Guillermo Del Toro vs. Peter Jackson as Director

[Firawyn]

Narya, go rent Pan's Labyrinth. It's Spanish subtitled, but a really good movie, and it will give you an idea at what Del Toro can do with fantasy.

 

[Eledhwen]

Narya, go rent Pan's Labyrinth. It's Spanish subtitled, but a really good movie, and it will give you an idea at what Del Toro can do with fantasy.

Pan's Labyrinth handles the fantasy characters really well. Strangely, the storyline is suitable for children; but the graphic depictions of violent, bloody acts, is not.

*** spoiler *** This film could have been a blockbuster kids movie if Del Toro had been able to resist the temptation to show someone's face being gratuitously smashed in with the butt end of a gun.

 

[Illuin]

Wow; that is an impossible poll. It’s not about who's got more talent (I think they are equals there); it's about who’s got more at stake, and who wants it more. With Jackson, he’s got a reputation to live up to; everyone will be expecting more Oscars etc.. With Del Toro, if he blows this; his career is OVER! (and “blows this” means anything less than three and a half stars). Hmmm…....................


I think I would have to go with Jackson.

Christopher Tolkien once said; "My own position is that The Lord Of The Rings is peculiarly unsuitable to transformation into visual dramatic form,"

Though peripheral compared to the book, Jackson managed to pull off this “transformation into visual dramatic form”; and I can’t think of any other director (at that time) who could have done it. Del Toro seems promising, but I think I would be less nervous/more comfortable with Jackson behind the wheel.

I guess I'll go vote now.

 

[Persephone]

Narya, go rent Pan's Labyrinth. It's Spanish subtitled, but a really good movie, and it will give you an idea at what Del Toro can do with fantasy.

Ugh! I have that on DVD but have no patience reading and watching at the same time! I hate subtitled movies! But I heard a lot of good reviews about that film. Didn't it get an Oscar? (or was it just nominated?)

 

[Firawyn]

Not sure what awards it may have won...

But Narya, you have another option...if you hate subtitles, learn Spanish!

 

[Persephone]

Not sure what awards it may have won...

But Narya, you have another option...if you hate subtitles, learn Spanish!

You know that's actually something I really want to do. Our native language actually has spanish words so it'll be easy for me to learn it. What I don't have is enough time.

 

[Firawyn]

Ah, that's interesting. And I understand. My second language in highschool was Latin, which being a mother language makes it easy as pie for me to learn most other tongues, but alas, I don't have the time that I can afford to be spending on learning languages I'm getting on perfectly well without knowing.

Why learn Spanish when I could be learning Gnomish?


***SPOILER ZONE FOR PAN'S LABYRINTH - YE BE WARNED***

This film could have been a blockbuster kids movie if Del Toro had been able to resist the temptation to show someone's face being gratuitously smashed in with the butt end of a gun.

Eledhwen,

I rewatched Pan's Labyrinth last night and - KID'S MOVIE!?! Are you nuts? First, it was a bottle, not a gun. Second, are you forgetting the scene with the Captain and kitchen knife? Or perhaps the Captain doing pretty much everything he did to those poor people in the whole movie? Or maybe you've overlooked the child eating monster?! I would not let anyone under 15 see that...kid's movie? Seriously. It was rated "R" for a reason.


Fir -

PS... Here's some info on Pan's Labyrinth for anyone interested. You can find more info on Del Toro on there as well.

 

[Eledhwen]

***SPOILER ZONE FOR PAN'S LABYRINTH - YE BE WARNED***





Eledhwen,

I rewatched Pan's Labyrinth last night and - KID'S MOVIE!?! Are you nuts? First, it was a bottle, not a gun. Second, are you forgetting the scene with the Captain and kitchen knife? Or perhaps the Captain doing pretty much everything he did to those poor people in the whole movie? Or maybe you've overlooked the child eating monster?! I would not let anyone under 15 see that...kid's movie? Seriously. It was rated "R" for a reason.


Fir -

You're right, of course. I watched it once, hoping I could let my kids watch it. Needless to say, It didn't get a second showing, so the details are getting hazy. I just remember that any scene with the Captain was unacceptably violent. I think I remember now ... the monster ate the fairy, didn't it? Eeugh!

I dread to think what Del Toro's Trolls will be like.

 

[Eledhwen]

It looks like "either/or" isn't the issue.

I've just bought my quaintly titled Radio Times (tv and radio listing magazine), where an article states that Del Toro and Jackson will be co-writing The Hobbit.

I've photographed the article (my scanner's bust) and uploaded it to Photobucket: http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc91/rearda/STA75963.jpg

 

[Gilthoniel]

Off topic, I know, but I can't help notice the Paul Newman article, to the side.
Was that a tribute, or just stray coincidence?

Also: Barry Norman's Greatest Hits!

 

[Eledhwen]

The Radio Times comes out four days before its listings start; so the article was written before Paul Newman's death.

It was written because "The Color of Money" was being shown on BBC1 on Monday and the article said:

Paul Newman was overlooked for an Academy Award when he first played pool whizz "Fast" Eddie Felson in 1961's The Hustler. Oscar made up for it when Newman received a statuette for the film's sequel The Color of Money (Monday BBC1). Waiting 25 years to reprise the role - surely a record in itself - was obviously worth it.

 

[Uminya]

Sorry to be a necromancer (tehehe) but I just voted in the poll, so I figured I'd chime in with my thoughts.

All of the movies that del Toro has produced or directed (that I have seen), I have enjoyed greatly. I've seen Pan's Labyrinth, The Orphanage, Hellboy, and Hellboy 2. His makeup work is terrific (the Faun is incredible-looking) and I think he uses a varied mixture of subtle horror, humor, and quality storytelling to make a movie that actually means something to you on its own merits.

I have no such fondness for Jackson and (being the Purist/NPW that I am) can hardly stand watching 5 minutes of watching the LOTR movies before I start to complain and point out the pointless flaws. I feel that he would make more pointless and unnecessary changes to the Hobbit in his "style" which I have no taste for. Aside from the Trilogy, I haven't felt the urge to see any of his other films.

Del Toro, on the other hand, got me hooked after just seeing one of his.

 

[Confusticated]

I've watched a few more Del Toro films since I started this thread and I remain confident he has the potential to make a Hobbit that excels where Jackson's were weak. One word, Ciryaher just said it: subtle. Is it in Peter's vocabulary?

I do like some of PJ's movies, but his style doesn't fit LoTR for some people.

 

[Bucky]

I have no such fondness for Jackson and (being the Purist/NPW that I am) can hardly stand watching 5 minutes of watching the LOTR movies before I start to complain and point out the pointless flaws. I feel that he would make more pointless and unnecessary changes to the Hobbit in his "style" which I have no taste for. Aside from the Trilogy, I haven't felt the urge to see any of his other films.

You mean you never saw his 'epic' version of King Kong?