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NEWS: DreamWorks to Make 3D Live-Action Ghost in the Shell

Too many people look at anime as if there's nothing in live-action film that can compare. They don't realize, for example, that Steven Spielberg is a freakin' genius. And for those that say he can't handle complex, adult issues? Just watch A.I., which flopped in the theatres but which was really an amazing, deep and beautiful movie.

Sorry to break this to you, but Spielberg has made bad movies. Not everything that comes out of him is gold, regardless of how much praise he gets from all sides. I agree that he is probably the best director, arguably, on the planet. However saying that everything he touches turns to a tour de force genius tale for the ages is as absurd as the people your describing, and reeks of blind elitism.

For the record, I am glad that Spielberg's company got this, and I hope that he will be directly and majorly involved. But I am not going to talk about his achievement until something has actually been achieved.

Goodpenguin wrote:

but beyond that my point is segments of anime fandom sometimes need to stop treating anime in a vacuum, and be able to contextualize a work in a broader sense. [...] The first movie version is probably the most influential work in the franchise, and it succeeds directly along the lines of similar material like 'Blade Runner'/'The Matrix'-strong, inventive visual storytelling leaning on sci-fi backdrop, hodge-podge story. Checking the reviews on 'Rottentomatoes.com' the movie is evaluated almost universally on these lines; great visuals, light-weight story. 'Ghost in the Shell' is a notable adventure tale with appealing sci-fi backdrop, not a densely literate, original work that defies live-film adaptation. Maybe the work seems more 'deep' to those fans who never tread outside of anime's shadow, but overall this is more a triumph of visual aesthetic then story-telling (ala 'Blade Runner').

In otherwords Ghost in the Shell is a mediocre film at best. And anyone who thinks differently is obviously an ignorant zealot.

Sorry, I disagree. And for your information, I don't live in "anime's shadow". Blade Runner was a great film in it's own right, but GitS is unique enough to stand out and tell it very own story. And it's over comparison's and stretches of the imagination like those that starts to make going and seeing a movie not fun anymore. Over analysis can be good sometimes, and even fun, but more often than not it falls in the categories of unnecessary and tediously unimaginative.

just want to remind everybody who wants to cast these skinny actors as Motoko exactly what we're talkin about:


http://bp2.blogger.com/_esdiuy1uP-A/SAZqrvqM01I/AAAAAAAAAAs/UuWEgwClPwg/s1600-h/Motoko+on+Saya.jpg

1) Anime is not the end-all, be-all of cinematic/film experiences
2) Spielberg is more than capable of taking a high-concept anime and turning it into something terrific, and (gulp!) maybe even better!

I will take some offense to being called an elitist, however. An elitists for what - live action cinema over anime? That would be a preference, although I don't favor one over the other (maybe in general I like anime more, actually). A Spielberg elitist? Hmm...does that phrase even work? I'm not real sure on what point you figure me to be an elitist.

As long as a director has a strong sense of visual composition, it's[GitS] a work that can be successfully adapted into live-action, contra some fandom gnashing of teeth that it will never work.
[...]
there's nothing about this that says a live-action adaptation is inherently problematic.

Unless by 'over analysis' you mean 'only supply gushing praise about things I like'.

'Blade Runner' made for a memorable visual ride, and that was a success even though the plot paled in comparison to it's conceptually superior source material 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. Being that 'Ghost in the Shell' has fairly (comparatively speaking, and no, GitS isn't that 'unique' story-wise) mundane literary origins, and most of the 'wow' of the movie comes from it's visuals
[...]
The first movie version is probably the most influential work in the franchise, and it succeeds directly along the lines of similar material like 'Blade Runner'/'The Matrix'-strong
[...]
but overall this is more a triumph of visual aesthetic then story-telling (ala 'Blade Runner').
[...]
Outside of the 'cyberpunk' aesthetic (and at it's heart 'cyberpunk' is mostly a gritty, futuristic urban motif graphed on to more traditional sci-fi fair), it's general questions of technology and the nature of the human soul is a direct 'copy and paste' from sci-fi in the 50's and 60's (Bradbury, Dick, Ellison, etc.).

Hon'ya-chan wrote:

Then again, we could be given a curveball and Spielberg somehow manages to inject his love of Anti-Nazi themes and influences and turns the major into an Agent for Mossad.

A Mossad version Section 9.. my mind can't grasp something that badass.

Goodpenguin wrote:

'Blade Runner' made for a memorable visual ride, and that was a success even though the plot paled in comparison to it's conceptually superior source material 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. Being that 'Ghost in the Shell' has fairly (comparatively speaking, and no, GitS isn't that 'unique' story-wise) mundane literary origins, and most of the 'wow' of the movie comes from it's visuals [...] The first movie version is probably the most influential work in the franchise, and it succeeds directly along the lines of similar material like 'Blade Runner'/'The Matrix'-strong [...] but overall this is more a triumph of visual aesthetic then story-telling (ala 'Blade Runner'). [...] Outside of the 'cyberpunk' aesthetic (and at it's heart 'cyberpunk' is mostly a gritty, futuristic urban motif graphed on to more traditional sci-fi fair), it's general questions of technology and the nature of the human soul is a direct 'copy and paste' from sci-fi in the 50's and 60's (Bradbury, Dick, Ellison, etc.).

By constantly comparing it to similar works done in the past to such a level does nothing but cheapen it down to the basilar levels of done/not done before. This completly ignores any sort of creative output that may have gone into the story telling, by essentially labeling it as a rip-off. It's basically putting horse blinders on by seeing it as only a story that's already been told, and therefore by default inherently inferior. This is not the rantings of a fan "too wrapped up in the medium" or of someone living in "anime's shadow" as your thinly veiled insults suggest. When you break it down, almost every story ever told, even ones that seem new and original, have in fact already been told in the past. This goes back to ancient times, even in modern story telling. Simply the recognition of this fact, while precipitating it with a hoitytoity air, and using it as a basis of criticism is not only short sighted, but ends up stifling original thinking, not encouraging it.

This is not to say comparisons between works should not be made. But when those comparisons become the centerpiece of your criticisms, it's more a sign of the deadening of the senses, than it is constructive.

LostPhrack wrote:

Hon'ya-chan wrote: Then again, we could be given a curveball and Spielberg somehow manages to inject his love of Anti-Nazi themes and influences and turns the major into an Agent for Mossad. A Mossad version Section 9.. my mind can't grasp something that badass.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabra_%28comics%29

Goodpenguin:

It seems a little unfair to tell Dargontxc to settle down and act like you're just being impartial and having a pro and con discussion. You seem to be getting a little unnecessarily upset here too. Maybe you both ought to calm down a bit and you'll find some common ground.

I also must point out that you have not actually provided much of an argument for your position on GitS either. Why do you feel it's story was weak? You too could elaborate on your position.

Dargonxtc, you need to settle down a bit and read arguments in context.

For some particular reason, making analogies or comparisons are at the writers peril on this forum, because people seem to go to great lengths to miss the whole point of them.