Ghost in the Shell Live Action - March 31, 2017

[kajnrig]

5 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

Frankly though, I think the name change sucks.  Cultural significance aside, you replaced someone who named themselves after a sword, with something that sounds like they could work in accounting.  Maybe they're going to work the pseudonym into the movie at some point?  I can only hope.

Could be she's calling the Major "mira" or whatever the slang is in Spanish that (I think I've heard) some people call young girls. Like a term of endearment or something? Urban Dictionary also says that "mira" is like saying "yo" in Spanish. So whatever it is, maybe the lady's being super informal with ScarJo, and just happens to have a dumb Midwestern white person accent. I dunno.

As for "Motoko Kusanagi/Jane Excalibur"... eh. That particular comparison puts too much emphasis on symbolism, methinks. Both Motoko and Kusanagi are pretty common Japanese names, regardless of whether the latter is "descended" from the sword or not. Excalibur, on the other hand... Not too many Johnny Excaliburs or Excalibur Smiths running around. "Jane Smith" would be more apt if only because you could argue that the last name "Smith" once upon a time might have been an occupation signifier, ie "Jane the Smith," as in Jane the blacksmith, and a blacksmith makes swords. You keep the tenuous connection to weaponry AND the ubiquity of the name.

[Chronocidal]

Oh, sorry, should have clarified it here, since I didn't realize it wasn't mentioned.  Apparently her actual name was released in an art book, or some promotional thing for the movie, and it's supposedly Mira Killian. 

[kajnrig]

Well.

Alright, then.

I think this calls for:

 

[sh9000]

The trailer looked great in the theater.  Nostalgia kicked in.  I can't wait to watch this.

[azrael]

This should sum up my current read on this movie.

 

[Negotiator]

it wouldn't make sense to tell her any real info including her name if they are going to lie about her identity from the beginning.

[JB0]

On 3/3/2017 at 10:05 PM, Chronocidal said:

Oh, sorry, should have clarified it here, since I didn't realize it wasn't mentioned.  Apparently her actual name was released in an art book, or some promotional thing for the movie, and it's supposedly Mira Killian. 

That is a rather unexpected move for a production that has, thus far, looked like it considered what came before as more than a nuisance to be ignored. 

I grant that Motoko Kusanagi could be considered a difficult name for american audiences, but... really? THAT is what they're falling back to?

 

 

Personally, I would've just called skipped naming entirely and just called her "major", but that is unambiguously my own biases coming through.  Though it is not particularly hard to avoid using her name in many cases, and it should be easy to deflect when a name DOES need to come out.  I mean, even without  inserting "obviously an alias" into the script, I can't see it being hard to cast doubt upon any name she appears to actually be using.

 

[electric indigo]

If it's from production artwork, it may be just an idea that they've been playing around with and that has been put back in the bin. Not all these changes are reflected in promo material that has a longer production time, like art books.

Also, there's the chance that Mira is her fake ID and Motoko her real one.

And finally, this is nothing that would kill the movie for me.

[sh9000]

 

[Chronocidal]

Granted, the name is just hearsay from a friend of mine who saw the art book, so a large grain of salt is probably called for.

Depending on the timeframe of the movie, that could very well just be the name she was given by the doctor who cared for her, before actually picking her own name.  I don't recall if that doctor's name is ever given in the source material.

I dunno.  It does seem really bonkers to go to such great lengths to look true to the original, and then make random changes like that, but I've reached a point where I really don't expect anyone or anything to make sense anymore.

[sh9000]

 

[Graham]

Gonna wait for the reviews. Not gonna be a first watcher on this one.

[Kelsain]

I'll admit that I could be wrong, but I always had the impression that Motoko's thzermoptic camouflage was built-in to her cyborg body. So, in the opening scene, she gets "naked" so that her clothes don't interfere with the effect.

Anyway, I realized something about the trailers that's throwing me off:

There appears to be very little depth of field in the shots. The characters and backgrounds are in focus, making the scenery look really flat and unfinished. So, while the trailer may be evoking the manga & anime's imagery very well, it's not as effective. In the manga, a clear background allows you to go back and immerse yourself in the environment, to read the "backstory," after you're done with the main story. In the anime, the background are still very rich and detailed, but the atmospheric lighting in the movie does a great job of adding depth. I'm not seeing that in the trailer, but the effects might not be complete yet.

