"Gosford Park" - What's the Big Deal? - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

Donkey · 06-28-2002, 07:26 PM

I just watched Gosford Park this moring and boy I am dissapointed with it. I was expecting this great movie. This Funny and charming movie. But I didn't get either. It was never funny. It didn't have a plot, the stroy line was bad, there was no chactor delvopment, and the chactor where not likeable, it was slow and boring and just ran to long. I can't belive that this movie got nomiated for so many awards. Was there something that I missed? I don't think so. I'd give this movie a 4/10. What did everyone elese think?

run1 · 06-28-2002, 07:40 PM

It sounds like it just wasn't your kind of movie. It happens. Personnaly I don't see the big deal with 'Gladiator'........

Ashenden · 06-28-2002, 07:41 PM

**********************************
****** SPOILERS AHEAD *************
**********************************

I loved this movie the first time I saw it in the theaters and I love watching it on DVD.

For me a big part of the movie is the relationship between the servants and their "masters". It is one of those "who did it" mysteries but the difference between an Agathe Christie novel and Gosford Park is that it is not important who did it, and there is no final justice over the murderer(s).

Imo expectations definitely have something to do with it. If you expect a "great" movie then you are often disaapointed.

Again imo Gosford Park is a movie you watch not to see big climaxes and individual big performances. Most of the characters in the movie are interesting in their own way.

thaggas · 06-28-2002, 07:48 PM

You're right Ash. I don't think Donkey will be the only disappointed by this film. First of all, those who raved about it, were well-read, scholarly critics who are forced to sit through Tom Green and Eminem movies. So naturally when they get a taste of the good stuff, they're going to over-react slightly.

In all honesty, I had to have the subtitles on for the length of it because I had so much trouble with the accents. (Embarrassing, I know.)

Anyway, it's great acting and a great script. I thought the story was actually pretty good, and it was wonderful use of a classic Hitchcock McGuffin.

My two cents...you got change for a nickel?

61439 · 06-28-2002, 08:28 PM

Donkey doesn't get Gosford Park... golly, what a suprise!

Listen Sam, Gosford Park only gets better upon a second viewing (atleast in my opinion). Maybe you should watch it again, it's well worth it.

Regards,
Amanda

Donkey · 06-28-2002, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 61439
Donkey doesn't get Gosford Park... golly, what a suprise!

Listen Sam, Gosford Park only gets better upon a second viewing (atleast in my opinion). Maybe you should watch it again, it's well worth it.

Regards,
Amanda

No,no I got Gosford ParK I just didn't think it was anything great. Golly, what a suprise someone made a comment like that. :rar:

Quote:

Originally posted by Ashenden
Again imo Gosford Park is a movie you watch not to see big climaxes and individual big performances. Most of the characters in the movie are interesting in their own way.

I wasn't expecting to see a big climax. I knew that Gosford Park was not going to be like that. All I expected was a good movie. And sadly it was a let down for me. Maybe 61439 is right, maybe if I (I don't think she was telling me to) watch it agian and I will like it more. So, in time I will rent it agian...Or just buy it if I find it cheap.

Dehrian · 06-29-2002, 12:03 AM

Well, to begin with, Altman's films are acquired tastes. They're difficult, the dialogue overlaps, they don't have a "plot" necessarily, but they do have a point. And they always get better with repeat viewings.

My first experience with The Player (my first Altman film) sounds exactly like your experience with Gosford Park. I thought it was long, boring, nothing happened, and what was the point? Then, because my roommate wanted to watch the video the next day, I sat down and started to watch it again (I just really didn't have anything else to do at the time). The second time, I found myself enthralled. I couldn't take my eyes away. I began to notice all sorts of things I'd missed the first time around, and it was like watching a different film.

Since then, I've never judged an Altman film on a single viewing, because the second time is always better.

Donkey · 06-29-2002, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dehrian
Well, to begin with, Altman's films are acquired tastes. They're difficult, the dialogue overlaps, they don't have a "plot" necessarily, but they do have a point. And they always get better with repeat viewings.

