tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8545661733980837263.post8447922888728692986..comments2023-03-30T16:56:53.692-07:00Comments on Icebox Movies: Dreamcatcher (2003): Lawrence Kasdan's Flawed Great FilmAdam Zanziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14524618281515322239noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8545661733980837263.post-2286680724160794632012-10-23T00:54:32.126-07:002012-10-23T00:54:32.126-07:00I agree, katran. My memory of the book is incredib...I agree, katran. My memory of the book is incredibly vague, but after I first saw the movie I had attempted to finish the book -- and quickly got bored with it, skimming the rest of the pages during bus rides (this was when I was in middle school, mind you). Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the book end with Jonesy slicing Mr. Gray's throat with a remote control or something? The whole book was odd like that. And not necessarily odd in a good way, either. Just, you know... odd. <br /><br />Regardless, Kasdan and Goldman somehow managed an entertaining and imaginative movie out of the material. Still, I do wish they could have given themselves some extra time to achieve something even more impressive than that.Adam Zanziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14524618281515322239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8545661733980837263.post-10772127786997066712012-10-22T21:53:45.832-07:002012-10-22T21:53:45.832-07:00Did anyone read this?
http://www.imdb.com/title/t...Did anyone read this?<br /><br />http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285531/board/nest/177781760katranhttps://soundcloud.com/bandwagon-1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8545661733980837263.post-48266950155095690612012-10-22T21:37:17.600-07:002012-10-22T21:37:17.600-07:00The biggest flaw with Dreamcatcher - the film is D...The biggest flaw with Dreamcatcher - the film is Dreamcatcher- the novel. All the criticism of the film relating to story, structure etc. are present in the book. Of course, Goldman and Kasdan should have tried to pare it down to a few elements but I guess it was impossible...katranhttps://soundcloud.com/bandwagon-1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8545661733980837263.post-80889662895531666592012-05-27T01:47:34.580-07:002012-05-27T01:47:34.580-07:00Sam, thanks a ton for the great comment. Agreed ab...Sam, thanks a ton for the great comment. Agreed about the King book, which I eventually did manage to finish sometime after seeing the movie, but golly: I don't remember anything that happened after the bathroom scene. I don't even remember how the book ended because the final duel between Mr. Gray was so confusing... hell, from what I've seen on message boards, I don't think <i>anyone</i> who's read the book has any real concrete understanding of the way it ended. This is why I stopped reading King a very long time ago: I consider him an imaginitive storyteller but a mediocre writer, and have found that various Hollywood filmmakers (Kubrick, De Palma, Carpenter, Reiner, Kasdan) do a much better job of telling his stories than he himself does.<br /><br />I'm actually fully in agreement with you that <i>The Accidental Tourist</i>, which I watched for the first time last week, is Kasdan's greatest film. It's just pure cinema, and I'd like to write a piece on it someday. <i>Mumford</i> is one of only two Kasdan films I haven't seen (the other being <i>Wyatt Earp</i>), but I've heard a lot of good things about it and I'm trying to locate a copy of it somewhere. <br /><br />As for <i>The Big Chill</i>, its definitely Kasdan's most... <i>popular</i> film, but I would submit that anyone who thinks it's his best movie isn't a true fan of his films. I certainly respect it, but it's basically a Hollywood remake of Sayles' <i>Return of the Secaucus 7</i> and I'd be hard-pressed to hear from anyone who'd suggest it's better than something as sublime as <i>Accidental Tourist</i> or <i>Body Heat</i>. In fact, here's where I'm going out on a limb: I find something even as critically-loathed as <i>Dreamcatcher</i> to be far more exciting, visually and storytelling-wise, than <i>The Big Chill</i>.<br /><br />Kasdan's fascinating. He's had a small career, but I've liked each and every one of his films that I've seen, and find it depressing that a film as interesting as this one had such a bad effect on his career. I actually just got back from seeing <i>Darling Companion</i>, which I enjoyed, but... well, I might review it pretty soon, so I don't want to reveal too much of my thoughts here, but for now, let me just hint that I prefer <i>Dreamcatcher</i> by a long shot.Adam Zanziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14524618281515322239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8545661733980837263.post-63936368121489010142012-05-26T21:14:12.213-07:002012-05-26T21:14:12.213-07:00Some will certainly saying that Kasdan's best ...Some will certainly saying that Kasdan's best film was THE BIG CHILL, but I have always thought of the fully and melancholic THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST as his finest with the later MUMFORD in second place. But I must agree with you that DREAMCATCHER, despite some significant problems, is not disposable by any stretch. Your illustration of those startling set pieces hits the mark, and your engaging lead-in about the family passing, exercising demons, and church boycotts provides a terrific anecdote to measure expectations. Like you I started this novel but never finished it (unlike other King works that I did read cover to cover like IT, THE STAND, THE SHINING and PET CEMETERY) and relied on the film to tell the story for me. James Newton Howard added a lovely score. I can certainly see this film on Kasdan's second rung, and much appreciate this splendid piece.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.com