Beow-WOOF!!!

ThryllSeekyr · 22 November, 2007, 07:12:56 AM

So who reckon thsi might have been a better format for that 'Dragonlance' animation that has just been made.

the shutdown man · 22 November, 2007, 12:30:46 PM

"What? That makes absolutely no sense! For some reason I read the word stone not sword...too much work stress..."

Yeah, I was wondering there when you first posted the pic. I didn't want to post anything back cos I thought I just didn't "get it". :)

And Simpleton, I'll give Viggo my vote on the nude scrappin' issue, since that fight looked a hell of a lot better and didn't use the Austin Powers method of genital concealment.

Noisybast · 23 November, 2007, 12:13:37 PM

If you haven't seen this in 3D yet, I urge you to do so. Very impressive. I found myself involuntarily leaning back to avoid getting a spear in the eye on more than one occasion.

ThryllSeekyr · 24 November, 2007, 03:52:39 PM

Doesn't start in Australia.

I went and checked yesterday.

Dudley · 26 November, 2007, 10:04:35 AM

Saw it last night. Absolutely flipping awesome. Full kudos to Gaiman for pulling off a trick of rewriting a classic tale* without ever falling into the trap of either looking down at or simply ignoring his source material. The effects were brilliant, the acting suitably hammy, and it's every bit as good as 300, another mythic** update I adored.

*I done read it in the original, me.
**Sort of mythical.

Tiplodocus · 26 November, 2007, 12:53:45 PM

While not quite as gushing as Dudders, I did really enjoy this as did Tiny and Medium Sized Tips.

Beowulf was one of my favourite tales from childhood but I can only really remember the Grendel and Grendel's mother bits.

I actually approved of all of the bits that have changed (at least I think they changed - my memory isn't what it was) as it gave the tale an extra dimension other than "I am Beowulf and I kill monsters".

The dragon sequence was closest to the kids monster story I was expecting. And we all had a hearty laugh at the Sea Monsters section.

I wish I'd seen it at the IMAX in 3D though. Espeially the bits with Angelina Jolie - it'd be a change to have a long object pointing at the IMAX screen rather than the other way round.

A few gripes -
Does anybody else feel that this motion captured animation just seems to move ever so slightly too slowly?

The Golden Dragon (absolutely gorgeous looking thing) seemed a bit "pasted on" at points. But having never seen a Golden Dragon, I don't know if it would seem "pasted on" in real life.

12A? Not too bothered by the nudity but the level of violence in the attacks by Grendel and his mum are absolutely shocking. And the Grendel is also pretty scary.

There's some quite fruity language as well - fortunately this won't above Tiny Tips head. Probably my fault for not checking out the reviews in more detail.

But overall, cracking stuff and I heartily recommend it.

Dudley - didn't you listen to Woody Allen's advice?
"Whatever you do, don't pick a course where they make you read Beowulf"

Ochs · 29 November, 2007, 09:42:58 AM

Just saw this in 3d last night and I am stunned. Utterly incredible. I have seen the future of cinema and bearing in mind that James Cameron has said that all his films will be made using this process from now on, Dreamworks are to make all their films using it from 2009, George Lucas is to remaster Star Wars using it (of course) and Peter Jackson supports it I don't think that's a unrealistic claim.

Full marks to Gaiman too. He takes the story and turns it into a kind of heroic fairy tale about abused children. Grendel is genuinely frightening but also sad and sympathetic. A really well drawn and three dimensionl (no pun intended) movie monster. I loved it and judging by the reaction of the other cinema goers they did too. Twelve certificate though... surely a fifteen.

And a naked Angelina in 3d...

the shutdown man · 29 November, 2007, 09:44:18 AM

"George Lucas is to remaster Star Wars using it (of course)"

Of course he is, there's money to be made.

Buttonman · 29 November, 2007, 10:49:43 AM

I enjoyed it too. Once you accept it isn't a Shrek film and they aren't all about to burst into song you soon forget it's all CGI. I thought Grendel looked a bit rubbish and undefined but Angelina definitely struck the right note (in my pants). The big dragon fight at the end was cracking and only lacked Donkey charging in to save the day.

On that cinema day it was rated 100x better than 'Shrooms' and only slightly behind 'Rescue Dawn'.

Ochs · 29 November, 2007, 10:54:55 AM

"Of course he is, there's money to be made."

That was my point. I wonder how many other possible reasons he can find to reissue it.

Mind you I wouldn't pass over a 3d cinema release of the extended versions of Lord of the Rings.

Ochs · 29 November, 2007, 10:58:36 AM

"I thought Grendel looked a bit rubbish and undefined"

But the way he shrank back to being a baby as he died was really moving I thought. A horrible monster who really deserves pity but can never get it because he's too dangerous. As Beowulf killed him I genuinely didn't know who's side I was on. And it was refreshing to see a Hollywood movie that had a nice open ending and didn't tie everything up neatly. In general it was much much better than I had expected. But the 3d raised it to a whole different level.

TordelBack · 29 November, 2007, 11:13:10 AM

Mind you I wouldn't pass over a 3d cinema release of the extended versions of Lord of the Rings.

Count me in for that one!

BTW, thse who have seen test sections of the 3D Star Wars conversion seem to speak very highly of the process. But then I saw a promo for Phantom Menace where Scorsese and Speilberg raved about its brilliance, so caveat emptor.

Ochs · 29 November, 2007, 11:14:57 AM

Did see a trailer last night for a 3d Nightmare Before Christmas, it looked amazing. Don't know if it's a remaster or a wholly new version. I would gues at the former.

Richmond Clements · 29 November, 2007, 11:16:37 AM

Of course he is, there's money to be made.

Err, and you're point is..?

the shutdown man · 29 November, 2007, 11:32:55 AM

My point is, how many times is Lucas going to release the same damn films on DVD, in cinemas and get away with by calling it the new special edition, the new ultimate edition, the new special ultimate 3D edition, etc. The man's been milking the Star Wars tit for 30 years now, he doesn't know how to do anything else, and it just irritates the shite out of me.

I would however go and see a 3D Lord of the Rings......