(no subject)

[solitary_summer]

Watched the first four parts of Band of Brothers, and, considering the hype, not overly impressed. It may be historically accurate to the last detail, for all I know (or, rather, don't know), but artistically it doesn't really work for me.

[Parenthesis, because M.(-at-work) gave me a vaguely offended glare when I said the new (also much hyped) Speer movie/semi-documentary didn't work artistically (IMO, 1., because of the incessant cutting back and forth between movie, documentary and interview parts, and 2. because it was obvious that the actors, especially the guy playing Speer, never allowed themselves to really explore their parts, or the director his material, and as a result the whole thing was rather bland, muted, and oh-so-careful), because I even dared mention artistic considerations in this context. Obviously it is a touchy subject, and difficult to handle artistically, but once a movie is made, I do look at it from an artistic POV, I can't help it. But even from a political POV it could have been so much more effective if they'd just told the story and abandoned the pretensions at historical documentary.]

So, Band of Brothers... Good documentary, I guess, but not so good story-telling. The balance just doesn't work for me; a little more emphasis on the characters would have helped, and properly introducing them, because after four parts I still have some problems telling them apart, especially in uniforms with helmets on. The combat scenes... for all the realism, blood and gore, flying dirt and shaky camera, after a while you just get used to it, because after all it still is only acting and make-up, and it becomes slightly boring, at least to someone like me, who has little interest in the military details of specific battles and their re-enactment. The bits and pieces that are not fight-scenes, when they do try to engage your emotions - it does work, in true Spielbergian fashion, you can't help being moved, but at the same time you start resenting just how obviously your buttons are being pushed.

So, eh, generally. But maybe it will improve.