Slashdot Mirror
Nobel Prize Winners on Sci-Fi Flicks
scientistguy writes "In case you missed it, Harold Varmus, Nobel prize winning retrovirologist and cancer biologist, former NIH director, and current
head of Memorial
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, has written a review
of 28 Days Later
in this weekend's New
York Times. One would think
that his time is more valuably spent running important medical institutions,
searching for new cancer insights/cures, etc, but the dude's also an English lit major and has a penchant for
sci-fi. 28 Days Later
is the new flick from director Danny Boyle (Shallow
Grave, Trainspotting, etc.) about a virus termed rage
that is advertently released from a Cambridge primate research facility and
goes on to devastate much of merry old England more rapidly than the dragons
did in Reign of Fire. Although Varmus appears to go out of
his way to be even handed, it's clear that he has a problem suspending disbelief on a
topic (virology) that is near and dear to him. Reviews from
professional movie critics on 28 Days
Later have been mixed, but Ebert
and another NY
Times reviewer were into it.
Good, clean summer fun - aside from 'the scenes
of maiming, dismemberment, clubbing, shooting, bayoneting and shoplifting'."
I thought it was a sequel to the Sandra Bullock movie, 28 Days.
Jason
ProfQuotes
and the rare fact that this film was released in the UK last summer, making this rather old news for anyone in Blighty. Makes a change for us to get a film first, eh?
Visit Snowflake Showers
'28 days later' didn't even try to be a sci-fi-horror movie.. that is, no explanations about the virus, or a long-drawn buildup to the final release (as in the Hulk). So even though, the whole idea of the virus getting transmitted to humans was insane, I didn't care. I do have some questions though.. they show this monkey being 'initiated' by showing him scenes of riots and mayhem, so I guess the rage virus is activated only if the subconscious is 'trained' by those scenes... then how come, humans go crazy within 20 seconds of being bitten?
"When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail." - Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
aside from 'the scenes of maiming, dismemberment, clubbing, shooting, bayoneting and shoplifting'."
shoplifting goes with maiming, what the..?
Jesus saves souls and redeems them for valuable cash prizes
For a mere £15 you can watch it on your region-free DVD player. Eat that, MPAA fascists!
Not only that, the DVD was out about a month ago as well.
Time the folks in the US to look-up on-line stores that ship region 2 stuff to the US!
The only thing that I found hard to believe was that anyone would be able to tell the difference between a comatose bike messenger and one that wasn't.
...isn't this a re-do of an old Charlton Heston film named "Omega Man", where a plague strikes the Earth and the infected turn into homicidal Edgar Winter impersonators? Heston plays the lone scientist who is apparently immune, and he meets a band of uninfected persons holding out against the organized night fighters.
I think I'll save $7 (diff between new movie and old rental) and just see Omega Man again.
I have something in common with Stephen Hawking...
In my opinion, the film was a wonderful Zombie film. It didn't get bogged down in trying to explain the how and why of the virus so it didn't bother me a bit. Not explaining the details also plays another role: it puts the audience into the same position as the characters. The characters don't give a flying damn about the details, they just want to survive.
The film manages to spook you but doesn't often give in to the common traps that most horror films fall into. Sure, some things are pretty obviously going to happen, but the film doesn't go for cliques(sp) which was a pleasant suprise. Of course, the differences between American and European film styles is quite clear, especially their repective attitudes towards violence and nudity.
Something else I should note was pointed out to me by my artisticly inclined friend, which was that the fact that it even made it over here to the states is a statement in and of itself. Most of their films don't make it over here for a theatrical release and are relegated to the foriegn film isle at the local rental store. The camera work is also different with some seemingly awkward angles that work well for the film. The music fits the mood of the film as well.
All in all, I highly recommend this film for Zombie film fans, and I can also recommend it to those who aren't really into zombie flicks since the plot is decent and they don't try to gross out the audience.
"They told me it was impossible. I replied with maniacal laughter." http://www.mydailyrant.com/
One would think that his time is more valuably spent running important medical institutions, searching for new cancer insights/cures, etc
:)
As if people reading Slashdot had a right to criticize anyone else about not working.
