Comments | ryanitenebrae: "Dammit! We're trying to start a revolution. We're going to offend somebody."

ryanitenebrae

"Dammit! We're trying to start a revolution. We're going to offend somebody."

Jul 10, 2009 09:42

I watched 1776 last night. It was a good film, though honestly, it didn't actually need to be a musical. Some of the music was very good, but it sort of just detracted from the story. Otherwise, it was extremely interesting, very good in its characterization (and I think decently accurate, though I need to check), and takes kind of a surprising ( Read more... )

history, movies

Comments 8

bookelfe July 10 2009, 18:52:05 UTC

Oh man, I date any and all interest I have in American Revolutionary War history to the time I first saw 1776, because I fell in ridiculous love with it.

"Benjamin Franklin smote the ground with his staff, and out sprang . . . GEORGE WASHINGTON! Riding a white horse! And then the three of them, Franklin, Washington, and the horse, conducted the entire revolution by themselves!" (The best part is how much of the dialogue - including that line, actually - was taken direct from actual historical records and letters.)

Also, I think that the mere existence of the song "But, Mr. Adams" justifies it being a musical. :D

ryanitenebrae July 11 2009, 21:08:50 UTC

That quote is ridiculously hilarious. I had no idea that it was an actual quote, but you know, that makes me very happy.

Going back to Youtube and re-watching "But Mr. Adams" and "The Egg" make me feel less grouchy about it being a musical - I still kind of feel like there was some unnecessary silliness, but it doesn't natter, it's an awesome movie. ("Mr. Adams, you are driving me to homicide!"

The historical detail in it pleased me very much, such as Franklin's dislike of his son who was Royal Governor of New Jersey. (It's the history of that relationship that keeps me from loving Franklin, to be honest.)

ethelflaed July 10 2009, 22:07:13 UTC

If I recall correctly, 1776 deals with what was kind of my Mom's area of interest in graduate school, and she likes it quite a lot and movie!Adams in particular. . .so, uh, make of that what you will? (I get her interests and my Dad's mixed up a lot, though, so, uh. I could be wrong there.) I haven't seen it in ages, but I recall loving it at the time.

I always remember Harrison's name and I always remember the president who died 32 days into office, but I never remember that they are the same person for some reason.

ryanitenebrae July 11 2009, 21:19:27 UTC

John Adams has kind of always struck me as one of those figures that everyone learns of by name in Elementary school, but never really learns about, self included for the most part, so I've been thinking about remedying that. My Dad kind of hates Adams, loves Franklin, and respects but doesn't feel strongly about Jefferson, whereas I love Jefferson with reservation, am uneasy about Franklin, and need to learn more about Adams.

It's just the utter detail of the film that made it so awesome to me, though if I could see William Daniels as anything beyond a snarky middle school teacher, that would help.

bellanche July 11 2009, 02:47:28 UTC

http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=185

^ The next comic after that is beautiful too.

redbrunja July 11 2009, 04:47:15 UTC

I love that play. I got to see it live once, and it rocked. Made me very found of John Adams, although there are a couple of his policies that I want to smack him for so hard. (The Alien & Sedition Act, actually.)

ryanitenebrae July 12 2009, 04:21:09 UTC

Ah, that is awesome. It seems like seeing it live would add a lot - the reason I'd been wanting to see it actually had to do with a description in a book by Sarah Vowell about seeing in Ford's Theater. "Sitting here, I could see exactly where Adams and Jefferson's compromise in 1776 led - to the back of Lincoln's head in 1865."

The Alien and Sedition Acts were extremely nasty. What's particularly disturbing is that one of them, the "Alien Enemies Act," is still in place, and allows the President to deport any in the United States who are immigrants from countries we are at war with.

redbrunja July 12 2009, 23:01:35 UTC

Also...I'm thinking Jim's been slipping up a little bit lately. It could just be me looking for it too much, or just an evolution in his writing style, but there are times his writing seems forced. It's STILL up there on the awesome scale for the most part...but I'm thinking he could do with a break.

Which is one reason I'm hugely *sadface* about it.