Aronofsky's "Noah"

[chocky909]

I saw the trailer for this, not knowing anything about it and was thinking what a load of shite until it showed who the director was. I wouldn't normally watch a bible story but I'll be fascinated to see how he treats the source material. I know Black Swan set off a lot of discussion around here and it sounds like Noah will be just as multi layered and it sounds like it'll be a unique take on the story.

http://io9.com/darren-aronosky-explains-why-noah-isnt-just-for-believ-1545648721

[Bored of Canada]

This'll be shit, I reckon.

The trailers looked awful to me. Shoehorned in battle scenes and such. I think without the baggage abd familiarity with the story, and religious context, it could be quite a fascinating film. As a man hears from God of an impending cataclysm, and has to convince his family to help him with a ludicrously difficult task to save themselves and provide a future, all with the ambiguity of this actually being real or not at the back of everyone's minds.

But the trailers looked bad, and by officially making it the story of Noah, it carries in a lot of baggage, and seems to suggest this is actually a more generic blockbuster.

This has been done better by Take Shelter, and to a lesser extent, Evan Almighty.

I love Aronofsky's films. I can't be arsed seeing this one.

[Johnny Textface]

How can you make your mind up by only seeing what some marketing department has put together to get bums on seats? Sounds very closed minded to me, sorry. I've not seen the trailer but will be going just based on the director and the composer.  Don't really care about the story in all honesty.

[Bored of Canada]

Yeah. I generally stress the same mentality as yours and you're right. It's late and I'm tired and all that, so I'm acting less reasonable.

I still can't build any excitement for this. That's all I can say, honestly.

[Famous Mortimer]

How can you make your mind up by only seeing what some marketing department has put together to get bums on seats?

Isn't that kind of the whole point of trailers?

[thraxx]

Is clint mansell doing the soundtrack for this one?  It's about time that Noah got with the times had had some motherfucking breakbeats on his fucking boat.

[Johnny Townmouse]

Yeah, there has already been a song online with Mansell and Patti Smith on vocals that is actually rather lovely.

The film looks to be utter fucking gash.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

How can you make your mind up by only seeing what some marketing department has put together to get bums on seats? Sounds very closed minded to me, sorry. I've not seen the trailer but will be going just based on the director and the composer.  Don't really care about the story in all honesty.

And by extension, how can you make your mind up about people's ability to deduce things from a trailer when you haven't seen the content of the trailer?

Plus, you rather undermine your claim to be Logic King by admitting you go and see films because there's a name attached to them rather than because of the premise.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

It does look awful, as in it could almost not look any worse if it tried.

[Johnny Textface]

I just think dismissing a film because of the trailer is a bit odd when hes enjoyed the previous films of Aronofsky. I never claimed to be Logic King either so not sure what you're on about there.
Trailers, these days, tend to be edited together by marketing departments to try and sell the film, this may be why it looks a bit generic blockbuster. I've enjoyed all the directors previous films am willing to go and get my cash out based on that. I do this for a few directors, otherwise I'll maybe watch the trailer or speak to friends etc..

[thraxx]

Is it as good as Space Jam?

[Johnny Textface]

Is it as good as Space Jam?

doubtful.

[Bored of Canada]

I do not think Russell Crowe can carry a film these days after seeing his work in Man of Steel. Emma Watson I think has potential in general but I feel this isn't going to be the film where she steals the film and proves her talent.

[vrailaine]

I've seriously soured on Aronofsky over the last 6 or so years and this looks so shite that I'm actually relishing it.

[Johnny Textface]

Do you relish lots of things being shite just out if interest?

[vrailaine]

Not to the point that I'm hoping I can see it without reading any reviews or anything. I feel like Aronosky has the ability to get absolutely everything wrong in a film and, with this premise alone, it can surely only be notably bad or of surprising merit.

[Noodle Lizard]

How can you make your mind up by only seeing what some marketing department has put together to get bums on seats? Sounds very closed minded to me, sorry. I've not seen the trailer but will be going just based on the director and the composer.  Don't really care about the story in all honesty.

But it's okay to say "this'll be awesome, I reckon".

Anyway, this'll be shit, I reckon.  Darren Aronofsky's a weird choice to direct it, but then again he's been a bit rubbish for a while.  Actually, I never thought he was all that.

I get the feeling that if this does well, bombastic Bible stories will become the new vogue thing for large-scale but small-minded directors to plunder, probably replacing comic book movies.  I'm surprised they didn't think of it earlier, actually.  Fair play, I liked those 60s Moses and Jesus and Samson and Delilah etc. films, but have a feeling their charm will be lost with the aesthetics of modern "epics".

EDIT:  There aren't any plans to remake 'Jason and the Argonauts' are there?  Please don't.