My blog
Was just an adaption of the wonderful Richard Matheson book "I am Legend" which came out back in the 1950's (I believe). I personally would love to see the book put to the screen but those damned screen writers keep changing the plot so that it fits with what the studios think we want: ie love interest, more action, etc etc.
It's really a shame, since I highly recommend the book and a film of it would bring it to the masses.
"They told me it was impossible. I replied with maniacal laughter." http://www.mydailyrant.com/
Vincent Price's "The Last Man on Earth" released some time in the 60s-70s had virtually the same exact plotline: disease infects all of mankind, and Price is immune. Except the infected aren't zombies. They're vampires. It was a crappy movie, but somewhat affecting. So... can anyone answer this? Was Boyle merely influenced by this classic? Or is it a total rip-off?
> Makes a change for us to get a film first, eh?
:)
:)
Yeah, but look at the film that you got first, then brag later.
Seriously, I saw this movie yesterday, and it's not bad. You have to be really good at suspension of disbelief, but it's okay. It's not original by any means, but it's definitely enjoyable at matinee prices.
After the disappointments that were Matrix 2 and Charlie's Angels 2, the summer movies have a lot to prove this year.
A much better summer movie is, amazingly enough, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. More willing suspension of disbelief required, but overall, a much more enjoyable movie. Surprised the heck out of me that it was a good as it was, considering the lack of James Cameron, but hey, remember that it also lacks Linda Hamilton & Edward Furlong, and that might explain something.
I can't make myself go see "Hulk" due to the extraordinarily-bad look of the Hulk CGI. *blech* I'd honestly prefer a green-painted Lou Ferrigno, thanks.
I'm still awaiting "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"...
"One would think that his time is more valuably spent running important medical institutions, searching for new cancer insights/cures, etc, but the dude's also an English lit major and has a penchant for sci-fi."
Because people who do research that is potentially groundbreaking and life saving are no longer allowed to do things they enjoy, right?
Wasn't this the same in Day of the Triffids, except everyone went blind and was eaten by vegetables?
No kidding.
"The zombies hate light. Let's drive during the day to get to the military base. Hey, let's take this shortcut through this underground tunnel. I'm sure it will be safe."
"It's getting dark. Let's all sleep out in the open with a big campfire and take some ludes to sleep. Never mind that the zombies are highly attracted to flame. I'm sure it will be safe."
"The smallest drop of their bodily fluids can turn you into a zombie if it gets in your mouth or a wound. Let's set up mines and claymores around our camp. I'm sure the resulting zombie flavored pink mist will be safe."
The best part though was the implication that it would only take 28 days for a group of British soldiers to lose all discipline and go Lord of the Flies.
um, Frank left his credit card at the cash register before they left the store. And besides, everyone was dead anyway...which made the fact that he left his card kind of cool. What were they supposed to do, starve to death because there was no one alive to give the money to? Furthermore they only took necessities like food, medical supplies, and single malt scotch.
------SPOILERS---------
I'm intrigued by his basic point.
I saw the movie with friends yesterday (both with MFAs and wide and deep knowledge of film) and we agreed that 28 Days later is, in it's own weird way, a wish fulfillment.
As the review says, you always know who is infected so there is no uncertainty.
There is no latency to speak of, so it's containable.
Everything is black and white. Nobody has any real obligation to anybody else. Food is either unavailable or unlimited.
People are either wonderful and sweet or crazed maniacs waiting for their chance to (kill/steal/rape).
Now, I've gotta say, as far as it goes, it's a great flick. It has quite literally entered my dreams.
But like Star Wars, there is an underlying philosophy there and it isn't a good one.
Compare this to any of the first three Aliens movies, where ambiguity and uncertainty define every moment and this is thin gruel indeed. An MTV movie for a hot summer day.
Go, have fun, but if anybody starts quoting lines from this movie as some sort of compressed wisdom, offer to stick a long butcher knife through their chest, leaving them to die "in a heartbeat".
Rustin
Data is the lever, rigor the fulcrum, brains the force that drives it all.
When will Hollywood draw the line here!