My first experience with The Player (my first Altman film) sounds exactly like your experience with Gosford Park. I thought it was long, boring, nothing happened, and what was the point? Then, because my roommate wanted to watch the video the next day, I sat down and started to watch it again (I just really didn't have anything else to do at the time). The second time, I found myself enthralled. I couldn't take my eyes away. I began to notice all sorts of things I'd missed the first time around, and it was like watching a different film.

Since then, I've never judged an Altman film on a single viewing, because the second time is always better.

Thanks for telling me that. I'm defitnly going to rent it agian some time. Maybe I will like it better. Also, this was my first Altman film.

SephirothClone · 06-29-2002, 06:01 PM

I Loved Gosford Park, saw it twice at the cinemas. Bought it yesterday, and saw it twice again!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Donkey

Thanks for telling me that. I'm defitnly going to rent it agian some time. Maybe I will like it better. Also, this was my first Altman film.

First Altman film???

So no Popeye or MASH???? WTF?!

TuerkAlert23 · 06-29-2002, 06:09 PM

i thought it was mediocre at best. good performances by maggie smith, clive owen, and ryan philippe

, but the story just didn't hold my interest, neither did the other 22 main characters. this script was better than memento's? wow the academy is stupid some times.

feldon23 · 06-29-2002, 06:33 PM

I'd be disappointed too if I were waiting for chactors to delvop and it didn't happen.

Dr. Shrinker · 06-30-2002, 07:42 PM

Yeah, especially when the chactor where not likeable.

IKEA_boy · 07-01-2002, 04:18 AM

I tried twice to watch it.

#1 lasted six minutes.

#2 lasted fifteen.

I just couldn't watch it. I found it excrutiatingly boring.

As for Gladiator. I thought it was overated to all hell but it wasn't a bad movie so to say.

Bonehead · 07-01-2002, 01:17 PM

Did anyone read Home Theater Forum's review of this movie?

ZZZZzzzzz.

By all rights, I should not be reviewing this DVD.
There is nothing more than I enjoy least than
watching a boorish film about uptight English people.
Had it not been the fact that pressure has been put
on me to review this film, I would have not done so.

Watching Gosford Park was about as fun as
having a root canal.

Half the cast make up the "wealthy" class
and the other half are their servants. For exactly
1 hour and 18 minutes, I was forced to sit and
watch the droll interaction between these two
classes waiting for something....something to
happen.

Pretty much summed it up my thoughts on it.

Lex M · 07-01-2002, 06:38 PM

For all those complaining about "Gosford Park" being boring -- Come on! It was no more boring than Lord of the Rings! THREE HOURS of ugly, unpleasant characters with ridiculous names fighting over a ring you could buy at Zale's???

At least no one in Gosford Park had ringlets or hairy feet!

billyslits · 07-01-2002, 07:17 PM

From the Home Theater Forum's review:
"There is nothing more than I enjoy least than
watching a boorish film about uptight English people. "

From Dictionary.com:
boor·ish adj.
- Resembling or characteristic of a boor; rude and clumsy in behavior.

When did the entire world become retarded? I can barely understand what that sentence means. What is this reviewer trying to suggest? That Gosford Park should've been more elegant and refined as opposed to the raucous T&A fest it is?

The reviewer rendered his opinion moot when he wrote "...nothing more than I enjoy least..." but to also misuse the word "boorish" in a misguided attempt at wit and urbanity is just sad.

Gosh, I wonder why he didn't like Gosford Park? The reviewer seems like such a smart guy.

manigrasso · 07-01-2002, 07:46 PM

I caught that bastardization of grammar as well. In a forum posting, I usually won't rank on someone for a spelling or grammatical error. We're all guilty of them at one time or another, you know? But when someone's trying to come across as pompous and all-knowing, and fucks up like that, I can't help but laugh

Donkey · 07-02-2002, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SephirothClone
I Loved Gosford Park, saw it twice at the cinemas. Bought it yesterday, and saw it twice again!!

