What DVD / Video did you watch last night? (pt3)

[butchersapron]

When you say MBTS do you mean the whole 4 part series or just the last film? They are all hilarious if you've not seen them.

 

[DaveCinzano]

No, the original one from 1988, Hei Tai Yang 731

 

[butchersapron]

That's the first in the series if i remember right.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Q "Do you mean (i) the whole series, or (ii) the last one?"

A "Neither, I mean the first one."

HTH

 

[Garek]

Between the Lines 1992 BBC.

Interesting drama focussing on police corruption and a team from CIB. A lot less prudish than modern dramas, with more ambiguous endings and a slightly unusual story structure. It doesn't go for the standard wrap-everything-up-neatly at the end of episodes. Currently on the first season. I am curious to know where the show heads in the next two series.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Series two works up to a bit of a crescendo, then series three circles the shark-jumping plug hole, but is still interesting. You may also like The Ghost Squad.

 

[butchersapron]

Q "Do you mean (i) the whole series, or (ii) the last one?"

A "Neither, I mean the first one."

HTH

Sorry, meant did you mean the last named film - i.e the one you mentioned - rather than the series when you said MBTS. That film is the first in a series of 4.

 

[Reno]

It's beyond me why after having seen Men Behind the Sun, anybody would like to see more. It's a shoddy film, but knowing that the atrocities enacted were based on real experiments coducted on humans in Camp 731 is still upsetting enough.

 

[Garek]

Series two works up to a bit of a crescendo, then series three circles the shark-jumping plug hole, but is still interesting. You may also like The Ghost Squad.

Cheers. I'll check out The Ghost Squad. I am slightly unsurprised about what you've said about the third season. All the MI5 mixing up etc. infiltrating far right politics. Sounds like you would need to a have a pretty good writing team to pull that off without it becoming ridiculous.

 

[krtek a houby]

Between the Lines 1992 BBC.

Interesting drama focussing on police corruption and a team from CIB. A lot less prudish than modern dramas, with more ambiguous endings and a slightly unusual story structure. It doesn't go for the standard wrap-everything-up-neatly at the end of episodes. Currently on the first season. I am curious to know where the show heads in the next two series.

Got the box set still wrapped, must sit down and watch it someday. Series 3 was probably the right time to wrap it up. Great performances all round, including the late, great Pete Postlethwaite as a rather deluded chief cop, iirc.

 

[butchersapron]

It's beyond me why after having seen Men Behind the Sun, anybody would like to see more. It's a shoddy film, but knowing that the atrocities enacted were based on real experiments coducted on humans in Camp 731 is still upsetting enough.

Russian horror bloke name i forget was so inspired he made his own film around it/them. Will try and remember his name.

 

[Reno]

The film is called Philosophy of a Knife. I think it's about 4 hours of re-enacted atrocities from Camp 731. Extreme movie fans have been slobbering over that one for a while now.

 

[butchersapron]

Philosophy of a Knife. I think it's about 4 hours of re-enacted atrocities from Camp 731. Extreme movie fans have been slobbering over that one for a while now.

That's the one, ta.

 

[DaveCinzano]

It's beyond me why after having seen Men Behind the Sun, anybody would like to see more. It's a shoddy film, but knowing that the atrocities enacted were based on real experiments coducted on humans in Camp 731 is still upsetting enough.

I guess it simply filled the void left by the Thomas/Rogers team when their similarly sensitive opus Carry On Don't Make A Lampshade From My Flayed Carcass entered production hell.

 

[magneze]

Started watching Mesrine Killer. Instinct. Missed first 15 mins though - anything vital in that time?

 

[Mephitic]

Salmon fishing in the Yemen ~ load of shit but i may have secretly enjoyed it..

 

[renegadechicken]

God Bless America - loved it, some really good bits in it...but it is a turn off your brain to watch...ideal in drink

 

[magneze]

Finished Mesrine - Killer Instinct. Good, tight plot, keeps you interested throughout. I always thought Canadians were cuddly but their jails seem to be a bit brutal.

 

[DexterTCN]

Drive. Very good. Bit of a Patrick Bateman thing going on there, or Dexter maybe.

 

[andy2002]

The Woman In Black: I love a good ghost story and this certainly delivered a few decent scares and a suitably oppressive atmosphere. But somehow it all felt a 'bit by the numbers' at times - not sure Harry Potter's presence helped really. I haven't read the book or seen the play/original film so have no idea how it compares to those.

