Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The Naked Mage · 03-20-2003, 04:44 PM

Who else has seen this? I thought it was right depressing, myself. Very "Flowers for Algernon"-ish at times.

Has anyone seen the original? How do you think the new one stacks up?

Writer@Large · 03-20-2003, 06:15 PM

I saw it, and I was entertained. Crispen Glover is really the best thing about it. Seeing R. Lee Ermey [asshole] ripped to shreds by rats was also fun. I haven't seen the original, though I do know that the man who played the original Willard, Bruce Davidson, was the face they used for *this* Willard's father. [He's probably most recognized nowadays as Senator Kelley from X-Men.]

The movie was good, but it wasn't perfect. It was directed by an ex-X-Files director, and I think the style showed it. I would have *loved* to have seen this project, with Crispen Glover, in the hands of Tim Burton; the film really had him written all over it.

Incidentaly, in case anyone's curious: I did some Net searching, and finaly found out that the rat Ben is played by an African Pouched Rat. ["Normal" rats are Norwegian.] The things can reach 2 feet from nose to tail.

--W@L

The Naked Mage · 03-20-2003, 09:23 PM

If you ask me, the best scene in the movie was the funeral. Great acting from Glover. It was surprisingly moving.

FoE · 03-20-2003, 09:41 PM

That rat could kick my rats asses.

The Naked Mage · 03-22-2003, 07:32 PM

Ba-bump.

Didn't think that would be necessary for at least a week...

FoE · 03-23-2003, 12:34 AM

How neat are the rats in this movie? I dislike going to see movies, but i like rats. Should i see this movie?

AquaVita · 03-23-2003, 12:42 PM

Well to me it seems there are two possiblities.

1. This movie is really really stupid.

2. The trailer made this movie look really really stupid.

I've yet to find an in depth (positive) review of this movie.

Here's an excerpt from one review...

Quote:

The worst flaw of "Willard" is a clunky tone-deaf screenplay based on Gilbert Ralston's original and updated by the director. Barely a line flies by that doesn't land with a wooden thud. The grinding dialogue sabotages any authentic feeling that the film might have hoped to generate. Jackie Burroughs looks appropriately witchy as Willard's shriveled, black-toenailed mother intent on monitoring her son's bathroom hygiene, but most of her dialogue is lifeless fill-in-the-blanks exposition. R. Lee Ermey as Mr. Martin, the overbearing boss intent on stealing Willard's property, is a one-dimensional blowhard so devoid of Machiavellian evil that when he receives his grisly comeuppance, you want to shrug.

The Naked Mage · 03-24-2003, 12:55 PM

Hmph. No accounting for taste.

Nectaris · 03-25-2003, 06:54 AM

I saw the current movie and the original, however it has been a while since I saw the original and I don't remember much about it. The ending is very different in the original <might as well put in some spoiler space>

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In the original Ben survives and goes on to have his own movie, appropriately entitled Ben. One of the people I saw the newer version with thinks that the ending of the current movie was changed after it scored low with sample audiences. I don't know if that is true or not, but it sounds plausible. . .

03-20-2003, 04:44 PM	#1
The Naked Mage Veteran Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: The Execution State, USA Posts: 5,031	Willard Re-Release Who else has seen this? I thought it was right depressing, myself. Very "Flowers for Algernon"-ish at times. Has anyone seen the original? How do you think the new one stacks up?

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03-20-2003, 06:15 PM	#2
Writer@Large Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 7,198	I saw it, and I was entertained. Crispen Glover is really the best thing about it. Seeing R. Lee Ermey [asshole] ripped to shreds by rats was also fun. I haven't seen the original, though I do know that the man who played the original Willard, Bruce Davidson, was the face they used for this Willard's father. [He's probably most recognized nowadays as Senator Kelley from X-Men.] The movie was good, but it wasn't perfect. It was directed by an ex-X-Files director, and I think the style showed it. I would have loved to have seen this project, with Crispen Glover, in the hands of Tim Burton; the film really had him written all over it. Incidentaly, in case anyone's curious: I did some Net searching, and finaly found out that the rat Ben is played by an African Pouched Rat. ["Normal" rats are Norwegian.] The things can reach 2 feet from nose to tail. --W@L

03-20-2003, 09:23 PM	#3
The Naked Mage Veteran Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: The Execution State, USA Posts: 5,031	If you ask me, the best scene in the movie was the funeral. Great acting from Glover. It was surprisingly moving.

03-20-2003, 09:41 PM	#4
FoE Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,168	That rat could kick my rats asses.

03-22-2003, 07:32 PM	#5
The Naked Mage Veteran Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: The Execution State, USA Posts: 5,031	Ba-bump. Didn't think that would be necessary for at least a week...

03-23-2003, 12:34 AM	#6
FoE Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,168	How neat are the rats in this movie? I dislike going to see movies, but i like rats. Should i see this movie?

03-24-2003, 12:55 PM	#8
The Naked Mage Veteran Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: The Execution State, USA Posts: 5,031	Hmph. No accounting for taste.

03-25-2003, 06:54 AM	#9
Nectaris Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 855	I saw the current movie and the original, however it has been a while since I saw the original and I don't remember much about it. The ending is very different in the original <might as well put in some spoiler space> s p o i l e r In the original Ben survives and goes on to have his own movie, appropriately entitled Ben. One of the people I saw the newer version with thinks that the ending of the current movie was changed after it scored low with sample audiences. I don't know if that is true or not, but it sounds plausible. . .

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