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March 28, 2024, 07:31:35 PM

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Ricky Gervais's After Life series 3 [split topic]

Started by Cursus, July 23, 2020, 09:33:21 PM

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MrsWarboysLover

I'm just blown away that Limmy actually buys what Gervais said about the footage being real.
I can't wrap my head around it fooling anyone, tbh, but Limmy actually knows a lot about editing and videos and has insane focus on little details.
It's like showing someone the Vic and Bob "Faith" sketch, telling them that's really George Michael, and then they just believe it. You'd be worried for their sanity

Jumblegraws

Quote from: idunnosomename on February 07, 2022, 10:34:47 PMIt's definitely conceived like a Hallmark movie to hit certain points for idiot consumers. sorry if that's punching down, but it is. it's really manipulative

and when Limmy finally gets the swimming clip (lol the fucking idiot who wastes his time), interesting to see it again. I could do that in Blender over raw footage in an afternoon, and i can barely use Blender (although I suspect it was done in After Effects). I reckon it's a still of her face keyframed over a model's body in 3D space, and it pivots at the end, and they put a blink in mid-shot. you can see the model's hair behind. it's fucking shockingly bad.
My own theory is that it was rushed and Kerry Godlimen probably kept pulling stupid faces cos she hadn't acclimated to the water and has no acting discipline. That being the case, I'd love to see how bad the footage looked before they "fixed" it

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: MrsWarboysLover on February 08, 2022, 06:22:54 AMI'm just blown away that Limmy actually buys what Gervais said about the footage being real.
I can't wrap my head around it fooling anyone, tbh, but Limmy actually knows a lot about editing and videos and has insane focus on little details.
It's like showing someone the Vic and Bob "Faith" sketch, telling them that's really George Michael, and then they just believe it. You'd be worried for their sanity

At what point does Limmy suggest he believes the footage is real? His whole point is that it's an embarrassing fake. He openly mocks Gervais' disingenuous explanation. I'm baffled, you appear to have totally misunderstood the clip you've just watched.

DrGreggles

His comparison with the Bodysnatchers dog is spot on.

Jackson K Pollock

Facebook has recently started showing me Ricky Gervais' posts on Facebook for some reason (they've obviously been tracking my CaB activity and severely misinterpreting it) and it is insane how many people buy into the hype over this show.

Literally every single "Thanks so much for watching, folks - viewing figures are through the roof, Netflix are delighted, you guys are the best" post has 100k+ likes, with 100% fawning comments underneath (themselves often with over 1,000 likes) saying "you're the best, Ricky, I didn't know it was possible to watch TV and feel an emotion at the same time - you truly are a genius" and "I've never seen someone portray sadness/kindness/grief so realistically - you are a wonderful actor".

I mean how can this many people be this wrong about something?

It was genuinely cathartic to see Limmy's similar confusion, and at least take some comfort that we're not alone here on CaB.

neveragain

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on February 08, 2022, 08:39:47 AMAt what point does Limmy suggest he believes the footage is real? His whole point is that it's an embarrassing fake. He openly mocks Gervais' disingenuous explanation. I'm baffled, you appear to have totally misunderstood the clip you've just watched.

Yeah, Limmy is being disingenuous every time he mentions the light and the phone. Almost everything Limmy says has a sarcastic edge to it.

phes

Quote from: Jackson K Pollock on February 08, 2022, 10:54:51 AM"you're the best, Ricky, I didn't know it was possible to watch TV and feel an emotion at the same time - you truly are a genius" and "I've never seen someone portray sadness/kindness/grief so realistically - you are a wonderful actor".

I mean how can this many people be this wrong about something?

