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Waterworld (1995)
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The Spike
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Joined: 23 Sep 2014
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Location: Birmingham. Great Britain.

PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 5:38 pm    Post subject: Waterworld (1995) Reply with quote



"You're a fool to believe in something you've never seen."

Waterworld is directed by Kevin Reynolds and jointly written by David Twohy, Peter Rader and Joss Whedon. It stars Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tina Majorino, Michael Jeter and Gerard Murphy. Music is scored by James Newton Howard and cinematography by Dean Semler.

It's the future and the polar ice caps have melted and the Earth is practically covered by the sea. As civilisation is forced to live on the water, their only hope is to one day find the fabled place known as Dryland. A Mariner drifter may hold the key to Dryland's whereabouts...

It was by definition a troubled shoot, with sackings, difference of opinions, cost overruns, production set backs (hurricane destroying a hugely expensive set) and bad word of mouth generated by a film press intent on giving Kevin Costner a good kicking.

Facts are, now that all the water has evaporated over the years, Waterworld is neither the flop nor bad film that many believe it to be. Should it be a better movie considering the gargantuan amounts of cash spent on it?

Absolutely, without question!

But Waterworld turned a decent profit in spite of its problems and mixed reviews, and now it firmly has a fan base willing to love it for the great sci-fi escapism that it is. Sadly for the fans, Waterworld is still only (officially) available in the 136 minute cut, thus denying many the chance to see the more cohesive 176 minute version.

However, as it is, the 136 cut of the film is still a rollicking water-based adventure, full of spectacular stunts (oh my, those jet-skis rock), amazing sets (whoosh, the sci-fi grandeur of the floating atoll) and blood pumping scenes (the eerie journey and subsequent revelation of a city under water).

Sure it's far from flawless as the pace is uneven at times and as plot narratives go it's pretty thin, but Reynolds and Costner have crafted an impressive world submerged by water.

The cast, too, are delivering knowing performances. Costner's Mariner is indeed one note, unsympathetic and moody, this guy is a loner and a mutation after all, his sombre persona neatly playing against Hopper's cartoonish, satirical and maniacal villain.

Tripplehorn (a porn star name if ever there was one!) beautifully shines in a film populated predominantly by males (there's another flaw for you), Michael Jeter scores favorably as a highly strung elder, while young Majorino is suitably winsome, neatly playing it as a device to mellow the Mariner's cold fishy heart.

If it was meant to be a serious picture in the first place, a sermon on topical destroying of the Earth, then it fails on that score because the characterizations are bound by cliche manacles. But collectively the inhabitants of this Waterworld share a common goal of survival, played out to the backdrop of Reynolds' excellent futuristic setting.

When thrust together to make a good v evil action movie, the characterizations work handsomely. That is ultimately the best way to enjoy Waterworld — let it wash over you (hrr hrr hrr) in a wave (hrr, ok I'll stop now) of water-based action and heroics. It's a world where soil is currency and smoking is a marker for being a bad guy.

From the opening shot of the Universal World logo becoming submerged in water, to the bittersweet finale, yes! Waterworld is indeed escapism in its purest cinematic form. 8/10

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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Brother, am I ever stuck trying to think of a reply to your post!

I mean, just saying, "You're right! I love this movie!" is pretty dull. And all those other members I try to argue to death when I disagree with them will think I'm playing favorites if I don't say anything negative about this movie!

Admittedly I was shocked to learn that I'm being deprived of 40 minutes that the filmmakers didn't include in my Blu-ray of Waterworld. That's unfortunate . . . but looking on the bright side, after I've watched it a few times and gotten more familiar with it, I'll be tickled pink when they release the "extended version" and I can giggle with glee every time I spot something new!

One small semi-negative remark: according to IMDB's trivia items for this movie, "If the icecaps melted, the oceans would only rise a few hundred feet; not enough to flood civilization into a floating oblivion."

That's reassuring from a real-world standpoint, and entirely forgivable from a cinematic standpoint. Artistic license was applied to create a rousing adventures.

I'm always in favor of that. Very Happy

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The Spike
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:02 am    Post subject: Region 1 DVD Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:
Brother, am I ever stuck trying to think of a reply to your post!

I mean, just saying, "You're right! I love this movie!" is pretty dull. And all those other members I try to argue to death when I disagree with them will think I'm playing favorites if I don't say anything negative about this movie!

Admittedly I was shocked to learn that I'm being deprived of 40 minutes that the filmmakers didn't include in my Blu-ray of Waterworld. That's unfortunate . . . but looking on the bright side, after I've watched it a few times and gotten more familiar with it, I'll be tickled pink when they release the "extended version" and I can giggle with glee every time I spot something new!

One small semi-negative remark: according to IMDB's trivia items for this movie, "If the icecaps melted, the oceans would only rise a few hundred feet; not enough to flood civilization into a floating oblivion."

That's reassuring from a real-world standpoint, and entirely forgivable from a cinematic standpoint. Artistic license was applied to create a rousing adventures.

I'm always in favor of that. Very Happy

You guys can now get both cuts of the film in one DVD package, it's very pricey though.

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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pricey indeed. $63.97 from Amazon. I think I'll wait until I want it a little more, but I definitely want it.

Thanks, Spike!



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
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Doctor Kaiju
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Joined: 09 Nov 2014
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 2:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This movie has it's moments. To me, it's a good concept that didn't quite work out.

It could have used more sharks and/or octopodes. This movie is BEGGING for more sharks, it's supposed to be Waterworld!

