MOON Post-Release Thread

Fantastic film. I'd love to find out what the budget was, because the FX and sets are first-rate. Clint Mansell chalks up another winning soundtrack.

Rockwell is phenomenal in this difficult role, a real tour de force of acting. Fucking seamless is all I have to say. Not to mention the stroke of genius of casting Kevin Spacey as the voice of GERTY. Love the emoticons and was genuinely touched the one instant where GERTY "cries".

I went in cold to this, without seeing so much as a trailer. I found it compelling from beginning to end.

I loved this movie. This now ranks as one of my favorite sf films of all time, and it's looking like it'll land in my 10 best for this year. Even using some familiar tropes, it was totally captivating. Rockwell is fantastic.

If you have this movie playing and you enjoy science fiction and have any taste in film. You need to see this movie. Because it is amazing. Another great example of the "Show don't tell" style of film making. Everything you need to know is there but isn't thrown in your face.

And I will say this film features one of the best reveals I ever came across.

I also laughed when GERTY smiled after Sam said GERTY would get laid.

Question: so I guess we're led to believe that the clones just don't last very long, a la Replicants? It's a shame that even the "Sam" that makes it to Earth might break down after a year or two. At least, that's the impression I got.

Thoughts on this: Yeah, the life on the clones is three years. As to why that is the amount of time could due the maximum length of clone life or no one would sign up for anything longer than three years. But that doesn't really matter.

It's probably also done so Bell is in his peak physical condition.

Also, finding out that the real Bell was alive and with his daughter. Like I said, best goddamn reveal I've seen in a long time.

Yeah, they didn't dwell on it, but it sure sounded like Rockwell's voice talking to Eve.

We're in POST, so I guess we don't need to spoiler tag.

Well, I know. But I figure I'd be careful. (But you're right so I took the spoiler thing off) but yeah you figure that has to be the real Bell on the communication. And that's the thing with the script. It's very straightforward and everything is there. It just doesn't hit you over the head with it. This is why it was refreshing to see GERTY help Sam and not try to hide him from the truth.

And man, did Rockwell look like shit towards the end of his life span. Amazing work, there.

That's what I thought. Which turns the whole "He's never gonna come back" idea on its head. The real Sam is home. It's just the clones we have to worry about.

Amazing flick.

Question: who is the black-haired girl that Sam One hallucinates in the beginning of the movie? (The girl sitting in the chair, and the one he sees right before crashing the buggy.) That didn't look like Eve, and I don't know why he'd be seeing his adult daughter anyway. Did I miss something?

I haven't seen it, and I'm scared as shit of spoilers so I'm scooting now, but I've heard it was around 5 million.

That's a good question actually. I just figured it was some random chick or a sign of him going crazy.

And this movie was made for five million? Goddamn, every dollar was on screen.

Here's the pre-release thread I started for the film that ended up being more of a post-release back and forth between me and Alex.

http://chud.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116515

Slater, you didn't miss anything when it comes to the hallucination of the girl in the chair. It's never spelled out as anything specific. But here's my take on it from the older thread.

So I'm pretty much trying to put something almost supernatural/spiritual into a truly sci-fi story. Trying to apply a pattern to something that may have none. Despite the fact that I'm highly un-spiritual in my life outside of films, I'd like to think that even Sam's clones have some kind of metaphysical connection with the real Sam's life. Sam1 is pretty much on his deathbed (without actually being on a bed) early on in the film and some of this film can be seen as what near-death people experience before they go.

EDIT: My question is what was the hallucination he experience right before he gets into the accident that starts the plot off proper? I couldn't really make it out as anything other than someone outside in a spacesuit.

Metaphorical deathbed. His 3 years are nearly up and every one of the Sams before him started to experience serious deterioration. It seems like the hallucinations could be a start. But you're right. He didn't have any serious physical ailments till the accident, but I think that was very intentional on Duncan Jones' part to have the accident seem like the cause of his deterioration.

EDIT: I'm kinda coming up with this BS as I go along!

It's been a month since I've seen the film, so my memory of it could be fuzzy. But I'm pretty sure the surveillance videos of the previous Sams were coughing up blood and almost dragging themselves into the 'transport pod.'

I could be mistaken.

