Forum - View topicREVIEW: 20th Century Boys 1 (live action) DVD
|
Goto page Previous 1, 2, 3 Next Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
glitteringloke
 Posts: 160 |
|
|||
|
I really liked this movie (and the 2nd one). I watch a movie for how much it entertains me, keeps my attention, and in the case of adaptations, how faithful it was. This had it all for me. The manga was AMAZING and the sheer resemblance of the cast to the manga art is just spectacular. Yes, some of it seemed a little over acted or whatnot, but the story is intriguing and overall entertaining. It was mostly faithful, which makes me very happy, as i really don't like when they take too many liberties - that's a set up for huge let down to me.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Sandstar
Posts: 196 |
|
|||
|
I liked the movie, but I can't help but feel disapointed in some of the things that were kept, and some of the things that were dumped. Like, they dumped 90% of Otcho's adventures in Thailand, which is a shame because he's such an important figure later on. They also realllly gloss over the Manjome character, who's very important in the manga as well. Some things are dropped that, such as Keroyon's wedding, which definatly, but some things are kept, like Eriko, who in the manga has a part to play, but in the movie, does squat. Or Shikishima's daughter, which is kind of cool in the manga, but completely pointless in the movie. I would've prefered the scene after Shikishima's daughter's, where Otcho and Kenji go where the robot was being stored. (for those of you reading the manga, volumes 7 and 8 cover what Kenji's group did on Bloody New Year's Eve, which is technically part of the second arc, but is covered in this movie. I suggest waiting a couple of months, reading the manga, and then checking out the movie.)
I think the movie makes it hard to get a narrative sense of what Friend is doing, and why he's so dangerous. What really bugged me is that for the first, 20 minutes or so, it's ALLL info dump, before we know what the hell's going on. They have, for instance, the class reunion, where they start talking about who Friend is, way before we even care who Friend is. Despite all that bitching, I would suggest that if you like the manga, at least check out the movie. If you can, buy the UK version. It's infinitely superior to Viz's release in every respect, and probably cheaper, even with shipping. I wouldn't pay full price for it. I despair at what's going to happen to the awesome second arc in the second movie. Oh well, I won't be watching it till the second arc's done in the manga anyhoo, which is another....year and a half, I think. |
||||
|
||||
|
shinjin
Posts: 1 |
|
|||
|
I know it's too late but I would recommend checking out this movie without reading any reviews.
The sequel was a little better(IMO) but as it stands this was one of the better and more original movies I've seen in a while. I really liked how the 1960 segment was done and I felt that the slow pacing fit the story really well. Especially as the start of a trilogy. |
||||
|
||||
|
mrsticky005
Posts: 117 |
|
|||
|
Although it's true that there's an obvious difference of medium between manga and film. I don't think this film was as close to the manga as some people say that it was. If it was then it wouldn't be crap at least not to myself and others who LIKED the manga. Having
some of the same scenes as the manga isn't the same as being true to the manga. The manga has a certain "feeling" to it that the film clearly does not have. The movie is flat out a bad joke. It may have the biggest budget in Japanese history but it has led me to one conclusion. JAPANESE MOVIES ARE CRAP. At least when it comes to adaptations of manga or anime. Acting isn't too much of a problem because it can always be redubbed (although I still didn't like it I found the Death Note movies at least tolerable with the dub---despite the fact that sometimes it doesn't fit with the actors). But other factors such as music, cinematography, location and all that jazz matter. I don't get what it is but it seems like Japanese movies (the few I've seen) seem to have a budget of $2 even though it's more $2 million. I would think it's the budget that's the problem but obviously that's not it because American movies with even lower budgets are filmed so much better. Please do not comment and say "American movies suck because they just make remakes and have no originality." That may be true and perhaps the storyline in many American movies isn't very engaging. In fact storywise