NationStates Jolt Archive

I just saw Beowulf. It was awesome. I've posted a reviewhere (http://meshakhad.livejournal.com/2007/11/17/).

And, to get the debate rolling - who would win in a fight, Beowulf or Leonidas?

If youve got spoilers in that review, you better warn people.

I won't be seeing it, since $10 is a bit much, but as a fan of the poem I'm glad to hear a positive review. :)

My only question, then, is: Crispin Glover as Grendel? How did that work? :p

I won't be seeing it, since $10 is a bit much, but as a fan of the poem I'm glad to hear a positive review. :)

My only question, then, is: Crispin Glover as Grendel? How did that work? :p

It'll work the same as using Angeline Jolie to MILFisize Grendel's Mother.

This was was actually a way better movie than I had expected. Had some nice moral loops and twists as well, I recommend it.

I just saw Beowulf. It was awesome. I've posted a reviewhere (http://meshakhad.livejournal.com/2007/11/17/).

And, to get the debate rolling - who would win in a fight, Beowulf or Leonidas?

Does it have gryphons in it? I'm not big on fantasy movies, but I'll see anything for gryphons. :D

I have low expectations, but I want to see it in IMAX 3D anyways. I'm curious about it from a technical perspective, the time I saw a trailer for it in the theatre everyone looked like plastic.

the time I saw a trailer for it in the theatre everyone looked like plastic.
It's all CGI, is it not? Mind you, I suppose it'd have to be to de-tubbify Ray Winstone to teh point where he could pass as a muscle-bound superhero :p

And, to get the debate rolling - who would win in a fight, Beowulf or Leonidas?

MATT DAMON!!!

Beowulf or Leonidas?
Oh ffs. Are you fourteen or something?

Incidentally, it looks like macho shite. So I'll probably go, and then complain afterwards, like 300. Which was extremely rubbish, and only about 8 minutes long if you speed it up to 'proper' speed.

Also - way to totally kill one of the classics of Old English.

If youve got spoilers in that review, you better warn people.
It's fucking Beowulf. It's centuries old. If the review spoils it, too fucking bad. Once something is older than a century, all bets are off. You know what? Jesus is crucified in The Passion.

I was going to see it, but then I saw that bit about it being 3D. So I'll wait for it to come out on DVD. Nothing ruins a movie like a cheap gimmick from the 80's.

I was going to see it, but then I saw that bit about it being 3D. So I'll wait for it to come out on DVD. Nothing ruins a movie like a cheap gimmick from the 80's.
Yeah, 3D now is totally like 3D from the '80s. :rolleyes: Way to make yourself look stupid.

It's the latest in 3D technology with motion captured live action.

know what? Jesus is crucified in The Passion.

You bastard!

*Runs off in tears*

Yeah, 3D now is totally like 3D from the '80s. :rolleyes: Way to make yourself look stupid.

It's the latest in 3D technology with motion captured live action.
As long as it involves those hideous, communal (ew) glasses, it is one of the worst things that can happen to a movie.
It adds nothing, and rather than enhance the movies realism, the addition of 3D just reinforces its overall fakeness by forcing the audience to put on and remove the aforesaid glasses at certain occasions, reminding them of themselves.

. You know what? Jesus is crucified in The Passion.

No Wai!!1!!! Was it the Jews?????

As long as it involves those hideous, communal (ew) glasses, it is one of the worst things that can happen to a movie.
It adds nothing, and rather than enhance the movies realism, the addition of 3D just reinforces its overall fakeness by forcing the audience to put on and remove the aforesaid glasses at certain occasions, reminding them of themselves.
Ah, that 3D. I doubt the glasses are required to be removed at any time before the end of movie.

I wonder if it recognizes that the dragon and Grendel are the physical manifestations of the problems of Geat society.

Jesus is crucified in The Passion.

Also, Romeo and Juliet die.

And you don't have to take off the glasses throughout the movie. Put them on at the start, take them off at the end.

And that review has no spoilers.

why bally heck wasnt it done in Anglo-Saxon

Uhmm.. nothing about those stupid glasses... the way they animated it made it look 3 dimensional. I watched it last night.