 

[Reno]

The Woman In Black: I love a good ghost story and this certainly delivered a few decent scares and a suitably oppressive atmosphere. But somehow it all felt a 'bit by the numbers' at times - not sure Harry Potter's presence helped really. I haven't read the book or seen the play/original film so have no idea how it compares to those.

It's absolute shit as an adaptation. It chucks out most of the plot or character motivation, to a degree where it makes little sense anymore. It doesn't build atmosphere, develop characters or take advantage of the genuinely scary elements of the book and is aimed at an audience that's assumed to have ADHD. Instead of the slow burn of any good ghost story the film rushes to its main set piece, the night spent in the house, now not a believable place anymore but more of a Disney World style haunted house ride. All you get is non-stop jump scares and the most tired visual tropes of the haunted house film (gazillions of "creepy" dolls, children in pancake make-up) instead of a decent story or credible characters.

While it also changed the plot of the book, the 80s ITV adaptation by the great Nigel Kneale stayed true to its spirit and was far superior. I had been hoping they'd do something of that quality with an enhanced budget, but Mrs Jonathan Ross didn't seem to grasp the point of the story at all.

 

[krtek a houby]

The Road - decent adaptation of the book, bit weepy too
The Shinjuku Incident - Jackie Chan plays it straight and serious as Chinese immigrant in Tokyo becomes leader of crime gang and all sorts of infighting and clashes with yakuza power struggles. The usual message of unity and "we must not fight amongst ourselves" ensues. Not a bad film, actually. 1st half is more convincing, mind.

 

[silverfish]

I have two choices tonight, Ai (artificial intelligence I presume) or have a wank and hope a kurdish roustabout doesn't kick my clinicndoor in with some random minor ailment.

I fear Ai will make me smash my telly up

 

[andy2002]

It's absolute shit as an adaptation. It chucks out most of the plot or character motivation, to a degree where it makes little sense anymore. It doesn't build atmosphere, develop characters or take advantage of the genuinely scary elements of the book and is aimed at an audience that's assumed to have ADHD. Instead of the slow burn of any good ghost story the film rushes to its main set piece, the night spent in the house, now not a believable place anymore but more of a Disney World style haunted house ride. All you get is non-stop jump scares and the most tired visual tropes of the haunted house film (gazillions of "creepy" dolls, children in pancake make-up) instead of a decent story or credible characters.

While it also changed the plot of the book, the 80s ITV adaptation by the great Nigel Kneale stayed true to its spirit and was far superior. I had been hoping they'd do something of that quality with an enhanced budget, but Mrs Jonathan Ross didn't seem to grasp the point of the story at all.

As I say, I haven't seen any of the other versions so have nothing to compare it with. I thought it was quite strong visually and there were at least a couple of decent jumps (it had my wife hiding behind a cushion at one stage), but you're certainly right when you say some of its ideas were hackneyed (spooky wind-up toys again!?) and that they could have spent more time building towards the big set-piece and on characterisation. I shall try to track down one of the other versions because I'm keen to see how they measure up now.

 

[avu9lives]

dazed and confused supposedly a funny pothead film (my arse) an its got 7.6 on imdb anawl! Thank god for peter simon over sellin cheap tat on bid tv or else me night would have been ruined!

 

[DexterTCN]

This Means War. One of the worst films ever made.

 

[Orang Utan]

dazed and confused supposedly a funny pothead film (my arse) an its got 7.6 on imdb anawl! Thank god for peter simon over sellin cheap tat on bid tv or else me night would have been ruined!

I loved it. One of the best films I've seen about the late teen years. Spot on. Great music too.

 

[krtek a houby]

I have two choices tonight, Ai (artificial intelligence I presume) or have a wank and hope a kurdish roustabout doesn't kick my clinicndoor in with some random minor ailment.

I fear Ai will make me smash my telly up

It's not that bad at all, sort of Pinnochio meets Wizard of Oz with a pretty far out ending. I like it.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

We watched The most exotic marigold hotel - was very funny in places but a tried and tested format but still a nice watch for a lazy Sunday evening.

I watched that tonight and enjoyed it

 

[renegadechicken]

Watched Tape 407.........really enjoyed it despite the ' oh ffs why are you doing that' bits.....both me n the wife shouted at the young girl to shut the fuck up at the start
Good sign of a movie when you shout at them......


and yes indeed Minnie..it is one of those films, like slumdog, we will watch again.