Serenity: ugh...

[Alan Smithee]

Virtually everywhere I go, people will come out of the woodwork and defend Firefly. Granted, I've never seen the show, so I really have no place to rip it. Surprisingly, it amassed a considerable fanbase. But seriously, this movie looks so... UGH. It almost looks direct-to-dvd. Can someone PLEASE explain the "allure" of Firefly for me, please. It looks like Babylon 5 or something. Or even a low rent Fifth Element , minus the aliens.

I imagine, perhaps, there is a thread already on this somewhere. But there is no 'search' function on this BBS, so excuse me if this thread is redundant.

I'd like to hear from those 'brown coats" that defend Whedon on this one.

The movie looks like another Supernova (almost).

[Zapranoth]

Glad I don't watch TV.

I always though of "Firefly" as a really s**tty Piers Anthony book that I didn't finish.  :)

[LH-C]

<>

Only mildly familiar with the Firefly tv show, but more familiar with that unrelated Piers Anthony book of the same name. Some years ago, I was at the library browsing through some of his books and came acrossed it and decided to scan through it. Sooooo freaking weird it is. What in the hell was he thinking? Also, at my local library it's in the regular fiction section, while all of his other, well known books are in the sci-fi/fantasy section.

[dean]

I really enjoy Firefly the series [I'm actually in the process of 'aqcuiring disc 4] though I only recently heard the term brown coats when referring to fans when Joss Whedon came to town last week and did some interviews for the film [no I'm not about to go get a brown coat to show my 'colours'].

Um, not too sure about Babylon 5 [never really cared about the series so can't comment] or Supernova [never saw it but heard bad things] but as a TV series you could call it a Sci-fi Western.  There's planets on the outskirts with little supplies, therefore there are horses [because they must be cheaper to acquire than floating cars I guess] and it is all set out like a western really, just out in space.  No aliens and no super-technical guff...

I really enjoyed the Scifi/Western feel of the series [but that might have something to do with the western fan in me], the effects were good [or at least, not annoying] and, as per usual with a Whedon script, 'snappy' dialogue etc.  I can understand why people don't really care about it though, but for me it was a great sci-fi series, and more importantly, it was reasonably original, rather than the various Sci-fi clones you have out there of Aliens all over the place, and big ships and wierd new technology.  This series is something that I can picture happening in real life [though I admit that is stretching a bit  Some really fun episodes in there, especially the one with Jaynestown if there are any fans who know what I'm talking about, and some good concepts.

But when I saw the trailer for the film at cinemas I kind of did a double take.  I heard they were making a film, but I always assumed that it was going to be a TV movie, not a cinema release.  So it was a real big surprise.  Usually I'm all up to date on upcoming releases, so to have this film sneak in was really a big surprise.  

I have to say that as a movie, I'm not sure how it will work, since, as Alan already said, it looks like a straight to video release rather than a cinema release.  It kind of makes me wonder what they were thinking...

I mean, I'm still excited over the film, as a fan of the series, and I heard some good things about it from two guys at my local video store who were at the premiere in our town, but I still can't shake the fact that it just looks odd...

Maybe it's because they are using all the same sets as the series, or that I'm used to seeing them on TV rather than on the big screen.

I'll see this sometime next week, and will enjoy it lots [I hope] regardless of whether it should be a cinema release or not.  But it will be interesting to see how it works.

[daveblackeye15]

Sooooo you disliked it?

[odinn7]

Alan, there is in fact a "search" feature on this board. If you look at the top of this thread (or the main topics), you will see one where it lists: New Topic/ Go To Top/ Go To Topic/ Search/ Help

It's there, you just need to look for it a little closer. Hope this helps you.

[Mr. Hockstatter]

I've always liked Firefly.  It's got characters that are very sympathetic and likable, and they don't walk around saying "yes sir" and "no sir" which is a refreshing change.  Maybe the dialog is a bit too cute for some people's tastes.  It's sort of like Deep Rising meets The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, except without the cool theme music.  The characters are total anti-heroes.  One of the crew was actually a bad guy who came to steal their cargo, but the captain offered him more money so he shot his partner in the leg and joined the crew.  Another crew member was hired when she was having sex with the mechanic.  While she was "on her back down there", she noticed a problem with the engine.  The previous mechanic couldn't figure out what the problem was, but when she figured it out, the captain hired her.  The old mechanic asked what he needed two mechanics for  and he said "I don't".  Another of the crew is a professional whore, as in, she's got the equivalent of a bachelors degree in it.  It's a respected occupation in this futuristic world, and lends respectability to the ship.  She's also really classy.

