I saw it Friday afternoon in a big movie theater with real big screen.
Only on the big screen will this movie come alive.

While I think that the dramatic storry was not tight and intense like a good
drama should be, I thought that the movie was a bit like a fantastic
non-fictional reportage, where the dramatic story becomes somewhat
invissible and not so coherent as usual in Hollywood.

I thought that it was the most realistic description of naval history that I
have seen. Seen in this context the (almost) lack of traditional dramatic
storry becomes a strength and not a weaknes.

Also I think it was the best "sailship-picture" I have seen.

So for anyone with an interest in historic sailing ships or naval history, I
think this is a real great movie - but I will also warn against draging a
not-so-interested partner to the show.

Peter S/Y Anicula

A few comments below:

"Bobsprit" skrev i en meddelelse
...
Master and Commander was very weak. There's no bloody villain! No
conflict!
It's overproduced, underwritten with no real focus. The French ship never
has
ANY character.

I think that one does not always know the enimy well in real life?

Aubrey may as well be battling a big wave....but even that would
be more interesting. Beyond the poor script, other aspects of the film
were
okay. Crowe failed to impress me as a boat captain, mumbling half of his
lines
and over-acting with others. Peter Wier's direction is not suited for a
film of
this type.

The battle scenes are big but not cohesive in the least. He has no
control over 3 dimensional film space during action sequences, unless they
are
very linear and contained as in Witness or Fearless. The final engagement
makes
little or no sense at all.

Probably a bit like real life, dont you think ?

In two scenes you could see HUGE black fenders on deck, clearly set for
raft-ups for the camera barge. Very dangerous. And finally, no sharks are
used
in the film!
Clearly...I'm quite dissapointed.

To avoid dissapointment...among other greats...

Moby Dick (Huston version)
Dead Calm
The Sea Wolf (Curtiz version)
Mutiny on the Bounty (With Charles Laughton-probably still the best)

RB

Jeff,

"Capt Blood" with Errol Flyn rates up there.

"Down to the Sea in Ships" with Widmark also

OT

"Old Man of the Sea" with Tracy gets a nod but with Hemingway's good
stories the mind images or always better than the Movies, in my opinion.
It takes a Tracy or a Peck to even come close.

Ot

"Old Man of the Sea" with Tracy gets a nod but with Hemingway's good
stories the mind images or always better than the Movies, in my opinion.
It takes a Tracy or a Peck to even come close.

I agree. I always liked Peck as Ahab, though reviewers of the day were not kind
to him. Director John Houston always defended the choice. Tracy was 57 when the
filmed the Sturges adaptation and I think he had the right look for it and the
acting chomps to make it work.

RB

The Crimson Pirate with Burt Lancaster. Better spoof on the genre than
"Pirates of the Carribean"

On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 21:02:19 -0800 (PST), (Thom
Stewart) wrote:

Hey Nutsy,

How about, "Captainn Courageuos" With Spencer Tracy, The "Hornblower""
series with Greg Peck, "Treasure Island" with Jackie Cooper

OT

The Crimson Pirate with Burt Lancaster. Better spoof on the genre than
"Pirates of the Carribean"

Good one.


RB

I thought that it was the most realistic description of naval history that I
have seen. Seen in this context the (almost) lack of traditional dramatic
storry becomes a strength and not a weaknes.


That context is not served well for movie fans. A better screenplay, better
dialogue and better staging would have left the historical elements intact or
even heightened, while making the movie less of a snore-fest.

RB

There's no bloody villain! No
conflict!

Are you really that stupid? The villain was the French ship captain and =
the conflict was between Napoleonic France and Georgian England.

The French ship never
has
ANY character.

The story wasn't about the French ship...it was about the pursuit of the =
French ship...

I'm quite disappointed.

The go see "Cat In the Hat" I'm sure it's much more on your level and =
Michael Myers should be an inspiration to you.

--=20
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

Are you really that stupid? The villain was the French ship captain and =
the conflict was between Napoleonic France and Georgian England.

Katy, clearly your knowledge of screenwriting isn't very sophisticated. Basing
a conflict on historical villainy without defining within the picture it is a
common mistake. A good screenplay defines it's villains by action rather than
reputation or historical context. I've yet to meet anyone who saw the movie who
didn't make note of this. The same mistake was made in Gladiator, but NOT in
Saving Private Ryan. Can you see the difference?
I doubt it.

RB

The go see "Cat In the Hat" I'm sure it's much more on your level and =
Michael Myers should be an inspiration to you.



Sorry, Katy. Last night we screened the uncut remastered Once Apon a Time in
the West, a film of grand detail and scale as well as properly defined
conflicts.
As Orson Wells said, "Grand films are only as grand as their villains."
Sadly, Master and Commander fails on every level and finally even in it's
cinematography.
BTW, the DVD of Once Apon a Time in the West is simply beautiful, well worth it
for true film fans.


Capt RB