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Randy
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why didn't they just use their battery operated GPS and steer toward the sandy beaches of Denver?
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Robert (Butch) Day
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So much for the movie. Here is an animation of what the Earth would look like if all the ice — polar and mountains — were to melt. The oceans would rise only 216 feet!

http://www.businessinsider.com/what-earth-would-look-like-if-ice-melted-world-map-animation-2015-2#ooid=5xam5iczrSx4Ibx8MvarDsu3zOG88omE

Here is an interactive map from the source of that animation.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/09/rising-seas/if-ice-melted-map

LaLaLand. Sheesh!

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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I kinda liked what they did in 2012 (the movie), where they rattled off some bologna about the sun's neutrinos "evolving" into a new type of atomic particle, and this new particle heated up the core, causing the up places on Earth to go down and the down places to go up.

Not scientifically accurate, but it was entertaining.

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


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Phantom
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Count me on the positive side.

This is a grand, preposterous popcorn movie with equal amounts of drama and side splitting comedy (intentional and not).

Forget science and minor details like where they were getting food and fuel to maintain their society in a world totally covered with water. It isn't important when Costner is sailing the single sea, fending off the ocassional psycho who shows up to trade his stock for Tripplehorn, and growling at Majorino like a seafaring Wally Beery thinking up tortures for Jackie Cooper.

Topping it all is an outrageous Dennis Hopper (with eye patch) dispensing cigarettes to the masses as if it were candy and threatening to skin a child alive in order to obtain a map to dry land tatooed on her back.

Favorite scene: the old slavey in the bottom of the ship who sees a roaring wall of fire coming toward him and says "Thank God," knowing his long agony is at an end.

The short version rips along at breakneck speed and doesn't really give you a chance to think about all the absurdities in the plot. Still, I would like to see the longer cut, if it ever plays on cable (not holding my breath).
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Custer
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When Amazon says "Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock" about the extended edition, as mentioned over in the SFMB thread, you know that it's going to be hard to find. Maybe that is because the proprietors are planning a special new release later in the year...?

By the way, Mr Phantom, Bud is strongly of the opinion that you'd really enjoy the SFMB if you went across and investigated. We'll hope to see you there soon!


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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, the extended cut (at 176 minutes, or 2 hours and 56 minutes) is down to $45.00, with 7 currently in stock at Amazon.

So, I ordered it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F12IZS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

Several websites warned me, however, that this is a somewhat bastardized version of what director Kevin Reynolds originally wanted the film to be — a three-hour movie that reportedly had far fewer story problems than the 135 minute theatrical version (2 hours and 15 minutes).

The 176 minute version is actually the one prepared for an ABC two night event, and even though it allegedly comes close to what Reynolds wanted to release to theaters, it does have edits for language and nudity.

I guess I could just look at online pictures of Jeanne Tripplehorn's buck naked body double (it wasn't really Jeanne, but that pretty backside is still a nice Southern view), and I could shout cuss words whenever somebody in the movie sounds like they're spouting G-rate invectives. Very Happy

It amazes me that filmmakers will pour their heart and soul into making these movies and then not preserve the original version so they can present it to the public in a second release if the public shows an interest in the longer version.

One of the few filmmakers who's had enough sense to do this is James Cameron, with Avatar. I rushed back to the theater every single time he released a longer version of that wonderful movie, and I enjoyed every new minute of it! Very Happy

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
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Custer
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hopefully present-day movie-makers are more concerned with preserving out-takes, alternate cuts, and anything else they've got down on film/tape, as they know that there will be a blu-ray edition that would love to include a director cut and more among its extras. Back in Waterworld's day, such a release would have been classed as science fiction!
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wrote this on the Science Fiction Message Board back in September, and thought I'd put it here, too — for the pictures, if nothing else. Very Happy
_______________________________________

This movie should have done way better than it did.

The concept is quite novel, and the visual look of the movie is gorgeous. The characters are mighty darn colorful, too.

Kevin Costner is a flamboyant hero (accent on the buoyant . . . ), a mariner whose name is just Mariner, with the coolest catamaran that ever sailed the seven seas, except that in this movie there's only one sea — all the more reason to own the best ride money can buy.







Money in this strange world is actually dirt, even though we never see anybody who owns enough to grow a decent row of tomato plants.

Dennis Hopper is a delightfully deranged dictator, one of those bad guys you like so much you almost wish the hero wouldn't blast him into fish bait at some point before the closing credits.



Young Tina Majorino proved that there are lots of talented child actors out there, and you wonder yet again why poor little Jake Lloyd was chosen to play Mannequin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace.



Jeanne Tripplehorn does a real fine job of making us yearn for a sandy beach and a white bikini and a perfect pickup line that would work on a movie star.



The regular Blu-ray is the theatrical version that somebody with bilge water for brains cut 40 minutes out of. But if you can find $63.97 down under your sofa cushions you can get this version from Amazon.



I just have the standard Blu-ray, and I'm going to watch it a few more times so I'll get familiar with it before buying the longer version. That way I'll spot the new parts right way and hop around on the couch with unbridled excitement — thereby loosing more change from my pockets so I can afford the next movie I want to buy!

I like to plan ahead.
_______________________________

Update November 8th, 2015: I just finished watching the extended cut version, and it is terrific! Unlike some other "director's cuts" I've seen, there are no sections that seem less necessary to the story. I had a hard time being sure what was new and what wasn't.

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Sun Jan 22, 2023 2:26 pm; edited 8 times in total
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Pow
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also enjoyed WW & never understood the hate that it received.

And what a magnificent set they constructed for this film!
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Gord Green
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 7:28 pm    Post subject: waterworld Reply with quote

Should have just called it "NAMOR---THE SUBMARINER" and kick started the superhero movie genre !

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