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Being There and Peter Sellers

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Being There and Peter Sellers

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Old 01-05-03 | 11:43 PM
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HistoryProf
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Being There and Peter Sellers
I just watched Being There with Peter Sellers and just wanted to say: wow, what a wonderful film!! And what a terrible shame that Sellers died a year later Only 55 and such an amazing actor. In many ways, it was a fitting capstone to his stellar career, but it's hard to feel a twinge of sadness watching it. If you've never seen it...get it - you won't regret it.
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Old 01-06-03 | 12:05 AM
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Brilliantly written and very brilliantly acted by Peter Sellers. This is a real gem that people should seek out.
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Old 01-06-03 | 02:12 AM
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Is this even out on disc yet? I'd buy it in a hot second if it were.
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Old 01-06-03 | 02:31 AM
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HistoryProf
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it most certainly is....a $19.95 title from Warner that is short on extras but has a very nice anamorphic transfer....got it at Best Buy for $17.99 with a gc for xmas....but it's available cheaper at DDD and elsewhere....so that second is up!
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Old 01-06-03 | 08:13 AM
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Definitely a winner - and probably more meaningful today than when orginally made!
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Old 01-06-03 | 08:15 AM
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What a wonderful film. Peter Sellers gives a wonderful performance.
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Old 01-06-03 | 09:55 AM
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You Honky.

I Like to Watch.
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Old 01-06-03 | 10:08 AM
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Such an incredible film. It took a lot of guts for them to make such a commentary at that time. It’s also amazing how many people missed the double and triple meanings of the movie and took it as a light comedy making a social commentary. After watching the movie for the first time (back in ’84) I sat and thought about it for 20 minutes or so and then immediately watched it again. It was like watching two different pictures.
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Old 01-06-03 | 09:09 PM
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Another outstounding performance by the brilliant Peter Sellers and the much underated director, Hal Ashby. You be doing yourself a favor if you checked out Harold and Maude another dark comedy by Ashby. --On a side note when will the Mouse that roared be released. I don't think it is in the upcoming Sellers box sets.
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Old 01-06-03 | 11:17 PM
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A bit OT, but I feel compelled to mention that the book is an engaging read. If you like to read and enjoyed the movie, consider adding this title to your list.
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Old 01-07-03 | 12:13 AM
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Going on DeputDave's comments....i wonder what everyone who's seen it has to say about the meaning of the ending. When Chance
Spoiler:
walks across the pond, are we to infer that he is God, Jesus, or an incarnation of either?
I just wasn't quite sure what to do with the ending, and at that moment wished there was a commentary track. It certainly added a layer of depth to an already thought-provoking film.....I can't wait to revisit it again soon.....
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Old 01-07-03 | 02:33 AM
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I've been on TV before
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Old 01-07-03 | 02:40 AM
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Shirley MacLaine just wanted to give Chance a piece.
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Old 01-07-03 | 02:43 AM
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Originally posted by Dimension X
Shirley MacLaine just wanted to give Chance a piece.
Very funny Dimension X

Originally posted by brizz
Going on DeputDave's comments....i wonder what everyone who's seen it has to say about the meaning of the ending. When Chance
Spoiler:
walks across the pond, are we to infer that he is God, Jesus, or an incarnation of either?
I just wasn't quite sure what to do with the ending, and at that moment wished there was a commentary track. It certainly added a layer of depth to an already thought-provoking film.....I can't wait to revisit it again soon.....
I think it was left open with an intent to let people just wonder. IMHO So, I actually don't believe they have a definitive answer.

