Comments on: Day of Speed Racer http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/ culture blogging for the good of the planet Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:20:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: oakling http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/#comment-108130 oakling Wed, 21 May 2008 19:47:03 +0000 http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/#comment-108130 Well, now I really can't decide whether to see it! I never watched the cartoon, and it sounds like the movie would make me motion-sick... I don't know why Hollywood seems to think that's a selling point. Well, now I really can’t decide whether to see it! I never watched the cartoon, and it sounds like the movie would make me motion-sick… I don’t know why Hollywood seems to think that’s a selling point.

]]> By: danica http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/#comment-107733 danica Mon, 19 May 2008 20:55:06 +0000 http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/#comment-107733 To be fair, I think Chocano isn't contradicting herself but is saying something along the lines of "There was too much talking and not enough action, and what action I saw was too fast and confusing and seemed pointless." Which sounds a lot more pointed and damning than what she actually said - go me! ;-p To be fair, I think Chocano isn’t contradicting herself but is saying something along the lines of “There was too much talking and not enough action, and what action I saw was too fast and confusing and seemed pointless.” Which sounds a lot more pointed and damning than what she actually said - go me! ;-p

]]> By: The Chutry Experiment » Speed Racer http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/#comment-107253 The Chutry Experiment » Speed Racer Thu, 15 May 2008 15:09:18 +0000 http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/#comment-107253 [...] Update 2: Dennis has an incredibly thorough round-up of critical opinion on Speed Racer on his newcritics review, in which he offers an enthusiastic defense of the movie. In particular, he takes on Jim Emerson’s claim that Speed Racer is “a manufactured widget, a packaged commodity that capitalizes on an anthropomorphized cartoon of Capitalist Evil in order to sell itself and its ancillary products.” Emerson goes on to add, “Whatever information that passes from your retinas to your brain during Speed Racer is conveyed through optical design and not so much through more traditional devices such as dialogue, narrative, performance or characterization. Like the animated TV series that inspired this movie, you could look at it with the sound off and it wouldn’t matter.” [...] [...] Update 2: Dennis has an incredibly thorough round-up of critical opinion on Speed Racer on his newcritics review, in which he offers an enthusiastic defense of the movie. In particular, he takes on Jim Emerson’s claim that Speed Racer is “a manufactured widget, a packaged commodity that capitalizes on an anthropomorphized cartoon of Capitalist Evil in order to sell itself and its ancillary products.” Emerson goes on to add, “Whatever information that passes from your retinas to your brain during Speed Racer is conveyed through optical design and not so much through more traditional devices such as dialogue, narrative, performance or characterization. Like the animated TV series that inspired this movie, you could look at it with the sound off and it wouldn’t matter.” [...]

]]> By: Chuck Tryon http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/#comment-107251 Chuck Tryon Thu, 15 May 2008 14:49:44 +0000 http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/14/days-of-speed-racer/#comment-107251 I keep wavering back and forth on <i>Speed Racer</i>. I saw it in an empty theater (like I was literally <a href="http://www.chutry.wordherders.net/wp/?p=1914" rel="nofollow">the only person</a> in the theater), so it was hard for me to develop a lot of the excitement for the film that some people have described. But when I hear someone like Armond White say that <i>Speed Racer</i> is "killing cinema," then I have to wonder if it's not actually reinventing it. I actually appreciated the avant-garde elements of the visual design--it was as if Peter Greenaway had made an action film--very strange, very surreal, and I think my ten-year old self would have appreciated the aesthetics as well. I keep wavering back and forth on Speed Racer. I saw it in an empty theater (like I was literally the only person in the theater), so it was hard for me to develop a lot of the excitement for the film that some people have described.

But when I hear someone like Armond White say that Speed Racer is “killing cinema,” then I have to wonder if it’s not actually reinventing it. I actually appreciated the avant-garde elements of the visual design–it was as if Peter Greenaway had made an action film–very strange, very surreal, and I think my ten-year old self would have appreciated the aesthetics as well.

]]>