First Altman film???
So no Popeye or MASH???? WTF?!

Nope. I want to see "Mash" tho.

ShaneMcFarland · 07-08-2002, 03:02 AM

I love how it seems as though everyone who DID like this film is taking pot-shots at the intellect of those who didn't. Why don't we get a life and debate the actual film, OK?

I saw this movie in the theater. Twice. The first time because I thought it looked good. The second time because I thought I missed something the first time. I was wrong both times. The second time was one of the most excruciatingly boring times I have spent in a long time.

The acting was great, and the direction, cinematography and camerawork, all awesome. But the plot. Oh, the plot. I could have been more excited watching a slug race across the screen. It couldn't have been more boring. And this is coming from the person who LOVES deliberately paced film (i.e. Kubrick, etc). But there is a huge difference between deliberate pacing and dead pacing. Gosford Park was the latter.

Heckalaska · 07-08-2002, 03:43 AM

I don't have anything at all against the English, but those droll, lifeless, snobby characters like the ones in this film just close me right off to enjoying it. I watched this thing at work one night, and it actually made the time go by slower!

And while it's not cool to bash on poor ol' Donkey, you could use a little grammatical/spelling brush up there my man. And did you used to be our pal Sam? Thought I recognized your posts if that's the case.

feldon23 · 07-08-2002, 04:42 AM

MASH is one of those rare cases where the TV show is better than the movie.

Altman's idiotic choice to overlap mumblings of dialogue makes it nearly impossible to tell what the hell is going on. You have to rewind and watch it several times just to figure out what nearly-unintelligible comments are being made by 2 characters who are simultaneously talking.

kiscealguy · 07-08-2002, 05:07 AM

This is simply Altman' style.

He's a director, who at this point in his career, has earned the privledge of taking risks. He only makes the films he wants to make and he assembles casts consisting of people he really wants to work with, generally friends from the industry.

From what I have read and seen in interviews, he does not make movies to entertain the masses. To me his movies have always been hit or miss.

The overlapping dialogue, the large roundtable cast of characters, long tracking shots..this is merely his signature. And even when his movies make you shake your head in disbelief ("Ready to Wear"... oh, excuse me, "Pret a Porter" comes to mind) I am still fascinated by how this unique director works.

I enjoyed "Gosford Park" even if, on initial viewing, I was disappointed by its lack of substance. It was then that I remembered Altman is all about style.

Take a look at the theatrical southern setting of "Cookie's Fortune," or the parade-like display of the female form in "Dr. T and the Women," the interwoven vignettes of "Short Cuts," and the obvious and showiness of "The Player." All examples of Altman flaunting style over substance. And these are just some of his films from the last decade only. "Gosford Park" is no diferent.

His filmography is truly eclectic and you will find some great rentals by perusing his directorial efforts.
For those who did not like "Gosford Park," it is understandable. I was a bit surprised myself by the awards it won. But I am anxious to pick up the DVD and take a closer look at Altman's latest effort, from a director I enjoy visiting again and again.

SolidSnakeASS · 07-08-2002, 05:31 AM

Once again, I

Amanda.

I haven't seen Gosford Park yet, but from the sounds of it I'll love it.

Some people need to stop trying to like everything. Am I surprised that the guy with the D12 icon doesn't like Gosford Park? No, but why should he? It is obviously not suitable for your tastes, so don't rent it again! If you hated it when you watched it don't force yourself to sit through it a second time, that is just pointless.

airjosh · 07-08-2002, 06:25 AM

I thought that Gosford Park was pretty good when I saw it in the theaters, but was shocked with how the award circuit and critics gushed about it. I loved the play between the top of the house and bottom of the house characters, but Altman tried too hard to keep you off of the trail of the culprit.

(spoilers?)

There were too many scenes establishing odd behavio(u)r by characters who had motive, but then those scenes were left without any resolution or explanation. So we are left with a house full of people with motive acting strangely, disappearing and reappearing for no reason.