How could anybody not love these characters?  They also solve their problems by doing stuff that might actually work - really clever stuff sometimes.  No re-aligning the phase inducer coils to emit an inverse tachyon pulse;  not on this show.  The amorality of the whole thing is also excellent.  You screw with these folks, and if they get the chance they'll kill you.  None of that setting phasers to stun stuff.  I'll never forget the pilot, where some bounty hunter was after them.  They shot him and he was lying wounded next to the engine, giving the usual speech about how he'll hunt them down, they won't be able to sleep at night, etc.  So the captain shoves the guy into the engine - I imagine he came out as a fine mist on the other end.  In another episode, a guy was going to steal the ship, and the captain got the jump on him and the bad guy ended up with a gun at his head.  So the bad guy orders his people to "Do as he says", not with a hint of defeat in his voice, but as if this transaction has become unprofitable, let's invest our efforts elsewhere.  Really well though out stuff.

So anyhow, I like the show a lot.  It's a crime that it got cancelled when it did.



Post Edited (09-23-05 08:31)

[Alan Smithee]

Somehow I sense the "search" function was installed between the last time I posted and right now.

[dean]

I agree with pretty much what Mr Hockstatter said.

That and it has a Baldwin in it who actually does a good job as a thug who nobody trusts on the ship, and attempted to trade the captain's 'wife' [wierd situation, I won't get into it] for a big ass gun called Vera.  Yeah, I definitely agree that the characters are very likeable.  Though I still don't understand how being a professional whore, I mean 'companion,' is one of the most respected professions of the future...  I can suspend disbelief easy enough, but if I think about it too hard, well, it just doesn't make sense.

[odinn7]

Alan Smithee wrote:

> Somehow I sense the "search" function was installed between the
> last time I posted and right now.

Damn...I didn't think you'd figure that out.

[Flangepart]

dean wrote:

>
> I agree with pretty much what Mr Hockstatter said.
>
> That and it has a Baldwin in it who actually does a good job as
> a thug who nobody trusts on the ship, and attempted to trade
> the captain's 'wife' [wierd situation, I won't get into it] for
> a big ass gun called Vera.  Yeah, I definitely agree that the
> characters are very likeable.  Though I still don't understand
> how being a professional whore, I mean 'companion,' is one of
> the most respected professions of the future...  I can suspend
> disbelief easy enough, but if I think about it too hard, well,
> it just doesn't make sense.
>

Add me to the list.
I just started watching this on Sci-Fi...for once, a GOOD move by them!
I recently saw the two ep. Mr. H related. Nicely done, with believable characters, concitering the situation.
Also...there is NO sound in the vac of space. Nice touch.
I passed when it was first on. A network show that was watchable? Who knew?

[trekgeezer]

I liked it when it was one Fox and I like it on SciFi.  Fox made a big deal with Whedon and then they  purposely (at least it looked that way) torpedoed the show. They showed the episodes out of order, with the pilot being the last show and went very light on the advertising for it.  You will notice Serenity is being put out by Universal.

Anyway, my wife even likes the show, especially the characters and wants to go see the movie.  I'm reserving judgement until I see the film, but from one review I read Whedon may have made the mistake a lot of tv show to films make, he put too much into the effects and some of the characters get shorted on screen time.

One of our personal favorites is the one where River gets freaked out when the Shepard takes his hair down.  He says" look I put it up", to which she responds "But it's still there."

[Alan Smithee]

Well, Odin, if you didn't want me to know  it was there, you shouldn't have informed me.

But seeing that most people don't use, why should I be the exception?

And your input on this movie is...



Post Edited (09-23-05 11:40)

[odinn7]

Alan, I was just kidding around. No offense meant.
As far as the movie? No opinion on it one way or the other.

[Fearless Freep]

But seeing that most people don't use, why should I be the exception?

I use it when someone asks an opinoin for a movie and I remember there haing been discussion on it, but usually just movies I've seen where I was involved in the first discussion