Comments | ellen_datlow: movies, socializing, and work

ellen_datlow

movies, socializing, and work

Nov 07, 2010 00:51

Had sushi and cold sake with the lovely Jenny Blackford last night and then went home and watch the piece of garbage that is Gothic--the one by Ken Russell with Gabriel Byrne (Lord Byron) (who I lech after), Julian Sands (Shelley), Timothy Spall, Miriam Cyr, and Natasha Richardson as Mary Shelley. Terrible. Thank god it wasn't longer than it was. ( Read more... )

work, fun, movies

Comments 7

mr_earbrass November 7 2010, 05:53:46 UTC

Heh, sorry you didn't like Gothic--I believe Nick K and I were talking it up around here, so I'm doubly sorry if we had anything to do with your screening it! I remember thinking it was entertaining in the shrieking, melodramatic fashion of many a Russell film, though of course the history was off and the implications both troublesome and long-discredited. Think I may leave it as a happy memory rather than try re-watching it--everyone I've recced it to over the years has hated it, which maybe says something ;)

ellen_datlow November 7 2010, 06:01:15 UTC

LOL-well it was entertaining as in watching a train wreck sort of way. I'm not sorry I watched it but I'd never want to watch it again :-)...
I forgive you and Nick if that's why I added it to my queue. My queue is so long that I rarely who recced what movie/series by the time I get to it.

vegan_vulcan November 7 2010, 14:48:37 UTC

Gothic! I felt about the same as you. I think the best part is that in my case, Jesse suggested I watch it because I was teaching Frankenstein at FSU and he thought that it might be a really great movie to show in class! Indeed.

Screening it for undergrads aside, the scene where Timothy Spall gives Gabriel Byrne a plate full of maggots or whatever is pretty outstanding, just because Timothy Spall gigglesnorting and then sniveling is amusing, but all I remember from the rest of the film (that I'm willing to discuss at 7:40 AM) is people running through hallways waving their arms in the air while the camera is tilted slightly? Or something? Ooof. Oh, and the scene where Julian Sands is guzzling laudanum and cries, if memory serves, "I CAN TAKE IT." It's a good thing he could, at least. . .

ellen_datlow November 7 2010, 16:21:05 UTC

I wonder what Timothy Spall thinks about his performance now--yikes, it was over the top.

Pellham 123 themadblonde November 7 2010, 15:10:35 UTC

found this to be one of the better action flicks I've seen in a long time. I'm not usually one for chase scenes, but I found the big cross-town chase in this both more believable & more effective than most. Travolta was NOT on his best game, but I almost always enjoy watching Mr. W. & I really liked the original, so any remake had quite a job to get me to like it as well.

Re: Pellham 123 ellen_datlow November 7 2010, 16:23:07 UTC

I enjoyed it. Didn't think it was great though. And wondered why they just didn't change the lights from green to red as soon as they realized the bad guys were no longer on the train. I liked the way they got around the fact that there is no longer such a train names Pelham 123 ;-).

neojess November 8 2010, 10:39:15 UTC

Gothic? It's not bad - okay, it IS a bit bad, but more a deliberate, theatrical overdose.
There's been a few films about that summer of Shelley, and out of them, I much prefer Gothic.

The Haunted Summer has Alex Winter (Bill of Bill & Ted's) as Polidori, and it doesn't improve from there.

However, for sheer awful, Remando al Viento/Rowing With the Wind takes the top honors. It is one of the three worst films I've ever sat through, and I didn't mind Hudson Hawk, so that's saying something! Describing it would take more effort than it deserves, so I'll only say "watch at your own risk."