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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Screenwriting
PRIMER!!!
I've posted a few film recommendations now and again, and my penchant for smart, somewhat dense sci-fi is probably pretty well documented, but I just watched PRIMER and felt an immediate need to tell everyone here about it.
If you don't know anything about it, don't try and find out. Just go and rent it. I have no idea if Blockbuster and the like have it, but I got mine off Netflix.
Aside from the story (which, like any other dealing with the same topic, which I won't give away, since it's a bit of a spoiler), it may have a few holes which will come to me as I think about it over the next few weeks
But while you watch this movie, think about three things:
1) The unhurried storytelling
2) The dialogue that never explains anything it doesn't need to and oftendoesn't explain the things we so desperately want it to, yet refrains because its characters would never need to bring those things up (the first ten minutes are dense with engineering terms that may or may not be ***; I have no engineering/computer background, so maybe someone else can enlighten me)
and, most shockingly:
3) The film was made for $7000, cut on Adobe Premiere, with ADR in the guy'sgarage. And if you would have told me it cost $2 million I wouldn't have been a bit surprised. Fantastic direction, without super-cutesy camera moves or too much style over substance.
I don't want to say any more. My brain hurts from watching it, but in a good way. Again, though, it's not so much the story that's being told, but the ways they're telling it, and how they did so much with so little.
Primer! Go! Rent! And make sure you pay attention. You'll follow it just fine by the end, but it may make your ear bleed a little...
emg
If you don't know anything about it, don't try and find out. Just go and rent it. I have no idea if Blockbuster and the like have it, but I got mine off Netflix.
Aside from the story (which, like any other dealing with the same topic, which I won't give away, since it's a bit of a spoiler), it may have a few holes which will come to me as I think about it over the next few weeks
But while you watch this movie, think about three things:
1) The unhurried storytelling
2) The dialogue that never explains anything it doesn't need to and oftendoesn't explain the things we so desperately want it to, yet refrains because its characters would never need to bring those things up (the first ten minutes are dense with engineering terms that may or may not be ***; I have no engineering/computer background, so maybe someone else can enlighten me)
and, most shockingly:
3) The film was made for $7000, cut on Adobe Premiere, with ADR in the guy'sgarage. And if you would have told me it cost $2 million I wouldn't have been a bit surprised. Fantastic direction, without super-cutesy camera moves or too much style over substance.
I don't want to say any more. My brain hurts from watching it, but in a good way. Again, though, it's not so much the story that's being told, but the ways they're telling it, and how they did so much with so little.
Primer! Go! Rent! And make sure you pay attention. You'll follow it just fine by the end, but it may make your ear bleed a little...
emg
Top answer
[nq:1]Primer! Go! Rent!
- [nq:1]Primer!
- Go!
- Rent!
- And make sure you pay attention.
- [/nq] Thanks for the tip.
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11 Answers
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[nq:1]Primer! Go! Rent! And make sure you pay attention. You'll follow it just fine by the end, but it may make your ear bleed a little...[/nq]
Thanks for the tip. I'll see if I can find it in Twin Falls, Idaho.
http://www.primermovie.com/
RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"
Thanks for the tip. I'll see if I can find it in Twin Falls, Idaho.
http://www.primermovie.com/
RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"
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[nq:1]I've posted a few film recommendations now and again, and my penchant for smart, somewhat dense sci-fi is probably pretty well documented, but I just watched PRIMER and felt an immediate need to tell everyone here about it.[/nq]
snip
Thanks, Eric.
Always interested in taking a flyer on a good movie. I'll look for "Primer".
Doug
Just a virtual guy... in a virtual world
snip
Thanks, Eric.
Always interested in taking a flyer on a good movie. I'll look for "Primer".
Doug
Just a virtual guy... in a virtual world
00
I agree, Eric.
We saw Primer at the Toronto Film Fest last year, and the director/writer/star did a Q&A after the show. Very interesting, and very encouraging for those who are passionate about making films on their own.
