Pelican Parts Forums

Pelican Parts Forums (http://forums.pelicanparts.com/)
-   Off Topic Discussions (http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/)
-   -   The Ghost Writer (http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/531414-ghost-writer.html)

Dottore 03-16-2010 07:24 AM

The Ghost Writer
 
Saw this last night and recommend it highly.

A superbly crafted old-school type mystery/thriller. No endless explosions. No animation. Just a great story beautifully directed and filmed. And quite possibly true! (I won't spoil it for you.)

Great cast too. Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Tom Wilkinson, Tim Hutton, James Belushi. Even Kim Cattrall—and she looks great.

You want to see a great director at the peak of his game—this would be the film.

I kept thinking 'Orson Welles' as I was watching it. Great stuff.

Maybe its the European in me, but I would love to see more emphasis on serious craftsmanship in cinema—strong screenplay, direction, camera work and acting—and a step back from the currently popular comic book genre that relies on endless gimmicks and computer animation. Good luck with that—I know.

varmint 03-16-2010 07:28 AM

what is worse, being a prisoner at gitmo, or a child in roman polanski's hot tub?

ZOO 03-16-2010 08:38 AM

Robert Harris is an exceptional writer -- I'm glad to hear that the movie worked out well.

tchanson 03-16-2010 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottore (Post 5239226)

A superbly crafted old school type mystery/thriller. No endless explosions. No animation. Just a great story beautifully directed and filmed.

Great cast too....Jon Belushi.

You want to see a great director at the peak of his game—this would be the film.

I kept thinking 'Orson Welles' as I was watching it. Great stuff.



Jon Belushi? I assume it was a non-speaking part?



Roger Ebert had much the same thoughts re craft, pacing and editing of the film, although he thought it more Hitchcock than Welles.

I'm looking forward to seeing it.




Tim

Dottore 03-16-2010 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tchanson (Post 5239484)
Jon Belushi? I assume it was a non-speaking part?
Roger Ebert had much the same thoughts re craft, pacing and editing of the film, although he thought it more Hitchcock than Welles.

I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Tim

Belushi's part is brief—but he plays it up. It's also a nice role for Cattrall—who I only know from Sex and the City. And Ewan McGregor nails the main role.

There's a lovely "not-quite-noir" feel to the film that does remind of Hitchcock. Very deftly done.

The Coen Brothers would have taken this over the top—and you come away thinking that a lot of restraint was exercised in the making of the film, and that it's all to good effect.

Dottore 03-16-2010 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dottore (Post 5239650)
you come away thinking that a lot of restraint was exercised in the making of the film,

C'mon Varmint that's your cue. I'm never going to feed you a better line than that...

m21sniper 03-16-2010 11:35 AM

John Belushi you say?

tchanson 03-16-2010 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m21sniper (Post 5239693)
John Belushi you say?

Apparently so. I presume Polanski addded an exquisitely lighted toga party.





Tim

vash 03-16-2010 12:34 PM

james belushi..the living one.

tcar 03-16-2010 01:55 PM

Will not watch a Polanski film.

Scumbag.

ramonesfreak 03-16-2010 03:13 PM

polanski has been at the top of his game since the beginning. looking forward to this

jim jarmusch makes crafted artistic films as does sofia coppola

Dottore 03-16-2010 03:28 PM

Jarmush? He squandered my good will with "Coffee & Cigarettes". You'd have to drag me kicking and screaming to anything else after that.

Sofia Coppola is a chip off the old block. She'll go very far as a director.

Dottore 03-16-2010 03:36 PM

Double post in error.

ramonesfreak 03-16-2010 03:53 PM

loved coffee & cigarettes because of the iggy pop & tom waits scene....his films are an unusual and meditative experience and not for everybody. he's the first to admit that

but polanski is right up there with kubrik....if you ever get a chance, watch the special features on the Shining DVD which shows the making of the film and you can see a genius at work....as well, the special features on Rosemary's Baby

Dottore 03-16-2010 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srandallf (Post 5240195)

but polanski is right up there with kubrik....if you ever get a chance, watch the special features on the Shining DVD which shows the making of the film and you can see a genius at work....as well, the special features on Rosemary's Baby

Agreed.

A guy that died too soon was Fassbinder. He would have been up there with Polanski and Kubrik had he lived...IMO.

ramonesfreak 03-16-2010 04:09 PM

i suspect we are the only ones on this board who like Fassbinder....

Werner Herzog is another at the top and still active...Woody Allen has lost his touch with reality lately but still a favorite

tchanson 03-16-2010 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srandallf (Post 5240223)
i suspect we are the only ones on this board who like Fassbinder....

Not the only ones. I saw all 15 hours of Berlin Alexanderplatz over two days in its initial release in US theatres, and it remains one of the most memorable films I've ever experienced.



Even though it had no John Belushi.





Tim

Dottore 03-16-2010 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srandallf (Post 5240223)
i suspect we are the only ones on this board who like Fassbinder....

Werner Herzog is another at the top and still active...Woody Allen has lost his touch with reality lately but still a favorite

Fassbinder was brilliant. Woody Allen is brilliant. Werner Herzog is not in the same league as either IMO.

RPKESQ 03-16-2010 04:43 PM

Ghost Writer is next on my list. I just saw North Face. Quite well done, except for the addition of the female interst into the story.

Dottore 03-16-2010 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tchanson (Post 5240261)
Not the only ones. I saw all 15 hours of Berlin Alexanderplatz over two days in its initial release in US theatres, and it remains one of the most memorable films I've ever experienced.

Even though it had no John Belushi.

Tim

Ditto for "Berlin Alexanderplatz". Imagine the balls it took to get a 15 hour feature film made and into distribution! And it was good.

(My bad on the Belushi. It was of course James Belushi.)


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:10 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2025 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website


DTO Garage Plus vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.