*** Official "PANIC ROOM" Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Ben Motley]

Yep. Dario Argento would have killed to have been able to do that shot in Tenebre, the one where Fincher just tracks all over the house, then back to the same spot and beyond. Awesome. And the shot just before that, where we're looking up at Jodie, up through the wine glass. I'm not so jaded as to consider it gimmicky. To me, it looked pretty damned inspired. This was the same problem many people had with Requiem for a Dream. I tell you what, I'll take both of these movies over MTv technique flicks anyday. And you know what that means. It means I take these movies over Armegeddon and Pearl Harbour and Blade II and The Matrix... OMG! Did I just say that??? Uh, yeah, I did.
Whoah, where did that come from? Um, sorry for the angst. :b I'll just leave it at that I liked the photography.

 

[Brian Perry]

I was disappointed with Panic Room for most of the reasons mentioned -- thin script, over-reliance on style shots, implausible comeback by Yoakam, etc. I also thought the score was mediocre.
I would have preferred an ending without the police. On one hand I wanted Whitaker to escape since he seemed to be the somewhat humane, but I guess he was still a robber and deserved to be caught.
I would rate it :star: :star: out of four.

 

[Ryan Peter]

Come on David, the cop knew there was trouble because of 3 consecutive phone calls to the house. It wouldn't take a genious to figure that out. I think the police came later when the multiple gunshots went off at the same place. As for the other complaints, I'd say your thinking too much.

 

[David Oliver]

Ryan,
Sorry I still don't buy the cop, but we will just have to disagree. IT doesn't change the fact that she could have simply told him anyway.
As for "thinking too much", hey probably a first for me

 

[Nelson Au]

I can't add to all the positive comments to this movie. I went in with very little knowledge of the movie other then the hype about Foster's pregnancy at the start of the film and her replacing Kidman. I had fun with it, and it took my mind off my problems. Which is one reason we go to movies.

As a designer, the openning credits definitely were cool. Reminded me of a modern version of Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" openning credits. Saul Bass may have done something similar if he were alive today.

One thing I don't thing I've seen mentioned is that the situation reminded me a little of Sigorney Weaver's portayal in Aliens while protecting Newt.

Nelson

 

[MatS]

Tom_G,

please note that while I had criticizm of Fincher's use of camera techniques he has used in the past I also noted his style as a positive.

Other directors have a distinct style that is just more subtle. I mean how many times do I need to be taken through the architecture of a hole, vent, wall, etc...

 

[MatS]

speaking of 'Home Alone', there was a reference in the movie to Joe Peschi.
I'm still curious if anyone else caught that guy walking down the street (toward the camera) outside of the house when Foster first moves in. Am I the only one who thought the guy looked Hitchcockian??

 

[Alex Spindler]

David Oliver,

On point number 4, I think the cop made mention that it was a neighbor that heard some noise, but I think he was referring to the neighbor with the adjacent wall. He could have heard the gunshots, and certainly heard the exploding tank bouncing around the room. He probably also heard the work on the floors and ceilings.

Personally, I was thinking that she may have thought the cop was working with the criminals, and was baiting her. She decided to play it safe considering her daughter was in jeopardy.

 

[Carol Razavi]

Well, although I would have to agree that this is not Finchers finest hour (Fight Club, Game, Se7en). This movie alone is probably 99.9% better then most of everything else that has been put out by studios. So it may not have meatier story, and I can see where alot of you are coming from when you say that you expected more from Fincher. And you know... I did too. Though I enjoyed the hell out of it and I think for what it is, it's great. I will praise Fincher for his use of dark atmosphere. I couldn't see half the screen and I loved it. I loved

the last shot of Forrest and the bonds flying in the air (I think it should have ended there)


I had few problems with the movie. So it doesn't have the complex stories that his others have, hell, even Alien 3 had a bigger story, but was it better? So overall I thought it was a great movie and I hope Fincher continues to make great films.

Oh yeah... our paper in OR gave it an A- and did a huge article on Fincher. Fun read

 

[Janna S]

Lightweight but enjoyable - fabulous opening credits. I thought Leto was weak, Jodi and the kid were fine, etc.

Can anyone who lives in NYC guesstimate what that place would cost if it were really on the market?

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Well, I will put the review in the proper thread, but since I started this thread way back when the trailer came out, I wanted to come in and play It's quite interesting to see a Fincher crowd-pleaser, but that's what this is. And it certainly pleased me. My audience seemed to enjoy it too, which hopefully bodes well. I enjoyed Fincher's direction quite a bit. The cast was great, and it was a simple entertainment. Fincher can make that, too. I eagerly await Rama.
Worth the wait
Take care,
Chuck
Edited for atrcious grammar and spelling

 

[Kelley_B]

The theater I saw it in was packed and people were mostly in their 30s-50s and I didn't hear a single person say they didn't like it, there was even a few saying I can't wait to buy that on DVD.

 

[MatS]

OT for a sec:
Jeremiah - I just noted on my cable listings that Rear Window is on the Oxygen network tonight at 5:00 cst (1 hour from now, check local listings). Don't miss this classic
also from their website:
Alfred Hitchcock Movie Festival
Janet Leigh's shower scene in Psycho...Tippi Hedren trapped in a phone booth by a swarm of birds...James Stewart's frightening view from his apartment window. These are some of the classic moments of sophisticated suspense, laced with humor and romance, that were the signature of director Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense who even played a cameo role in each of his movies.
Tune in to this special festival Friday and Saturday evenings in March, April and May.
The Birds, Mar. 22 & 23
Rear Window, Mar. 29 & 30
Rope, Apr. 5 & 6
Marnie, Apr. 12 & 13
Vertigo, Apr. 19 & 20
Psycho, Apr. 26 & 27
Family Plot, May 3 & 4

 

[Jeremiah]

Thanks for the update Mat but I am going to have to rent the movie tonight b/c the Final Four is comming on.

 

[Michael*K]

By the way, does anyone know why three puppeteers were listed in the credits? I didn't really see any shot in the film that would have required puppets that couldn't have been done by stuntmen.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Head on fire! Leto's "Junior" character is totally a puppet candidate.

 

[Elbert Lee]

I saw this film last night and I have to say that, as a David Fincher fan, I'm a bit disappointed. It's not a bad film by any means. If this movie were in the hands of almost any other director, I would have considered it a solid piece of work.

There simply wasn't enough tension in this film as the Title suggests. I think it could have benefited with more intense verbal exchanges between the principals and the intruders (a la "NEGOTIATOR"), in order to draw a bit more emotional stress and draw the audience into the tension. There was no such focus to the direction of the film, but rather staging each sequence for the next "twist", which really didn't amount to anything worth gasping at.

I did like the diverseness of the 3 intruders, but their ineptitude and inexperience diminished my anticipation for some real cerebral thrills that Fincher is so good at expoiting in his other films. Instead, the film dumbed down by arguing novices and a less than panicked Jodie Foster.

With the exception of a couple of unique camera shots and the introduction, this movie as a strait forward and mainstream as one can expect from a Hollywood thriller and given the trend of taking thrillers to the next level in surprise endings and extreme plot twists, this was an unexpected turn to the "dull" side of filmaking for Fincher.

B-

Elbert

 

[Michael*K]

I agree Patrick, but the effects in that scene were so bad that I just thought it was poor CG.

 

[Ben Motley]

Thanks Michael, I missed that entirely.

 

[Bob Partovi]

I was totally diverted by the masked intruder into thinking there was some secret to him. The movie totally scared me and made me feel the suspense. A ? about Fincher.......do his Gothic tones have anything to do with him possibly being Manic depressive, or is he just being cool?