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Adaptation

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  • Adaptation

    watched this last nite with friends.

    great flik. Not from the usual hollywood crapmachine. Consequently, it did not do well as the boxoffice. Which of course, to anyone who appreciates intelligent films, doesn't mean a damn thing. In fact that's the way, uh huh uh huh, I like it.

    This film is something you remember and talk about for quite a while. If you have the mental wherewithall. Nic Cage plays two roles; twin brothers and I have never seen such a good job of editing, blocking, composition and effects that made this visual (of an actor playing two roles within one scene) as convincing as I saw last night. Fully taken in to the seeming reality that you are watching two distinct people. Far cry from what we saw with, for example; Keaton in "Mulitplicity".
    Streep and Chris Cooper round out the story which has soooo many layers and twists and turns, you will want to watch the dvd once a month for a year.

    OK, so the story goes: Kaufman, a screenwriter, sets himself up with the task of turning a facinating book, name of The Orchid Thief, into something the studios can turn into celluloid. . He can't seem to get a working screenplay to the studio to save his life. He then decides to learn more of the author of the book and her subject; renegade, unconventional rare orchid hunter Larouche. (Cooper).
    He does so and unearths mounds of wild and crazy sh!t in the process. You will either be shaking your head in amazement and going "wow... gawd... amazing"..
    or confused outta yer lil peabrain and run to the nearest copy of spiderman.

    The script for this flik was created by a dude named Kaufman who was asked to turn a book by Sue Orlean, (titled The Orchid Thief) into a script. He had the damnedest time with it and in the process, documented his compounding frustrations and decided to write a screenplay on his adventures. Thus... yes. We are witness to... well, what actually happened, to a large degree. And it's a roller coaster ride. And if you think by that I mean dinosaurs and car crashes rivet you, please simply rent the cartoons of the day that are passing as major motion picture entertainment, and slowly step away from the real films, and no one gets hurt.
    Last edited by kimo55; July 10, 2005, 10:08 AM.

  • #2
    Re: Adaptation

    Wow, I agree with Kimo!

    Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriter, is also the guy who did Being John Malkovich, and I could see similarities between the two films. Fun movies, both of them.

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    • #3
      Re: Adaptation

      Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
      Wow, I agree with Kimo!
      curb your enthusiasm; don't appear so surprised.
      Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriter, is also the guy who did Being John Malkovich, and I could see similarities between the two films. Fun movies, both of them.


      a facinating aspect of the flik was the surreptitious glimses of the behind the scenes making of Being John Malkovich. Actually a recreation, so we have many layers of the "movie within a movie" thing goin' on here.

      Kaufman and Spike Jonze oughta collaborate more often.
      Last edited by kimo55; July 10, 2005, 08:13 AM.

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      • #4
        Re: Adaptation

        I saw this movie when it was released in the theaters a couple of years back. It was okay. I kind of liked that writing instructor who tells the Nick Cage character (because I can't remember which of the Kaufman brother it was) don't use flashbacks in your script and yet the movie has a good number of flashback sequences.

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        • #5
          Re: Adaptation

          Originally posted by helen
          I saw this movie ... It was okay. I kind of liked that writing instructor who tells the Nick Cage character (because I can't remember which of the Kaufman brother it was) don't use flashbacks in your script and yet the movie has a good number of flashback sequences.
          well, that's one of the in jokes, as it were.
          Just as that self-important jackass putting on that Screenplay writing seminar is hollering at his students "Doncha ever use voiceover!"
          all the while, Kaufman is describing his apprehensive state via voiceover.
          And, we have different applications in use, and evident, thru the film of the title in so many very clever ways...
          It's touches like these and more that make this film more than just "okay".
          Last edited by kimo55; July 10, 2005, 10:53 AM.

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          • #6
            Re: Adaptation

            I saw this in theaters, too, and while it was a great idea and wonderfully executed, its very success it what keeps me from liking the film a whole lot. The first half of the film is great, but as Cage's character's script is slowly taken over by his brother, the film itself devolves into Hollywood tripe, and I went to this movie to get AWAY from that. It did exactly what it intended to do, but the result was a film that I only liked the first half of!
            But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
            GrouchyTeacher.com

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            • #7
              Re: Adaptation

              That accident in "Adaptation" where Chris Cooper is driving and looses his teeth scared the bejesus out of me! My gawd! He did fantastic in this role. Speaking of Chris Cooper, the first thing I saw him in was "Lonestar" with Kris Kristopherson as the meanest most crooked SOB sheriff in Texas. I think Matthew McConaughy was in it, too. That was a trippy flick.

              This one was trippy, too. I like that in a movie. But these days, I'm relegated to "The Incredibles," "Finding Nemo" and "Monsters Inc." I liked these, too, mostly because when my little girls were watching them with me there weren't any uncomfortable situations. @

              One move I just HATED was "About Schmidt." Maybe it was edgy, but I left the theatre feeling kinda ill and not so much for spending the money, but for the time lost. @
              Aloha from Lavagal

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              • #8
                Re: Adaptation

                Originally posted by lavagal
                That accident in "Adaptation" where Chris Cooper is driving and looses his teeth scared the bejesus out of me! My gawd!


                yea that scene where he backs outta the driveway, you JUST know something is gonna happen. and that horrific crash. So realistic. he killed his mother and uncle at that moment. Can't imagine how that would be.
                Last edited by kimo55; July 10, 2005, 04:00 PM.

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                • #9
                  Re: Adaptation

                  this movie ranks way up there in my list of all-time favorite screenplays...cage was brilliant, as were the rest of the actors...the scene where the main guy's brother marvels at being shot and then flies out of the windshield was one of the most unexpected twists i've ever seen in a hollywood movie...yikes!
                  Don't be mean,
                  try to help.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Adaptation

                    Originally posted by scrivener
                    I saw this in theaters, too, and while it was a great idea and wonderfully executed, its very success it what keeps me from liking the film a whole lot. The first half of the film is great, but as Cage's character's script is slowly taken over by his brother, the film itself devolves into Hollywood tripe, and I went to this movie to get AWAY from that. It did exactly what it intended to do, but the result was a film that I only liked the first half of!
                    The joke is that script was hollywoodized by his brother. The put in car crashes, drugs, affairs and anything else you can think of.

                    People in the theater kept saying poor thing about the brother especially when the credits role and the movie is dedicated to him. Yet another joke.

                    Truly one of the most witty films.
                    just started: mililaniblog.com

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