MovieChat Forums > Great Expectations (1998) Discussion > I'm Shocked at how little of you hated t...

I'm Shocked at how little of you hated this...

posted 16 years ago by scamurra89
20 replies | jump to latest

I'm abstaining largely from starting a bash-filled thread (while I did give it a 4)... but I am curious that the consensus is generally positive on these boards...

...some of that may have to do with most of you being female, and women tend to be more civil with the way in which they express their distaste for things, but I'm willing to know why so many of you don't find this film to be an embarrassment to Dickens. I figured I'd see at least 5 or 6 threads on the first page dedicated to how this film is one of the biggest let downs, but I find myself shocked.

[–] DustyStars 16 years ago

Same! A lot of boards get over-crowded with the haters. And since this is an interpretation of a novel, it's even more at risk to get bashed. Personally, I love it and think it stayed pretty loyal to Dickens.

"Your stupid"
My stupid what?

[–] Kailita_Rose 16 years ago

I did not "hate" this film, but found it boring and VERY pretentious, filled with artsy-fartsy (but not TOO artsy) scenes which got kind of repetitive. Given the fact I've never read the book, I won't presume to make any generalizations about the modern-day adaptation, but the story doesn't seem quite able to stand the test of time, because Finn's "adventure" in New York seems a little too unrealistic given the fact he's completely inexperienced in the art world and broke as a joke.

[–] scamurra89 16 years ago

I appreciate your comments, and even though you haven't read the book, to put it frankly it doesn't hold the test of time when it's adapted so poorly. The art thing had absolutely nothing to do with Dickens' masterpiece.

[–] DustyStars 16 years ago

I read the book, and this may be the only film that I've ever prefered to the book. I do love the book, but I love the film more.

"Your stupid"
My stupid what?

[–] VerucaSalt234 16 years ago

I loved both. Great Expectations is my favorite book of all time.. but I love the movie too. It is just a great story.. Sorry others didn't enjoy it though.

- I'll keep my money, my freedom and my guns & you can keep the "change" -

[–] starline 16 years ago

I don't look at it as much as an adaptation...which it is a decent one...but more like 'inspired by'. I love this 'modern' version...I love this film! :)

(I also love this director's adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Little Princess! I didn't read Harry Potter...but did Alfonso Cuaron stick closely to the book for 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'? I dunno. He makes wonderful films though!)

[–] Chief_Watches-Many 16 years ago

I agree with the OP, how does this get away without too much criticism?

Anyway for me the first half felt promising and I was kind of into it but I thought the second half was horrible, and eventually was glad it ended. As it finished it left me feeling...a bit sick! Kind of unclean!
No offence intended I'm not bashing it for the sake of it, but for me it went from reasonable to really awful. (I am saying awful based on my level of enjoyment, not so much this is an awful film - If you like it fine.)

I haven't read the book, but like the 1946 film quite lot.
The 1946 one was a film for everyone, but (again no offence) this one just ended up feeling like a girls film.
I'm sure I won't be too popular for this, but just being honest.

Also I'm not coming at this as any kind of purist for the book or the original film, I'll judge anything on it's own merit (Although I only usually care for remakes when the original has fallen short of what it should have been).

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[–] samso999 16 years ago

This is a movie I try to watch, but it makes me feel uncomfortable. I like the actors, and the idea of it, but somehow it all feels horribly wrong. So even as I am half watching it now, I had to come here to see if it got bashed as I expected. Guess not!

I feel like apologizing to Mr. Dickens.

I do hope this is not a girls film, then again I may just be too old a girl to understand the appeal.

[–] scamurra89 15 years ago

That's the dissenting opinion I was looking for.

[–] Tayte 15 years ago

i haven't read the book but i love this movie

[–] crooked_spoons 15 years ago

I know samso999 posted this a full year ago, but I just had to quote him/her.

This is a movie I try to watch, but it makes me feel uncomfortable. I like the actors, and the idea of it, but somehow it all feels horribly wrong.

^^THIS is EXACTLY how I feel. I'm trying to watch it and to understand it, but it all feels so unnatural. I just get this overwhelming mixture of senses, like one part awkward embarrassment another part shame. Like I'm not supposed to be watching and I'm doing something I shouldn't be.

