Cold Mountain - Wow!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Spoilers within (and encourage unboxed)!

I've held off on watching this 2003 movie for a while, mostly because of people saying it wasn't that great on this site and others, but I just popped it in the DVD slot yesterday (thanks Netflix!), and all I have to say is wow! I couldn't disagree more with those who say it is boring. The movie utterly captivated me (then again, I do love the movies based on the Odyessy). Even though it is technically considered a romance.

The war scenes were incredible. I read that Cold Mountain did for the Civil War that Saving Private Ryan did for WW2. It de-pretty-ed it. It showed its raw nature. It's portrayal of the Battle of the Crater was dead on.

Though I did find it amusing that you are talking about the Deep South and the two leads are an Englishman and an Australian woman . Ebert said that it was unfair having the two leads be apart for 80% of the movie, but I thought it showed the devotion they had for each other that much more.

And Renee Zellweger (an actual Southerner) was a hoot! She definetly stole every scene she was in. She deserves that Oscar she has on her mantle.

This is one of the movies that the supporting cast really makes the flick. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was excellent as the unholy preacher. Brendan Gleeson was great as Ruby's father. And Jack White (lead singer of The White Stripes) did a pretty good job as Georgia.

Though... after all this... I'm willing to accept that this movie is like JohnT's Moulin Rouge (ie, a movie everyone dislikes but me ).

[Zkribbler]

I also thought the movie was good. I avoided the movie because (a) I love the book and (b) firmly believe a certain actress who was hired to play the lead couldn't act her way off of a paper bag

Still, the movie did a good job of capturing the flavor of the book (with the exception of the opening battle scene which was is not in the book).

By the way, if you haven't already, you guys should read the book. It won the National Book Award, and its use of language is jaw-droppingly excellent.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, I've heard very great things about the book. Especially the language and how it seemed to capture the South during the Civil War. It sounds like it's definetly a worthy read.

I've heard the opening battle scene is not in the book, but DAMN, it was incredible.

[Alex]

It didn't impress me. Just an average movie with some good moments. It was deliberately crafted to win tons of Oscars, and this really annoyed me.

[General Ludd]

I was expecting it to be the usual crap that comes out of hollywood but was surprised to find a great movie when I watched it.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
I've heard the opening battle scene is not in the book, but DAMN, it was incredible.

That was based upon one of the sadder incidents in the Civil War. The North did tunnel under Conferate lines at one point and set off a huge bomb. Federals swarmed into the pit only to find that, without scaling ladders, they couldn't get up the other side, and it was turned into a shooting gallery. A unit of freed slaves were among the federals, and the rebs focused their fire on them, calling out, "Take the whites; kill the nigggers."

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yep, the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg. That 'turkey shoot' line was reportedly what was actually said by the highest ranking officer on the top of the crater.

[Grandpa Troll]

I enjoyed this as well

[Imran Siddiqui]

I really liked how they showed the effect of the Civil War on ordinary people. Not just the soldiers who died, but the folk who had to stay behind.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
I really liked how they showed the effect of the Civil War on ordinary people. Not just the soldiers who died, but the folk who had to stay behind.

indeed as well as how some profited and some lowered their values or in even some cases they were allowed to explore their depth of depravity.

Gramps

[Zkribbler]

Yeah, that part is right out of the book, which BTW is supposedly based upon what happened to the author's great-great-whatever-grandparents and handed down as family legend.

[Kuciwalker]

I thought this was a birthday thread IIRC we have a poster called Cold Mountain

[Imran Siddiqui]

Really? Hmmm... do you mean ColdWizard?

[Kuciwalker]

Doh!

[Dr Strangelove]

I loved it. It was probably the best Civil War picture ever made. It was certainly light-years better than the series put out by Ted Turner ( Gods and Generals, Gettysburg ).

I think that Renee Zellweiger's line about men and war should have been put on the list of 100 most memorable movie quotes.