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05 Aug 03 - 11:10 AM (#997123) Subject: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: GUEST,Puzzled Guy Over in the Marilyn Monroe thread, folks are ruminating over whether the attraction to Marilyn is a guy thing. Well, went to see the film 'Seabiscuit' the other night, and while I loved it, the two women I saw it with weren't nearly as impressed with the film as I was. I thought it was wonderful mythic moviemaking. They said they thought the Jeff Bridges and Elizabeth Banks characters were two dimensional, Toby whashisname over acted, and the first part of the movie too superficial and slow moving to build interest. They, like me, did think the performance by Chris Cooper was good, and that the cinematography of the racing scenes was exciting, but the outcomes too predicatable and cliched. So, is being smitten by the film (a father/son male redemption sort of film) A Guy Thing? |
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05 Aug 03 - 11:55 AM (#997160) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: Jeri I don't think so. I think it's more a personal thing, and I'm a sucker for underdog-gets-his-mojo-workin'-and-kicks-ass movies. I haven't seen the movie yet, but it's the first one I've wanted to see, based solely on the trailers, in a long time. |
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05 Aug 03 - 12:09 PM (#997171) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: Peter T. Doesn't make sense -- I thought women were the big horse people -- Walter Farley, Black Beauty, etc. yours, Peter T. |
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05 Aug 03 - 01:21 PM (#997239) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: GUEST,heric Hey this is inspirational I think I'll go see it (though my preference is a slight variant on Jeri's. I like I-don't-want-no-trouble-I-told-you-I-didn't-want-no-trouble, which I think is a guy thing.) |
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05 Aug 03 - 01:33 PM (#997252) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: catspaw49 Me too Jeri.....I'll have to see this one when it gets to Cable. I still love "Bagger Vance." I must admit I like schlock movies. If I want to think, I read a book. When I watch a movie, I want to cry or laugh or have some emotional involvement. No real thought process is required. Spaw |
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05 Aug 03 - 01:36 PM (#997257) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: Amos Dang, Spaw -- here I thought you came to the 'Cat for your intellectual stimulation!!! ROTFLMAO!! A |
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05 Aug 03 - 01:56 PM (#997272) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: catspaw49 Naw Amos.....When I really want to contemplate and reflect on the meaning of it all, I go take a shit. Spaw |
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05 Aug 03 - 02:23 PM (#997295) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: katlaughing I think it's a horse thing, too...anyone who loves horses will like it no matter their *equipment.* My sisters have seen it twice, already, and are ready to see it again. I don't like the theatre it is showing in, so will wait. We did see a wonderful docu on PBS the other night which seemed to me might be even better than the movie. It has a lot of actual footage, as I understand the movie does, but it also featured interviews with his daughter, old jockeys, old trainers, the book's author, etc. Really was incredibly good. It certainly wasn't just a gender thing when it actually happened. My dad remembers the Seabiscuit *fever* which swept the entire nation. |
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05 Aug 03 - 02:43 PM (#997307) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: Ely (I'm a girl) My mother and I LOVED it. I'm a horse nut, so that isn't surprising, but she isn't; I'm not even sure it's a horse thing. I just thought it was a really good "underdog" movie with great race scenes, and it just happened to be about horses (could have been about stock-car racing, too, and it probably would have worked). I thought Tobey Maguire was pretty good. I've never liked him but I liked him in this. I thought Jeff Bridges was adequate (Mom loved him), and Elizabeth Banks did fine considering hers was a secondary role at the most. I've been a Chris Cooper fan for years--since "Matewan"--so I'm just glad he's finally getting star billing. |
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05 Aug 03 - 04:35 PM (#997383) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: Steve-o The recent attendance research shows that the movie is heavily drawing women 18-40, and the horse racing "community" is excited that this will cause more women to start attending real horse races. I loved it, too, and the PBS documentary was just about as exciting! |
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05 Aug 03 - 05:00 PM (#997397) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: Alba I am a Woman and adore Horses. I am really looking forward to seeing the Movie. The PBS documentary was really good, as was the book. I myself am going to watch the film to see Fighting Furrari, the Colt that plays Seabiscuit.... all the Humans are of secondary importance:>) I hear the Film takes liberties with the truth but the essence of the story is in there and I for one am looking forward to seeing a feel good Movie for a change. JD |
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05 Aug 03 - 06:00 PM (#997439) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: PageOfCups I saw it with two friends (also female), and we all loved it. One friend grew up with horses and it made her miss them terribly. The other friend thinks horses are fine creatures that need to stay on their own side of the fence Thankyewverymuch, but she enjoyed it, especially Wm. Macy's character. I read the book, like horses but know enough to know I shouldn't try to ride them without some lessons, and I was impressed by how well they translated the book to film. (And now I want to spend the day at the Del Mar track ...) Sure, it had slow spots, but for once the moviemakers trusted the audience to stick with the exposition because it made the payoff so much bigger. Two rousing rounds of applause from the audience I watched it with - that's pretty rare in my experience. PoC |
