Reset Password
Reset Link Sent
| Blogs > 40Deuce > Sherry Stringfield's ass in 93 |
The old switcheroo
|
The old switcheroo I think you mean what's good for the goose is good for the gander . What is a gander anyway ? Its a goose that's had the old switcheroo pulled on it . Man on Fire , produced by 20th Century Fox , theatrical release 2004 , starring Denzel Washington is one of my favorite movies . There's really nothing super special about it , its not a new story , but its well done and I like it . Fun fact it was actually adapted to film in 1987 also - never seen that version , I'm told its not very good . The point is that its based on a book and I've been trying to find a copy ever since I found that out - it was strangely hard to track down , in English anyway , I guess the author is BIG in Japan . But finally I managed to get a hold of a copy and I'm about done with it . And you know what ? I don't really care for it , the movie is much better . Pretty freaky huh ? I don't know if I've ever said that before . Spoilers , I guess , if the term applies to a decade old movie and a book that's almost 40 years old . The movie was set in Mexico while the book is set in Italy . I don't know why but this really kind of threw me off . I guess because even though its not true at all I feel like I "know" Mexico whereas Italy is completely foreign to me . I feel like maybe some of the book was lost on me because I know little to nothing about Italian culture . Also , and perhaps this is blandly racist , but I feel like the kind of anarchy that happened in the movie you could get away with in Mexico more than Italy . This difference was fairly minor though , it was just the first big change . Probably the number one thing I don't like about the book is in the book Creasy , a broken down 50 year old man who no social skills , bangs all the hotties . This is eye rolling at worst and completely superfluous at best . You know that movie didn't have ? Creasy mentioning how tight Lisa's pussy was . I can only assume that the author was a broken down dude in his 50s and this was some kind of wishful thinking . It made NO sense . Denzel Washington's performance in the movie didn't depart from the Creasy in the book much at all , but there was a very subtle difference that made him likable while I didn't really care about the Creasy in the book . Creasy in the movie seemed like someone who was just tired , he's so much bad shit he just didn't want to deal anymore - and while the book said that's what he was he came off more as just a robot . A robot who banged all the hotties . Its a cliché but its true "show don't tell" , the book told me Creasy was a world-weary merc who felt lost but it didn't show me that . It showed me kind of a weirdo . In the movie they thought Pita was dead but she turns out to be alive and Creasy trades his life for hers - which is powerful stuff . Although I haven't finished it yet in the book it seems pretty clear that Pinta is dead , dead , dead (and was abused first) and I know that Creasy lives because there's more books about him . And while normally I am the first one to cry "bullshit" when Hollywood tries to happy up an ending (Minority Report , Blade Runner) I think the movie ending to be much more compelling and enjoyable . Find out that Pita's alive changes the whole dynamic - it ratchets up the tension 5000 degrees . Because as enjoyable as it might be to see a dude dismantle a organized crime ring with a special set of skills for revenge in the end its more or less meaningless , as revenge is . But when we find out Pita is alive Creasy's (banned word) mission suddenly takes on another dimension - he can save her , but how ? To steal a line from Sin City (great comic , great movie) "An old man dies , a young girl lives - fair trade ." In the book while I'm sure it will be satisfying to when Creasy takes out all the Mafioso types its not as good . Which brings me to my next point . WAY too much of the book is about Creasy preparing for his mission . Its more realistic sure , if you were the badass soldier of the world you'd probably train and plan for three months before taking on a gang of kidnappers and their corrupt police pals , but you know how much of that I need to hear about ? One chapter , tops . Seems like half the book is about that - I guess it gives him more hottie banging time . I'd say take 20% of that time and devote it to building the Creasy-Pita/Pinta relationship , which seemed rushed in the book and well done in the movie , and the remaining 80% to the whole revenge-murdering part , I'm almost done with the book and that hasn't even started yet . And check this out , my favorite , favorite , favorite thing about the movie is that Creasy actually does the job - when the kidnappers come from Pita he gets her away from them , she's safe - the only reason they get her is because she sees him get shot she runs back to try and help him . Its heartbreaking , and its probably what a lot of would do . Whereas in the book Creasy just fails . So there you go , an in-depth amateur analysis for a movie you've probably not seen and book you probably haven't read . Here's another fun fact , Man on Fire was a moderate success in the theater but it crushed it in DVD rentals and sales . It made 130 million in the theater and 125 million in rentals and sales . That's nuts . Why do you think that is ? Not a ton of people saw it in the theater but they all loved it an bought it ? Or did it have really good word of mouth post-theater ? Is it possible to even know ? Creasy: Top professionals try to kidnap your I'll do the best I can but the service will be on par with the pay. Samuel: What if amateurs try? Creasy: I'd probably kill 'em. Creasy: Okay, my friend. It's off to the next life for you. I guarantee you, you won't be lonely. Creasy: Forgiveness is between them and God. It's my job to arrange the meeting. Putting first by putting employees first, immediately after prioritizing fiscal responsibilities and leveraging profitability towards exceeding by empowering our employees to put (and themselves) first, in a diverse and respectful environment of only those that come first, first. |
||||
|
So there was more gratuitous sex in the book than in the movie? That's a fairly rare situation. I don't think I ever saw that movie; I guess it'll have to get added to the ol' Netflix queue.  
| |||
|
That last quote is great! Maybe I'll watch the movie next time it's on cable. Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation bangs on the door forever!
| |||
|
Zyzzyx Road is the lowest grossing movie of all time. It was released in 2006 and made $30. Six people paid to see it and one couple was the make-up artist and her date. Wiki didn't say whether the couple ever had another date. Crosswords increase your vocabulary. Cross words increase your blood pressure.
|
Become a member to create a blog
