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Triston and Isolde

Discussion in 'Archive: SF&F: Films and Television' started by PrincessKenobi , Jan 3, 2006.

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  1. PrincessKenobi

    PrincessKenobi Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 12, 2000
    This movie comes out on January 14th. I can't wait to go see it. It has all the aspects I love in my movies.

    Fighting, Fantasy, Romance, Fighting, More Fighting, oh and Fantasy, and Fighting.

    ~PK~
     
  2. Panther50

    Panther50 Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2004
    Its funny I've just reading a book on Celtic myths, when I saw an ad for this movie. I'm curious to see how it differs from the original story, although I'm not convinced about James Franco as a knight but I'll hold back judgement until I see a trailer.
     
  3. Andalite-Bandit

    Andalite-Bandit Jedi Padawan star 6

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    Apr 25, 2005
    I never realized from the trailers that there were any Fantasy elements to this movie.
     
  4. darth_frared

    darth_frared Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Jun 24, 2005
    tee hee. sounds good enough for me, too.

    who made it?
     
  5. RebelScum77

    RebelScum77 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Aug 3, 2003
    It's directed by Kevin Reynolds who also did "The Count of Monte Cristo", "Waterworld" and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves."

    I'm very excited about the film. I love the time period in which it's set and it's a such a good story. I hope it turns out to be decent, there's nothing sadder than a bad historical epic. But it's guarenteed to look beautiful.
     
  6. Idrelle_Miocovani

    Idrelle_Miocovani Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Feb 5, 2005
    I hope it turns out to be decent, there's nothing sadder than a bad historical epic. But it's guarenteed to look beautiful.

    I can think of a number of those bad historical epics that still look beautiful... well, at least they're bad historical epics in my mind.

    This one I am hoping will be good and not fall into my "bad historical epic" category!
     
  7. RebelScum77

    RebelScum77 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Aug 3, 2003
    Anyone else seen this?

    I did like it quite a bit, and it was indeed a beautiful film, with gorgeous landscapes and costumes. But I agree with a lot of the reviews that it wasn't epic enough and didn't make you cry the way it should. I was expecting something more along the lines of the latest "Pride and Prejudice" where I was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to get together. I would have loved to see what Ridley Scott would have done with it. The cast was great though, I wouldn't change them at all. James Franco was seriously born to be in period movies. He just fits in the world so well, and was absolutely believable. I did find it very amusing that one of the critics commented on Tristan's "Anakin-isms" and that he looked like he was in "The Hayden Christensen" story. They do look a bit similiar. :p
     
  8. ROTS_Obi1

    ROTS_Obi1 Jedi Master star 4

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    Mar 16, 2005
    Ridley Scott and his brother Tony Scott were both producers in this film.
     
  9. RebelScum77

    RebelScum77 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Aug 3, 2003
    Yep, they were. Ridley was known to be tossing around the idea of directing a Tristan and Isolde film, but it never happened.
     
  10. Tyranus_the_Hutt

    Tyranus_the_Hutt Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 14, 2004
    Pared down to its most essential qualities, "Tristan and Isolde" emerges as a surprisingly contained medieval action picture/romance, concentrating on character brooding and incident rather than sweeping, baroque gestures. Yes, the film is melodramatic, but relative to other films in this genre, it exhibits at least a modicum of restraint. The result is a robust entertainment ? an involving adventure film that also engages the viewer?s emotions.

    The picture?s early scenes are devoted to exposition concerning the political disarray in England, as its citizens fend off a series of attacks by the conveniently objectified Irish marauders. The movie?s detractors have pointed to the various historical 'inaccuracies' and the liberties taken by the filmmakers in this story, and while I would not dispute the validity of their point, I suggest that film is a medium that is rather best suited to emotional constructs; if you desire a list of minute, factual details based upon the description of names, places, dates, events, etc., then the most appropriate avenue for you to explore would be the written word. We do not attend a movie to gain insight into fact or intellectual philosophizing; we go in order to observe emotional truth. In other words, an idea that may not adhere to historical accuracy may, in the context of a film, be emotionally or dramatically correct.

    Against the political and social unrest, we are introduced to Tristan, whose parents were killed during an assault by the Irish, and is then raised by Lord Marke (who loses his hand early on in defense of Tristan?s life), played in the film?s best performance by Rufus Sewell. Tristan?s eventual counterpart, Isolde, is observed as having an equally gloomy childhood, given her mother?s premature death, and the domineering presence of her father, King Donnchadh (David Patrick O?Hara in a performance that seems to channel aspects of Brando?s work in "The Godfather"). Following the obligatory ? and somewhat awkward - introduction, the picture gets to the heart of its story; after a set of circumstances too intricate (not to mention unconvincing) to explicate in this post, Tristan (James Franco) is washed up on the Irish coast, where Isolde (Sophia Myles) discovers him, and helps him to restore his heath; fearing detection, Isolde and her servant hide the young man in a cave, in which a number of poorly staged scenes ? including an early one which features Isolde and her servant strip naked and then get under the covers with the unconscious Tristan in order to use their collective body heat to warm him ? begin to play themselves out. This passage of the film exists to develop the relationship between the two young people, and it is here that the movie makes a rather large misstep ? the scenes which characterize the romance between Franco and Myles are so scant in nature that the weight of their mutual affection seems lacking; I had expected a salient level of conviction that might have given the rest of the picture a more distinct emotional resonance. Myles was fine, but Franco, in particular, seemed to miscalculate his character?s inward brooding ? he seems a bit lifeless and wooden - a vacuous hunk. Fortunately, my criticisms were allayed: both he and the film improved a great deal as the story entered its middle section.

    "Tristan and Isolde" becomes progressively more interesting as the two lovers are forced to separate, and then traverse some precarious interpersonal, political, and even geographical boundaries in order to be together. I will not reveal any further details of the plot (if you?ve seen the trailers, you probably know too much already), but suffice to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how engrossing this film finally became. Director Kevin Reynolds ("Waterworld," "Rapa Nui,") does a skillful job of balancing a political subterfuge (one that is rather more intriguing than you might think, given the context of the film in which it appears) with some ferocious battle sequences, strongly defined character drama, an
     
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