jmg38
Joined Aug 1999
Welcome to the new profile
Our updates are still in development. While the previous version of the profile is no longer accessible, we're actively working on improvements, and some of the missing features will be returning soon! Stay tuned for their return. In the meantime, the Ratings Analysis is still available on our iOS and Android apps, found on the profile page. To view your Rating Distribution(s) by Year and Genre, please refer to our new Help guide.
Badges3
To learn how to earn badges, go to the badges help page.
Reviews10
jmg38's rating
Like many of the other commentators, I saw this (once only!) when roughly the same age as the boys in the movie. 30+ years later I still find myself thinking about it from time to time. The themes of friendship, loyalty and commitment should be equally appealing to an adult viewer.
I seem to recall the subtitle "The War" appearing on the screen all those years ago. Maybe it is a false memory, driven by the film's notion of "the good us" vs "the evil them" - which is the undercurrent of the book & movie, and is usually the undercurrent of most actual wars. Even as a kid you could understand the not so subtle message that the movie was delivering.
The original 1906 book was written by Hungarian Ferenc Molnár during the long spiral of European politics into WWI. The book is still a standard read in many European grade schools. It was also voted the second favourite book in Hungary in 2005.
This movie, about Hungarian kids, was filmed in Finland. I wonder if the language might be the reason for this film not being available on DVD in an English version. Quite unfortunate, as this was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film - losing to the Russian 8 hour version of War and Peace (Voyna i Mir).
I seem to recall the subtitle "The War" appearing on the screen all those years ago. Maybe it is a false memory, driven by the film's notion of "the good us" vs "the evil them" - which is the undercurrent of the book & movie, and is usually the undercurrent of most actual wars. Even as a kid you could understand the not so subtle message that the movie was delivering.
The original 1906 book was written by Hungarian Ferenc Molnár during the long spiral of European politics into WWI. The book is still a standard read in many European grade schools. It was also voted the second favourite book in Hungary in 2005.
This movie, about Hungarian kids, was filmed in Finland. I wonder if the language might be the reason for this film not being available on DVD in an English version. Quite unfortunate, as this was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film - losing to the Russian 8 hour version of War and Peace (Voyna i Mir).
As you watch "Waking the Dead", you can tell that it is based on a novel. There are many hints of a well developed love/supernatural story that includes the political movement in the early 1970's, the greed of the early 1980's, the heartfelt desire by Connelly's character to help improve the world, the heartfelt desire by Crudup's character to help improve America.
But that is all you get... hints. The movie tries to cram too much into 105 minutes, and ends up giving us nothing. You never come to truly feel the passion of the characters for each other nor for their causes. The acting, the editing, and the too-loud background music leave much to be desired.
I have not read the book, but the hints of a deeper story makes me think that this might have done better as a slightly longer 2-part TV movie. Any time you do NOT read the original book, but are still left thinking "the book was better", then you know that the film has really missed its mark.
But that is all you get... hints. The movie tries to cram too much into 105 minutes, and ends up giving us nothing. You never come to truly feel the passion of the characters for each other nor for their causes. The acting, the editing, and the too-loud background music leave much to be desired.
I have not read the book, but the hints of a deeper story makes me think that this might have done better as a slightly longer 2-part TV movie. Any time you do NOT read the original book, but are still left thinking "the book was better", then you know that the film has really missed its mark.