"I thought I was bisexual...until I had a threesome." http://tinyurl.com/27syuvh

[–] Caffeine-Free 12 years ago

This is a movie I try to watch, but it makes me feel uncomfortable. I like the actors, and the idea of it, but somehow it all feels horribly wrong.

^^THIS is EXACTLY how I feel. I'm trying to watch it and to understand it, but it all feels so natural. I just get this overwhelming mixture of senses, like one part awkward embarrassment another part shame. Like I'm not supposed to be watching and I'm doing something I shouldn't be.

This is all correct.

I'm on a Great Expectations kick after watching the more recent 2012 film adaption directed by Mike Newell, which is a solid 9.5 at least. It is really good overall.. good acting, true to the story, a classy, appealing retelling.. and I don't even know what possessed me to finally watch this version... and now more skeptical to watch an equally recent miniseries of it but I swear nothing can be as bad as this.

It does indeed make you feel dirty and guilty watching it. A great, classic novel turned into one part soap opera, eight parts badly acted 90s soft core porn. Even before that begins it just has a creepy feel where every character and scene is creepy. The direction is weird and unpleasant. The score is annoying. It's unbearable. I waited for something to redeem it and nothing did.

I can't fathom why people like it if they care for the original story at all. Rant complete.

[–] maz89 11 years ago

I can't fathom why people like it if they care for the original story at all.

It's not a faithful adaptation. Why should it be? It is its own work of art not 'bound' by the requirements of the literary source material, to be judged on its own merits and not against some work in a different medium altogether.

And I find it amusing that you refer to it as a "soap opera". Have you read the Dickens novel? I mean, Cuaron's unique version does do away with a lot of the "startling" revelations at the end, making it decidedly less melodramatic - at least from a narrative perspective.

Other than that, I think he created a compelling audio-visual feat, an exciting treat for the senses. Some of the scenes still ring vividly in my head - eg, the cathartic run-in-the-rain sequence, impeccably scored and beautifully shot. Or the sensuous kiss-by-the-fountain sequence, and how the bright and sunny lighting making it almost dream-like and surreal. It's not a perfect film but it's far from being unbearable.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

[–] greenleaf_glade 15 years ago

Perhaps if you think of it this way: it's not a straight adaptation. It's an update. It's set in modern Manhattan where the rules are very different from Dickens' England. So there will of course be changes. There is something timeless about the plot of "Great Expectations" which is why you could set it in any time period really. If anything, this film is a testament to Dickens--it shows that even though it was written long ago, it can still be retold today.

[–] itsalltears 15 years ago

i thought this took an amazing classic and made it into a movie for idiots.
i didn't feel like i really knew the characters or cared about them. dickens made you feel for pip and identify with him. i didn't care if ethan hawk got gwyneth paltrow or not, and frankly aside from her beauty i didn't see any reason why he would even care about her.

[–] Gbolling1984 15 years ago

I read this book in high school (I'm 24 now) and I loved the book but I think the film, on its own merits, is quite good. I agree with what someone else said that it seems more inspired by the book rather than an adaptation. I really dug the technical aspects of the film. Thought it had a great atmosphere and thought the acting was good as well. I actually find this film to be very underrated

[–] kshawish 15 years ago

I thought that Mr Dickens must be turning in his grave with annoyance and disapproval. I gave the movie one.

[–] scamurra89 15 years ago

There we go! Some actual hatred. Ruining a classic shouldn't be going over so easily...

[–] shark-43 15 years ago

Sadly, I think many young people have no idea about the classic novel and the great David Lean film version of 1946. But this new adaptation IS awful and is an insult to Dickens.

[–] Pheebshirl 11 years ago

I didn't find this adaptation awful, but it was not particularly good either. I personally would rate it as an average film, probably about 5/10. My main problems with the film were the pacing (it actually started to become boring in parts), the acting (Ethan Hawke was not good, Gwyneth Paltrow was Ok but not wonderful), the complete lack of chemistry between Hawke and Paltrow and some of the writing was quite bizarre (e.g. the whole train sequence with De Niro was just weird and not at all suspenseful). I understand how changes needed to be made to adapt the novel to modern times, but I felt overall it just did not work. The characters also lacked any real character development and therefore it was hard to care for them. Anne Bancroft and Robert De Niro's performances were also both so hammy that they verged on turning the characters into comical caricatures.
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