Who cares about guns, we gotta get those MP3 players off the streets!
"Enjoy what you're doing! If it becomes drudgery, you're doing it wrong!" - Jim Butterfield
Omega Man was released in 1987 by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and it's about a man with a pellet gun for an arm, who subsequently battles through 10 levels to fight the evil Dr. Wily. I don't know where you're getting you information from.
aside from 'the scenes of maiming, dismemberment, clubbing, shooting, bayoneting and shoplifting'.
Shoplifting, what's this world coming to?
(appended to the end of comments you post)
Whilst we are plugging a UK film I'd also like to advertie Deathwatch.
From Amazon:
A small group of English soldiers find themselves in a labyrinth of abandoned German trenches in Deathwatch, a reworking of the classic British supernatural horror tale as a redemptive allegory amid the wider horror of the Great War. The very earth has had its fill of blood and this lost company may already be in hell: imagine the BBC TV film All the Kings Men (1999) crossed with Cube (1997), as realised by a young Ridley Scott. Only Charlie Shakespeare, an impressive Jamie Bell, is sufficiently innocent to realise the evil of the trenches is turning comrade against comrade, resulting in the gradually escalating carnage.
Ok, not entirely related to the main topic, but it's a good film and it's not often the UK actually put out a good film in a year, let alone 2 great films!
The problem with slashdot is that most of its users were bullied and stuffed into lockers as kids!
You can't call the CGI in the hulk movie bad without having seen it. They actually pulled it off quite well.
The trailers and commercials certainly DO look bad. They look worse than the worse parts of the movie, IMO. I don't really know why they put crappy shots in the previews, but they did.
Since most Zombie films I have seen were set in America, it was interesting to see one set in a nation where personal firearms are rare.
It is a lot scarrier to watch someone nervously waiting with a baseball bat (why not cricket?) for a group of zombies to close with them than it is to watch someone picking them off with a rifle or shotgun as they approach.
The Nobel winners are going to hate the movies because the movies inevitably get the facts wrong, that is why most /.ers hate a vast majority of computer/tech related movies, because they can not suspend disbelief. But I do have to admit, NMAP in Matrix:Reloaded (which BTW was awesome, I don't care what anyone says) was pretty freaking cool.
I hate sigs.
"microbial plagues have displaced nuclear winter in the public's mind as the way the world will end. "
There have been movies about this for a great many years, and probably a book or two.
"Wouldn't it be better if we could confine AIDS and Ebola to Africa and SARS to Hong Kong, and then return to repair society once the microbial damage was done -- done, of course, to others and not to us?"
Of Course it would. He seems to imply some insidouse plot of genocide, when in fact containment of a virus the can cause an epidemic like the one in 28 days is key for others to survive. It doesn't mean we should ignore them while it happens. Of course we should help the victimes, anyway we can. If not for humanitarian reasons, then as an opportnity of how to survive if it should get out of containment.
It is difficult to know in the midst of all the immediate terrors of "28 Days Later" what Mr. Boyle meant for us to think about such things. But it is one of the strengths of his accomplishment that it makes us think about them at all.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Good, clean summer fun - aside from 'the scenes of maiming, dismemberment, clubbing, shooting, bayoneting and shoplifting'.
I give up. What can be more fun than scenes of maiming, dismemberment, clubbing, shooting, bayoneting and shoplifting?
The power of Christ compiles you!
Wow. It's a NY Times story, but someone finally figured out you can use the Google affiliate link to skip all the free reg hoo-haw. I think that's a first. Been waiting for that ever since the account generator stopped working.
Please keep it up!
When I first saw the ads talking about a virus and seeing the people turn, seconds from contamination, into bloodthirsty maniacs, I thought "Oh, so its flash-rabies, big whoop".
Rage is the french name for rabies.
The rabies cure was found by a french man.
And from Webster's:
Main Entry: 1rage
Pronunciation: 'rAj
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin rabia, from Latin rabies rage, madness, from rabere to be mad; akin to Sanskrit rabhas violence
PS Anyone trolling with the usual, boring, old crap about french surrender, wich is automatic anytime france or french is mentioned will thereby prove their lameness.
