RussGrabes
Joined Apr 2001
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Reviews10
RussGrabes's rating
I just want to quickly start with the faults of this film. It was over long and the Metallica soundtrack at times got in the way of the film's raison d'etre - ie, a look at the demons, frustrations, etc of the band members. Apart from these relatively minor points, the film was excellent and the band should feel pretty proud that they were able to expose themselves in this way.
The therapy sessions (for me at least) were the highlight of the film. The change in attitudes of both Hetfield and Ulrich pre and post Hetfield's rehab is almost the point of the story. Ulrich seemed to be able to take some moral high ground before Hetfield's rehab(metamorphosis might almost be a better word than rehab) but afterwards Hetfield seemed calmer and in control. "And remember boys, no-one does anything after 4:00 pm." I still don't quite understand how Hetfield almost got away with this stipulation.
The inclusion of Lars' father was a nice touch, but I'm not sure if his argument that Metallica made it in Europe due to Lars being of direct European extraction and understanding the European mind set is very compelling. Still ... it's an idea.
The guy I saw this with is not a Metallica fan. I used to like 70s and 80s English HM, but I never got into American stuff much. Sort of regretting not getting into metallica when I was younger, but my youth's gone and I'm too old to start liking "new" bands.
Even though we're no metallica fans, we've been deconstructing this film ever since and I think we'll be doing it for a while longer.
GOOD ON YOU METALLICA - TAKE A BOW.
The therapy sessions (for me at least) were the highlight of the film. The change in attitudes of both Hetfield and Ulrich pre and post Hetfield's rehab is almost the point of the story. Ulrich seemed to be able to take some moral high ground before Hetfield's rehab(metamorphosis might almost be a better word than rehab) but afterwards Hetfield seemed calmer and in control. "And remember boys, no-one does anything after 4:00 pm." I still don't quite understand how Hetfield almost got away with this stipulation.
The inclusion of Lars' father was a nice touch, but I'm not sure if his argument that Metallica made it in Europe due to Lars being of direct European extraction and understanding the European mind set is very compelling. Still ... it's an idea.
The guy I saw this with is not a Metallica fan. I used to like 70s and 80s English HM, but I never got into American stuff much. Sort of regretting not getting into metallica when I was younger, but my youth's gone and I'm too old to start liking "new" bands.
Even though we're no metallica fans, we've been deconstructing this film ever since and I think we'll be doing it for a while longer.
GOOD ON YOU METALLICA - TAKE A BOW.
Mty son (7 years old) lovs this one and all of the series. I like this one in particular, largely because of Tom Baker's brilliance.
I just have a question for anyone who has watched it.
Did anyove notice that Puddleglum says the magic word (ie f*ck)?
In the scene where he gets drunk and he is picked up by the fat lady giant, Puddleglum makes some incomprehensible protests. Among this, pretty clearly, he says the magic word. My 7 year old first noticed this and told me. I told him he must be wrong. But I watched/lisstened to the offending bit and I had to tell my son that he was right. It was one of the funniest things i've ever seen / heard.
Anyway, Tom Baker is brilliant as always and he can do no wrong in my eyes.
I just have a question for anyone who has watched it.
Did anyove notice that Puddleglum says the magic word (ie f*ck)?
In the scene where he gets drunk and he is picked up by the fat lady giant, Puddleglum makes some incomprehensible protests. Among this, pretty clearly, he says the magic word. My 7 year old first noticed this and told me. I told him he must be wrong. But I watched/lisstened to the offending bit and I had to tell my son that he was right. It was one of the funniest things i've ever seen / heard.
Anyway, Tom Baker is brilliant as always and he can do no wrong in my eyes.
I don't think this 1998 remake was too bad, provided you regard it as a straightforward hostage film.
It uses some of the best lines from the original almost verbatim (eg, "A person likes to know how much he's worth", "Do they still have the death penalty in New York" "I've always done my own killing" etc) which is ok, but I can't believe that Mr Blue in the 1998 film would not know the death penalty status in what appears to be his native New York. In the original, the Mr Blue character was clearly British, and might be excused for not knowing the death penalty status in all 50 US states.
But as one other observer observed, the 1998 lacks .... WALLY MATTHAU (and to some extend George Costanza's dad also).
The 74 version could almost have been sold as a comedy, but not this one. It's a straightforward tradesman like version without the wit, irony, pathos and dulcet tones of Wally Matthau
Certainly worth watching if you love the 74 version so you can do a 'compare and contrast'. If you have not watched either, and you only want to see one of them, see the 74 version.
The final scene is worth the wait (in both versions)
It uses some of the best lines from the original almost verbatim (eg, "A person likes to know how much he's worth", "Do they still have the death penalty in New York" "I've always done my own killing" etc) which is ok, but I can't believe that Mr Blue in the 1998 film would not know the death penalty status in what appears to be his native New York. In the original, the Mr Blue character was clearly British, and might be excused for not knowing the death penalty status in all 50 US states.
But as one other observer observed, the 1998 lacks .... WALLY MATTHAU (and to some extend George Costanza's dad also).
The 74 version could almost have been sold as a comedy, but not this one. It's a straightforward tradesman like version without the wit, irony, pathos and dulcet tones of Wally Matthau
Certainly worth watching if you love the 74 version so you can do a 'compare and contrast'. If you have not watched either, and you only want to see one of them, see the 74 version.
The final scene is worth the wait (in both versions)