Film The Road

[SawTooTH]

I read about this film (release date in November) in a magazine and so bought the book.

The authors Cormak McKarthy who wrote "No Country for Old Men"

The Road - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (warning - contains plot etc)

It's a fairly raw vision of a post apocalyptic world. If the film is faithful to the book it will be a rewarding experience at the cinema...if a little exhausting emotionally

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Read this when it came out a couple of years back, very good book but then it's Cormac so what did you expect? He's a very, very good writer. Have they officially announced who will play the two lead roles yet or are they still just rumours?

 

[DaGaffer]

Read this when it came out a couple of years back, very good book but then it's Cormac so what did you expect? He's a very, very good writer. Have they officially announced who will play the two lead roles yet or are they still just rumours?

its Viggo Mortensen playing the Dad isn't it? I'm sure its already filmed; I seem to remember reading about it in Empire a couple of months back.

 

[SawTooTH]

its Viggo Mortensen playing the Dad isn't it? I'm sure its already filmed; I seem to remember reading about it in Empire a couple of months back.

Yeah you're right. Thats where I got the title of the book from. From what Ive read on the net its pretty faithful to the book.

 

[SawTooTH]

The film lives up to the book!! Hard to watch to be honest, especially if you have kids....too real.

 

[Tom]

I'm disappointed with myself because I bought the book ages ago, and haven't read it. I'll be watching the film though.

Converting books into films is a strange business. The Postman is a superb book, but as a film it largely sucks.

 

[rynnor]

I read the book recently - its pretty skeletal lacking much plot just a constant bleakness.

I found it rather unrealistic and un-convincing - probably make a much better film than book.

If you want a more realistic view of a post apocalyptic world try Earth Abides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Wazzerphuk]

I'm disappointed with myself because I bought the book ages ago, and haven't read it. I'll be watching the film though.

Converting books into films is a strange business. The Postman is a superb book, but as a film it largely sucks.

It's a great literary read. It's done in a way that's very close to poetry, little snippets and scenes in carefully constructed prose. It creates a fantastic atmosphere and to write a novel in the way he has done here is a fantastic achievement.

McCarthy novels translate well to film tbh. No Country for Old Men was very close to the book, this is supposed to be to. Other works of his have made films before and they normally work reasonably well.

I read the book recently - its pretty skeletal lacking much plot just a constant bleakness.

I found it rather unrealistic and un-convincing - probably make a much better film than book.

If you want a more realistic view of a post apocalyptic world try Earth Abides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's highly debatable, there's a LOT in there, it's just beneath the surface.

I think in this case both the film and the book will be excellent, although I've yet to see it. Will probably go either this week or next.

 

[SawTooTH]

I read the book recently - its pretty skeletal lacking much plot just a constant bleakness.

I found it rather unrealistic and un-convincing - probably make a much better film than book.

If you want a more realistic view of a post apocalyptic world try Earth Abides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Earth Abides is a very different scenario. In that book there is hope. The Road doesn't offer any comfort except in "the mans" love of his son.

 

[rynnor]

It's a great literary read. It's done in a way that's very close to poetry, little snippets and scenes in carefully constructed prose.

I thought the style was rather halting and mono-syllabic tbh - I'm sure that was for effect but it made it pretty put-downable.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Earth Abides is a very different scenario. In that book there is hope. The Road doesn't offer any comfort except in "the mans" love of his son.

You're missing one very big element of hope there.

 

[Roo Stercogburn]

Viggo Mortensen brooding for a couple of hours in a post apocalyptic world while going from A to B with junior.

This is on my watch-list and am looking forward to seeing it.

 

[megadave]

Enjoyed it from what i remember, some minor details they missed/added did annoy me though

Spoiler

Is it just me or did they add, in typical hollywood fashion, the dog at the end? I didn't remember that bit in the book and thought it was a load of shit. Also they missed a great scene where they actually play a bit and have fun in the boat.

 

[rynnor]

Enjoyed it from what i remember, some minor details they missed/added did annoy me though

Spoiler

Is it just me or did they add, in typical hollywood fashion, the dog at the end? I didn't remember that bit in the book and thought it was a load of shit. Also they missed a great scene where they actually play a bit and have fun in the boat.

Spoiler

Surely you jest - they didnt really ignore the fact that everything other than mankind was wiped out by sticking in a dog surely!!!

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Saw this this evening, and it really is very good. Pretty much what I wanted after having read the book, it's well directed, very well paced, brilliantly acted and shot superbly.

It's very emotionally moving, but it isn't the completely bleak beast that some people are initially reacting to. There is a lot of hope in this story, it's spread out and countered by bleakness, but the balance is just right.

 

[Scouse]

Spoiler

I thought the dog at the end was a reason to trust those people. If you remember the bit with the bunker with all the food - they could hear a dog and it barked. The people said they'd been following them for a while (which in that situation would be the only way to learn about someone without making yourself known) - so it does give a bit of hope for the kid.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Spoiler

I thought the dog at the end was a reason to trust those people. If you remember the bit with the bunker with all the food - they could hear a dog and it barked. The people said they'd been following them for a while (which in that situation would be the only way to learn about someone without making yourself known) - so it does give a bit of hope for the kid.

Indeed, especially since

Spoiler

The dog would have made damn better food than a skinny human.

 

[SawTooTH]

Spoiler

I thought the dog at the end was a reason to trust those people. If you remember the bit with the bunker with all the food - they could hear a dog and it barked. The people said they'd been following them for a while (which in that situation would be the only way to learn about someone without making yourself known) - so it does give a bit of hope for the kid.

Spoiler

there is a hint of a glimpse of a dog earlier in the book, but never seen. There aren't any insects either, no life except human scavengers living off each other or the scraps they find in the ruins. There is no real hope in the end.

Just wait until peak oil is over in 5-10 years time. Then you'll see the road for yourself.

Buy seeds and buy gold.

 

[pcg79]

Buy seeds and buy gold.

buy spam and guns ...

 

[rynnor]

Just wait until peak oil is over in 5-10 years time. Then you'll see the road for yourself.

Buy seeds and buy gold.

Lol - maybe 100 years but we would still have animals n crops.

You'll never see the actual road scenario because its so incredibly unlikely that a disease would wipe out everything apart from a few humans - far more likely that all humans die but many animals survive.

 

[Bugz]

It's so boring hearing that peak oil = end of the world.