A Few Words About A few words about...™ Hacksaw Ridge -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

I haven't watched SPR since seeing it in the theater. It's a great movie, IMHO, but it's too touch to watch again. I am writing from hard to recollect memory. It's my memory that at the beginning, we see an old Ryan paying respects at the Hanks character's grave, though we may not be entirely sure that's what's happening.

Ryan asks his wife to tell him he's been a good man, he's lived a good life. He want's to be worthy of the sacrifice made for him. I thought that moment added so much feeling to the film. I can't imagine the film without it.

Maybe you'll tell me that happened at the end and I'll accept your memory as better than mine, but I'll never accept this method of story telling as a cheat. No way, no how.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Ryan asks his wife to tell him he's been a good man, he's lived a good life. He want's to be worthy of the sacrifice made for him. I thought that moment added so much feeling to the film. I can't imagine the film without it.

I hated that moment so much; it made me want to laugh at a time that I should have been overwhelmed with emotion. I felt it was poorly conceived and staged, and fell flat for me.

We can certainly agree to disagree. I think the bulk of the film is great but the use of the wraparound story didn't work for me, and for me, took away much of the impact that the 1944 footage had.

The only thing I consider cheating is that we're meant to believe we're watching the Tom Hanks story up until the last minute of the film, and then it's a reveal that we're actually watching the Matt Damon character. Since the 1944 footage is presented as being a flashback, it's a cheat in the sense that we think we're seeing Hanks' memories, when we're actually just seeing a straight story being told out of order, rather than a flashback. It can't be a flashback because Damon's character would have no memories of Hanks' journey to rescue him. When we watch the movie, we're meant to believe it's flashback, and then we discover at the end that it's not a flashback.

 

[Tino]

I don't think that's necessarily so Josh. I think you can interpret it as a flashback or not. It's not an absolute. If there had been a dissolve at the beginning I would have agreed with you. As it's shot, I think there's enough to steer the viewer away from thinking it's a flashback. I believe it's open to interpretation.

Ymmv of course.

 

[Tino]

And by the way Johnny, that line is indeed at the end of the film.

 

[Johnny Angell]

And by the way Johnny, that line is indeed at the end of he film.

And I was very moved by it. I'm resorting it in my brain now.

 

[bujaki]

Josh explains my POV very well regarding SPR. I think we can move on now.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The only thing I consider cheating is that we're meant to believe we're watching the Tom Hanks story up until the last minute of the film, and then it's a reveal that we're actually watching the Matt Damon character. Since the 1944 footage is presented as being a flashback, it's a cheat in the sense that we think we're seeing Hanks' memories, when we're actually just seeing a straight story being told out of order, rather than a flashback. It can't be a flashback because Damon's character would have no memories of Hanks' journey to rescue him. When we watch the movie, we're meant to believe it's flashback, and then we discover at the end that it's not a flashback.

I never thought that was Tom Hanks at the beginning of the movie after they introduced the Ryan story line. Once they established the goal is to save one Ryan brother then I thought it was him at the beginning of the film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Josh explains my POV very well regarding SPR. I think we can move on now.

Yep, we can move on as we just disagree regarding this film.

 

[benbess]

$10 now at amzn. Thinking about it. I think it is one of my favorite World War II movies.

 

[Tino]

$10 now at amzn. Thinking about it. I think it is one of my favorite World War II movies.

So then why are you thinking about it??

 

[B-ROLL]

$10 now at amzn. Thinking about it. I think it is one of my favorite World War II movies.

Have you seen Dunkirk ?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Have you seen Dunkirk ?

Dunkirk was good, but I don't think it's a great film like SPR.

 

[benbess]

Dunkirk was good, but I don't think it's a great film like SPR.

Yeah, I go with SPR as my favorite WW2 movie.

 

[Tino]

Dunkirk was good, but I don't think it's a great film like SPR.

I do.

I think I prefer SPR but it’s close.

 

[bujaki]

The landing in Normandy is an amazing set piece of film making. It's what elevates SPR. I believe the rest to be an excellent WWII rescue mission with all its attending tropes.
Dunkirk is, as RAH stated, a film that will withstand the stand the test of time and that would have received the Lean seal of approval. A masterpiece on every level.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It’s not a masterpiece to me. If Nolan wasn’t attached to it would it be held in such a high regard by some people?

 

[benbess]

I like Dunkirk, but I wouldn't put it in my top 20 for World War II movies. I like Hacksaw better than Dunkirk because there's more emotion for me. Dunkirk was a powerful visceral experience, but in terms of emotional response, there wasn't all that much for me.

And speaking of favorite World War II movies, I remember now that Bridge on the River Kwai still beats out SPR for me by a little bit.....

"You?!"
"You?!"

Watched KWAI in 4k a few weeks ago. Still works. That's my favorite.

 

[B-ROLL]

The landing in Normandy is an amazing set piece of film making. It's what elevates SPR. I believe the rest to be an excellent WWII rescue mission with all its attending tropes.
Dunkirk is, as RAH stated, a film that will withstand the stand the test of time and that would have received the Lean seal of approval. A masterpiece on every level.

It prolly has the approval of at least one
Attenborough
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2139979/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t19

as well

 

[TravisR]

It’s not a masterpiece to me. If Nolan wasn’t attached to it would it be held in such a high regard by some people?

I'm not the Nolan fan that most people here are (his Batmovies are well made but I don't have much interest in even seeing them a second time) and I think Dunkirk and Interstellar are masterpieces.

 

[Tino]

It’s not a masterpiece to me. If Nolan wasn’t attached to it would it be held in such a high regard by some people?

I think it would. Most of the general public don’t even know who Nolan is and it was still a huge success.