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05 Aug 03 - 07:29 PM (#997498) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: GUEST,Puzzled Guy No applause in the theatre where we saw it. In fact, on Saturday night when we saw it, I'd guess the theatre was barely half full, and this film isn't in wide release (ie not that many theatres are showing it). William Macy was loved by all--I forgot to mention him! But even I thought his character was pretty cartoonish. I would also disagree that Elizabeth Banks' character was OK. I couldn't even figure out what she was doing in the film. She had very few lines. But now I'm even more puzzled. All three of us are city folk, and none of us are horse lovers. Sure the movie is about horse racing, but the story isn't. The story is, like I said, essentially a father/son male redemption story. I don't want to go into the plot, as so many here want to see it. But for me, the horses were pretty secondary to the story, which is most definitely, a story about fathers and sons, and older men as mentors to younger men. To put it bluntly, there is nothing about this film that is about women. I thought, perhaps, that is why the two ladies I saw it with, were bored. Perhaps if they had been horse lovers, they'd have thought more of the film, as some posters here have said. They are both BIG movie lovers, but do have pretty high standards for the storytelling. I trust their judgment, obviously, as I wanted them to join me to see the film. We were all equally excited to see it, based upon the reviews and the previews we saw. But they were both pretty disappointed, and felt the film was over-hyped. As I said though, I really enjoyed it too. But not for the horses! |
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05 Aug 03 - 09:22 PM (#997557) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: mack/misophist Having worked closely with horses for a time, I feel I know and understand them. They dragged me to the show kicking and screaming. When it was over I said "I told you so". |
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05 Aug 03 - 11:00 PM (#997613) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: Ely When I went, we had to buy tickets two shows ahead, the place was packed, and the audience was cheering and clapping during the match race. There was a near-mob scene outside trying to get into the theater. I won't say it wasn't a predictable movie (and not just because I already knew quite a bit about Seabiscuit before I went). Personally, I think you're reading too much into the father/son thing. Yes, it was there, but I got the impression it was about a bunch of damaged individuals--emotionally battered owner & jockey, down-and-out trainer, crippled horse--in recovery. Elizabeth Banks was there because . . . the character was married. So what if she didn't have a big part? Not everyone can be a lead. I don't see why it would matter that the film wasn't about women. Maybe I just went into it with a completely different set of expectations than yourself and your friends. |
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06 Aug 03 - 08:46 AM (#997842) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: GUEST,Puzzled Guy Ely, I didn't say it mattered that the film wasn't about women. I just was ruminating on whether it mattered to the two women I saw the film with, hence the title of the thread. I have to disagree though, about the Elizabeth Banks character. If the character isn't developed, to me, that means there is no reason for them to be in the film. Although she did really well with the part handed to her, her character seemed to be more prop than anything else. I can agree with your depiction of the story as being about damaged individuals, but I'd still say it was a male redemption story. And as I said, no clapping and cheering here. Just a regular movie audience. |
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06 Aug 03 - 02:30 PM (#998045) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: annamill As a child I was madly in love with the movie "Sea Biscuit" with Shirley Temple and when I found they were making a remake I really wanted to go see it. I haven't had the time yet, but I will definitely see as soon as I can. I was, as a child a big horse fan. I read every one of the "Black Beauty" series with relish. (no hot dog jokes please) This may be the reason for my love of the Sea Buscuit movie. BTW, I am a woman. ;-) Annamill |
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06 Aug 03 - 04:40 PM (#998139) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: Steve-o The puzzled guy seems to think he has a lock on what this story is all about- "The story is, like I said, essentially a father/son male redemption story....a story about fathers and sons, and older men as mentors to younger men". The story is about a real-life example of the "American Spirit", where down-and-outers and born losers rise to become winners through sheer toughness and innate talent. Americans needed this reaffirmation at the time, and Seabiscuit gave it to them. Father/son stuff was just part of that story. |
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06 Aug 03 - 06:07 PM (#998186) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: GUEST,Puzzled Guy Right Steve-o, my interpretation of the story was that the failed father-son relationships of two of the three main characters, was central to the story and to all three of the characters' redemption. I don't really think it matters that much if some say father/son male redemption story, and others say it is a film about "underdogs" or "down and out losers" overcoming impossible odds--I also just read a review that referred to the film as a "male bonding" movie. I think all those terms accurately describe the storyline, which is a lot more about the three men, then it is about Seabiscuit and horse racing. The horses just didn't get many scenes in the film, and when they are in the film (like in the race scenes), there are a lot of cut aways from the action to still photos from the era, to other characters, etc. There isn't much in the film that shows why this horse was so loved, about the horse's personality, that sort of thing. I really did love the film. I also think it is a guy flick. That doesn't mean that women won't like it. A lot of guys like me like good chick flicks too. |
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07 Aug 03 - 02:39 PM (#998490) Subject: RE: BS: 'Seabiscuit' - A Guy Thing? From: beadie I have been boycotting this film simply because it glorifies a "sport" where the human sits right down on tbe horse. It's an offense to the memories of Dan Patch, Dusty Hanover, and Gratton Forbes! Whoever decided that galloping around a track with a midget on your back is an event that has more grace, more elegance and requires more skill than piloting a natural pacing horse and sulky was out of his mind! Harness racing is the only true sport of kings. That said, there may be some redeeming value to seeing the flick, if only because its so rare to have a chance to see any movie about any horse. |