Old Clothes, Part II: Maybe They're Not So Bad After All (John Adams)
We here at the Blogulator occasionally make statements that, after thinking about them, consider that perhaps they were not the most, oh, sensible statements. A couple of years ago, on this very blog, I made a statement that, oh, I hated any movie or television program with old clothes. Well, let me tell you -- old clothes aren't really so bad. In fact, when held in the right circumstances, they can even be riveting. Tonight was the premiere of HBO's "epic" $100 million seven-part mini-series, John Adams, starring Paul Giamatti as the title character, Laura Linney as Abigal Adams, Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin, and, of course, Justin Theroux as John Hancock. Period pieces ain't never been so modern.And as John Adams started swimmingly tonight, concluding with a Terance Malick-esque reading of the Declaration of Independence, here are some other old clothed media items that have made me start enjoying all those hithers and thithers.
There Will Be Blood
Duh. Of course, anything with great acting and beautiful cinematography, I'm going to like. But it turns out things with old clothes can also be edgy, even if there isn't any cursing. Yeah, wait a second, why don't they ever swear in old clothes? I guess they do in Deadwood (which I have yet to see but I'm thinking I will also enjoy.)
Carnivale
I may still never forgive HBO for cancelling this show, but this may have been the first television series I ever watched with old clothes that I truly enjoyed. Again, the Stephen King-mixed-with-Twin Peaks sensibilities were probably more important to my enjoyment than the old clothes, but that's beside the point.
Kind of wanting to see The Other Boleyn Girl
I defintely would have slapped myself in the face with a musket had I admitted that I wouldn't mind falling asleep to The Other Boleyn Girl but I have a feeling that it would at least be a less intolerable option at the multiplex than Horton Hears a Who (COME ON! LET DOCTOR SEUSS REST IN PEACE, JACKASSES! READ HIS BOOKS!!! LKDSAJF:LAKSJFLDSAKF!!!)
All in all, John Adams is highly enjoyable, if anything because it's a nice thing to look at on Sunday nights before going to work on Monday for the next few weeks. And that is in spite of the old clothes. No, that's aided by the old clothes. Hear hear for old clothes movies!
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Sunday, March 16, 2008.
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Carnivale... never forgive...
I ain't so sure the clothes were what done it, tho, or is you forgettin bout the Cootch Show! Yaahwee!
How have you never seen Deadwood? Take away this mans' press credentials!
I also noticed I've been cut from the lineup. Who are you, Ned Yost?
Oh, so now he comes out of the woodwork. If you update your blog more than once every 9 months, maybe I'll put you back up there. Don't worry -- Deadwood is next on my list of HBO series to tackle, after I'm finished with The Wire.
Whoa whoa whoa let's not go overboard. I think I'd rather sit through Horton than an old clothes ROMANCE movie. Maybe that's where the distinction comes in - old clothes courtship is b to the oring.
Was I the only one left feeling "meh" after John Adams last night? I liked aspects of it and will keep watching it for sure, but I wasn't blown away by any means. Hopefully it's just because it's the introduction, but I feel like so far they're making too clear-cut a distinction between good guys and bad guys, which is annoying. I have faith that it will get into three-dimensional territory next week with the repercussions of the declaration...
Yeah, I wasn't totally blown away with last night's premiere, but I did enjoy the excellent production aspects of it. At the very least, it could serve as a comforting end-of-the-weekend passive history lesson. I felt mostly "meh" through it all until the last half hour or so when the tension started to rise. The commercials did make me excited for "Generation Kill" in July, though, too.
I agree with Chris - I remember thinking toward the end that John Adams was one really, really good guy. He always did the right thing without struggle and was clearly the hero of America's revolution. Totally one-dimensional and unrealistic character. Even Abigail Adams had more to her than her husband.
I did like that Ben Franklin wasn't painted in the same light, though. And I learned that he invented the first rolling office chair back in 1775!
um, maybe we weren't totally blown away by John Adams last night because we were all so busy talking, eating, and playing with puppies.....
I was mostly watching, but wish I had mostly been playing with puppies. I was underwhelmed by John Adams, but am still hopeful that it will get better next week.
Oh and I'm totes on the Deadwood train with you when we get done with The Wire.
John Adams was exactly as I thought it would be.
I've also never seen Deadwood and will ride that train after the Wire.
Deadwood's fucking amazing. Not as amazing as The Wire, though, which is absolutely the best thing ever.
Anyone know when the Deadwood mini-series finale starts?
Potentially never -- supposedly all the sets they used have been torn down and the actor's contracts have expired, so when/if they do it they would need to book a lot of different actors for one time period. HBO f---ed it up, all for John from Cincinatti?
Spring 2019 Update: https://deadline.com/2019/02/deadwood-movie-premiere-date-spring-2019-1202553319/
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