You can't take the sky from me...
Which is not to say that movies can't ever stretch reality to fit. In point of fact, they pretty much have to, because that's the only way to fit a reasonable story into 90 to 120 minutes of narrative. I have no problem with this, as long as they don't through out the rules every time they get inconvenient. When an SF writer works that way, it's not "suspension of disbelief" it's just ignorance and/or lazyiness.
It seems to me that Vamus is at pains not to be judgmental about these issues. If you read his review without being so defensive, you'll note he title's his review: "Virus as Metaphor" and praises the movie for the social issues it tries to raise.
When Vamus points out the scientific flaws in the movie, he's not being pendantic or spoil-sporty. He's just helping to educate the public as to some serious scientific issues. A very appropriate thing for a Nobel laureate to be doing.
(When it came out in Belgium).
Bloody great movie, mate, a remake of John Wyndham's Day of the Triffids only wiff cockney vampire zombies. Bloke wakes up from a come, finds himself all alone in London on a grey monday morning. Not a bleedin' soul. Stumbles into a church, gets attacked by a bunch of howling crazy red-eyed winos, and saved by a duo dressed in tank glasses and leather. The film only gets better and better, exploring some serious themes in a generously superficial manner: the individual against society (what bleeding society, they're all dead!), sexism (army squad saves hero and ladies, then tries to kill hero and rape ladies), abuse of power (same army squad) and armageddon (play with fire, get burnt).
Actually it was a cool movie, going lightly on the monster makeup and relying heavily on the viewer's own imagination. It may be too subtle for the US market, clearly a UK film, dry and sharp. Think of it as the film as the sequel to Resident Evil, without Milla Jovovich but with an equally sexy Naomie Harris.
Ceci n'est pas une signature
No, I'm not from IBM, or use VM. Most of my background is in aerospace stuff during the moon days of the 70's, where I watched it go from paradise to pot when our motto changed from "failure is not an option" to "faster, better, cheaper".
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
Right after I saw 28 days later I saw terminator III. When I saw the last scene of T3 the 28 days later line (paraphrased) "What, you got a plan or do you want to just find a hole and fuck?" rung in my head. Indeed, what a coincidence.
Photos.
In the movie 28 Days, a virus causes those infected with it to turn into killers. It turns out that there is an amoebic parasite called T. gondiithat actually manipulates the behavior of its intermediate host, the rat, to reach its ultimate target, the cat. Rats become infected with T. gondiii by eating infected beetles or worms. Once infected, the rats lose their fear of cats and become aggressive towards them and thereby becoming dinner for the cat. The parasite is then passed on to the cat where it reproduces in the cats brain but does not appear to change any of the cat's behaviours. After a time, the parasite leaves the cat via its feces where it is picked up by bettles and worms and the cycle starts again. The scary thing is that all mammals are susceptible to infection by T. Gondii, however for now it appears that the amoebas can reproduce only within members of the cat family.
So while there are infections like rabies that cause madness, it appears T. Gondii only affects the select behaviours in rats it needs in order continue as a species. There are societies where people eat cats and/or rats. I wonder how long it will be before T. Gondii evolves to affect humans?
Today's vices may be tomorrow's virtues.
The picture quality on 28 days later is so bad it's unwatchable. It's not a low budget movie (15 million) but for "artistic" reasons they shot it on miniDV, and didn't take any care with the picture quality at all. PAL miniDV can look quite good in the cinema if you take care to enlarge it correctly with good interpolation, and shoot it carefully so you don't over expose, and especially turn down (or preferably off) the sharpness control on the camera.
The people who shot this movie did none of these - or should I say, the opposite of this. They turned the bad digital sharpness full up (which makes the picture look like bad VHS) and over-exposed. The film print was obviously made with no attempt to improve the picture in any way at all.
The end result is a movie that looks so bad on the big screen it's barely watchable - and they expect you to pay real money to see it. There's no excuse for this - it's a movie that doesn't treat the viewer with respect.
If you must see this movie, see the DVD, because that's the same picture you'll see in the cinema - just many times larger....
-- oldthinkers unbellyfeel ingsoc
Didn't see the movie (can't stand the zombie flicks myself), but...
