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Cloverfield

post #1 of 37
12/14/07 at 3:22pm
Thread Starter 
http://www.cloverfieldmovie.com/

and check out the 'exclusive preview' which is found in the widget below the preview on their site.

It looks like an excellent movie, and an interesting filming style.

1-18-08
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post #2 of 37
12/14/07 at 3:48pm
There is still a lot of debate as to what kind of monster movie it is. Some people even think it's a new Godzilla movie. I doubt it but there is not that much info about it.
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post #3 of 37
12/14/07 at 6:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Outsider View Post

There is still a lot of debate as to what kind of monster movie it is. Some people even think it's a new Godzilla movie. I doubt it but there is not that much info about it.

Well, "I am Legend" turned out to be about Zombies, so you're probably not very far from it. I remember watching "The Forgotten" a few years ago and hoping the whole movie that it wasn't about aliens. It seems that the average creativity in Hollywood is fairly low.
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post #4 of 37
12/14/07 at 8:20pm
Cthulu, I believe.
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post #5 of 37
12/15/07 at 2:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denton View Post

Well, "I am Legend" turned out to be about Zombies, so you're probably not very far from it. I remember watching "The Forgotten" a few years ago and hoping the whole movie that it wasn't about aliens. It seems that the average creativity in Hollywood is fairly low.

Zombies... hmm... apparently people don't really understand the story of "I am legend"... the reverse vampire is lost on most.
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post #6 of 37
12/15/07 at 5:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hardeeharhar View Post

Zombies... hmm... apparently people don't really understand the story of "I am legend"... the reverse vampire is lost on most.

Does that make it any more interesting?

How about a story about the life of the last man (or woman) alive. Humans will be extinct someday: let's see someone tell that story. I don't know who would be up to it. Kubrick might have been a good choice. But I'm not sure why every apocalyptic story must involve "monsters."
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post #7 of 37
12/15/07 at 5:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denton View Post

Does that make it any more interesting?

How about a story about the life of the last man (or woman) alive. Humans will be extinct someday: let's see someone tell that story. I don't know who would be up to it. Kubrick might have been a good choice. But I'm not sure why every apocalyptic story must involve "monsters."

Already been done. Perfectly.
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post #8 of 37
12/16/07 at 11:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by midwinter View Post

Already been done. Perfectly.

That's a light-hearted version of what I'm talking about. I was thinking about this some more last night, and Terrence Malick (the director of The Thin Red Line) might be a good choice for such a film.

If anyone is interested in the episode of The Twilight Zone that midwinter mentions, it may be found here.
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post #9 of 37
12/16/07 at 11:18am
Oooh! Thanks for that ep!
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post #10 of 37
12/16/07 at 6:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denton View Post

That's a light-hearted version of what I'm talking about. I was thinking about this some more last night, and Terrence Malick (the director of The Thin Red Line) might be a good choice for such a film.

It's true. The last man in the world is bound to have plenty of tall grass to walk through while he thinks out loud in sentence fragments.
They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.
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They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.
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post #11 of 37
12/16/07 at 10:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by addabox View Post

It's true. The last man in the world is bound to have plenty of tall grass to walk through while he thinks out loud in sentence fragments.

Yes: and that's the range of Terrence Malick's abilities.

How many directors can make their audience feel something genuine in such bleak circumstances?

I once watched a discovery program about two cheetah cubs whose mother was killed while they were adolescents. For an hour, I watched them struggle to survive with increasing desperation as it became obvious that they didn't have the ability to make it. Who can capture such a moment? Take your pick.
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post #12 of 37
12/17/07 at 12:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denton View Post

Yes: and that's the range of Terrence Malick's abilities.

How many directors can make their audience feel something genuine in such bleak circumstances?

I once watched a discovery program about two cheetah cubs whose mother was killed while they were adolescents. For an hour, I watched them struggle to survive with increasing desperation as it became obvious that they didn't have the ability to make it. Who can capture such a moment? Take your pick.

