Discussion of movies and ReelThoughts topics

It is currently Sun May 19, 2013 5:47 am





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
STRAW DOGS 
Author Message
Site Admin

Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:55 pm
Posts: 2771
Location: Mount Laurel, NJ, USA
Post STRAW DOGS
Click here for the review of Straw Dogs

SPOILERS must be tagged with the "SPOILER" tag!


Sat Sep 17, 2011 11:37 am
Profile WWW
Post Re: STRAW DOGS
Glad you reviewed this film, i'll definitely see this tomorrow.


Sat Sep 17, 2011 12:35 pm
Director
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:07 pm
Posts: 1156
Post Re: STRAW DOGS
Just got back from seeing it. I agree with JB's solid ***, yet I differ on it being unmemorable. The best way to phrase my opinion of it would be: It's not a movie that I can say I enjoyed. But it's one I'll never forget. It may not be as well-remembered as the original. But as a companion to it it works.

In a way, I found this one somewhat more disturbing than the Peckinpah film. I always got the sense that Peckinpah didn't like ANY of the characters he'd created. Here I got the sense that Lurie meant David Sumner as the everyman confronted with a situation he hadn't anticipated, yet this situation brought out the inner savagery that pretty much all humans have. In a sense, Lurie had more compassion for Sumner than Peckinpah did.

So yes, *** and an effectively disturbing thriller it is. I don't know if I'll ever feel the urge to watch it again or buy the DVD/Blu-Ray. But it worked far better than it could have.

_________________
This ain't a city council meeting you know-Joe Cabot

Cinema is a matter of what's in the frame and what's out-Martin Scorsese.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1347771599


Sun Sep 18, 2011 5:57 pm
Profile
Post Re: STRAW DOGS
I agree with Jeff, this was a pretty solid remake that improved on the original in many ways, mostly in the acting department, and the finale was pretty tense and well-done, though the film ended a bit too abruptly and left some questions unanswered(what happened to Jeremy?).


Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:25 pm
Director

Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:04 am
Posts: 1369
Post Re: STRAW DOGS
To those who have seen it: how big is Dominic Purcell's role in it?


Sun Sep 18, 2011 10:46 pm
Profile
Post Re: STRAW DOGS
ilovemovies wrote:
To those who have seen it: how big is Dominic Purcell's role in it?

He has about 10 minutes of screentime, he didn't leave much of an impression on me though.


Sun Sep 18, 2011 10:49 pm
Second Unit Director
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2011 4:22 am
Posts: 275
Location: Chennai, India
Post Re: STRAW DOGS
I know people who have seen the original suggest that some aspects of the good/evil divide have been diluted in this remake, but, having seen through unfiltered eyes, I didn’t feel this was the case. There were very few likeable characters in the film and, by the time the it ended, the director’s grim vision almost felt like an overwhelming assault on my senses. This was not a film I would like to watch for a second time, but the solitary viewing was forceful enough to leave a mark on my memory.

Like Drive which is another film I saw recently, I enjoyed the way in which the director ramped up the tension in the final half hour to the point where I was literally on the edge of my seat till the climax. I also liked the open-ended ending which left me room for interpretation over the final sequence of events. And although the climax distinguishes good from evil, I had to wonder whether everything was David’s fault; and I felt that was the film’s greatest success.

Cinematography and music were also great in establishing the unsettling atmosphere. At times, it almost felt like a slasher movie towards the end which was perfecting in increasing my adrenaline levels. Overall, I really liked the film for what it offered - a grim vision of the basic nature of human beings.

_________________
This list... is an absolute good. The list is life. All around its margins lies the gulf.
Lost in Tranquility - Last Updated (Apr 14) - My Love Affair With Mass Effect


Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:09 am
Profile WWW
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group.
Designed by Vjacheslav Trushkin for Free Forum/DivisionCore.
Translated by Xaphos © 2007, 2008, 2009 phpBB.fr