The WHF Film Club

[BenLaw]

And for the ultimate example of a series that starts strong and progresses to stratospheric, may I direct you to Breaking Bad.

 

[strapped for cash]

I don't dispute that for a second; though it's perhaps the exception that proves the rule.

Typically, entertainment producers/broadcasters persist with something until audiences stop watching and advertisers stop paying.

My other gripe with series that stretch on over multiple seasons is the extraordinary investment of time needed to stick with something to the very end.

That's an even bigger issue if the series ends badly. (May I present exhibit A: Battlestar Galactica.) Perhaps fortunately, I always avoided Lost.

Anyway, Fargo may run for one season or several seasons, and may be exceptional from start to finish, average, or downright poor. We'll see.

 

[strapped for cash]

I should add that I'm probably still scarred by the last 15 episodes of Twin Peaks' second series.

 

[BenLaw]

I agree, and it's why I've actually watched very few long series in the last decade. The US traditionally had an appalling record of only concluding a show on ratings grounds. Without checking, I believe MASH was the first series ever ended by choice and there was then a wait til Seinfeld / Friends / Frasier til it happened again. Breaking Bad certainly didn't end because of ratings, although there's plenty more recent examples now, given the status TV seems to have acquired, up there or level with cinema.

 

[BenLaw]

I should add that I'm probably still scarred by the last 15 episodes of Twin Peaks' second series.

Last post was in reply to your previous post. Still not watched Twin Peaks.

 

[strapped for cash]

given the status TV seems to have acquired, up there or level with cinema.

Although recently TV and cinema have been far from discrete; and home video has been more profitable than cinema exhibition for more than three decades.

Obviously entertainment conglomerates have interests that cross the film, television, home video, music, and gaming industries, and seek to exploit intellectual property rights across all of these through what the industry used to call "synergy," but now describes as "convergence" and "transmedial storytelling."

The idea is that we as consumers have an endless desire to explore storyworlds that are expanded across multiple media platforms, and media industries (or intellectual property owners) make more money as a result. It's not rocket science, but it works.

 

[richardw42]

Just watched The Trial.

 

[mikegtar]

E. Bunny, 'Now Showing Pig' and I settled down to watch Nebraska on movie night this week.

Very enjoyable film, gentle humour, great characters and locations. Will watch again soon.

 

[BenLaw]

E. Bunny, 'Now Showing Pig' and I settled down to watch Nebraska on movie night this week.

Very enjoyable film, gentle humour, great characters and locations. Will watch again soon.

I have this as my next lovefilm rental so should be watching it next week.

 

[BenLaw]

Have any of the club members watched the new film Calvary ? It sounds complex and full of dark humour.

We are waiting for it to appear in France, but I know that it has opened in the UK.

Heard the review today for this on the Kermode show (although not by Kermode), sounds superb.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Have any of the club members watched the new film Calvary ? It sounds complex and full of dark humour.

We are waiting for it to appear in France, but I know that it has opened in the UK.

Heard the review today for this on the Kermode show (although not by Kermode), sounds superb.

It's at the top of my list when I go to the cinema, looks good.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

E. Bunny, 'Now Showing Pig' and I settled down to watch Nebraska on movie night this week.

Very enjoyable film, gentle humour, great characters and locations. Will watch again soon.

I have this as my next lovefilm rental so should be watching it next week.

I was, and still am confused by it. :?

 

[strapped for cash]

Since people are discussing new or recent releases, I'm perhaps most intrigued by Locke.

 

[BenLaw]

Hadn't heard of that, sounds good.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Just watched What Ever Happened To Baby Jane for the very first time. What a great film, and nothing like what I expected! I can't believe Joan Crawford was two years older than Bette Davis...

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Since people are discussing new or recent releases, I'm perhaps most intrigued by Locke.

I heard about this on 6Music, and it does sound good.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I watched Fargo tonight, personally, I'm not sure if I liked it, but my wife really liked it. I won't say anymore in case some of you haven't seen it.

 

[BenLaw]

No not seen it yet, have recorded tho.

Having spent £80 or whatever on the boxset, at Clodagh's suggestion we are finally working our way through the James Bond blu rays, good Easter holiday fun.

 

[richardw42]

I watched Fargo tonight, personally, I'm not sure if I liked it, but my wife really liked it. I won't say anymore in case some of you haven't seen it.

i recorded it. Reckon Martin Freeman is a good actor, and at last this seems a real test for him. First since The Office ?

 

[richardw42]

No not seen it yet, have recorded tho.

Having spent £80 or whatever on the boxset, at Clodagh's suggestion we are finally working our way through the James Bond blu rays, good Easter holiday fun.

im really not a James Bond fan, think I'd rather watch The Trial again

 

[expat_mike]

It rained quite a bit yesterday afternoon/evening, so we spent time watching a couple of videos, Iron Sky (a parody of several SF films) and LA Confidential. Two completely different films, but we enjoyed them both.

 

[richardw42]

I've just watched ep 1 of Fargo. Excellent stuff

 

[BenLaw]

It rained quite a bit yesterday afternoon/evening, so we spent time watching a couple of videos, Iron Sky (a parody of several SF films) and LA Confidential. Two completely different films, but we enjoyed them both.

I thought Iron Sky was pretty funny. Also shows you can do pretty decent effects on a shoestring budget.

 

[BenLaw]

No not seen it yet, have recorded tho.

Having spent £80 or whatever on the boxset, at Clodagh's suggestion we are finally working our way through the James Bond blu rays, good Easter holiday fun.

im really not a James Bond fan, think I'd rather watch The Trial again

Given the devotion some people have for Bond, I don't think I'd class myself as a fan either. There's a degree of nostalgia there though, I remember watching a few of them with my Dad. It's the best physical boxset I own and the blu ray transfers are very nice, if not amongst the best of remasters from that era.

I'm thinking rewatching The Trial would be no bad thing! I still haven't watched it again recently, but we have another week before BBB starts getting anxious!

 

[strapped for cash]

Out of interest, did anyone else see 12 Years a Slave? If so, I'd be intersted to hear what you thought.

The Best Picture win perhaps suggests Academy voters were swayed by the film's "worthy" topic. I walked into the screening with that preconception, but left with a very different view.