Yep. When I make a little joke about a filmmaker's signature move I'm certainly claiming that that's the extent of his abilities and need to be schooled.

Thanks.
They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.
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They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.
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post #13 of 37
12/17/07 at 3:50am
Looks like a movie about good looking stupid people.
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post #14 of 37
12/17/07 at 10:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by addabox View Post

Yep. When I make a little joke about a filmmaker's signature move I'm certainly claiming that that's the extent of his abilities and need to be schooled.

Thanks.


Ooooh! You just schooled yourself about needing to be schooled!
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post #15 of 37
12/17/07 at 2:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denton View Post

Does that make it any more interesting?

Certainly. The 200 plus year history of Western European Vampire stories
was already long in the tooth by the time I am Legend was written. The lack of a the vampire is us (or him) story up to that point is pretty unforgivable. Worse yet is the lack of an appreciation for the fact that i am legend is about reversing the story.
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post #16 of 37
12/17/07 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denton View Post

How many directors can make their audience feel something genuine in such bleak circumstances?

I thought Alfonso Cuarón did a fantastically realistic job with "Children of Men". Though it wasn't the end of mankind, I give him balls to have most of the entire cast die by the end of the film.

Also, the original "Last Man on Earth" starring Vincent Price is free to download/watch on the Internet Archive.
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post #17 of 37
1/10/08 at 8:15pm
Sorry to bring this up from the murky depths but here is new info on the movie. Lots of new info.
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post #18 of 37
1/16/08 at 8:57am
I just got a pass for two tickets to see Cloverfield tonight. It's at the Ritz 5 in Philly at 7:30 PM. I get out of work at 6:00 PM and should be able to get to the theater around 6:45 - 7:00 PM.

I wasn't too interested in seeing this (seems WAY to over rated), but since it's free...I'll give it a try. I'll let everyone know what I thought here, if I make it.
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post #19 of 37
1/16/08 at 7:05pm
Well I made it. No spoilers yet, so I'll be brief...

1. Imagine Blair Witch Project, Godzilla and Aliens, shake it up and you have Cloverfield.
2. The movie moves along at a pretty quick pace, it's only about 80 minutes long.
3. The effects were top-rate, amazing how the melding of the shaky, defocussing camera and effects worked so well. Some scenes really put you right there.
4. Watch the very first minutes of the movie carefully, you'll need it to understand the ending.

Out of ten I give it a nine. The only quibble I have is it's length. It could have gone a little longer.
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post #20 of 37
1/16/08 at 7:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by @_@ Artman View Post

Well I made it. No spoilers yet, so I'll be brief...

1. Imagine Blair Witch Project, Godzilla and Aliens, shake it up and you have Cloverfield.
2. The movie moves along at a pretty quick pace, it's only about 80 minutes long.
3. The effects were top-rate, amazing how the melding of the shaky, defocussing camera and effects worked so well. Some scenes really put you right there.
4. Watch the very first minutes of the movie carefully, you'll need it to understand the ending.

Out of ten I give it a nine. The only quibble I have is it's length. It could have gone a little longer.

Of all the people who could have seen the preview screenings ... you'd better have a picture of that monster.
"Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so." - Bertrand Russell
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post #21 of 37
1/16/08 at 8:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by audiopollution View Post

Of all the people who could have seen the preview screenings ... you'd better have a picture of that monster.

A spokesperson for Paramount announced before the screening that all cell phones, Blackberries, etc. should be shut off or put away. She also mentioned that there would be "security" with "night-vision devices" to scan the theater as the film ran. Honestly. I've heard of this happening in Hollywood, but Philly?

Anyway, that sketch floating around the internets is close.



You have to see it in action though. This also is classic to the genre in the way this creature is presented slowly, bit by bit and then in your face.

Cloverfield has the monster movie mold, but with a contemporary twist.

I'll stop for now. Go see it. It's worth it.
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post #22 of 37
1/20/08 at 1:51pm
Saw this, this weekend. Pretty cool movie.

