The King’s Speech? Really?

[almostwitty]

A generically dull, predictable, historically inaccurate but worthy English heritage film about a noble man who overcomes troubles to defeat his enemy wins the Oscar for Best Film? Best Director? Really? THIS is what the Oscar voters deem to be the best film made and shown in America in the last year?

You know what this means?

Every darned British film producer is going to spend the next five to ten years trying to make me-too films about fellow noble Royals who, despite seeming to have everything in the world, have to overcome a secret problem to achieve their objective. After Chariots of Fires, we had to put up with endless English heritage films. After Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (the last major British film success), we had to put up with endless English gangsta films set in South London.

More dull British films that harken back to England’s glorious past, as opposed to trying to look to Britain’s present and future. A boon for heritage production designers, but bad news for anyone who wants to look forward, not backwards.

Thank Gawd the baby means I’ll probably be avoiding cinema for the next five years.

btw, I once popped into Colin Firth’s wife’s eco-friendly shop in Chiswick. The shop assistants there were unbelievably snooty.

(Ob. disclaimer: I haven’t seen this film. Or, indeed, any of the nominated films this year. I’m blaming it on the baby)

Mirrored from almost witty.

Comments

[trialia]

If you haven't seen it, don't moan about it so much. I have seen it and it's a heck of a lot more interesting than one would think it'd be. And so what if its characterisation of Churchill was a bit - or a lot - off? He hardly features in the film at all.

[almostwitty]

Whether I've seen this film or not, success begets success so we'll be drowned in other tediously-dull heritage-based British films that might as well be plays when, y'know, we could be doing interesting sci-fi instead or something that actually uses the visual medium to full effect!

[trialia]

Perhaps we will, but that doesn't make this film crap, and you shouldn't say it is if you haven't seen it.

[anewdaysjourney.livejournal.com]

I haven't either. Can I blame Alexander too?

[wylde-chylde99.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen it either. Everybody is going on and on about it, but it holds absolutely no interest for me.

[talulahk.livejournal.com]

It's actually pretty good flick. Too bad David Cameron has nixed the UK Film Council; just going along with the crazy US Repub's trying to get rid of the gov't sector unions in the US.

Colin Firth should have won an Oscar for Tom Fords' "A Single Man" last year. But GOD forbid a gay fashion designer who directed the most perfect ANGSTY gay movie about losing a partner...

Get some sleep, thank goodness you don't stutter.

[sioneva.livejournal.com]

"Colin Firth should have won an Oscar for Tom Fords' "A Single Man" last year. But GOD forbid a gay fashion designer who directed the most perfect ANGSTY gay movie about losing a partner..."

This. I did love "The King's Speech" but mostly because, to me, it was about overcoming disability (yes, I know that's a loaded term). All things considered, I don't look to Hollywood anything for historical accuracy.

But Colin Firth deserved to win last year, so I'm glad he won this year as some small recompense. A Single Man was excellent.

[radiantsoul.livejournal.com]

It is a pretty good film.

[badnoodles.livejournal.com]

I saw it, I liked it. But it was much more like a superbly acted and shot Materpiece Theater than a best-picture Oscar.

That being said, I'm so very glad that an actually-enjoyable movie won, as opposed to the turgid depression fests that so often seem to.

[radiantsoul.livejournal.com]

I am not sure it is that inaccurate.
Churchill did support the old king, but he was alone in doing so. I suppose he is probably the only politican from that era that was recognisable.