Time to see how this stacks up to Bondarchuk's film.
Something that's evidently on the docket is establishing a great deal of the dramatic situations at play nearly as soon as is possible. The first scene is kind of amazing for the number of dramatic situations it evinces, but it lacks the grandness of Bondarchuk's adaptation. In comparison to that film, there's at least a moment in every scene here where I feel like they're rushing to get there. There are a great many casualties to this approach, things that fail because of the short runtime of this film (lmao). Among the worst victims is Natasha's affair with Anatol, which seems like an incredibly silly thing to do on her part mostly because we haven't spent an immense amount of time inhabiting the devastation, indeed, the miserable depression Natasha experiences in her separation from Andrei. Another stretch that suffers is Pierre's time in occupied Moscow.
I did love this film a lot, but unfortunately I'm going to have to give the edge to Bondarchuk. I have a lot of thoughts, but no energy to share them in any vaguely systematic or full manner.
I took an intermission or two. During the first intermission I watched the entirety of Hagler vs. Hearns, the legendary boxing match. Is it the best boxing match ever? Maybe. Is this the greatest War and Peace ever? No, I don't think so.
"I believe that's the rumor."
alt. quote: "What a joy it is to dance with her."
alt. alt. quote: "Sonya! I'll hate you forever for this, openthedoooor!"
alt. alt. alt. quote which made me laugh: "I was a great hater, Natasha."
Time to see how this stacks up to Bondarchuk's film.
Something that's evidently on the docket is establishing a great deal of the dramatic situations at play nearly as soon as is possible. The first scene is kind of amazing for the number of dramatic situations it evinces, but it lacks the grandness of Bondarchuk's adaptation. In comparison to that film, there's at least a moment in every scene here where I feel like they're rushing to get there. There are a great many casualties to this approach, things that fail because of the short runtime of this film (lmao). Among the worst victims is Natasha's affair with Anatol, which seems like an incredibly silly thing to do on her part mostly because we haven't spent an immense amount of time inhabiting the devastation, indeed, the miserable depression Natasha experiences in her separation from Andrei. Another stretch that suffers is Pierre's time in occupied Moscow.
I did love this film a lot, but unfortunately I'm going to have to give the edge to Bondarchuk. I have a lot of thoughts, but no energy to share them in any vaguely systematic or full manner.
I took an intermission or two. During the first intermission I watched the entirety of Hagler vs. Hearns, the legendary boxing match. Is it the best boxing match ever? Maybe. Is this the greatest War and Peace ever? No, I don't think so.
"I believe that's the rumor."
alt. quote: "What a joy it is to dance with her."
alt. alt. quote: "Sonya! I'll hate you forever for this, openthedoooor!"
alt. alt. alt. quote which made me laugh: "I was a great hater, Natasha."