He's put a lot of time and effort into making sure people go away thinking what he's told them to think. And fair play to him, it's worked really well. Not going to argue with people who enjoy the show and think he's a genius, though usually I find that we cannot reconcile what  happened in the show itself

chip

I can't remember which of the several Gervais threads this was brought up in, but there's a line that I'm sure is either in this series or near the end of the second one which seems to state outright his character's (and possibly his own) uncomfortable sexlessness: where he's talking to Ashley Jensen, who he's been seeing(?) for a while, but she's getting bored and wants to move on, and he pleads his case to her by saying something (badly paraphrased) like:

"But why can't it just be that? You and me, sitting around, having a drink, watching TV, having a laugh - forever?"

I didn't dream that did I? Does he really signpost this nightmare scenario so blatantly? Please also just do SOMETHING that makes it out like you're actually physically attracted to this person, you bloomin weirdo.

chip

It's honestly like wading through treacle trying to discern actual memories from this show. Utterly soporific

scarecrow

Quote from: phes on February 08, 2022, 11:58:38 AMHe's put a lot of time and effort into making sure people go away thinking what he's told them to think. And fair play to him, it's worked really well. Not going to argue with people who enjoy the show and think he's a genius, though usually I find that we cannot reconcile what  happened in the show itself
He has form for doing this as far back as Extras. I remember there being loads of interviews in which he asserted that the dynamic between him and the probably-actually-a-bit-racist golliwog owner was reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy. Cue several fawning reviews making this comparison. Bizarre that he got away with it. Not long after, he managed to convince certain quarters that some dogshit movie was up there with the Apartment...

checkoutgirl

Quote from: Jackson K Pollock on February 08, 2022, 10:54:51 AMit is insane how many people buy into the hype over this show.

Somebody posted a comment along the lines of "I watched After Life and thought it was absolute rubbish and then saw all the people saying how brilliant it was and couldn't reconcile the two. So I finally came to the conclusion that After Life is in reality a funny, touching and really well made show and I've gone insane".

checkoutgirl

Quote from: scarecrow on February 08, 2022, 04:11:51 PMwas reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy

He's been going on about Laurel and Hardy since The Office. That looking at the camera thing he and Tim did in The Office when they can't believe the idiocy taking place, pure Oliver Hardy aghast at Stan's blundering stupidity. It also subtly associates Gervais with the genius of Laurel and Hardy. He's always at this shit. Pontificating about his "craft" on Talking Funny. It's beyond belief.

He's constantly shaping the narrative in hundreds of interviews. This thing influenced me (insert 2 or 3 genius comedians), this is what the thing means. No, Derek isn't disabled because I said so. No you don't get to interpret Derek as the viewer and consumer, Derek is not disabled because I said so. Incidentally Derek was influenced by Goddard and the ancient art of the clown in early 20th century South America....blah blah blah...

MrsWarboysLover

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on February 08, 2022, 08:39:47 AMAt what point does Limmy suggest he believes the footage is real? His whole point is that it's an embarrassing fake. He openly mocks Gervais' disingenuous explanation. I'm baffled, you appear to have totally misunderstood the clip you've just watched.

https://youtu.be/DIy-8QbZMIU?t=505

at this point.

and several times afterwards.

i'm a big limmy fan so I feel like I can tell when he's being sincere or not, and I don't sense at all that he's being insincere here. I might be wrong though, and tbh, I hope I am.

Brundle-Fly

Quote from: checkoutgirl on February 08, 2022, 04:40:04 PMHe's been going on about Laurel and Hardy since The Office. That looking at the camera thing he and Tim did in The Office when they can't believe the idiocy taking place, pure Oliver Hardy aghast at Stan's blundering stupidity. It also subtly associates Gervais with the genius of Laurel and Hardy. He's always at this shit.

I take it you saw this doing the rounds some years back?



Jumblegraws

Quote from: MrsWarboysLover on February 08, 2022, 05:56:18 PMhttps://youtu.be/DIy-8QbZMIU?t=505

at this point.

and several times afterwards.

i'm a big limmy fan so I feel like I can tell when he's being sincere or not, and I don't sense at all that he's being insincere here. I might be wrong though, and tbh, I hope I am.
I got the impression Limmy is genuinely interested to try and analyse how a shot could end up looking like that without some sort of superimposition, but that he's 99% sure they just don't want to cop to incompetent monkey business. He's also maybe a bit hesitant to call Gervais and co. liars outright.