Like you, my brain hurt for the first half hour or so trying to figure out just what the **** was going on... then I got pulled into the story and forgot to think. We
We saw Primer at the Toronto Film Fest last year, and the director/writer/star did a Q&A after the show. Very interesting, and very encouraging for those who are passionate about making films on their own.
Like you, my brain hurt for the first half hour or so trying to figure out just what the **** was going on... then I got pulled into the story and forgot to think. We
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[nq:1]We saw Primer at the Toronto Film Fest last year, and the director/writer/star did a Q&A after the show. Very interesting, and very encouraging for those who are passionate about making films on their own.[/nq]
Keen. Did he mention whether or not he's gotten anything else going since then? I can't find any pending projects on IMDB, but obviously that's not a be-all end-all source.
em
Keen. Did he mention whether or not he's gotten anything else going since then? I can't find any pending projects on IMDB, but obviously that's not a be-all end-all source.
em
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MINOR SPOILERS BELOW!
[nq:1]2) The dialogue that never explains anything it doesn't need to and often doesn't explain the things we so desperately want it to, yet refrains because its characters would never need to bring those things up[/nq]
One of the things Shane Carruth pointed out was that the mystery behind the girlfriend's father was never explained because the main characters would
[nq:1]2) The dialogue that never explains anything it doesn't need to and often doesn't explain the things we so desperately want it to, yet refrains because its characters would never need to bring those things up[/nq]
One of the things Shane Carruth pointed out was that the mystery behind the girlfriend's father was never explained because the main characters would
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[nq:1]One of the things Shane Carruth pointed out was that the mystery behind the girlfriend's father was never explained because ... be wrestling with (Notice that, when a movie works, those things are interesting. When the movie doesn't work, they're annoying.)[/nq]
Yep, it could be seen from either side. I found it interesting, but I could definitely see people who don't like the film point
Yep, it could be seen from either side. I found it interesting, but I could definitely see people who don't like the film point
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I liked it, too. Saw it at the Raindance Fest in London when I was on the jury.
Confusing in a good way. You never really know what is going on, but it seems very real, so you are constantly trying to figure it out... like a joke you aren't in on.
The lesson of the budget is that talent means more than money. There are some great shots, some interesting editing... and the film seems
Confusing in a good way. You never really know what is going on, but it seems very real, so you are constantly trying to figure it out... like a joke you aren't in on.
The lesson of the budget is that talent means more than money. There are some great shots, some interesting editing... and the film seems
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[nq:1]Next up is Maria Full of Grace, off suzy's recommend. I've had it on my list for a while...[/nq]
Fantastic film. Horrible that it didn't get an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film (almost as bad as not nominating House of Flying Daggers).
Stephen Mack
"Nobody's smart enough to be wrong all the time." -Ken Wilber
Fantastic film. Horrible that it didn't get an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film (almost as bad as not nominating House of Flying Daggers).
Stephen Mack
"Nobody's smart enough to be wrong all the time." -Ken Wilber
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[nq:1]Keen. Did he mention whether or not he's gotten anything else going since then?[/nq]
He alluded to something in the works but suggested that the post-production marketing machine for his first feature was all encompassing and that was what he wanted to talk about. From that I surmise he wasn't very far into the next project yet... but at least he was thinking about a next project. Very t
He alluded to something in the works but suggested that the post-production marketing machine for his first feature was all encompassing and that was what he wanted to talk about. From that I surmise he wasn't very far into the next project yet... but at least he was thinking about a next project. Very t
00
[nq:1]I've posted a few film recommendations now and again, and my penchant for smart, somewhat dense sci-fi is probably pretty ... pay attention. You'll follow it just fine by the end, but it may make your ear bleed a little... emg[/nq]
I guess I was the only who hated it. Like others, I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on in the first 30 minutes, but unlike them I wasn't willing t
I guess I was the only who hated it. Like others, I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on in the first 30 minutes, but unlike them I wasn't willing t
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