Beowulf

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

This game looks great!! Is it going to be available on all platforms or only on XBox 360?

[King Bob]

I saw a little bit about this in Entertainment Weakly - Ray Winstone is Beowulf, but Angelina Jolie is Grendel's mother (now a sexy monster, whose feet are like high heels).

I only hope it's bad enough to be funny.

[scapino]

I think the most interesting thing about Beowulf (besides the idea that the epic poem that no one wanted to read in high school may now be both cool and sexy) is that some theaters will present it in 3D. Ever since I saw House of Wax with Vincent Price in 3D, I like 3D...but then again I am often attracted to bright, shinny objects.

[King Bob]

Scapino lives! Can it be true?

FYI - I would have wanted to read it in high school, but it was never assigned, so I read it on my own later. The Burton Raffael translation is good. I have a copy of the Heaney translation, but haven't gotten to it yet.

This may be a bit off topic:

Now it looks like another film may outdo Beowulf to be the crap film of the season - I Am Legend starring the very overrated Will Smith.

They've already made two bad films of a great novelette, so I think they'll go three for three.

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

At least in my memory it does. I don't think I should see it again so the images remain pristine. How can you not love the end sequence with Chuck Heston in the fountain as he pulls out the spear and then hands over the blood.

He spent the day watching Woodstock. What's not to love about that.

As for I am Legend. It could be good. They pissed off a good chunk of NYC by shutting down 5th Avenue for a day and it's environs. You have to love a film that will do that. It's one of the films on my to see list for Christmas.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

I like Will Smith. I liked "I, Robot" once I got over the fact that it had nothing to do with the Asimov story. I have hopes for Matheson's story to be done well; Omega Man does not hold up on recent viewing, but -off-topic- The original Rollerball is better than ever.

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

Someone went to the 3-d version and I want a review. Are you just going to pop in for a few posts and then disappear again? I know you have something to say. Say it!

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

I know Scapino saw this before I did. He invited me to join him at a screening that was well passed my bedtime.

But The Queen blew off work today and told me we should go. Since it was well before my bedtime, I aquiesced. Plus I hadn't left the house in a long time.

It was good but the 3-d was distracting. A lot of the characters looked like Prince Charming from the Shrek movies. There was lot's of 3-d blood gushing at the Camera. Angelina has never looked that good, dripping gold and whipping her hair-tail. For some reason, they gave us a full pan down her body as she emerged from the water.

The biggest horror was almost seeing Anthony Hopkins nude as his toga kept threatening to slip off. The funniest moment were the recreation of the Austin Power's hide the penis routine starring Beowulf. He had to be naked for these fight scenes but there was always something in the way of the naughty. I liked John Malkovich's recreation of the Monty Python sketch ("Ooh, we're all really impressed down here") The funniest sex scene was when Grendel's mom grabs the Hero's sword. Who knew epic poetry had so many funny moments.

The final act was great. It made up for some of the draggy bits early on. Dragons fighting. Huge arrows firing. The castle being destroyed. Self mutilation. What fun!

But like I said, the 3-d was a bit distracting. It wasn't hokey, they did shove the occasional spear into the camera, but I'd be getting involved in the story and then I was pulled right out of it by the 3-D. I had a lot of thoughts along the lines of boy doesn't that look cool.

I'd still see in in 3-d in the theaters. I'll probably watch it on DVD when it comes out to see if holds up without the eye candy.

[King Bob]

an interesting academic take on Beowulf:
http://chronicle.com/temp/reprint.php?id...b86ffyzf67

[scapino]

Unlike Greg, I did not find the 3D aspect annoying in any way. For the sequence of Beowulf against the sea monsters to was very cool. I did note that since the new 3D technology relies on polarization of the image rather than the old fashion red and blue lenses, one has to keep you head straight while watching the screen. If you should tilt your head to the left or right you begin to distort the horizontal and vertical images that are filtered through their corresponding lenses.
As for the article that KB referenced. Very interesting. Like the author, I immediately started to think about the Tolkien vs Nietzsche hero architype in terms of our current society.
In todays america I am always amazed at those who trumpet their Christian values while displaying actions and virtures more in line with earlier times. But then again why should this surprise me when most of these people, like the woman on the View, have little or no understanding of the history and contents of the book that they believe is 100% true.