If the movie happened in "real life", it would take roughly a day for the rest of the world to figure out roughly what's happening. You'd see:
1. Extreme quarantine measures. There'd be a total blockade of Britain, a large, well-armed regiment blocking the Chunnel from all traffic, and escorts of air traffic. Anyone who doesn't stop gets killed. There will probably be a few infections outside of Britain, but the authorities will be rather more prone to use lethal force to deal with them.
2. After two weeks, the world is throughly scared to death. All British survivors are told they are remaining in quarantine indefinitely. Scientists discover what the plague is, but have no cure.
3. Weeks 3-6: the civilized world tries to figure out how the hell to deal with this plague. Massive military rescue operations to grab survivors, conventional military operations, and the use of nuclear weapons to contain the plague are discussed.
4. Weeks 7-9: Rescue ops are carried out against known survivor colonies. Coalition militaries (primarily NATO) take only a few casualties, mostly from equipment failures.
How would it play out in the end? I don't know. But the fact of the matter is, if it's between the lives of 500,000 people and a plague that could possibly end the world and destroy all of humanity... I know I would consider using nuclear weapons to destroy the British Isles and cauterize the remenants of the disease. I don't think I'd do it, but I'd have the option down on the table.
In extreme times, you may have to use extreme measures. They may or may not be over-reactions, but the safe side of an issue is obviously continuing the human race.
-Erwos
Plausible conjecture should not be misrepresented as proof positive.
The picture quality is not bad, it's just different from what most movies choose. As you point out PAL miniDV can look good and the look of this film is a deliberate choice. It's just a different aesthetic from what most films choose.
The coloration and sharpness fit in with the movie. You really get a sense that you are watching some post-apocalpyse news item that has been put together in ad hoc fashion by a handful of survivors struggling to keep the technology working. In the recent Gulf War the choppy video footage may not have been ideal but it certainly lent authenticity to what you were watching. It's the same with 28 Days Later, the story and the presentation of that story are just more tightly integrated than most movies.
"The picture quality is not bad, it's just different from what most movies choose" - wrong.
The picture quality is BAD - actually very bad. It's technically inept. It looks atrocious. To say that the picture quality gives you "a sense that you are watching some post-apocalpyse news item" is just rubbish. A good director can make you see grit and realism while presenting you with a perfect picture - a poor director will just show you a gritty picture. It's not clever to make a picture look deliberately bad - it's a slur on the audience who payed good money to see a movie that looks worse than many student movies I've seen.
What's worse is that directorially from a picture composition point of view and editing, the movie was very well done. If only they'd take care with the picture it would have been watchably tollerable, but it never would have excused the bad plot.
It's a movie of contrasts - it's not low budget, but has a zero budget look and feel, the picture quality is bad, but composition and editing are great, the plot is bad, but the acting good. Overall it's a movie that leaves you with a bad headache and a ripped off feeling in the wallet.
-- oldthinkers unbellyfeel ingsoc
A movie where the zombies run faster than you can.
Not your typical limping, sedentary zombies. More like track runners on crack.
Good point on this movie matching the demands of the times. But I would counter with the amazing run of antihero films of the Seventies.
As for "popcorn flick", yeah, as I said, I actually enjoyed it.
As for me and good stuff, I've concluded that, with all the filmmakers out there these days, there are probably tons of good complex movies being made. It's just that we simply can't keep track of it all.
memfree, where are you in our time of need?
Rustin
Data is the lever, rigor the fulcrum, brains the force that drives it all.
This film came out in the UK a few months back. It's basically a zombie flick, so you should ignore any scientific ponderings about the nature of viruses, and suspend disbelief.
However, this is in places an intelligent film, and worthy of good review. However, Varmus critisices the scientific implications of the film, whereas the artistic and social aspects of the film are much more insightful.
For example, the film contains a nice twist on the whole zombie-movie genre. The fact that in a post-apocolyptic world, the survivors will be the last people you want to inherit the earth (e.g. stupid young men tooled up with ridiculous firepower), is a good point, and speaks some volumes about the direction our world could go.