[Johnny Textface]

But it's okay to say "this'll be awesome, I reckon".

I assume that's a question even though it does lack the relevant punctuation.
I didn't say that though did I? It might well be shit but at least I'll watch it before making my mind up. Also as he wrote the screenplay with his regular writing partner, I doubt he was a 'choice' as such.

[chocky909]

I don't think Aronofsky was 'chosen' to direct a film about Noah. I think it was a story he'd wanted to do for a few years.

[Bored of Canada]

There's a lot of tension in this thread. All the more reason we need some more Bible stories coming in. About time we learnt to turn the other cheek. Unless of course they're going to continue sticking to the Old Testament.

[popcorn]

I get the feeling that if this does well, bombastic Bible stories will become the new vogue thing for large-scale but small-minded directors to plunder, probably replacing comic book movies.  I'm surprised they didn't think of it earlier, actually.  Fair play, I liked those 60s Moses and Jesus and Samson and Delilah etc. films, but have a feeling their charm will be lost with the aesthetics of modern "epics".

I hadn't really thought of this for some reason. Bible stories are basically disaster movies and supherhero movies already, not dissimilar to something like Thor or 300. It depends if they can get rid of the smell of evangelical funding and make it seem like a real movie someone outside Texas might go and see.

[Noodle Lizard]

I hadn't really thought of this for some reason. Bible stories are basically disaster movies and supherhero movies already, not dissimilar to something like Thor or 300. It depends if they can get rid of the smell of evangelical funding and make it seem like a real movie someone outside Texas might go and see.

A lot of the "big" bombastic movies in the 50s and 60s were Bible movies (or at least vaguely Biblical ones).  You had yer 'Ten Commandments', 'King Of Kings', 'Ben-Hur' and probably a whole bunch I'm forgetting.  I'm surprised they didn't jump back on it with the advent of CGI.

The comments on this relevant article are very amusing:

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2013/12/26/biblical-movies-2014

[Bored of Canada]

Honestly, I'm starting to feel that superhero films are just going to be permanent staples in Cinema now. Don't think Bible stories are going to be the big replacement, which was possibly just an off the cuff remark or whatever, but I'd not be surprised if Marvel and DC just kept bringing out huge budget Superhero films forever, because people like them and they do fucking amazingly. Even I'm interested in the new Guardians of the Galaxy, and I hate superhero shit.

Anyway, back on topic. Noah? I DON'T EVEN KNOW HER!

[great_badir]

Which accent is it going to be today, Russ?

Gruff English, gruff American, or gruff Australian?  I know all three are incredibly different from each other, so it must be a very tough choice.

Or are you really gonna push the boat out and do your gruff-but-high pitched Irish accent?  That one's a corker.

[Johnny Textface]

Push the boat out! Nice one. I believe he managed all four in that Robin Hood film.

[phantom_power]

It is strange that the actor who was so good in LA Confidential and some of his earlier films is the same over-blown, "ACTING" bore that we get in his last decade's worth of films

[great_badir]

Push the boat out! Nice one. I believe he managed all four in that Robin Hood film.

Plus Liverpudlian in one scene.

[Ignatius_S]

A lot of the "big" bombastic movies in the 50s and 60s were Bible movies (or at least vaguely Biblical ones).  You had yer 'Ten Commandments', 'King Of Kings', 'Ben-Hur' and probably a whole bunch I'm forgetting.  I'm surprised they didn't jump back on it with the advent of CGI....

There was also Salome and, if you're going to include Ben-Hur, then Quo Vadis and The Robe should be included, but that's probably pretty much all the big ones. Not a huge amount for two decades  - particularly when considering how many films on similar subjects had been made previously – but a lot of money was lost, which is one reason they stopped being made.

[Thomas]

Bit of a revival in Flash Gordon, though.

[Moribunderast]

I am genuinely excited for this film and shall be seeing it at the cinema. As someone who finds Russell Crowe laughably bad (and his delivery in the trailer looks amazing - so gruff, so manly, so weighed down with gravity) and thinks Aronofsky's directorial excesses can lead to great hilarity, this'll be the film highlight of the summer/spring/whenever I see it, really.

I'm still cheesed that it never panned out (as originally planned) that Russ play BOTH the Sheriff of Nottingham AND Robin Hood in the Hood movie, as that would've been amazing. Hopefully his take on a biblical figure who has to fight against both nature and man while building a big fucken boat will make up for that disappointment. The trailer looks horrendously good - especially the battle sequences - and Russ looks in great shape, having, as he described in one his tweets as "An ark builder's body."

"A bastard flood by a bastard God - family, animals, I beckon thee upon this ark that I have conjured with my manly hands." If he doesn't growl that line or something similar during the film - NO STARS.