Not gonna read the whole thread, but I'd like to know if anyone has a reason dumbass Landmark (or dumbass distributor) seems to be skipping Philly. Because it played at the fest a coupe months ago? We didn't all make it to the screening, Moon distributors. That it sold out would have, I thought, sent a message other then "bah, Philly saw it already."

That's what I saw, too. All of the former "Sams" looked like dogshit as they were being recorded.

Speaking of recordings, I'm curious to what was edited out of that first tape from Sam's wife. Sam even frowns and yells for GERTY when he notices the edit, but never follows through. I was waiting for that "clue" to come back, but it never really did.

That's kinda how the movie operates as a whole though. I gives you lots of clues and only gives you a few choice answers. Part of what I love about the film and what I find frustrating at the same time.

I'm sure what was edited out was just something his wife says that would make obvious some inconsistency in the illusion that these clones have to live.

http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/moon/dates.html

Shit, thanks. Landmark's website isn't as up to date.

it's one thing to play two roles in a movie. But this is the same guy, and Rockwell fucking killed it. In another movie, this would have been two duplicate Sams and it would have played flat, and goofy. But there are two distinct characterizations here, and they're real, emotional, and honestly funny when they're supposed to be. They have weight, and I won't even make a Klumps joke or nothin'! I'm completely blown away by this movie, and I'm still digesting it all. but, I'm in awe of Sam Rockwell, even moreso than normal

You're right actually. One of the Sams remarks that his hair is falling out. They were all falling apart. Basically, you have the clones to be rotated out every three years and to account for accidents.

Plus I figure the hallucination was a way for the first Sam to burn his hand and have that bandage on him. From that point, we know which Sam is which. As we see that bandaged hand quite often.

On a visual level, that's smart for Duncan Jones to do. But with just how AWESOME Rockwell did in distinguishing his performance between the 2 Sams, I'd say such visual cues weren't even necessary. Hahaha.

While the other is a trim, clean-cut astronaut looking dude that wears tight T-shirts and jumps rope all the time.

With all those visual cues, I could've played that part just as well as Rockwell! Hahahah.

Why? Because you look like shit and wear Hawaiian shirts all the time?

I also enjoyed how every clone comes pre-packed with their own clothes.

Because Hawaiian shirts give Koreans super-abilities!

Well shit, I had no idea.

About the film again...

I have some friends who saw the trailer for this and were intrigued. They ask me if it's awesome. I tell them I love it, but I find that I'm afraid of overselling it. I can't tell them too much. But I don't want them to be looking forward to some big, epic experience. Or some huge mind-screw. Clint Mansell's score can do that to a movie. I make sure to tell them that the film is a small personal drama. A true science-fiction story.

Anyone else find themselves in a similar situation when recommending the film?

I'm telling you, you all have to see it a second time. You'll pick up all on these little touches throughout and it works in a completely different way. Instead of being confused and unsure of what's real you'll accept everything for what it is straight off the bat, and just be able to appreciate how incredible Rockwell is at playing one person at two different ages. That's the most remarkable thing about his peformance- he's not just playing two different people- you can see shades of the new clone in the older one, you can see where he's deteroirated and gone to shit.

Truly an incredible film. But I really, really hate the ending. Cheapens the whole thing.

I believe the real Sam is unaware of the clones. I think Duncan mentioned that (possibly different Q&A).

If you mean the short voiceover at the end, I agree. Not needed.

They should have just shown the escape capsule heading for Earth while "Starman" played on the soundtrack. I'm pretty sure Jones could have gotten the rights.

Luckily for me, I barely heard it. So I can't muster up the dislike for it that I might've had I actually been able to fully understand what was being said.

Three cheers for deafness!

Shut up, shut up! I don't wanna hear it!

Hahaha. I actually heard a bit of that part. But I choose to ignore it. Basically, I didn't hear it well enough to make the ending all cut and dried. And I plan to keep it that way...

I thought I heard that DJ at the end saying something about the clone Sam testifying against the corporation...was I imagining that??

To my recollection, there were several radio broadcasts that we were given. I thought it was a bit of an audio montage that gave you a taste of what the media going wild about Sam2's arrival on earth.

But then again... I heard nothing. Nothing at all.

Something else to verify on the inevitable second viewing.