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Island of Lost Souls: The UnMaking of Richard Stanley's ISLAND OF DR. MUREAU

post #1 of 24
8/28/04 at 8:25pm
Thread Starter 
Whatever.
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post #2 of 24
8/29/04 at 12:56am
Thread Starter 
Whatever.
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post #3 of 24
8/29/04 at 2:14am
This has been much written about. Good luck finding the original Stanley draft which he probably burned in frustration.

It's about like locating the Romoli/Ferrini draft of Argento's TRAUMA, although the brillant T.E.D. Kein was brought in for re-writes, nothing of the original stands, and very little of Klein's treatment.

It's also ironic that Stanley has a essay on the Tartan dvd of TRAUMA, not that he elaborates much on ISLAND which he's probably sick of talking about.

Although American $ was involved in TRAUMA it wasn't quite the same BIG studio situation, and the directors cut of TRAUMA actually has some erratic charm, but sometimes I wonder why foreign directors even try to fit in the system.

Look at BRAZIL.
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post #4 of 24
8/29/04 at 9:00am
While it's a fucked up situation, I don't really understand the furore over it. I mean, Stanley's not exactly a great director. HARDWARE was shite.
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post #5 of 24
8/29/04 at 9:06am
I thought Dust Devil was pretty sucky too. Prententious as hell, leaving big blank spaces of dullness where the director thought meaning should be. And this is from someone who kept watching it everytime he came across it because he really wanted it to be good.
But hey, it was a sombre intelligent serial killer film that preceeded Seven, so some kudos has got to go his way.
The article seemed really partisan towards Stanley too. Some of his take on things didn't quite ring true.
Ah well, at least he was trying, and that makes him one of the good guys.
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post #6 of 24
8/29/04 at 12:01pm
I thought DUST DEVIL was more nihilistic than pretentious in any way and feel it's a masterpiece.
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post #7 of 24
8/29/04 at 2:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles B
While it's a fucked up situation, I don't really understand the furore over it. I mean, Stanley's not exactly a great director. HARDWARE was shite.

BOOOOOO!

HARDWARE WAS TITS!
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post #8 of 24
8/29/04 at 2:12pm
Thread Starter 
Whatever.
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post #9 of 24
8/29/04 at 9:49pm
I CANNOT believe I got a reputation knockdown for saying HARDWARE was shite.

What the fuck is with you people? If you're going to do that, at least sign your fucking name and own up to it.
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post #10 of 24
8/30/04 at 12:54am
Thread Starter 
Whatever.
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post #11 of 24
8/30/04 at 1:06am
I still say HARDWARE is tits.
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post #12 of 24
8/30/04 at 1:21am
I'll see your "Hardware is tits" statement and raise you a "Hardware is Scarlett Johansson's tits".
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post #13 of 24
8/30/04 at 1:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles B
While it's a fucked up situation, I don't really understand the furore over it. I mean, Stanley's not exactly a great director. HARDWARE was shite.

are you mad? lol

also which version did you see? all of his movies (being only two) have gotten cut by the studios.
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post #14 of 24
8/30/04 at 3:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tommy five-tone
I'll see your "Hardware is tits" statement and raise you a "Hardware is Scarlett Johansson's tits".

touche.
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post #15 of 24
8/30/04 at 7:24am
'Student film'? oh you utter wanker Stanley.
No it's not. It's your film. accept it. grrr.

And if we're playing titty poker:
Hardware is Robert Polsen's tits.

On an autobiographical note, i went to see Moreau and the Crow 2 on the same day. It hurt me.
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post #16 of 24
8/30/04 at 10:37am
I went back and rewatched both HARDWARE and DUST DEVIL for the first time back to back, and after all of Stanley's ravings about them having a connection and working on a third movie to round out the trilogy, I found there's a strange unorthadox theological subtext to both films.

What Stanley does is subvert European Christian belief, toward a more Agnostic system (nihilistic) and a complete sterilisation of overpopulation in both films.

With the droid Mark 13 in HARDWARE and with his mythological killer in DUST DEVIL, both represent a angel of death type, and consequently full of in-jokes on Judeo-Christian myth.

Now some can see such intellectualization of the motifs pretentious, but they're there none the less, and make a startling contrast with Stanley's already stylish vision.

Pretention in and of itself is never a bad thing. For the greatest films ever made set out with the pretense of doing something unique that the audience has never imagined. In the end it's how these notions where executed that will determine whether the filmaker succeeds, or fails.
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post #17 of 24
8/30/04 at 10:49am
Thread Starter 
Whatever.
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post #18 of 24
8/30/04 at 10:51am
picky point: pretentiousness is demanding extra respect for pretending to know more than you do. as such it is always a bad thing.
Ambition, which is probably what you meant, is absolutely and always a really good thing.
I'll probably end up watching Dust Devil again - there's always a chance i'll find something i was missing the other times. it does, if nothing else, look really good.
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post #19 of 24
8/30/04 at 12:22pm
Straight from Meriam Websters. However you want to subject it is your business.

- An aspiration, or intention that may, or may not reach fulfillment.
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post #20 of 24
8/31/04 at 7:36am
The original draft of Stanley's Moreau script was like an Italian zombie movie...but with animal men instead of zombies.

It's a shame that it didn't get made.

Oh well...Val Kilmer ruins another movie with his bullshit antics on the set.
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post #21 of 24
9/2/04 at 7:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wetbones
Whatever.

Wait, where's that Stanley link?
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post #22 of 24
9/22/04 at 11:01pm
Hardware is shit, with a fart of egg
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post #23 of 24
9/23/04 at 12:04am

The Boy Got Talent Dammit!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Legba3
I went back and rewatched both HARDWARE and DUST DEVIL for the first time back to back, and after all of Stanley's ravings about them having a connection and working on a third movie to round out the trilogy, I found there's a strange unorthadox theological subtext to both films.

What Stanley does is subvert European Christian belief, toward a more Agnostic system (nihilistic) and a complete sterilisation of overpopulation in both films.

With the droid Mark 13 in HARDWARE and with his mythological killer in DUST DEVIL, both represent a angel of death type, and consequently full of in-jokes on Judeo-Christian myth.

Now some can see such intellectualization of the motifs pretentious, but they're there none the less, and make a startling contrast with Stanley's already stylish vision.

Pretention in and of itself is never a bad thing. For the greatest films ever made set out with the pretense of doing something unique that the audience has never imagined. In the end it's how these notions where executed that will determine whether the filmaker succeeds, or fails.

Firstly, excellent post, Legba.

Hardware and Dust Devil are both visually accomplished films 'no matter what anyone says' - Stanley has an astute eye for both composition and lighting. Hardware, when it first came out, was one of the most exciting debuts from a director in a long time, even better considering its meagre budget. It breathed life into a sci-fi market that was flagging badly from a lack of ideas and originality. The soundtrack alone is a minor masterpiece.

I must say I was not aware at the time of the two films having any kind of thematic link. It's been a while since I've seen either of them though. I have little doubt of Stanley's talent - he is like an art house David Fincher, and could go on to great things if given the chance. Here's hoping his next project lives up to my expectation.
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post #24 of 24
9/23/04 at 11:22am
i GOTTA AGREE


hARDWARE WAS THE TITS IN ITS' DAY


i'D STILL WATCH IT


damn caps
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