The Mollusk

Couldn't be arsed with that Limmy review. Fair play to him he's obviously making bank off the streaming and whatever but how people can sit and watch someone vaguely talk about something for that length of time instead of it being condensed into an actual properly structured review is beyond me. His presenting (or whatever you call it) style is totally catered to that market now as well, overemphasising on the word SHITE over and over. Mate just get to the point.

Anyway.

Regarding the stuff mentioned above about people/journos lapping up anything Gervais says: I'm beginning to theorise he has genuinely warped the minds of people with the indiscernible line between the fictitious egotistical twat of David Brent and the real life egotistical twat of Ricky Gervais. People love to cringe at Brent but ahh he's only human we feel sorry for him sometimes. Same people then somehow see through the unmitigated waves of cringe of his subsequent output and only see the human being with good intentions at its core. Then he eventually reaches a point where he can sit on his high rock and go "God, yeah? Don't care, if I want to see a miracle I go out and look at a tree" and everyone goes FUCKING HELL MAN, HOW HAS NO ONE ELSE EVER SAID THIS STUFF BEFORE. Ironically it's a bit religious/cult leaderish.

PlanktonSideburns

Quote from: Jumblegraws on February 08, 2022, 08:07:05 AMMy own theory is that it was rushed and Kerry Godlimen probably kept pulling stupid faces cos she hadn't acclimated to the water and has no acting discipline. That being the case, I'd love to see how bad the footage looked before they "fixed" it

Bit harsh

Lob you in a lake, see how composed you are

g0m

Quote from: Jumblegraws on February 08, 2022, 06:17:58 PMI got the impression Limmy is genuinely interested to try and analyse how a shot could end up looking like that without some sort of superimposition, but that he's 99% sure they just don't want to cop to incompetent monkey business. He's also maybe a bit hesitant to call Gervais and co. liars outright.

didn't they show behind the scenes footage of that shot from a different angle? i'm pretty sure it turned out it was real

MrsWarboysLover

... it's not real.
I don't care what Gervais or his team says. It concerns me that anyone could think it's real.

Noodle Lizard

There was a long-distance photo that appeared to show Gervais and a sound man (I think) stood on a dock looking down at Kerry Godliman in a pond.

I absolutely do not believe the shot is just what Gervais managed to record on his iPhone. I can't say with 100% certainty what's actually going on, but I would bet all I own (which Gervais would be glad to point out is nothing compared to him) that it's not an organic shot of Kerry Godliman swimming in a pond.

The theory that she was actually pulling strange faces or unable to hold a convincing smile or whatever whilst swimming in the cold water makes sense and would explain why they altered it (poorly).

jobotic

She's a fine fine actor if she can swim through a cold lake without once changing her expression in any way, or breathing.

bushwick

Dunno if anybody has already made this comparison but it just struck me - Ricky's career reminds me of Kaiser Chiefs, ie ending up making money off/catering for the same members of the public who you once mocked/were bullied by, ie "mongs" or the rough townie lads that inspired I Predict A Riot.

Old Nehamkin

Quote from: The Mollusk on February 08, 2022, 06:45:39 PMCouldn't be arsed with that Limmy review. Fair play to him he's obviously making bank off the streaming and whatever but how people can sit and watch someone vaguely talk about something for that length of time instead of it being condensed into an actual properly structured review is beyond me. His presenting (or whatever you call it) style is totally catered to that market now as well, overemphasising on the word SHITE over and over. Mate just get to the point.

I dunno, to me he's talking in more or less the same style as he did on the streams he was doing on justin tv 10+ years ago. He's always been pretty rambly and meandering when he gets on a webcam, long before he was making any money off it.

