8 Responses to “ReelzChannel: If Chris Weitz gets nothing else right…”

1. RebeccaK
   

   25. Mar, 2009

   I’m very excited that most fan sites call again for truth to the book, which means forsaking our love of watching RPatz (absence makes the heart grow fonder). I hear a call for a sincere evolution of Bella and Jacob’s relationship, which is key if there is to be true emotional tension in the love triangle, which of course isn’t resolved for another two books.

   The challenge of taking the Twilight books to the big screen is recreating/evoking the intense emotions that touched all of the reading fans of the series. To make New Moon a winner, make sure that these emotions sing from the core to the surface.

   1. Devotional love.
   2. Unimaginable devastation, loss, grief, and disillusionment.
   3. Gratitude and new found freedom in the life-breathing energy of Jacob’s companionship.
   4. The relentless and crippling hold of Bella and Edward’s connection – “I would rather die than live without you”.
   5. Edward’s metaphysical struggles and pain, even though he has found what he’s been looking for his whole life.
   6. Suspense, thrill, shock, terror – AKA The Volturi.
   7. Bella’s process and struggle with commitment, plus the challenge of maintaining two polarized but critical relationships in her life.
   8. The hope and internal resolution Edward finds in making a commitment.

   I could go on, but you must be getting bored with my monologue. Here’s rooting for Chris, the cast, and everyone involved in the making of the next installment of this beloved series.

2. j wink
   

   25. Mar, 2009

   Kirsten! I really agree w/ you about the lack of passion in Twilight. I really was hoping to feel that strong connection between Bella & Edward, but instead just got bits & pieces here and there. That and the twinkling sounds being left out also. However, when Edward sparkles, would it seem strange if there was to be no sound at all?

3. Natalie
   

   25. Mar, 2009

   First, I have to ask.: Are we sure Weitz is going to see the list? Should this have been something he saw in pre-production? It’s not too late for it?

   Kristen, I too agree about the lack of passion. I’ve seen low-budget book-to-movie love-stories (thinking of The Notebook) pull at my heartstrings from start to finish. Twilight, the book, did that for me. The movie did not. I got a little bit when he asked, “Where am I going to go?” in the hospital and a little bit towards the very very end during prom. I didn’t even feel too much during the kiss b/c of the awkwardness I felt when he jumped back against the wall, yelled “stop,” turned around and then turned back to face her with some sort of weird/painful/made-for-tv after-school-special facial expression.

   Yes, get rid of sparkle noise! Again, big screen production. Not made-for-tv movie.

   I too wish the cast, Weitz and everyone involved the best of luck!

4. Bfc
   

   25. Mar, 2009

   Wow, I agree, I agree, then I have my own list.

   I am feeling pretty sorry for Chris Weitz. While he did agree to this, I am sure he could produce an Oscar-worthy film and we are still going to be dissapointed. Hopefully, it all comes together perfectly in the end. I am not sure that I could deliver on everything that we are demanding.

   Good luck to the cast and production crew–I am crossing my fingers for kismet.

5. Leslie
   

   25. Mar, 2009

   I wish Chris and my Cullen friends all the best. BUT I do hope that New Moon is a little better than Twilight. Keep close to the book and please, please make us feel how deeply in love they are with each other. That was REALLY missing in Twilight. I want to feel Bella’s pain and then happiness when Edward comes home.
   I truly can’t wait for this movie!

6. Barbara
   

   25. Mar, 2009

   No doubt: our hopes and expectations are high. The first movie gave us action. I think we need to shift to the roller coaster of heavy emotion– high highs and low lows and everything in between. As movie goers, we need the palpable experience of Bella: the love, horror, abandonment (!), numbness working back into a very hurt smile, the over-the-edge hearing voice stuff, the healing from her very own personal sun, the incompleteness that Jacob just can’t seem to fill, the pleasure of seeing Alice, the desperation to save Edward and finally the healing from being together again. That’s all we ask of Kristen expressing Bella. (ome, how will they ever be able to live up to this?!!!!!!)

   For the Quileute, I hope the director, cast and crew do their homework. The pack actors selected thus far “get it” because they live it: they are Native American/ First Nations people. Taylor Lautner may need some tutoring on what it is to be Native American and rez life. He’s a pro, so I hope he takes some extra time to gain an authentic understanding. For Chris Weitz, there are things visually that will need to be present in order to make this fantasy have a sense of realism–especially the stark contrast of natural beauty that LaPush has as seen against the stark reality of poverty that a lot of tribal nations experience. I don’t know how Stephenie Meyer got the idea to have Native American characters (which I think is the most incredible, beautiful thing ever), but there are some qualities that will need to be seen that don’t get described/ defy written description.

   Here is a short list:
   * unique Native American humor,
   * Jacob’s description of having no privacy (this goes quadruple when a tribal community is close by),
   * the council and how they respond to Sam as a traditional leader (a sense of reverence that is tough to describe without visually capturing it– the nonverbals of the council members),
   * the little rez store (probably on the salt-water shabby side with poor stock compared to what would be in a Forks convenience store–think Smoke Signals or other critically acclaimed Native American life movies that depict current day),
   * the reverence during the storytelling on the beach (why is this *not* done in the Quileute language and how Native nations struggle to keep their languages alive? Why is this on the beach instead of at a ceremony– is it the time of year when people start to shift that doesn’t jive with the traditional religion’s stories told at that time of year?),
   * the responsibilty as tribal member-protectors (which will be easy to visually communicate) in contrast to not having respect in Forks that the Quileute have on the rez (Quil is a key character to best explain this point, imo)
   ….lots of little things will tell those of us familiar with Native America on whether or not all involved with New Moon have done their homework.

   New Moon is a real opportunity to show solid family values (Sam and Emily, Jacob and Billy); tribal relationships (Jake, Quil, Embry and Sam); great love for family, clan, tribe and nation (Emily and the pack is key on this point); and some of the traditional beauty that shines through as a tribute to Native American survival (Quil Sr., Billy and Leah are key here). It’s also a great opportunity to take a quick snapshot of Native life today (like the great friendship Charlie and Billy share.)

   Then, of course, the whole storyline (well-covered in the message boards so far) on Volterra and the Volturi. It would be nice for some of us hardcore fans to get some more history of the stregoni benefici (said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of evil vampires– p.135 in Twilight) and how that possibly relates to the Voluturi…or if it is a specific reference to Carlisle and his time in Italy. Theoretically, Aro, Caius and Marcus could have something worked into the script to address this idea or an expanded dialog betwen Alice and Bella regarding St. Marcus’s Day could cover it.

   All I can say is, “Good luck, we’ll be watching…”

7. Connie
   

   26. Mar, 2009

   Barbara, while it would be great to have all that, there would be no time left for any other story. It is a whole other movie you’re talking about.

8. Barbara
   

   26. Mar, 2009

   More movies….mmmmmm…I’d go see them.