Movie Expectations/spec effects

[vjmerri]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C7594
From: vjmerri
Subject: Movie Expectations/spec effects
Reply To: [Yahoo! #7587] Re: Casting for Erised Scene
Date: 8/22/00 10:55 pm  (ET)

By: selah_1977
I think despite the excitement about the movie, I'm going to keep
my expectations low. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than hugely
disappointed.
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I've been planning similar advice but suspect that I won't succeed. It
is always better to be pleasantly surprised but so far the answer is
"very cautiously hopeful."
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BTW, the #1 issue IMO is not casting or score--although those are
important!--it's special effects.

oh no no no no no no no no. totally disagree. I've been a science fiction
fan for years. Cheesy special effects can detract from the movie, but
in this day and age, and with the backing this movie has, the special
effects will be at a minimum decent. But special effects will never ever
save a movie that has a ridiculous plot or bad acting. (See "Mission to
Mars") What is the number one comment made by movie critics regarding SF
films? Great effects, lousy plot/acting. (Godzilla 1998, Mission to Mars,
Battlefield Earth (the last almost wins a prize in this department))

Science Fiction / Fantasy books (and by corollary movies) are, at their
basic level, still about people doing things to and with other people. If
you don't believe and care about the people and the situations, you will
never care about the special effects and, ultimately, the movie.

Harry Potter has important special effects but I truly think they'll be
good enough for all but the technophiles (i.e. those friends of Brooks
and mine who love to sit through the movie not watching it but analyzing
the effects.)

The critical choice of the three main characters has been made. Lets
hope they are half as good as they look and they get a good screenplay
to work with.

Vicki