Quote:
Originally Posted by @_@ Artman View Post

.....
4. Watch the very first minutes of the movie carefully, you'll need it to understand the ending.

I guess I missed it. I didn't know there was anything to "get" about the ending.
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post #23 of 37
1/21/08 at 6:12am
SPOILERS FROM HERE ON IN:

The first few minutes are obvious, we are watching the replay of the video recorded by Hud and Rob recovered from the victims of the Army's bombing attack on the monster. You see that on the screen, "Video recovered from Area 447 aka Central Park, New York City". The persons viewing it is obviously military or government people.

At the ending of the film the video skips back a month before the attack to when Rob and Beth were lovers at Coney Island amusement park. If you watched carefully, there is a streak of smoke or an object far away crashing to Earth. Seems that he recorded the arrival of the creature?

Also this...seems that this video leaked out on the web has something to do with this? Maybe not but it's interesting...though I don't think the connection to the surviving clip Rob made a month prior at Coney Island fits with this.

http://www.break.com/index/leaked-sc...overfield.html

Another thing, I left before the credits ended. Stupid. Because I've read online that there was a final audio recording. Something garbled, but some people took the audio and reversed it. Supposedly it says, "It's (I'm) still alive."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN-oj4-fZsc

Sounds like this movie will have a sequel.
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post #24 of 37
1/21/08 at 9:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by @_@ Artman View Post

SPOILERS FROM HERE ON IN:

At the ending of the film the video skips back a month before the attack to when Rob and Beth were lovers at Coney Island amusement park. If you watched carefully, there is a streak of smoke or an object far away crashing to Earth. Seems that he recorded the arrival of the creature?

I don't think the Coney Island scene was meant to capture the arrival of the monster. Abrams did an interview, where he said it was under the ocean for thousands of years:
Quote:
Hes a baby. Hes brand-new. Hes confused, disoriented and irritable. And hes been down there in the water for thousands and thousands of years.

link

"My 8th grade math teacher once said: "You can't help it if you're dumb, you are born that way. But stupid is self inflicted."" -Hiro. Sometimes it's both.

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"My 8th grade math teacher once said: "You can't help it if you're dumb, you are born that way. But stupid is self inflicted."" -Hiro. Sometimes it's both.

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post #25 of 37
1/21/08 at 9:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post

I don't think the Coney Island scene was meant to capture the arrival of the monster. Abrams did an interview, where he said it was under the ocean for thousands of years:

link

Yeah, I missed that interview. So the "streak" in the video might be just an artifact of the video. But the link to the oil rig video seems more likely now. And a sequel.

By the way J.J. Abrams is directing the new Star Trek movie. There's a grainy copy of the teaser online...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhZePr-R-PU

What about this? Seems promising.
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post #26 of 37
1/21/08 at 10:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by @_@ Artman View Post

I thought Alfonso Cuarón did a fantastically realistic job with "Children of Men". Though it wasn't the end of mankind, I give him balls to have most of the entire cast die by the end of the film.

Also, the original "Last Man on Earth" starring Vincent Price is free to download/watch on the Internet Archive.

I agree, Children of Men was quite an achievement in "film-realism" (other than the floating hologram computer thingy, which was completely underdeveloped as a concept... the computer in Minority Report was far better designed).

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post #27 of 37
1/21/08 at 10:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by @_@ Artman View Post

Yeah, I missed that interview. So the "streak" in the video might be just an artifact of the video. But the link to the oil rig video seems more likely now. And a sequel.

By the way J.J. Abrams is directing the new Star Trek movie. There's a grainy copy of the teaser online...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhZePr-R-PU

What about this? Seems promising.

I did catch the movie yesterday. It was quite convincing in it's use of digital effects, especially the vastness and emptiness of the NY streets. Also, the first face-to-face appearance of the creature is hair-raising. Overall, I'd give the effects a '9 out of 10', but the story and acting about a '6 out of 10'. If you're a 15 year old boy, you'll probably dig it.

One thing I can never get used to... there were 3 or 4 families with little kids at this movie. Stupid. This is violent and nightmarish imagery that will scare little kids to death.

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post #28 of 37
1/21/08 at 10:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

I agree, Children of Men was quite an achievement in "film-realism" (other than the floating hologram computer thingy, which was underconceptualized).

I have seen three movies (& I'll include Children of Men) that have had endings that aren't "good" or "happy" endings. I find that refreshing actually. Some only believe that movies are only there to entertain or make us feel good. Well that is an important factor, but films should also enlighten us or make us think too.

Chrildren of Men - The "hero" dies and we are left with the hope that the girl and her child is rescued and even survives. We aren't shown a sparkly, shiny beach with her and her child playing. We just have to believe that good will come from this.

There Will Be Blood - A man who never stops, never gives in and with deception, greed and murder takes himself straight to his own Hell. Not your run of the mill success story.

Cloverfield - Even when Rob tries to redeem himself and his relationship with his girlfriend, he and her die from the very people thought to protect us from anything. And we still are given questions at the end whether humanity prevailed from this attack (there were slight references to 9-11 in this movie too).

No Country for Old Men - Evil can't be stopped, it moves on and reappears like a ghost and many who fight evil will just plain give up and let another sucker to take the mantle.

All these films have a distinctive link, that some directors want to show an audience that beyond the celluloid and fantasy there is reality and that life is not anyway like the movies. Yet these films frame it in such a way that the art shines through.
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post #29 of 37
1/21/08 at 11:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

I did catch the movie yesterday. It was quite convincing in it's use of digital effects, especially the vastness and emptiness of the NY streets. Also, the first face-to-face appearance of the creature is hair-raising. Overall, I'd give the effects a '9 out of 10', but the story and acting about a '6 out of 10'. If you're a 15 year old boy, you'll probably dig it.

I agree, the storyline was thin, but it's a plain old monster movie. Also, this movie reflects our society's craving for "reality". Since the Real World and all it's incarnations, people want everything to give off a sense of "reality". Another element is the YouTube factor. This film I think succeeds in it's view of how vain and self centered some people have become in real life. Honestly, if you were being pursued or attacked by a monster, would you be videotaping every minute of the experience? That's why I think the character Hud is portrayed as more or less a moron from the beginning, so we don't really question his motivations ("I'll just keep documenting").

But how many morons have you seen on YouTube videotape themselves leaping head first off their suburban home, blowing themselves up or video tape a tornado going by their house.

Quote:
One thing I can never get used to... there were 3 or 4 families with little kids at this movie. Stupid. This is violent and nightmarish imagery that will scare little kids to death.

Same thing happened when I saw Blair Witch. Though the imagery wasn't a factor, it was the sounds and screams that freaked out the 1 year old baby.
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post #30 of 37
1/21/08 at 2:42pm
I'm sorry but I have to interject here- the most important part of the movie is the STAR TREK XI TRAILER IN THE BIGINNING! Come on, people!
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post #31 of 37
1/21/08 at 4:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by @_@ Artman View Post

I have seen three movies (& I'll include Children of Men) that have had endings that aren't "good" or "happy" endings. I find that refreshing actually. Some only believe that movies are only there to entertain or make us feel good. Well that is an important factor, but films should also enlighten us or make us think too.

Chrildren of Men - The "hero" dies and we are left with the hope that the girl and her child is rescued and even survives. We aren't shown a sparkly, shiny beach with her and her child playing. We just have to believe that good will come from this.

There Will Be Blood - A man who never stops, never gives in and with deception, greed and murder takes himself straight to his own Hell. Not your run of the mill success story.

Cloverfield - Even when Rob tries to redeem himself and his relationship with his girlfriend, he and her die from the very people thought to protect us from anything. And we still are given questions at the end whether humanity prevailed from this attack (there were slight references to 9-11 in this movie too).

No Country for Old Men - Evil can't be stopped, it moves on and reappears like a ghost and many who fight evil will just plain give up and let another sucker to take the mantle.

