"8 Below"

[furtech]

I went to see "Eight Below" tonight .

I went into this knowing that it would be nothing like the film it was based on ( "Nankyoku monogatari" aka "Antarctica" ). That film is amazing and more raw--a real tear jerker. I wondered just -how- much they Disney-fied the original.

Overall, I got what I wanted: typical Disney fare that is both sappy and relatively enjoyable. Along the lines of "The Incredible Journey" or "Thomasina". The filmmakers at least did a decent amount of research. They got a few things terribly wrong but to me they weren't hugely noticeable mistakes. Without spoilers: the science expedition was barely believable; what's with all the daylight?; and when winter's setting in, the ice doesn't get thinner! The dogs were anthropomorphized but far less than I expected. I could see what they based the behaviors on-- the anthropomorphizing was essentially to shortcut/make more obvious how the dogs survived. They also didn't show what was probaby the dogs' main food source during that time-- penguins-- because they're too cute to be seen torn apart by hungry huskies I guess.

The dogs were gorgeous and probably the best actors in the movie. And again without giving out spoilers, not all of them survive which was both poignant and somewhat surprising (I dreaded Disney totally sappifying the story.

Bottom line: if you want to see wonderful icy scenery and lots of huskies, go see it. If you want sophisticated stories or realistic survival epics, skip it.

Comments

[karisu-sama.livejournal.com]

I want to go see it just because I <3 dogs. The heck with ice scenery - bring on the nice dogs. ^^

[millencolinf0x.livejournal.com]

Totally agree with you. And I loved it. I want to see it again :)

[cooner.livejournal.com]

Totally unrelated note, but I was thinking about you last night ... did you happen to catch the season finale of Monk? Monk was selected for jury duty ... The time spent in the jury room was limited because it was only half the story going on in the episode, so you didn't catch all the details of that case, but within about 30 seconds I realized that they were doing totally doing a ripoff/homage to 12 Angry Men. There were a few differences ... Monk was Juror 11 instead of 7 ... but a lot of the elements were there ... the case involved a stabbing attack and one key eye-witness ... the foreman insisting everyone sit in order by juror number, "it's customary to take a preliminary vote" by "secret ballot" ... the foreign juror commenting on the legal system, the hardass dislikable juror, the calculating logical character eventually won over ... "I suggest we take another vote ..." "I say we go in and declare a hung jury" ... "Alright, you've convinced me ..." and of course, the preliminary vote being 11-1 and ultimately ending 1-11.

I don't know how many people are familiar enough with 12 Angry Men that they would have recognized it, but it was cracking me up.

(I'm assuming you're familiar with the movie. I could be confused tho.)

[desertcoyote.livejournal.com]

I get teary-eyed just watching the trailer, so I think I'll wait until it comes to DVD so I can sob like the sap I am in the privacy of my own home.... :D
I never heard of "Antarctica" but it sounds like a beautiful movie, if I can watch it through my tear-stained eyes.... :)
(I'm SUCH a sap when it comes to dogs...!)

[thakur.livejournal.com]

By the sound of it I might give it a miss and try and find the original 'Antarctica'.

I am not too keen on remakes ,especially by Disney.

What Sakhalin Huskies

[karisu-sama.livejournal.com]

From this site which talks about the true story and the various types of huskies & sled dogs...

http://www.babayaga.ca/2006/02/so-you-want-siberian-husky-eight-below.html

If this image shows up - here's a photo of a pack of statues of the dogs (of the 1957 expedition) which is located outside Tokyo Tower:

:D

[karisu-sama.livejournal.com]

Look! Bios of the dog actors from "Eight Below" are included in the Wikipedia listing! :D

*hugs the nice dogs*
*throws tennis balls & antarctic station flags* :p

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Below

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Better than the other husky movie they did a few years ago ah...? I sure am glad to have your opinion... movie going is 'spensive!