I love the whodunits, I thought this was entertaining but I felt like the other (non-killer) characters actions were not thought out past their scenes, they only existed in that moment. It makes it difficult to maintain credibility for the characters as you could really lose any one of them and not change the storyline.

I have been torn about watching it again, but I am sure that I will at some point. Good acting and solid cinematography.

Heckalaska · 07-08-2002, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by airjosh
I thought that Gosford Park was pretty good when I saw it in the theaters, but was shocked with how the award circuit and critics gushed about it.

Is it just more or does anybody else get that feeling when certain movies are creamed over by the critic circles? Sometimes it seems like the wierder, or more boring, pretentious or harder to understand the movie is (and I'm not referring to GP for all those descriptions), the more it makes certain circles of both critics and fans go apeshit for it. I can see them all at the theaters and when the lights go up, they're all looking around to see what other people thought about it and suddenly they loved it too...

Sorry for the generalization, just thoughts running through my attic...

airjosh · 07-08-2002, 04:17 PM

I have noticed in the past few years critics/people are latching on to anything that is different and singing praises, even if it is not a good film. exceptions to this were Memento, Crouching Tiger, and Sixth Sense, all of those lived up to the indy hype. -imo

there have been many that were not as good, Gosford being one of them. The many more is a different discussion I guess.

Different and/or independent do not alone a good film make.

that is my yodaism for the day.

Indyphantom · 07-08-2002, 07:15 PM

Gosford Park is very good, but I hesitate to call it classic Altman. Short Cuts , Nashville , M*A*S*H and The Long Goodbye remain his best, IMO>

billyslits · 07-08-2002, 08:52 PM

airjosh writes: "exceptions to this were Memento, Crouching Tiger, and Sixth Sense, all of those lived up to the indy hype. -imo"

I wouldn't consider The Sixth Sense an independent film. It is, instead, a smaller film made by studio-based production companies. It was produced by Hollywood Pictures (Disney), Spyglass Entertainment and The Kennedy/Marshall Company ("The Bourne Identity", "Congo"). So I don't think it really fits into the "indy hype" theory.

I liked Gosford Park. It isn't my favorite Altman film but I went in knowing what to expect and I had a pleasant time. With most of Altman's stuff, it's the small details and the subtle character interactions that make up the structure and substance of the work. The plot is almost always secondary to the mood and atmosphere created over the course of the film.

It's a different way of making movies and it takes some getting used to but I find his work fascinating.

06-28-2002, 07:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Donkey Actor Join Date: May 2002 Location: Akron, Ohio, USA	"Gosford Park" - What's the Big Deal? I just watched *Gosford Park* this moring and boy I am dissapointed with it. I was expecting this great movie. This Funny and charming movie. But I didn't get either. It was never funny. It didn't have a plot, the stroy line was bad, there was no chactor delvopment, and the chactor where not likeable, it was slow and boring and just ran to long. I can't belive that this movie got nomiated for so many awards. Was there something that I missed? I don't think so. I'd give this movie a 4/10. What did everyone elese think? __________________ Tell me something, my friend. You ever dance with the devil by a pale moon light?

06-28-2002, 07:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
run1 Actor Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Norway	It sounds like it just wasn't your kind of movie. It happens. Personnaly I don't see the big deal with 'Gladiator'........ __________________ My ever-growing collection "You cannot eat plutonium" -Colin Powell

06-28-2002, 07:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ashenden Actor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: San Francisco, California	******************************** ** SPOILERS AHEAD ********* ******************************** I loved this movie the first time I saw it in the theaters and I love watching it on DVD. For me a big part of the movie is the relationship between the servants and their "masters". It is one of those "who did it" mysteries but the difference between an Agathe Christie novel and Gosford Park is that it is not important who did it, and there is no final justice over the murderer(s). Imo expectations definitely have something to do with it. If you expect a "great" movie then you are often disaapointed. Again imo Gosford Park is a movie you watch not to see big climaxes and individual big performances. Most of the characters in the movie are interesting in their own way. __________________ No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible

