci-fi calamity has a long and proud tradition, but I think Aliens is one of the guiltiest offenders. Yeah, in that movie the corporate bad guy was a good idea, but then faster than you can say "monkey see, monkey do" now every other sci-fi flick that has followed seems almost obligated to include an evil scientist or military guy or corporate clone so he can trip up the hero's toes. And that goes for good movies, too, like Pitch Black or 28 Days Later. Either the bad guys are obstacles or else it's secretly all their fault.
GENERIC HERO: "You knew your experiments would cause mutant Beanie Babies to fluorish everywhere, and still your experiments continued. How many people have died to slake your unquenchable thirst for knowledge/power/wealth?"
GENERIC VILLAIN: "You pathetic, soft-hearted fool! You couldn't possibly understand! What's the price of a few innocent lives when you consider all that we've gained. I thought you, more than anyone else, would understand. Now I see you're just as weak and worthless as the rest of them. Well, I'm getting out of here, and you can't stop me!"
MUTANT BEANIE BABY: "MA-MA!"
GENERIC VILLAIN: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGGGHHH!"
(Oops, sorry to ruin the ending of that movie for you. Hope you didn't already Tivo it on Sci-Fi.) |
Edited by - zombiewhacker on 05/04/2006 11:27:01 PM |
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UnknownSubject
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Australia
212 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2006 : 12:43:18 AM
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In "The Descent", Ken is right in saying their are no human villains, but it should be noted that their are some very flawed characters in it.
It is very hard to walk that line between 'flawed' and 'villainous' - a lot of people apparently don't like the ending of "The Descent" for what happens, yet it is completely understandable from the point of where the characters are. A regular horror cliche pops up at this point, but it is done well.
Anyway, go see "The Descent" for a movie that does a pretty good job of building up dread and has some fairly realistic characters in it.
Spandex Cinema
http://sc.thebeholder.org
Latest Review(s) - Heckler King takes on "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" and "The Guyver"; I endure "Crying Freeman" |
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New Hinda
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Israel
469 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2006 : 12:44:47 AM
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| I saw 13 FRIGHTENED GIRLS, which, to an adult, is a very funny movie, when I was 10. It scared the life out of me. |
Edited by - New Hinda on 05/05/2006 12:45:57 AM |
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Ken HPoJ
Supreme Potentate
USA
1530 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2006 : 11:15:38 AM
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Man, I've been trying to see 13 Frightened Girls for years now. It's actually kind of amazing, what with all the cult DVD companies out there, that there's a William Castle film that's completely fallen off the map.
And UnSub is right, there are very flawed characters in Descent, which is so much more interesting than outright villains.
PEGGY: I don't see how having a girl on the team would ruin it. Did a woman judge ruin the Supreme Court?
HANK: Yes, and that woman's name was Earl Warren.
--King of the Hill |
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RVHorror
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
532 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2006 : 1:59:45 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by zombiewhacker
MUTANT BEANIE BABY: "MA-MA!"
GENERIC VILLAIN: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGGGHHH!"
Shouldn't that be GENERIC VILLAIN (to MUTANT BEANIE BABY): "No! No! We had a deal! We had a deal!! AAAAARRGGHHH!" |
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Ken HPoJ
Supreme Potentate
USA
1530 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2006 : 2:23:10 PM
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You're both wrong. It's:
"MA-MA!"
"NO! STAY BACK! YOU MUST OBEY ME, I CREATED YOU...AIIIEEEE!!"
PEGGY: I don't see how having a girl on the team would ruin it. Did a woman judge ruin the Supreme Court?
HANK: Yes, and that woman's name was Earl Warren.
--King of the Hill |
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