I'd say 40% of American movies are crap 50 of American movies are decent and 10% are actually good (or great). But even those crappy movies can be made exceptionally well. What I mean is that they are visually appealing. They look like the people were trying to make a movie rather than whatever 20th Century Boys movie was. Maybe a bad cosplay film. Just because the manga takes place in Japan doesn't really mean it CAN'T be done else where in an adaptation. Yeah it would be great if they could film it in Japan with an Japanese cast with an American budget and American film makers and have an English over dub but that's not really realistic. If changing the setting from Japan to America helps the movie than I'm all for it. In fact I'd say 20th century boys is a very American comic actually. Yes there's the random Japanese culture reference here and there but take those out and we have a story about little kids who use to listen to rock and roll read comics play in their little forts then had to grow up work in pay by the hour jobs and prevent the world from being destroyed by some masked villain calling himself "Friend". It couldn't get any more American than that. Except if they added apple pie and what not. Personally, I'm GLAD. That's right G-L-A-D about all these American remakes of films like Oldboy and Death Note and what not. I'm glad because as a person who liked the manga versions of those I found that the Japanese (or Korean or whatever) film versions SUCKED. That's right. Sucked. Death Note's problem was basically the film just didn't look that great (again with the awesomeness that is overdubbing acting doesn't matter too much) but Old boy the movie basically was just bad story telling. They felt the manga was too "boring" and had to "spice" it up. Well their spices were mild. The movie may be "fun" to watch but the manga is much more intriguing. It actually tells a great story. It doesn't try to be flashy like the movie does because the manga knows it's audience and knows that it's audience doesn't have the attention span of a goldfish. Oldboy the film was shock and awe. Oldboy the manga was a story. But enough about that. 20th century boys needs to be remade. So many Japanese manga adaptations need to be remade. They need to be remade by people who 1. Enjoy the manga 2. Enjoy film and 3. Know how to make a good film without those 3 important factors the film will flop. It's nice that Urasawa tried to help with the movie and I think he probably did a good job getting it to be like his book. I don't blame him for that because as an aspiring graphic novel writer that's exactly what I intend to do. But at the same time there's only so much that Urasawa can and should do. It's up to the film makers whether the movie flops or not. 20th century boys the film...FLOPPED. The manga was great. Its a super shame. |
||||
|
||||
penguintruth
 Posts: 8461 Location: Penguinopolis |
|
|||
|
mrsticky005, aside from your complete inability to post text properly, I really didn't think we were debating the merits of Japanese film overall. You don't seem to be particularly fond of elaborating on just what you think they did wrong with this film.
It's certainly not a perfect film, but everything in it feels authentically Urasawa, aside from the flawed directing. |
||||
|
||||
vashfanatic
 Posts: 3489 Location: Back stateside |
|
|||
If you think the Japanese cultural references in 20th Century Boys are random, then you've missed much of the point of the series. The manga is deeply rooted in the 20th century Japanese experience; it's about the idealistic age embodied in 1960s manga, and how that idealism was lost, but could still be regained. And heck, the Friends bear such an uncanny resemblance to Aum Shinrikyo that it cannot be anything but intentional. 20th Century Boys could be transferred into an American version, but that would not entail a mere clipping of a few lines here and there. You'd have to reformat the story to focus on American analogues, parallels to the comic books and TV shows of our 60s and experiences from our 20th century history. It would have to be a radically different story. Not that I would mind that, if it was still good and hit the right themes. But it wouldn't be 20th Century Boys. It might be, I dunno, Kingdom Come. |
||||
|
||||
BuffaloStyle
 Posts: 274 Location: Colorado |
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
|
Sydney2K
Posts: 219 Location: Australia |
|
|||
|
If you look at the thumbnail of the movie poster on the home page of ANN, you see a crazy looking cat.