[Duymon]

20 minutes ago, Kelsain said:

I'll admit that I could be wrong, but I always had the impression that Motoko's thzermoptic camouflage was built-in to her cyborg body. So, in the opening scene, she gets "naked" so that her clothes don't interfere with the effect.

If they were 100% faithful to original we'd have Scarlett J. goin full Birthday suit (woooo robo titties) in that iconic window entry scene. It would prolly drive the rating to an 'R' and make the movie an instant target for all those SJW feminists.

I think I'll watch the movie after it goes on streaming. Too much of a cheapo to pay NYC movie prices (cuz I spend all my money on toys...) and wifey doesn't like movie theatres at all because "they're all so ikky" (-_-)

[no3Ljm]

Since I'm the only one in my family that want to watch this. Even if I'm so excited about it, I can't bring myself going to the theaters by myself anymore like I used to. I always think of my wife & my son. You know, being a husband and a father really changes things. So I might just wait until it gets available via iTunes which I always do nowadays, that way I'm paying less than going full blown popcorn, snacks and drinks plus 3 tickets in the theater house. Sorry Scarlett.

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by no3Ljm

[kajnrig]

3 hours ago, Duymon said:

If they were 100% faithful to original we'd have Scarlett J. goin full Birthday suit (woooo robo titties) in that iconic window entry scene. It would prolly drive the rating to an 'R' and make the movie an instant target for all those SJW feminists.

There is certainly something to be said about how more often "robots" is used to justify undressing/sexualizing the female body than the male in sci-fi. When's the last time you saw a naked sexy dude robot? Terminator, maybe, if you're into that Schwarzenegger look? Compare that to sexy girl robots in Terminator 3, Transformers 2, and Ex Machina, and that's just from my very limited recent memory.

...then again, maybe the reason I don't remember more sexy robot dudes is because I'm not into sexy dudes, robot or otherwise. So... yeah.

But I mean, really, if SJWs are gonna jump on anything in this movie, it would be and was the whitewashing. Because c'mon now.

Unrelated: The last time I saw the same phrases repeated over and over for every trailer/tv spot/advertisement/etc. was The Last Airbender, and I ignored all the signs and saw it opening night. I've since learned my lesson.

[Duymon]

2 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

Since I'm the only one in my family that want to watch this. Even if I'm so excited about it, I can't bring myself going to the theaters by myself anymore like I used to. I always think of my wife & my son. You know, being a husband and a father really changes things. So I might just wait until it gets available via iTunes which I always do nowadays, that way I'm paying less than going full blown popcorn, snacks and drinks plus 3 tickets in the theater house. Sorry Scarlett.

 

Yeah I don't want to goto the Theater myself either.

Plus the Theater near me charges $20 bucks for a Medium Popcorn and a Large Coke... really? For the cost of two tickets , 1 Popcorn and 1 Large coke I can actually get a very respectable dinner..... in Manhattan O_o

There is certainly something to be said about how more often "robots" is used to justify undressing/sexualizing the female body than the male in sci-fi. When's the last time you saw a naked sexy dude robot? Terminator, maybe, if you're into that Schwarzenegger look? Compare that to sexy girl robots in Terminator 3, Transformers 2, and Ex Machina, and that's just from my very limited recent memory.

...then again, maybe the reason I don't remember more sexy robot dudes is because I'm not into sexy dudes, robot or otherwise. So... yeah.

But I mean, really, if SJWs are gonna jump on anything in this movie, it would be and was the whitewashing. Because c'mon now.

Unrelated: The last time I saw the same phrases repeated over and over for every trailer/tv spot/advertisement/etc. was The Last Airbender, and I ignored all the signs and saw it opening night. I've since learned my lesson.

Sorry I win the totally oblivious Asian Guy award.  Totally forgot about the whitewashing lol. I think I was too busy last year to notice all the internet rage ;/

Edited March 8, 2017 by Duymon

[no3Ljm]

9 minutes ago, Duymon said:

Yeah I don't want to goto the Theater myself either.

Plus the Theater near me charges $20 bucks for a Medium Popcorn and a Large Coke... really? For the cost of two tickets , 1 Popcorn and 1 Large coke I can actually get a very respectable dinner..... in Manhattan O_o

Ditto.

As much as I want to get turned on by Scarlett, I can still wait.

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by no3Ljm

[renegadeleader1]

5 hours ago, Duymon said:

If they were 100% faithful to original we'd have Scarlett J. goin full Birthday suit (woooo robo titties) in that iconic window entry scene. It would prolly drive the rating to an 'R' and make the movie an instant target for all those SJW feminists.

