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BeautifulBurnout
10-30-2006, 12:23 PM
... but I saw M. Knight Shyamalan's The Village on dvd yesterday, and I have to say how surprised I was. I dunno if it was the same in the States, but certainly in the UK the trailers gave rise to the idea that it was some bizarre, olde-worlde horror film along the lines of Sleepy Hollow and really didn't inspire me to go and see it in the cinema.

I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but while it does have some pretty tense and bizarre stuff going on in the beginning, it is actually a truly original plot about love and "lost innocence". I have to admit that towards the end I had kind of guessed what might be going on, but I was a good way into the film before it struck me.

Truly worth watching, imo. Nicely crafted, beautifully acted and very eerie and atmospheric. :)
Malt Refund
10-30-2006, 12:28 PM
It's probably a fun rental, but it's the worst of all of his movies in my opinion. I was pretty disappointed in theaters, so much so that I kind of gave up on him and still haven't seen Lady in the Water.

I think it would have been nice if he didn't try to make his usual huge crazy edge-of-your-seat ending because it didn't work in this film and it felt forced.
Jason Roth
10-30-2006, 12:39 PM
I thought this thread was going to be about something else.
BeautifulBurnout
10-30-2006, 02:43 PM
I didn't see Signs because, frankly, Mel Gibson has increasingly got on my <censored> over the years. I guess I would watch it on dvd though. I can imagine that, based on the trailers, if you were expecting to see a totally different kind of film, it might have seemed a bit dull in comparison. But I still think the plot unfolded beautifully.

I thought this thread was going to be about something else.
Silly! That was April. And it was my birthday thread. :p
Malt Refund
10-30-2006, 03:29 PM
I liked Signs but many people did not. And yes, both The Village and Lady in the Water were marketed as something other then what they were. I give him credit for trying new things (Lady in the Water was almost a comedy, so I hear) but his marketing team continues to push people into thinking it's Sixth Sense 2, 3, 4, etc.
mmm skyscraper
10-30-2006, 04:06 PM
Someone should make a video for New Order's 'The Village' using clips from this film.
grady
10-30-2006, 04:30 PM
Ah, the m. nightshamalamadingdong conversation. I really haven't cared for any of his films with the exception of Unbreakable which I fell for. The air of pretentiousness that Shamalamadingdong carries really disgusts me. That said, I will at least see his film before knocking it.
Kennrr
10-30-2006, 04:44 PM
Grady - why would that stop you from enjoying his work? who cares if he is a dick, you shouldn't judge his work based on that.
grady
10-30-2006, 05:15 PM
Grady - why would that stop you from enjoying his work? who cares if he is a dick, you shouldn't judge his work based on that.
Thats why I see each film before judging it and I make a concerted effort to avoid the sort of talk and prehype surrounding his films before viewing them as the cavet of all his work seems to be knowing as little as possible before viewing.

But more and more, with each subsequent film I find them more and more disappointing. Then I read an article about the film containing an interview with him and it further proves my underlying feelings regarding his attitude that he's projecting.

I think it's more the arrogance of Shamalamadingdong and his posturing that he's some great filmmaker, which I disagree greatly with. Most of my strong disdain towards him arose from disparaging comments he made regarding Mulholland Drive and David Lynch in late 01/early 02. If I could locate the actual quote online, I would gladly post it here.

All that I aside, I will give it a viewing before I pass judgement on it.

Does that answer your query Kenn?
b.miller
10-30-2006, 06:09 PM
*approaches cautiously*

I thought The Village was great because everyone else finally agreed with me that Shyamalan's films suck.

Gee. I'm an alien race... I'm gonna go invade this planet and eat the people. only I'm lethally vulnerable to this thing called water. And the planet I'm invading is like 80% water. And the people I want to eat are made up of like 70% water. Good thing Christ is there to stop me

*recedes quickly*
grady
10-30-2006, 06:12 PM
*approaches cautiously*

I thought The Village was great because everyone else finally agreed with me that Shyamalan's films suck.

Gee. I'm an alien race... I'm gonna go invade this planet and eat the people. only I'm lethally vulnerable to this thing called water. And the planet I'm invading is like 80% water. And the people I want to eat are made up of like 70% water. Good thing Christ is there to stop me

*recedes quickly*

(thought it best to edit my post to remove potential spoilers from those viewers who've yet to see Signs.)

HERE HERE on the VILLAGE SUCKAGE FACTOR. It was as if the wool was finally lifted off some viewer's eyes.

That shot of the alien walking in the home video footage from a birthday party in Mexico City always creeped me out in Signs.
b.miller
10-30-2006, 10:20 PM
yeah sorry. for those that didn't see Signs, I spoiled it. I actually spoiled it for you in two ways:

1) there are aliens in it

and

2) it sucks.

:P
den
11-13-2006, 07:50 PM
That shot of the alien walking in the home video footage from a birthday party in Mexico City always creeped me out in Signs.

Oh man, that is the creepiest scene. It gives me chills just thinking about it.



SPOILER - Don't click on the link if you haven't seen The Village. But if you have, you should.

Running Out of Time - Margaret Preston Haddix (http://www.amazon.com/Running-Out-Time-Aladdin-Fiction/dp/0689812361)

This was a children's book. Written in 1996. Doesn't the plot sound familiar?

HMMMMMM. How's that for a twist, M. Night?