06-28-2002, 07:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
thaggas Actor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nebraska	You're right Ash. I don't think Donkey will be the only disappointed by this film. First of all, those who raved about it, were well-read, scholarly critics who are forced to sit through Tom Green and Eminem movies. So naturally when they get a taste of the good stuff, they're going to over-react slightly. In all honesty, I had to have the subtitles on for the length of it because I had so much trouble with the accents. (Embarrassing, I know.) Anyway, it's great acting and a great script. I thought the story was actually pretty good, and it was wonderful use of a classic Hitchcock McGuffin. My two cents...you got change for a nickel? __________________ Dear Ndugu...

06-30-2002, 07:42 PM	#12 (permalink)
Dr. Shrinker Reverse Psychologist Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: "THE" O.C.	Yeah, especially when the chactor where not likeable. __________________ "I like the idea of a LEGO CGI movie, but the Bionicle stuff was just too dumb and difficult to follow." -- mtcarmel00

06-28-2002, 08:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
61439 Banned Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Roswell, Georgia	Donkey doesn't get Gosford Park... golly, what a suprise! Listen Sam, Gosford Park only gets better upon a second viewing (atleast in my opinion). Maybe you should watch it again, it's well worth it. Regards, Amanda

06-29-2002, 12:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dehrian Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: CA	Well, to begin with, Altman's films are acquired tastes. They're difficult, the dialogue overlaps, they don't have a "plot" necessarily, but they do have a point. And they always get better with repeat viewings. My first experience with The Player (my first Altman film) sounds exactly like your experience with Gosford Park. I thought it was long, boring, nothing happened, and what was the point? Then, because my roommate wanted to watch the video the next day, I sat down and started to watch it again (I just really didn't have anything else to do at the time). The second time, I found myself enthralled. I couldn't take my eyes away. I began to notice all sorts of things I'd missed the first time around, and it was like watching a different film. Since then, I've never judged an Altman film on a single viewing, because the second time is always better.

06-29-2002, 06:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
TuerkAlert23 Actor Join Date: May 2002	i thought it was mediocre at best. good performances by maggie smith, clive owen, and ryan philippe , but the story just didn't hold my interest, neither did the other 22 main characters. this script was better than memento's? wow the academy is stupid some times.

06-29-2002, 06:33 PM	#11 (permalink)
feldon23 Actor Join Date: Oct 2000	I'd be disappointed too if I were waiting for chactors to delvop and it didn't happen.

07-01-2002, 04:18 AM	#13 (permalink)
IKEA_boy Director Emeritus ~~Persista~~ Persistent Student Join Date: Oct 2001	I tried twice to watch it. #1 lasted six minutes. #2 lasted fifteen. I just couldn't watch it. I found it excrutiatingly boring. As for Gladiator. I thought it was overated to all hell but it wasn't a bad movie so to say.

07-01-2002, 01:17 PM	#14 (permalink)
Bonehead Actor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Far Beyond Driven	Did anyone read Home Theater Forum's review of this movie? ZZZZzzzzz. By all rights, I should not be reviewing this DVD. There is nothing more than I enjoy least than watching a boorish film about uptight English people. Had it not been the fact that pressure has been put on me to review this film, I would have not done so. Watching Gosford Park was about as fun as having a root canal. Half the cast make up the "wealthy" class and the other half are their servants. For exactly 1 hour and 18 minutes, I was forced to sit and watch the droll interaction between these two classes waiting for something....something to happen. Pretty much summed it up my thoughts on it. __________________ Come to think of it, there already are a million monkeys on a million typewriters and the Internet is nothing like Shakespeare.

07-01-2002, 06:38 PM	#15 (permalink)
Lex M Actor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles	For all those complaining about "Gosford Park" being boring -- Come on! It was no more boring than Lord of the Rings! THREE HOURS of ugly, unpleasant characters with ridiculous names fighting over a ring you could buy at Zale's??? At least no one in Gosford Park had ringlets or hairy feet!

