Comments on: Lion Bites Gorilla? http://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/12/lion-bites-gorilla.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Tue, 22 May 2012 03:53:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: Dan Edelenhttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/12/lion-bites-gorilla.html#comment-3087 Dan Edelen Wed, 04 Jan 2006 05:43:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=388#comment-3087 Anonymous, My brother-in-law and I, looking for a male bonding moment, saw <I>King Kong</I> the day after Christmas. He and I are both 43 and neither of us sees many movies in the theater. In fact, I've never in my life seen two movies two weeks apart like I did <I>Kong </I>and <I>Narnia</I>. In the last three years I've seen perhaps seven movies in the theater, so I'm not an avid cinema-goer. My brother-in-law and I had the same reaction to <I>Kong</I>: <I>So what?</I> Yeah, it had some exciting scenes and Naomi Watts is pretty, but beyond that there is no greater meaning, moral, or anything else found in <I>Kong</I>. All it is and was is a special effects pic. I didn't identify with the gorilla. I didn't really identify with anyone because there isn't much character development outside of the girl and the gorilla. And as much as I love animals, the pile of human bones outside Kong's lair doesn't paint him as just a big simian version of a cocker spaniel—if you know what I mean. Frankly, I thought the film was just there. I didn't take anything away from it because there was nothing to take save for some variable CGI work (Kong, T-rexes—good, Brontosauruses—really bad.) I think that this is one reason that it's underperforming. There's no emotional attachment in the movie in light of 9/11. The very fact that Peter Jackson is not an American is a telling reason why he didn't see that Americans aren't all popcorn and Junior Mints anymore. We want our big movies to say something big about life and <I>Kong</I> simply doesn't do this. The girl's affection seems weird rather than affecting for this reason. I'm glad you really liked it. As for me, I give it 6 out of 10. Anonymous,

My brother-in-law and I, looking for a male bonding moment, saw King Kong the day after Christmas. He and I are both 43 and neither of us sees many movies in the theater. In fact, I’ve never in my life seen two movies two weeks apart like I did Kong and Narnia. In the last three years I’ve seen perhaps seven movies in the theater, so I’m not an avid cinema-goer.

My brother-in-law and I had the same reaction to Kong: So what? Yeah, it had some exciting scenes and Naomi Watts is pretty, but beyond that there is no greater meaning, moral, or anything else found in Kong. All it is and was is a special effects pic. I didn’t identify with the gorilla. I didn’t really identify with anyone because there isn’t much character development outside of the girl and the gorilla. And as much as I love animals, the pile of human bones outside Kong’s lair doesn’t paint him as just a big simian version of a cocker spaniel—if you know what I mean.

Frankly, I thought the film was just there. I didn’t take anything away from it because there was nothing to take save for some variable CGI work (Kong, T-rexes—good, Brontosauruses—really bad.)

I think that this is one reason that it’s underperforming. There’s no emotional attachment in the movie in light of 9/11. The very fact that Peter Jackson is not an American is a telling reason why he didn’t see that Americans aren’t all popcorn and Junior Mints anymore. We want our big movies to say something big about life and Kong simply doesn’t do this. The girl’s affection seems weird rather than affecting for this reason.

I’m glad you really liked it. As for me, I give it 6 out of 10.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/12/lion-bites-gorilla.html#comment-3086 Anonymous Wed, 04 Jan 2006 03:34:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=388#comment-3086 Having seen both King Kong and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, I think you're doing quite a disservice to the former. The draw with King Kong has never been about the plot itself. It's all about the journey. The draw with King Kong is that, in all of its various incarnations, has been about stretching filmmaking itself as far as it will go. Yes, the special effects are tremendous, and again, you do a disservice by dismissing them, for the entirety of the piece is visually stunning, and the ape himself is incredible. The real drawing power of the movie itself is the film magic of it. By the end of the movie, the audience (if they have come in without the magic-killing cynicism that often unnecessarily kills films that exist outside the bounds of reality) identifies with the ape. The audience feels the impact of that romance between Kong and Darrow. That's an incredible feat. There is every bit as much terror, romance, and adventure in that movie as is possible to fit into one film. I think it was incredible, and I think it unfair to complain about that film simply because it isn't the Christian film du jour. Having seen both King Kong and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, I think you’re doing quite a disservice to the former. The draw with King Kong has never been about the plot itself. It’s all about the journey. The draw with King Kong is that, in all of its various incarnations, has been about stretching filmmaking itself as far as it will go. Yes, the special effects are tremendous, and again, you do a disservice by dismissing them, for the entirety of the piece is visually stunning, and the ape himself is incredible.

The real drawing power of the movie itself is the film magic of it. By the end of the movie, the audience (if they have come in without the magic-killing cynicism that often unnecessarily kills films that exist outside the bounds of reality) identifies with the ape. The audience feels the impact of that romance between Kong and Darrow. That’s an incredible feat. There is every bit as much terror, romance, and adventure in that movie as is possible to fit into one film.

I think it was incredible, and I think it unfair to complain about that film simply because it isn’t the Christian film du jour.

]]> By: Capt. Eucalyptushttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2005/12/lion-bites-gorilla.html#comment-3085 Capt. Eucalyptus Mon, 19 Dec 2005 17:31:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=388#comment-3085 I don't think Jackson will be disappointed. I'm sure he doesn't worry much over BO take. THe studios on the other hand do, but 60 million for a five day opening isn't anything to cry in your beer about. I don’t think Jackson will be disappointed. I’m sure he doesn’t worry much over BO take. THe studios on the other hand do, but 60 million for a five day opening isn’t anything to cry in your beer about.

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