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Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

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Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

Old 04-12-13, 02:36 AM
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Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

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Series Synopsis:


In a world where thought and faith are controlled, one man fights to set knowledge free.

The secret history of Leonardo da Vinci's tantalizing life reveals a portrait of a young man tortured by a gift of superhuman genius. He is a heretic intent on exposing the lies of religion. An insurgent seeking to subvert an elitist society. A bastard son who yearns for legitimacy with his father.

He finds himself in the midst of a storm that has been brewing for centuries. A conflict between truth and lies, religion and reason, past and future. His aspirations are used against him by the opposing forces of the time—luring him into a game of seduction where those who despise his intellect need him most.

Leonardo must take up the fight against foes who use history to suppress the truth. A hero armed only with genius,
da Vinci stands alone against the darkness within, and the darkness without.

Facing an uncertain future, his quest for knowledge nearly becomes his undoing as he explores the fringes of his own sanity. Da Vinci throws himself into his genius and emerges as an unstoppable force that lifts an entire era out of darkness and propels it into light.

His story becomes a mirror into our own world, calling us all to join his fight to Free the Future.

Synopsis for episode 1:

A chronicle of the life of Leonardo da Vinci begins with the Italian artist-inventor in his mid-20s, when he is commissioned by the Medicis to create an Easter spectacle in Florence. Later, he's hired to build war machines, and meets a mysterious Turk.


Written and Directed by David S. Goyer (Blade, The Dark Knight Trilogy)

Goyer is also the creator and showrunner


8 episode season. I read an interview with Goyer and he said viewers should look at this 1st season an an 8 hour movie.

Trailer:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/idud-uVbPZw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


I still have Starz and plan to keep it to watch Magic City this summer, so why the hell not?
Old 04-12-13, 07:59 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I don't know. Not feeling this. I'll watch the first ep, but will probably end up canceling Starz now that Spartacus is over.
Old 04-12-13, 08:08 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I'm not really feeling this either. I might just record all 8 then marathon it.
Old 04-12-13, 08:09 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

Not my cup of tea. I'll be cancelling STARZ tomorrow and renewing in the summer for Magic City.
Old 04-12-13, 09:37 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

The moment Spartacus is done I think my Starz subscription is as well. Sigh, that didn't really add to this thread.
Old 04-12-13, 09:42 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that interest in this forum in a series about Leonardo Da Vinci is very lukewarm to non-existent, especially on a premium channel like Starz. Considering you have to pay for this channel and the flagship show is ending tonight.

I read a story last month and Goyer said this series is about 85% historically accurate.

If this were on a basic cable channel like FX or AMC, would you be more inclined to watch or does Da Vinci not interest you at all?
Old 04-12-13, 10:06 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I'll check it out.
Old 04-12-13, 10:10 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

Originally Posted by DJariya

If this were on a basic cable channel like FX or AMC, would you be more inclined to watch or does Da Vinci not interest you at all?
No. I've watched and enjoyed 3 STARZ dramas. Judging by the previews I've seen, it seems like fantasy, and I don't care for that genre.
Old 04-12-13, 10:33 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I've never really liked that era of time in movies/shows. And this seems more like Paul W.S. Anderson's take on history...
Old 04-12-13, 07:00 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I don't know why really but of all the Starz series that have aired the only one that's caught my interest was Boss and that got cancelled. This sort of looks like it could be interesting or be a big flop. I might check it out but don't have high hopes for it.
Old 04-12-13, 07:14 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

The only reason that I'm sort of interested in this is David S. Goyer being the creator, writer, EP and director of the series. I liked what he's done with the Blade and Dark Knight trilogies and he even wrote the script for Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Even though the show crashed and burned, he wrote, produced and directed the Pilot for Flashforward, which was fantastic. He's a talented guy and can do TV, so hopefully he makes this period of history interesting.
Old 04-12-13, 07:35 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

cannot cancel Starz fast enough once Spartacus is over.
Old 04-12-13, 07:38 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

Originally Posted by TallGuyMe
cannot cancel Starz fast enough once Spartacus is over.
and your point?
Old 04-13-13, 12:34 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

Now that I've seen this, I have to wonder how much going from the Spartacus finale straight into Da Vinci's Demons with no downtime went against Da Vinci's Demons.

I didn't find it exciting or compelling. The lead does not make me want to know more about Da Vinci. I'm pretty sure we're supposed to root for him, but thus far, I'm not sure why. I may end up bailing and watching it on DVD if it turns out to be good.
Old 04-13-13, 05:56 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

Too many old, ugly naked men and too few attractive naked women.

I don't know... it's a marginally interesting concept, but the execution felt pedestrian. The cast didn't engage me. It reminds me a lot of Camelot in that respect.

It also felt all over the place... there's a lot of intrigue and throats being cut (Goyer must've watched The Borgias), and a lot of fantastical elements that don't really jibe with the "gritty" stuff they're tyring to do. And everything looks too clean, and everyone too well-groomed and well-pressed.

Not sure if I'll bother with the second episode.
Old 04-13-13, 07:37 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I don't get the channel this airs on in Canada but I hear Da Vinci is all sexed up and a (straight) playboy in this series where the historical record implies he was either gay or asexual, consumed by his research and art. True?

The title also makes me think that Robert Langdon is going to make a guest appearance at any time.
Old 04-13-13, 09:35 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I bet they'll make him bi. There was that scene where someone made a snide comment about the male model who wanted to pose for Leo and Leo agreed but said he was pretty. What I didn't buy was Leo being such a smart ass to the nobles. Back then, that would have been a very good way to wind up dead. Sure, Leo's daddy had him whupped but I noticed that he hardly had a mark on him the next day after his hour long beating. The beating didn't even make sense since he was working on a deadline for the dukes' festival - why risk putting him out of commission, which such a beating surely would have. Especially since they whacked his right hand with that club against a stone floor which probably would have broken bones although Leo didn't even have any swelling. And while Leo was many things, I never heard he was a ninja.
Old 04-15-13, 01:23 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I found almost every aspect of the premiere unentertaining, from the primary cast to the cheap CGI backgrounds. Goyer is mostly a Hollywood hack when he is not on a tight leash by a strong creative producer or director.
Old 04-15-13, 05:24 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

Wake me when he invents the alchemy machine that makes gold. We already know the flying machine is there. And where's the Enzio cameo?
Old 04-15-13, 09:04 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

this won't get me to keep Starz. but Black Sails in 2014 might be a reason to renew.
Old 04-15-13, 09:06 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I actually saw this Saturday night on Encore. It sucked. That is all.
Old 04-15-13, 11:20 AM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

I don't know why people expect good things out of Goyer. Left to his own devices, he usually sucks. He's better when he has someone else to bounce off of.
Old 04-15-13, 04:08 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

According to Deadline.com, 2.14M viewers watched with all the re-airs. New record for a premiere on Starz. Beats Camelot.
Old 04-15-13, 07:51 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

^Not surprising seeing as it premiered during a free preview weekend.
Old 04-15-13, 11:44 PM
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Re: Da Vinci's Demons -- Series Premiere (Starz) -- "The Hanged Man" -- 4/12/13

...and had the Spartacus finale as the lead-in. Watched it tonight and wasn't terribly impressed. I'll likely give it a few weeks to see if it gets interesting.

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