07-01-2002, 07:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
billyslits Actor Join Date: Jun 2001	From the Home Theater Forum's review: "There is nothing more than I enjoy least than watching a boorish film about uptight English people. " From Dictionary.com: boor·ish adj. - Resembling or characteristic of a boor; rude and clumsy in behavior. When did the entire world become retarded? I can barely understand what that sentence means. What is this reviewer trying to suggest? That Gosford Park should've been more elegant and refined as opposed to the raucous T&A fest it is? The reviewer rendered his opinion moot when he wrote "...nothing more than I enjoy least..." but to also misuse the word "boorish" in a misguided attempt at wit and urbanity is just sad. Gosh, I wonder why he didn't like Gosford Park? The reviewer seems like such a smart guy. Last edited by billyslits : 07-01-2002 at 07:51 PM.

07-01-2002, 07:46 PM	#17 (permalink)
manigrasso Forum Sage Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: NJ	I caught that bastardization of grammar as well. In a forum posting, I usually won't rank on someone for a spelling or grammatical error. We're all guilty of them at one time or another, you know? But when someone's trying to come across as pompous and all-knowing, and fucks up like that, I can't help but laugh __________________ manigrasso I used to have a little cropped mustache and wear brown shirts with swastika armbands. Then I read about this guy named "Hitler." Man, was my face red! No wonder why Inga was the only girl who'd go to Prom with me!

07-08-2002, 03:02 AM	#19 (permalink)
ShaneMcFarland Actor Join Date: Oct 2001	I love how it seems as though everyone who DID like this film is taking pot-shots at the intellect of those who didn't. Why don't we get a life and debate the actual film, OK? I saw this movie in the theater. Twice. The first time because I thought it looked good. The second time because I thought I missed something the first time. I was wrong both times. The second time was one of the most excruciatingly boring times I have spent in a long time. The acting was great, and the direction, cinematography and camerawork, all awesome. But the plot. Oh, the plot. I could have been more excited watching a slug race across the screen. It couldn't have been more boring. And this is coming from the person who LOVES deliberately paced film (i.e. Kubrick, etc). But there is a huge difference between deliberate pacing and dead pacing. Gosford Park was the latter.

07-08-2002, 03:43 AM	#20 (permalink)
Heckalaska Actor Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Littleport, England	I don't have anything at all against the English, but those droll, lifeless, snobby characters like the ones in this film just close me right off to enjoying it. I watched this thing at work one night, and it actually made the time go by slower! And while it's not cool to bash on poor ol' Donkey, you could use a little grammatical/spelling brush up there my man. And did you used to be our pal Sam? Thought I recognized your posts if that's the case. __________________ 50,000 battered women and I'm still eating mine plain!?! My Collection

07-08-2002, 04:42 AM	#21 (permalink)
feldon23 Actor Join Date: Oct 2000	MASH is one of those rare cases where the TV show is better than the movie. Altman's idiotic choice to overlap mumblings of dialogue makes it nearly impossible to tell what the hell is going on. You have to rewind and watch it several times just to figure out what nearly-unintelligible comments are being made by 2 characters who are simultaneously talking.

07-08-2002, 05:07 AM	#22 (permalink)
kiscealguy Actor Join Date: May 2002 Location: Long Beach, California	This is simply Altman' style. He's a director, who at this point in his career, has earned the privledge of taking risks. He only makes the films he wants to make and he assembles casts consisting of people he really wants to work with, generally friends from the industry. From what I have read and seen in interviews, he does not make movies to entertain the masses. To me his movies have always been hit or miss. The overlapping dialogue, the large roundtable cast of characters, long tracking shots..this is merely his signature. And even when his movies make you shake your head in disbelief ("Ready to Wear"... oh, excuse me, "Pret a Porter" comes to mind) I am still fascinated by how this unique director works. I enjoyed "Gosford Park" even if, on initial viewing, I was disappointed by its lack of substance. It was then that I remembered Altman is all about style. Take a look at the theatrical southern setting of "Cookie's Fortune," or the parade-like display of the female form in "Dr. T and the Women," the interwoven vignettes of "Short Cuts," and the obvious and showiness of "The Player." All examples of Altman flaunting style over substance. And these are just some of his films from the last decade only. "Gosford Park" is no diferent. His filmography is truly eclectic and you will find some great rentals by perusing his directorial efforts. For those who did not like "Gosford Park," it is understandable. I was a bit surprised myself by the awards it won. But I am anxious to pick up the DVD and take a closer look at Altman's latest effort, from a director I enjoy visiting again and again.