For the record, it seems they combined elements from both the Norse Saga and the novel A Lament for Grendel.

why bally heck wasnt it done in Anglo-Saxon
ic cuðe for noht :(

ic cuðe for noht :(
What does that mean? Cool..I love languages.:D
*MAY BE SOME SPOILERS*
Alright, here's the deal.

1. The 3-D is awesome, you put on your glasses before it starts and take em off when it's done. I saw it 3-D on the IMAX with my friends last night. It's AWESOME.

2. Parts of it are done in Old English. Grendel ONLY speaks in Old English ( I beleive it was Old English he was speaking) and Grendel's mother speaks in both Old English (again, I BELEIVE it was Old English) and English where the plot is important. The Old English is not subtitled...but if you know German or English or any other Germanic languages (like the herdygerdy languages) you will understand some of it which is quite a pleasing shock for langauge tools like me. :D

3. Hollywood added it's own flair to it that gave it a theme and a few basic plot points that weren't in the original Beowulf. This was more of a "pride is a curse" kinda story where as anyone who read Beowulf in high school (I did, it's mandatory here) will know that Beowulf was a heroic epic and on that the plot differs slightly.

4. Grendel is awesome and the most disgusting thing you'll ever see. I love when he talks to his mother in Old English.

5. Grendel's Mother is done very well, although if you're expecting the movie to stay true to the story, Grendel's mother takes a 180 and brings it on it's own direction. However, she is very evil, sexy, violent and smooth...and she works, in my opinion. I was a bit...ashamed that they totally changed the "theme" of this story, but then again..it was awesome, well made a complete a total viking fest, so I can't complain that much.

6. Heres the deal. If you like anything Nordic, at all...you'll like this movie.

7. If you just like cool action movies, you'll probably like it also.

And, to get the debate rolling - who would win in a fight, Beowulf or Leonidas?

THIS IS GEATLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What does that mean?
"I know not whyfore", in Old English.

Or an approximation thereof, more likely.

BTW, Beowulf would win in a fight because he killed monsters and a dragon and was a nordic viking. Leonidas would lose because all he fought were some Persians rug retailers and their slaves, and of course because he was a boy lover.


(Nah, I actually loved 300 and Leonidas, I just like Beowulf better)

"I know not whyfore", in Old English.

Or an approximation thereof, more likely.

Do you know any more Old English? Did you study it?

Do you know any more Old English? Did you study it?
I know the odd Old English poem, but not much more than that.

And, to get the debate rolling - who would win in a fight, Beowulf or Leonidas?

Beowulf eats two cans of Cambell's Condensed Cream of Whoopass every day for lunch at noon; unheated and still in the can.

Leonidas is the judge for Hell's annual spiciest chili cook off, under his tenure nobody has ever won the competition!

Don't ask me to choose who is more bad assed...

Nah, I actually loved 300 and Leonidas, I just like Beowulf better
So if I really disliked 300, then I wouldn’t enjoy Beowulf?

I heartily enjoyed reading Beowulf, and the cast of the movie adaptation is impressive, but the trailer looks shockingly bad. Should I just assume my fears are justified?

Though I’m really interested as to how Ray Winstone lost so much weight; going from Cockney character actor to buff action star.

Edit: I see now, he did it through animation.

“I’m the Daddy now.”

Cookie for above reference.

So if I really disliked 300, then I wouldn’t enjoy Beowulf?
Hmm...probably actually. Though I'd say just see it..I mean you never know. If anything just see if for their accents, the cool Old English used by Grendel and the fight with the Dragon.
I heartily enjoyed reading Beowulf, and the cast of the movie adaptation is impressive, but the trailer looks shockingly bad. Should I just assume my fears are justified?
Yeah, well..they didn't really stay true to the story. The story is a Heroic Epic where as this is a tale of "pride is the downfall" kind of thing....so meh..I liked the original much better but this was still cool.
Though I’m really interested as to how Ray Winstone lost so much weight; going from Cockney character actor to buff action star.
I beleive he said that his digitally re-created Beowulf self looks like he looked at 18 or something like that....:p:rolleyes::p

snip
Cheers for the info.

I might just give it a go anyways; I like Winstone, Hopkins and Gaiman enough to stomach a crappy movie.

It's fucking Beowulf. It's centuries old. If the review spoils it, too fucking bad. Once something is older than a century, all bets are off. You know what? Jesus is crucified in The Passion.

gee, i didn't think i would agree with that, but then i remembered I had to read it in high school. Ooh, Spoilers. I am scared. The movie was awesome, and not as heavily based on the book as most would think. It is a departure from the text in a good way, which is really F*(king rare. I recommend it.

It was a boring movie, if slightly less boring than what I would have done otherwise.

It was a boring movie, if slightly less boring than what I would have done otherwise.
Not enough minorities and racial diversity for you, huh?

Not enough minorities and racial diversity for you, huh?
What are you on about?

What are you on about?
Just poking a little fun at his usual ranting...nothing to be taken seriously nor actually having to do with Beowulf.

Relax.:p

Relax.:p
Your... jokes are sometimes hard to keep up with, TAi.

*chills*

Pretty fucking awesome, I saw it in IMAX 3D, but that wasn't even why I thought it was awesome. It was that new twist with Grendel's mother! I went into the movie expecting that to be the deal breaker, but it ended up being the exact opposite.

But it still doesn't live up to the epic poem, at least the way my class analyzed it. Although I'm sure few others had the same experience we did.

I enjoyed it. Imax is pretty kickass. Only issue I had was if for some reason I got amnesia and forgot what movie I was watching, everyone constantly constantly screaming Beowulf!!! would surely remind me. That dude must have said his own name at least 25 times throughout the movie. There are some parts where the animation looks kind of queer and awkward. But there are other times where you'd swear it was live action. The movie itself was not bad.

Personally I didn't understand the whole plot line with Grendal's mother. I mean I understood it I just didn't understand why it happened. The king and Beowulf both knew she was a monster and Beowulf knew the deal with Grendal.

There are some parts where the animation looks kind of queer and awkward. But there are other times where you’d swear it was live action.
The (admittedly, crappy quality) trailer that I saw a while back convinced me it was a live action film!

That’s why I was so confused as to how Ray Winstone, who has for some while now been a rather portly gentleman, had come by a six-pack and rippling muscles.

THIS IS GEATLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Götaland, haha. I keep forgetting Beowulf was supposed to be of Swedish descent. The poem/story is not as popular here as it seems to be in Anglo parts. We spend a lot more time with the Æsir in schools than we do Beowulf, but that's not so strange.

Götaland, haha. I keep forgetting Beowulf was supposed to be of Swedish descent. The poem/story is not as popular here as it seems to be in Anglo parts. We spend a lot more time with the Æsir in schools than we do Beowulf, but that’s not so strange.
I suppose Beowulf is so popular as it’s seen as a landmark in English language, albeit Old English.

Anyways, the Æsir are much more fun.

The best soap drama out there.

Incidentally, it looks like macho shite. So I'll probably go, and then complain afterwards, like 300. Which was extremely rubbish, and only about 8 minutes long if you speed it up to 'proper' speed.

Also - way to totally kill one of the classics of Old English.

You clearly missed the entire point of 300.
Which was David Wenham in not very much.
And photoshop-like blood splatter...

Then again I think an entire theatre full of people hates me & my bff for laughing hysterically throughout most of the film, like the overly-macho bits.
Basically people are just way too uptight.

Personally I didn't understand the whole plot line with Grendal's mother. I mean I understood it I just didn't understand why it happened. The king and Beowulf both knew she was a monster and Beowulf knew the deal with Grendal.

Phaermones... if that aint enough its Angeolina Joli!

Actually... the reasoning would be that she used some kind of magic to charm them to her will... it was likely linked to that horn.

The Grendel's mother stuff I thought was adopted from a book about Beowulf called a Lament for Grendel. Its Grendel's Mother POV about the legend and if I am remembering correctly she did something similar in that story.

Phaermones... if that aint enough its Angeolina Joli!

Actually... the reasoning would be that she used some kind of magic to charm them to her will... it was likely linked to that horn.

