Posted by Diana S. on August 26, 2000 at 11:59:13:
In Reply to: Re: Some of my impressions on your theme posted by Rich on August 25, 2000 at 17:55:58:
: : Ok, so I finally get around to watching LOTM for the first time since I got back from the Gathering. And I get the funny feeling that I will never see the film in quite the same way again! ... Put it this way, I feel as though I am seeing the film with entirely new eyes, and I kinda miss the old view!
: : Anyone else had the same experience?!
: : Adele
: Absolutely, Adele! Not that it's all bad, mind you!
: Researching this film, first to put together the book, then to build this Web Site, was a lot like researching history. Primary sources, secondary sources, walking the ground ... the whole bit. Very unusual feeling. Here you are talking to a person who was in the film, and in many ways you knew more about it than he did. As in historical research, a primary source knows, often, just what he observed/experienced. Talk to a bunch of primary sources & the whole picture begins to emerge. It just keeps growing. The researcher ends up with a better overall impression than the participant ... or more accurate, anyway. Nothing, of course, replaces the first-hand experience, and the information gleaned from such a source is invaluable ... I stray ...
: Here on the site, we didn't always draw conclusions, just let it hang out there for you to piece together your own story. But, there is a story in there ... one that's not apparent from watching the film ...
: So yeah, it's hard to view the film with the same innocence that we once did ... we now know who threw up where just before what scene, and other delightful little tidbits. We know there's a road down there below those cliffs, that 1757 Albany is really 1991 Asheville, etc. etc. The movie tends to lose its impact ... MOST of the time. That's one reason I love the DVD. It grabbed my attention all over again & the ending brought that feeling of power back again. LOTM is really a VERY powerful film. Through countless viewings, backward & forward, in slow motion & frame by frame; due to in depth discussions with cast & crew, on & off the record; as the result of walking every inch of ground you see on screen; because we, at times have lived & breathed LOTM 24 hours a day ... the movie CAN'T be viewed the same anymore.
: But, you know what?
: I wouldn't go back for a second! WHAT a ride it's been!
Afternoon Y'all,
I agree wholeheartedly with you Rich!
We couldn't have gotten here without going there. Maybe I've seen the movie TOO MANY times (if that's possible) so that I hardly remember my first viewing. I don't remember my reactions to certain scenes, just the overall WOW of the whole movie. I take part of that back, the "I will find you" scene was definately a stand out (loud sigh from wife, disgusted look on husband's face). But after the big WOW, there have been so many sub-WOWs (new word) through our MohicanLand experience, that collectively I treasure MORE than that virgin viewing. It's kinda' like your first kiss (unless he wore braces and slobb..e..rrrrrrrr....)OOPS, bad example! It's like your first GOOD kiss. You remember it fondly, but would you have stopped there? NO WAY MAN!
I've often compared my experience with LOTM with other favorite movies, like Rob Roy, with beautiful scenery and music. I loved it, but do I want to visit every filming location? No, not really. I'd LOVE to see Scotland, and I will one day (yep, Kate, if you look in your crystal ball, that's me knocking on your door), but do I want to crawl inside that cow Liam Neeson hid in? Well, that's not a fair example, but you know what I mean. There are STILL locations in LOTM I'm bustin' to visit! You know, the 2 we haven't been to. LOL!!!
I wouldn't trade it for NUTTIN', DAMMMMMIIIIIIIIITTTTT!
What IS IT about that movie?
Diana