07-08-2002, 05:31 AM	#23 (permalink)
SolidSnakeASS Actor Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Winterpeg, Manitobaugh, Canada	Once again, I Amanda. I haven't seen Gosford Park yet, but from the sounds of it I'll love it. Some people need to stop trying to like everything. Am I surprised that the guy with the D12 icon doesn't like Gosford Park? No, but why should he? It is obviously not suitable for your tastes, so don't rent it again! If you hated it when you watched it don't force yourself to sit through it a second time, that is just pointless.

07-08-2002, 06:25 AM	#24 (permalink)
airjosh Actor Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: southern oregon	I thought that Gosford Park was pretty good when I saw it in the theaters, but was shocked with how the award circuit and critics gushed about it. I loved the play between the top of the house and bottom of the house characters, but Altman tried too hard to keep you off of the trail of the culprit. (spoilers?) There were too many scenes establishing odd behavio(u)r by characters who had motive, but then those scenes were left without any resolution or explanation. So we are left with a house full of people with motive acting strangely, disappearing and reappearing for no reason. I love the whodunits, I thought this was entertaining but I felt like the other (non-killer) characters actions were not thought out past their scenes, they only existed in that moment. It makes it difficult to maintain credibility for the characters as you could really lose any one of them and not change the storyline. I have been torn about watching it again, but I am sure that I will at some point. Good acting and solid cinematography. __________________ The world's fastest personal computer in a title match Everyone needs a home / Top 20

07-08-2002, 04:17 PM	#26 (permalink)
airjosh Actor Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: southern oregon	I have noticed in the past few years critics/people are latching on to anything that is different and singing praises, even if it is not a good film. exceptions to this were Memento, Crouching Tiger, and Sixth Sense, all of those lived up to the indy hype. -imo there have been many that were not as good, Gosford being one of them. The many more is a different discussion I guess. Different and/or independent do not alone a good film make. that is my yodaism for the day. __________________ The world's fastest personal computer in a title match Everyone needs a home / Top 20

07-08-2002, 07:15 PM	#27 (permalink)
Indyphantom Forum Lothario Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: the black lodge...	Gosford Park is very good, but I hesitate to call it classic Altman. Short Cuts , Nashville , *MASH and The Long Goodbye** remain his best, IMO> __________________ My DVD List at DVD Aficionado

07-08-2002, 08:52 PM	#28 (permalink)
billyslits Actor Join Date: Jun 2001	airjosh writes: "exceptions to this were Memento, Crouching Tiger, and Sixth Sense, all of those lived up to the indy hype. -imo" I wouldn't consider The Sixth Sense an independent film. It is, instead, a smaller film made by studio-based production companies. It was produced by Hollywood Pictures (Disney), Spyglass Entertainment and The Kennedy/Marshall Company ("The Bourne Identity", "Congo"). So I don't think it really fits into the "indy hype" theory. I liked Gosford Park. It isn't my favorite Altman film but I went in knowing what to expect and I had a pleasant time. With most of Altman's stuff, it's the small details and the subtle character interactions that make up the structure and substance of the work. The plot is almost always secondary to the mood and atmosphere created over the course of the film. It's a different way of making movies and it takes some getting used to but I find his work fascinating.

07-08-2002, 09:40 PM	#29 (permalink)
airjosh Actor Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: