Eragon
12-13-06, 09:42 AM
#1
Eragon
Okay, I've read this book as well as The Eldest.
The film? Horrible. I was so saddened that the book was butchered in the transition to the big screen. I'm serious when I say this was almost as bad of a adaptation as Battlefield Earth.
There were some things left out in the first half of the film that I could live with. About an hour into it, I looked at my friend and I said "We're only about 30% into the book". Thirty minutes later the film ended. They crammed almost 3/4s of the book into THIRTY FREAKING MINUTES. Seriously. They decided to just start cutting characters, major cities, huge decisions made by the main character, oh yeah, and an entire RACE. (no dwarves? wtf?).
Anyways, my suggestion, save your money.
Eragon - 2/10
If you haven't read the book, or if you have ten year olds, they might enjoy it for what it's worth.
The film? Horrible. I was so saddened that the book was butchered in the transition to the big screen. I'm serious when I say this was almost as bad of a adaptation as Battlefield Earth.
There were some things left out in the first half of the film that I could live with. About an hour into it, I looked at my friend and I said "We're only about 30% into the book". Thirty minutes later the film ended. They crammed almost 3/4s of the book into THIRTY FREAKING MINUTES. Seriously. They decided to just start cutting characters, major cities, huge decisions made by the main character, oh yeah, and an entire RACE. (no dwarves? wtf?).
Anyways, my suggestion, save your money.
Eragon - 2/10
If you haven't read the book, or if you have ten year olds, they might enjoy it for what it's worth.
12-13-06, 09:50 AM
#2
DVD Talk Hero
I was reading a review on AICN, a dad took his eleven year old son who loved the book, the kid was almost in tears from how bad they butchered it.
How many movies can actually say they were so bad they made children cry?
How many movies can actually say they were so bad they made children cry?
12-13-06, 11:27 AM
#5
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by The Bus
This movie looks atrocious, like Dragonheart without Sean Connery. This won't be a huge bomb, but it will be close.
12-13-06, 11:30 AM
#6
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I have one basic opinion on Eragon in general. It's impressive that a teenager wrote a book. But he took the word "dragon," changed the "D" to an "E" and that's the title of the book and the name of the main character.
Fucking stupid.
Glad the movie is a bomb. I think there's a use for fantastic situations when they are used as an abstraction to get to real-world subject matter, and Harry Potter in the later books has definitely taken on a very frank war-on-terror vibe.
This is about a dorky kid who wrote a terrible book about how cool it must be to ride a dragon (aren't there already a zillion dragon-riding fantasies?), and his publishing industry parents who managed to flog the piece of shit until somebody bought it. If he had tried to go about getting this published with no industry connections, it wouldn't even have hit anyone's desk on the way to the trashcan.
Fucking stupid.
Glad the movie is a bomb. I think there's a use for fantastic situations when they are used as an abstraction to get to real-world subject matter, and Harry Potter in the later books has definitely taken on a very frank war-on-terror vibe.
This is about a dorky kid who wrote a terrible book about how cool it must be to ride a dragon (aren't there already a zillion dragon-riding fantasies?), and his publishing industry parents who managed to flog the piece of shit until somebody bought it. If he had tried to go about getting this published with no industry connections, it wouldn't even have hit anyone's desk on the way to the trashcan.
12-13-06, 01:28 PM
#8
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I'm actually glad to hear that the movie is apparently as bad as it looks in the trailers. The book is a blatant ripoff of LOTR and Star Wars, and I couldn't finish it because it was so poorly written.
Here's hoping that the movie bombs big time and shows the movie studios that not everyone wants to see an adaptation of every big fantasy book series out there.
Here's hoping that the movie bombs big time and shows the movie studios that not everyone wants to see an adaptation of every big fantasy book series out there.
12-13-06, 03:33 PM
#9
DVD Talk Limited Edition
SO I guess the movie will be fine for me since I've never read the book. I thought the dragon was Eragon since it is on the cover and it sounds like something a dragon could be named.
12-13-06, 05:13 PM
#11
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by ScandalUMD
I have one basic opinion on Eragon in general. It's impressive that a teenager wrote a book. But he took the word "dragon," changed the "D" to an "E" and that's the title of the book and the name of the main character.
Fucking stupid.
Glad the movie is a bomb. I think there's a use for fantastic situations when they are used as an abstraction to get to real-world subject matter, and Harry Potter in the later books has definitely taken on a very frank war-on-terror vibe.
This is about a dorky kid who wrote a terrible book about how cool it must be to ride a dragon (aren't there already a zillion dragon-riding fantasies?), and his publishing industry parents who managed to flog the piece of shit until somebody bought it. If he had tried to go about getting this published with no industry connections, it wouldn't even have hit anyone's desk on the way to the trashcan.
Fucking stupid.
Glad the movie is a bomb. I think there's a use for fantastic situations when they are used as an abstraction to get to real-world subject matter, and Harry Potter in the later books has definitely taken on a very frank war-on-terror vibe.
This is about a dorky kid who wrote a terrible book about how cool it must be to ride a dragon (aren't there already a zillion dragon-riding fantasies?), and his publishing industry parents who managed to flog the piece of shit until somebody bought it. If he had tried to go about getting this published with no industry connections, it wouldn't even have hit anyone's desk on the way to the trashcan.
We're not talking about videogames where it can get panned in the mags, but little Johnny sees his favorite franchise on a videogame cover at the store and he has to have it. Books are a much harder sell, esp to kids.
It's been awhile since I read this, but I don't remember it being awful. It was certainly no LOTR, or even Harry Potter, but I don't remember wanting to gouge my eyes out.
As for the movie, sounds like we'll be seeing an extended DVD down the road, I can wait for that.
12-13-06, 06:10 PM
#12
DVD Talk Legend
The book was not awful. It was pretty good. True, it was written by a 17 year old kid, and he happened to have some connections. But, by the same token, a publishing company NOT run by his folks picked up the book and the rest of the trilogy, so they must have seen something appealing about the story.
Also, a lot of stories are technically ripoffs of other stories. The Harry Potter mythos is straight out of Star Wars. Star Wars is straight out of Seven Samurai. Seven Samurai was straight out of Shakespear. There is precious little in original stories. As General Disarray so aptly put it, "Simpsons did it!"
As juvenile as some of the writing in Eragon is, it is still a fun read.
It's just a shame that the movie is getting such terrible buzz.
Also, a lot of stories are technically ripoffs of other stories. The Harry Potter mythos is straight out of Star Wars. Star Wars is straight out of Seven Samurai. Seven Samurai was straight out of Shakespear. There is precious little in original stories. As General Disarray so aptly put it, "Simpsons did it!"
As juvenile as some of the writing in Eragon is, it is still a fun read.
It's just a shame that the movie is getting such terrible buzz.
12-14-06, 04:58 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by milo bloom
You know, if it was a horrible book, it could've gotten published by the kid's parent's, and even made a dent the first week in sales from the publicity push, but I don't think it would have sold so well, or have gotten a movie deal if there weren't some folks out there enjoyed it and told others.
We're not talking about videogames where it can get panned in the mags, but little Johnny sees his favorite franchise on a videogame cover at the store and he has to have it. Books are a much harder sell, esp to kids.
It's been awhile since I read this, but I don't remember it being awful. It was certainly no LOTR, or even Harry Potter, but I don't remember wanting to gouge my eyes out.
As for the movie, sounds like we'll be seeing an extended DVD down the road, I can wait for that.
We're not talking about videogames where it can get panned in the mags, but little Johnny sees his favorite franchise on a videogame cover at the store and he has to have it. Books are a much harder sell, esp to kids.
It's been awhile since I read this, but I don't remember it being awful. It was certainly no LOTR, or even Harry Potter, but I don't remember wanting to gouge my eyes out.
As for the movie, sounds like we'll be seeing an extended DVD down the road, I can wait for that.
The publishing industry rewards the untalented even more than the music or movie industry. Even porn stars get book deals!
And it is awful. I don't even have to read it to know it's awful. He took the word "Dragon" moved the first letter of the word one up in the alphabet, and that's his title. That's pretty much a working definition of awful.
12-14-06, 05:23 PM
#16
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Originally Posted by ScandalUMD
And it is awful. I don't even have to read it to know it's awful. He took the word "Dragon" moved the first letter of the word one up in the alphabet, and that's his title. That's pretty much a working definition of awful.
12-14-06, 05:32 PM
#17
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Originally Posted by fujishig
You don't even have to read it to know it's awful? Because of the title of the book?
Welcome to the internet. Clearly one CAN judge a book by it's cover, and the internet is the KING of "shoot first ask questions" mentality of reviewing things.
NOTE: Star Wars is stupid because of it's title. A war, in the stars? Star Wars! BRILLIANT! (Where's the Guiness guy when you need him?)
12-14-06, 08:33 PM
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The movie is suppose to have an extended cut when it comes out on DVD(a la Narnia, Lord of the Rings). There was a full hour that was cut out to make this in at the running time (1hour 39 minutes). Adding in a full hour, and fleshing out the ending of the story would do wonders to the story. BTW, I loved the book, but then again, I love reading anything Narnia, LOTR, Star Wars related. I still will see it, but lets hope it does do somewhat well, so we can all get the Extended Cut with the 1 hour put back in.
12-14-06, 08:46 PM
#21
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by ScandalUMD
The movie deal was based on studios snapping up popular fantasy-themed stuff, hoping for another LotR or Narnia. The outside publisher is based entirely on the parents' connection and tireless promotion, coupled with the hook of a kid writer.
The publishing industry rewards the untalented even more than the music or movie industry. Even porn stars get book deals!
And it is awful. I don't even have to read it to know it's awful. He took the word "Dragon" moved the first letter of the word one up in the alphabet, and that's his title. That's pretty much a working definition of awful.
The publishing industry rewards the untalented even more than the music or movie industry. Even porn stars get book deals!
And it is awful. I don't even have to read it to know it's awful. He took the word "Dragon" moved the first letter of the word one up in the alphabet, and that's his title. That's pretty much a working definition of awful.
12-14-06, 09:40 PM
#22
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by Dalvin
The movie is suppose to have an extended cut when it comes out on DVD(a la Narnia, Lord of the Rings). There was a full hour that was cut out to make this in at the running time (1hour 39 minutes). Adding in a full hour, and fleshing out the ending of the story would do wonders to the story. BTW, I loved the book, but then again, I love reading anything Narnia, LOTR, Star Wars related. I still will see it, but lets hope it does do somewhat well, so we can all get the Extended Cut with the 1 hour put back in.
I've never read the books but I've heard they're entertaining enough and the trailers, although not the best, make it seem like passable entertainment so I still may give it a shot, despite such bad press. Maybe a matinee.
12-14-06, 11:51 PM
#24
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by RocShemp
Why cut out an hour? With films like The Prestige, Superman Returns and Batman Begins doing well, I think audiences can handle 2+ hour movies.
I've never read the books but I've heard they're entertaining enough and the trailers, although not the best, make it seem like passable entertainment so I still may give it a shot, despite such bad press. Maybe a matinee.
I've never read the books but I've heard they're entertaining enough and the trailers, although not the best, make it seem like passable entertainment so I still may give it a shot, despite such bad press. Maybe a matinee.
12-15-06, 09:04 AM
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I believe the studio felt that if it were at a shorter running time, that would mean more audiences would be able to see the flick, which in turn would make the compnay more money, since it could be shown more.