What does everyone think?
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Old 01-07-03 | 08:39 AM
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Originally posted by brizz
Going on DeputDave's comments....i wonder what everyone who's seen it has to say about the meaning of the ending. When Chance
Spoiler:
walks across the pond, are we to infer that he is God, Jesus, or an incarnation of either?
I just wasn't quite sure what to do with the ending, and at that moment wished there was a commentary track. It certainly added a layer of depth to an already thought-provoking film.....I can't wait to revisit it again soon.....
OK, What I always assumed:
Spoiler:
Chance’s life was not only a commentary on the modern life but I thought it was also a comparison to the life of Jesus. Now I picked up on this well before the walking on water scene. Chance was just an idiot gardener stating obvious facts at unusual times, these were then taken as parables and interpreted to fit the listeners perceptions and expectations. Uncomprehending silence was taken as wisdom; dim-witted non-sequiturs taken as gospel. The miracles explained away as simple luck and, in the case of walking on water, simply being to stupid (or innocent, take your pick) to know that you can’t do that. Take it for what it’s worth but I think the film makers were offering an alternative as to what really happened and who Jesus (or Buddha, if you like) was.
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Old 01-07-03 | 02:07 PM
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Originally posted by DeputyDave
OK, What I always assumed:
Spoiler:
Chance’s life was not only a commentary on the modern life but I thought it was also a comparison to the life of Jesus. Now I picked up on this well before the walking on water scene. Chance was just an idiot gardener stating obvious facts at unusual times, these were then taken as parables and interpreted to fit the listeners perceptions and expectations. Uncomprehending silence was taken as wisdom; dim-witted non-sequiturs taken as gospel. The miracles explained away as simple luck and, in the case of walking on water, simply being to stupid (or innocent, take your pick) to know that you can’t do that. Take it for what it’s worth but I think the film makers were offering an alternative as to what really happened and who Jesus (or Buddha, if you like) was.
I hope not. That would lose all repsect I have for the film.
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Old 01-07-03 | 02:15 PM
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I haven't seen this in many, many years. Definitely need to rectify that. What a wonderful film.

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Old 01-07-03 | 02:25 PM
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Originally posted by Scot1458
I hope not. That would lose all repsect I have for the film.
If that was the director's original intent why would it change you opinion? It doesn't change the film at all.
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Old 01-07-03 | 04:35 PM
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Originally posted by DeputyDave
If that was the director's original intent why would it change you opinion? It doesn't change the film at all.
I can't remember where or when, but I saw a docu on Being There. I think there was some disagreement between Ashby & the studio.
Spoiler:
Studio execs didn't like the idea of Chance as a Christ figure and wanted a different ending. Ashby said no to both. Chance was like a cartoon character (either Road Runner or Wile E. Coyote was mentioned); he had no idea why he could not walk on water. I don't think Ashby was even paid for his work on this film, due to the disagreement over the ending.

I'm kind of fuzzy on this and don't have the docu recorded to check; so don't go making any bar bets.
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Old 01-07-03 | 05:17 PM
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from what i've read..

Spoiler:
Ashby didn't intend it to have anything to do with religion. Ashby's own take on the ending is like NavinJohnson wrote.. Chance simply didn't know you can't walk on water.
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Old 01-07-03 | 06:09 PM
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Originally posted by Grizzly
from what i've read..

Spoiler:
Ashby didn't intend it to have anything to do with religion. Ashby's own take on the ending is like NavinJohnson wrote.. Chance simply didn't know you can't walk on water.
Yeah, but...
Spoiler:
I thought the point was Jesus, like Chance, didn't know the Miracles couldn't be done (Y'all hungry? I got me a loaf of bread I'll share with you).

Anyway, that has always been my take and I could be wrong.
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Old 01-07-03 | 06:42 PM
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Originally posted by DeputyDave
Yeah, but...
Spoiler:
I thought the point was Jesus, like Chance, didn't know the Miracles couldn't be done (Y'all hungry? I got me a loaf of bread I'll share with you).

Anyway, that has always been my take and I could be wrong.
What Bible have you been reading?
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Old 01-07-03 | 06:48 PM
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I gotta go with DeputyDave on this one - I think that's a really neat take on it actually, and really humanizes both figures even more.

....and I don't see why such a take would ruin anything scott1458...But that's the beauty of film, especially the good ones - they can mean whatever you want them too.
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Old 01-07-03 | 08:10 PM
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Although Ashby filmed the last scene with Chance without studio approval or knowlegde, that's not why he never got paid. He never got paid because he wanted to replace the 'commercial' at the end with an outtakes reel, and even went from theatre to theatre with the alternate ending to edit back into the film. Details on the ending are here:

http://home.earthlink.net/~dare2b/lastshot.htm
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Old 01-07-03 | 08:28 PM
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Ahh... Thanks Jay G., I remember now.
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