Jumblegraws

Quote from: PlanktonSideburns on February 08, 2022, 08:26:04 PMBit harsh

Lob you in a lake, see how composed you are
Eh? She your mate or something? And no, I absolutely wouldn't be composed, but by no coincidence I'm not an actor.

PlanktonSideburns

Quote from: Jumblegraws on February 09, 2022, 08:41:36 AMEh? She your mate or something? And no, I absolutely wouldn't be composed, but by no coincidence I'm not an actor.

Sorry mate, don't know what came over me

wrec

Quote from: jobotic on February 09, 2022, 07:48:51 AMShe's a fine fine actor if she can swim through a cold lake without once changing her expression in any way, or breathing.

I don't think doing that shot for real would be physically possible, especially at the end when her head chillingly rotates on a two dimensional axis to maintain eye contact with him for some reason. I think that might be the key to the shot - Gervais wanted that bizarre extended devotional stare. Reminds me of Justin Lee Collins' insistence that his girlfriend slept facing him. Tony After (as I assume the character is called) made his terminally ill wife SWIM facing him.

MrsWarboysLover

Quote from: Noodle Lizard on February 09, 2022, 07:42:44 AMThere was a long-distance photo that appeared to show Gervais and a sound man (I think) stood on a dock looking down at Kerry Godliman in a pond.

I absolutely do not believe the shot is just what Gervais managed to record on his iPhone. I can't say with 100% certainty what's actually going on, but I would bet all I own (which Gervais would be glad to point out is nothing compared to him) that it's not an organic shot of Kerry Godliman swimming in a pond.

The theory that she was actually pulling strange faces or unable to hold a convincing smile or whatever whilst swimming in the cold water makes sense and would explain why they altered it (poorly).

That's it. the only question is whether gervais knows and he's lying, or whether he wasn't involved in the retouching and is just so stupid that he can't tell.
I would guess the former.

I feel like I'm in a bizzaro universe sometimes. Where Gervais makes Derek, and somehow people accept it and he doesn't have his reputation entirely ruined.

Or Gervais pulls a stunt like this, then people go "hmm nah maybe it's real."
He should become a laughing stock for telling people that this is real and expecting them to believe it, but somehow he gets away unscathed.

It's mental to use his favourite phrase


EDIT: to anyone somehow in doubt look at how the shadow and highlights in her hair stay frozen no matter where she is in the lake, or which direction her head 2 dimensionally swivels!

Jumblegraws

Quote from: PlanktonSideburns on February 09, 2022, 08:53:47 AMSorry mate, don't know what came over me
For the record, I do like Godliman most of the time, and "no acting discipline" was an overstatement. I was just surprised to see her being defended so robustly, especially after all the shrapnel she got hit with in the Derek threads.

AsparagusTrevor

Quote from: wrec on February 09, 2022, 08:56:13 AMTony After (as I assume the character is called) made his terminally ill wife SWIM facing him.

His character is called Tony Griefkind

Jumblegraws

Quote from: MrsWarboysLover on February 09, 2022, 08:56:29 AMThat's it. the only question is whether gervais knows and he's lying, or whether he wasn't involved in the retouching and is just so stupid that he can't tell.
I would guess the former.

I feel like I'm in a bizzaro universe sometimes. Where Gervais makes Derek, and somehow people accept it and he doesn't have his reputation entirely ruined.

Or Gervais pulls a stunt like this, then people go "hmm nah maybe it's real."
He should become a laughing stock for telling people that this is real and expecting them to believe it, but somehow he gets away unscathed.

It's mental to use his favourite phrase


EDIT: to anyone somehow in doubt look at how the shadow and highlights in her hair stay frozen no matter where she is in the lake, or which direction her head 2 dimensionally swivels!

This is why people are having trouble deciding which explanation gets sliced by Occam's razor. I look at that shot and both my non-expert head and heart tell me they've mucked around with it. But that they'd settle for such a shoddy job and be at pains to deny it is just so bloody strange. Like I said above, I really want to see the raw footage, because honestly what could be worse than that?