Okay, yeah, i was unclear that it was supposed to be a bunch of hippie kids re-enacting the story. I guess in some ways the movie makes more sense knowing that, but given that i had to have that framing explained to me, it definitely wasn't the most well-written thing ever.
>"I've been your right hand man all along." Um, no. >Honey. He's rationalizing. Trying to excuse himself.
Hmm. He's essentially saying "I've been right there with you since the beginning, i know what the mission is all about, and you're messing it all up." Okay, i'll buy it.
I'm not very familiar with the actual anointment story. However, I hve to disagree about the "poignancy" here. I think Jesus sounds rather self-centered in that particular Bible quote, which is similar to my reaction to him in that part of the play.
No, but he's saying "You're upset that she used this expensive perfume. Listen, this will be my burial perfume. I am going to die. Like tomorrow. I am going to die, have been telling you all this for a while, and all you can talk about is money." It's a searing indictment and it's poignant because Jesus knows he is going to die and no one who loves him really understands. They don't want to believe that he will leave them, so they are in denial. *Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant flashes to mind... i guess because of the poignant death connection* I should reread that story. Damn, my parents have the Oscar Wilde fairy tale collection and i didn't read it when i was home. *sighs* Perhaps Neilson has it. (Somewhere in C/WMARS must, at least.) I would love to reread the Joshua books as well.
But anyway, back to my point. My mother wrote, "She has done something very special to honor Jesus. Something extravagent. I think God wants us to be extravagently generous at times. And, Jesus is the one who is being sucked dry by everyone in the vincinity. I think this tender act of giving to him is quite lovely. And much appreciated."
I think your take on Jesus may just be too different from mine for you to be able to get this like i do, though.
The making Judas more likable was actually one instance where i was just noting, not bitching. I, too, am a big fan of making characters complex.
It's an adaptation. I'm suddenly reminded that you don't like movies made from books. I don't know if this is the case with you, but many people feel this way if the movie leaves out details from the book. I'm the opposite way: I think that a good movie adaptation (or adaptation in general) has to rewrite the story to an extent, because if it just attempts to tell it exactly the same way, it often doesn't work in the new format. (Exhibit A: the Harry Potter movies. They make some brilliant illustrations of things in the books, but they are terrible movies because they abandon good movie-making in favor of catering to fans.)
As i said, your reminder that i hate movies made out of books is definitely a huge component of my dislike for this film, and i'm surprised it didn't occur to me before you mentioned it.
(Incidentally, i disliked the first HP movie -- the only one i saw -- because it wasn't true enough to the book, because so much characterization was lost by cutting scenes to fit the time limit. Could they have tried to maintain appropriate characterization by essentially rewriting the book in small ways? Perhaps. But then i would have likely been even angrier because it would no longer be the book but a new work, and if you have a new story to tell, write your own damn screenplay. But then, i am inclined to think books should never be made into movies. Because as you said, books and films are two different formats, and novels just don't work as films.)
my reply, first part
>"I've been your right hand man all along." Um, no.
>Honey. He's rationalizing. Trying to excuse himself.
Hmm. He's essentially saying "I've been right there with you since the beginning, i know what the mission is all about, and you're messing it all up." Okay, i'll buy it.
I'm not very familiar with the actual anointment story. However, I hve to disagree about the "poignancy" here. I think Jesus sounds rather self-centered in that particular Bible quote, which is similar to my reaction to him in that part of the play.
No, but he's saying "You're upset that she used this expensive perfume. Listen, this will be my burial perfume. I am going to die. Like tomorrow. I am going to die, have been telling you all this for a while, and all you can talk about is money." It's a searing indictment and it's poignant because Jesus knows he is going to die and no one who loves him really understands. They don't want to believe that he will leave them, so they are in denial. *Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant flashes to mind... i guess because of the poignant death connection* I should reread that story. Damn, my parents have the Oscar Wilde fairy tale collection and i didn't read it when i was home. *sighs* Perhaps Neilson has it. (Somewhere in C/WMARS must, at least.) I would love to reread the Joshua books as well.
But anyway, back to my point. My mother wrote, "She has done something very special to honor Jesus. Something extravagent. I think God wants us to be extravagently generous at times. And, Jesus is the one who is being sucked dry by everyone in the vincinity. I think this tender act of giving to him is quite lovely. And much appreciated."
I think your take on Jesus may just be too different from mine for you to be able to get this like i do, though.
The making Judas more likable was actually one instance where i was just noting, not bitching. I, too, am a big fan of making characters complex.
It's an adaptation. I'm suddenly reminded that you don't like movies made from books. I don't know if this is the case with you, but many people feel this way if the movie leaves out details from the book. I'm the opposite way: I think that a good movie adaptation (or adaptation in general) has to rewrite the story to an extent, because if it just attempts to tell it exactly the same way, it often doesn't work in the new format. (Exhibit A: the Harry Potter movies. They make some brilliant illustrations of things in the books, but they are terrible movies because they abandon good movie-making in favor of catering to fans.)
As i said, your reminder that i hate movies made out of books is definitely a huge component of my dislike for this film, and i'm surprised it didn't occur to me before you mentioned it.
(Incidentally, i disliked the first HP movie -- the only one i saw -- because it wasn't true enough to the book, because so much characterization was lost by cutting scenes to fit the time limit. Could they have tried to maintain appropriate characterization by essentially rewriting the book in small ways? Perhaps. But then i would have likely been even angrier because it would no longer be the book but a new work, and if you have a new story to tell, write your own damn screenplay. But then, i am inclined to think books should never be made into movies. Because as you said, books and films are two different formats, and novels just don't work as films.)