All these films have a distinctive link, that some directors want to show an audience that beyond the celluloid and fantasy there is reality and that life is not anyway like the movies. Yet these films frame it in such a way that the art shines through.

Glad I'm not the only one who saw There Will Be Blood. That movie was 'bloody' brilliant.

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post #32 of 37
1/21/08 at 5:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Samnuva View Post

I'm sorry but I have to interject here- the most important part of the movie is the STAR TREK XI TRAILER IN THE BIGINNING! Come on, people!

It was an interesting portrayal of the Enterprise being built with traditional ship-building tools, although it makes no logical sense. It would make more sense to assemble such a massive structure in pieces in space, or maybe even on the moon. Oh, well.

One thing I've noticed about J.J. Abrams projects is they usually feel somewhat 'safe'... in other words, relying on previously established movie conventions too much. In the case of this film, he took a lot of Cloverfield from Godzilla and Aliens. I think it could have gone even further with the freak-out factor.

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post #33 of 37
1/22/08 at 12:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

It was an interesting portrayal of the Enterprise being built with traditional ship-building tools, although it makes no logical sense. It would make more sense to assemble such a massive structure in pieces in space, or maybe even on the moon. Oh, well.

One thing I've noticed about J.J. Abrams projects is they usually feel somewhat 'safe'... in other words, relying on previously established movie conventions too much. In the case of this film, he took a lot of Cloverfield from Godzilla and Aliens. I think it could have gone even further with the freak-out factor.

it makes more sense to assemble a self propelled craft where the resources are than where they need to be shipped at great expense...
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post #34 of 37
1/22/08 at 6:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hardeeharhar View Post

it makes more sense to assemble a self propelled craft where the resources are than where they need to be shipped at great expense...

Hell, they designed the thing to land in emergencies anyways.
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post #35 of 37
1/22/08 at 8:00am
You're not watching it getting built, it's getting refit. Because this is Kirk's first command of the ship...he's actually taking over for Captain Pike, who ran the ship before he did.

When Captain Christopher Pike found out that he was going to be replaced (by Kirk of all people) he found a back alley garage that would strip the enterprise of all its useful parts, even most of the hull. This story is building upon a canceled episode where Pike was using the ship as his pimp-mobile and some hookers got killed (probably from Harry Mudd's brothel). The censors didn't like it back in the sixties because it was too similar to a real life story involving NASA.



It's a trailer (Teaser no less) people. I watched the original Star Trek with my Dad when I was six years old. We watched every one until it was canceled. I started watching it again as re-runs in the seventies and realized how sparse and simple the effects were, yet still held my interest. The stories helped, they held new meaning as a teenager (so did Yvonne Craig).

I think that Abrams is going far beyond retro here. We'll just have to see.
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post #36 of 37
1/22/08 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by @_@ Artman View Post

Yeah, I missed that interview. So the "streak" in the video might be just an artifact of the video.

maybe not...
Quote:
Remember this last shot in the film of our intrepid heroes at Coney Island, enjoying a post-coital day of amusement? Apparently something huge splashes down into the ocean in the background. We missed it, but if you couple it with the translation from the graphic novel that says the Japanese Tagruato corporation's satellite fell from orbit, then bingo. You've got the alarm clock that woke up the monster from its deep-sea slumber.

really just speculation, I guess.

"My 8th grade math teacher once said: "You can't help it if you're dumb, you are born that way. But stupid is self inflicted."" -Hiro. Sometimes it's both.

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"My 8th grade math teacher once said: "You can't help it if you're dumb, you are born that way. But stupid is self inflicted."" -Hiro. Sometimes it's both.

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post #37 of 37
1/22/08 at 3:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post

maybe not...

really just speculation, I guess.

Good link, I followed it to the Manga comic that seems to be another J.J. Abrams genius of marketing. Seems the manga is a prelude to the movie. It's all in Japanese, but I'm beginning to see the thread. It all seems to involve this fictional Tagruato corporation.

This movie will be big in Japan.
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