Widya Santoso |
||||
|
||||
|
mrsticky005
Posts: 117 |
|
|||
|
What I'm saying is that although WHAT they showed was pretty much
WHAT we saw in Urasawa's 20th Century Boys it certainly was not even close to being the same experience. I mean that story wise. I DO get that Japanese culture references probably had some meaning but I think when it comes to the overall story it's not as important as some people think it is. At least I'm saying that it wouldn't be too difficult to make a good American 20th Century Boys that could feel even MORE like the manga than the film did without being Japanese. Not saying that it being Japanese is a bad thing but that take on it already failed and America is the next best bet. I would hope that if it was filmed in America that they find TALENTED Japanese-American actors and actresses. Which I'm sure there actually are. The Japanese culture references may be there and may be important but only really to a Japanese audience who actually knows what they are talking about (which ISN'T the same as reading up on it.) when I read 20th Century Boys aside from the Kimonos and Curry Rices I didn't see it as being all that Japanese. I found it American because the story's heart hits close to home. It surpasses the culture barrier. True. Friend did seem like Aum. But at the same time he felt like an old 1970s comic villain. Masked man wanting to take over the world and having an elaborate plan to do so. I think story may look very different Americanized but I think it could still be the same story. Heck it could be the same story if it was set in South Africa or Italy. Sure it might take time seeing Kenji as Kenji when he may not LOOK like Kenji but if he acts like Kenji then I'll like it. |
||||
|
||||
|
pachy_boy
Posts: 1323 |
|
|||
|
Having watched this movie last night for myself, I can understand Carl’s feelings. With the knowledge that it was based on a long-running manga series, it did feel condensed, rushed, and it all added up to something that felt a little more nonsensical unless it was given more room to breathe. But I never read the manga, so I just took this movie for what it was: entertainment. So it was a fun movie regardless, and I thought any scenes with Friend, especially at that concert, had an eerie, surreal touch to it. It’s not the best, but not the worst.
skins2153 wrote:
Whether you like to believe this or not, George Lucas never had this moment, he’s proud of all the movies he’s done. Like 20th Century Boys, you just personally either love or hate it like everyone else on this forum, and it's okay to hate it. penguintruth wrote:
You gotta be kidding me. Well, to each their own, but I thought the Death Note films were such a fine adaptation of the original story, and in my opinion more well-done and –executed than 20th Century Boys, just as movies in general. Last comment: why in hell did Viz Cinema bother dubbing the trailer for the upcoming 2nd movie? I checked the audio of this DVD to confirm this movie had no dub, which would entail the 2nd movie will remain subbed. But if you’re not going to dub the movie, what’s the point in dubbing the trailer? I remember when I watched the trailer for the Death Note movies, thinking that if they’re dubbing the trailers they better damn well dub the movie itself, or that’s false advertisement. Last edited by pachy_boy on Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:35 pm; edited 1 time in total |
||||
|
||||
Baltimoron
 Posts: 43 Location: Charm City |
|
|||
You haven't seen the first few Lone Wolf and Cub movies, have you? |
||||
|
||||
|
russ869
Posts: 423 |
|
|||
|
Wow, this review did not like this movie. I on the other hand thought it was great. Everyone I've shown this movie to has liked it and has been really drawn in by the story. Even my mom, who never watches any of my foreign films or anime.
I think people should still check out this movie in spite of the bad review. You may have a very different opinion than the reviewer. And especially if you haven't read the manga, this a story you can really get into.
Except for that fact that it's PAL, right? Wait... could elaborate on why it's better in every respect? |
||||
|
||||
Moomintroll
 Posts: 1600 Location: Nottingham (UK) |
|
|||
You get a snazzy box, a book and a second disc of extras. 
|
||||
|
||||
|
penguintruth
Posts: 8461 Location: Penguinopolis |
|
|||
Ooooohhh. Do want. What the hell is Viz's problem? |
||||
|
||||
Prede
 Posts: 388 |
|
|||
What comes to my mind is Forrest Gump (probally because someone, somewhere refferences that movie while writing about this series). Still I think the comparison is valid. Anyway still going to check this out, despite the bad review  . I really love the manga!
|
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group