The Grendel's mother stuff I thought was adopted from a book about Beowulf called a Lament for Grendel. Its Grendel's Mother POV about the legend and if I am remembering correctly she did something similar in that story.

Really? I thought it was just her nearly nude form...

It sounded cool until my sis said it was CGI...

Personally I didn't understand the whole plot line with Grendal's mother. I mean I understood it I just didn't understand why it happened. The king and Beowulf both knew she was a monster and Beowulf knew the deal with Grendal.

I believe that was Beowulf's and Hrothgar's (well, one of many in his case) flaw, that they put lust over logic.

I never read Lament for Grendel. I did read the book Grendel though, that was really good. It was from Grendel's point of view, and it was just seeping in philosophy.

Really? I thought it was just her nearly nude form...

Like I said.. some kind of magical compulsion...

Leonidas would beat the crap out of Beowulf, because he had a better tagline. "THIS IS SPARTAAA!" is way cooler, though equally obvious and obnoxious as "I AM BEOWULF!". Also, Leonidas had a beard. And he was always naked, or close to it.

Leonidas would beat the crap out of Beowulf, because he had a better tagline. "THIS IS SPARTAAA!" is way cooler, though equally obvious and obnoxious as "I AM BEOWULF!". Also, Leonidas had a beard. And he was always naked, or close to it.

Did you pay any attention tot he movie? Beowulf spent 65% of it TOTALLY naked. If your measuring it by nudity then Beowulf has that category my freind.

I still think my answer was better.

i wont be seeing it. being that i read the poem. my english teacher who is a major fan of the poem is threatening to fail anyone who goes to see the move. i wont watch it simply because it doent follow the orgininal story quite like i would to see.

It sounded cool until my sis said it was CGI...

This is not a Pixar cartoon by a long stretch. If anything, the quality is right up there with Final Fantasy: The Spirit Within in terms of how lifelike the characters appear and animate. It helps that the CGI rendering is basically overlaying physical acting, similar to how The Getaway games were made.

i wont be seeing it. being that i read the poem. my english teacher who is a major fan of the poem is threatening to fail anyone who goes to see the move. i wont watch it simply because it doent follow the orgininal story quite like i would to see.

If she fails you because you watched a movie, or done anything else thats outside of school you and your lawyer could have a field day....

Did you pay any attention tot he movie? Beowulf spent 65% of it TOTALLY naked. If your measuring it by nudity then Beowulf has that category my freind.

I still think my answer was better.

No way, hes just in the buff while fighting Grendel. Leonidas rocks that loincloth, helmet and cape for hours. He definatley wins. Also, Leonidas and the other Spartans don't get the loincloths in the book 300. And besides that, look at how many people and monsters Leonidas killed compared to Beowulf. Also, Leonidas's wife was hotter.

No way, hes just in the buff while fighting Grendel. Leonidas rocks that loincloth, helmet and cape for hours. He definatley wins. Also, Leonidas and the other Spartans don't get the loincloths in the book 300. And besides that, look at how many people and monsters Leonidas killed compared to Beowulf. Also, Leonidas's wife was hotter.

I like to exaggerate... I'm an author, an artist, and a radio DJ... its my jobs...

No way, hes just in the buff while fighting Grendel. Leonidas rocks that loincloth, helmet and cape for hours. He definatley wins. Also, Leonidas and the other Spartans don't get the loincloths in the book 300. And besides that, look at how many people and monsters Leonidas killed compared to Beowulf. Also, Leonidas's wife was hotter.

Leonidas was married to Sarah Conner. That tells you how damn ballsy the Spartans were.

Does it have gryphons in it? I'm not big on fantasy movies, but I'll see anything for gryphons. :D

No, I doesn't, sorry. I don't think gryphons are really a Nordic kind of thing.

No, I doesn't, sorry. I don't think gryphons are really a Nordic kind of thing.

Damn those people and their.. Mustaches. And rock bands. And runic axes.

who would win in a fight, Beowulf or Leonidas?
Ash would kick both their asses.

I guess people will really cluster together to see it.

*grin*

out of curiosity, has anyone seen the 2005 version that starred Stellan Skarsgaard?
He's been one of my favourite actors for years, so I'm curious as to whether that version is worth hunting down.