I think I'll watch the movie after it goes on streaming. Too much of a cheapo to pay NYC movie prices (cuz I spend all my money on toys...) and wifey doesn't like movie theatres at all because "they're all so ikky" (-_-)

If they were being 100% faithful to the original manga she'd be wearing a skin tight camo suit. This need to be nude for the thermal camo to work was only introduced in Oshii's film.

[Focslain]

17 minutes ago, renegadeleader1 said:

If they were being 100% faithful to the original manga she'd be wearing a skin tight camo suit. This need to be nude for the thermal camo to work was only introduced in Oshii's film.

Close, it was only in the first window assassination scene. All the others in the 95 film were the skin suit, including the tank fight and the butt-kicking in the water pool they redid for the film.

But yeah for SAC, Arise and all the other films and manga the thermoptics was a skin suit or light armour.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Focslain

[Marzan]

The more I read about the film, the more I worry about that for all the talk of respecting the 95 film and source material, they are going for a straight Hollywood popcorn flick. Still buying my tickets for the premiere in my city though.

[Nightbat]

6 hours ago, kajnrig said:

When's the last time you saw a naked sexy dude robot? Terminator, maybe, if you're into that Schwarzenegger look?

Truth be told, the "Schwarzenegger look" is as much a beauty standard as that of Kristanna Loken in T3

[akt_m]

13 hours ago, Duymon said:

If they were 100% faithful to original we'd have Scarlett J. goin full Birthday suit (woooo robo titties) in that iconic window entry scene. It would prolly drive the rating to an 'R' and make the movie an instant target for all those SJW feminists.

I think I'll watch the movie after it goes on streaming. Too much of a cheapo to pay NYC movie prices (cuz I spend all my money on toys...) and wifey doesn't like movie theatres at all because "they're all so ikky" (-_-)

But she is not naked on the window entry scene.

[technoblue]

45 minutes ago, akt_m said:

But she is not naked on the window entry scene.

Memory is a funny thing.

I think the "shelling" sequence was the only live action teaser that stood out as having toned down fan service, but it wasn't really anything to complain about. The art direction seems spot on.

[sh9000]

 

[Gaijin]

Still going to see this as they nailed the art direction overall. 

[Dynaman]

I think this is a cool little tidbit - the Japanese dub of the movie will have a number of the original GitS cast reprising their roles.

 

http://www.blastr.com/2017-3-13/ghost-in-the-shell-japanese-cast

[no3Ljm]

3 minutes ago, Dynaman said:

I think this is a cool little tidbit - the Japanese dub of the movie will have a number of the original GitS cast reprising their roles.

http://www.blastr.com/2017-3-13/ghost-in-the-shell-japanese-cast

I'm curious to hear a trailer using Motoko's original voice with Scarlett's footage.

 

[sh9000]

 

[Dobber]

Why are they calling her Major instead of The Major? I don't remember them doing that in the Anime. Was that how they used it in one of the show's or Manga?

 

Chris

[no3Ljm]

4 hours ago, Dobber said:

Why are they calling her Major instead of The Major? I don't remember them doing that in the Anime. Was that how they used it in one of the show's or Manga?

 

Chris

I don't remember emphasizing her as a Major in the Stand Alone Complex series or in the first movie for that matter.

I guess, they were trying to eliminate the notion of her being 'Motoko' as suppose to by focusing she's the 'Major'. It's more like they're putting importance on why she's 'Major' and not someone who has a name.

'Major' is the new ' The Chosen One'.  

 

 

[Dobber]

Yeah, it's just how they are using it. It's not used as a Rank but more as a name. It's just odd how they are saying it. Like in the one trailer when she checks in on the comms she says "this is Major" not "this is the Major" It just bugs me is all, because it sounds weird.

Chris

 

[azrael]

Agreeing with Dobber. Hearing the original Japanese dialog denotes it as a rank so I'm use to "The Major" or "Major" as a recognition of the rank/position, not her name.

[electric indigo]

It's part of her name, as in Captain Jack Sparrow... 

[Chronocidal]

That can kind of work both directions though, since people addressing her wouldn't call her "The Major."  It just takes a little linguistic common sense to know which is right for any given situation.  Very few people called her anything other than (The) Major though.

On the other hand, I'm entirely down for watching this dubbed in Japanese with English subtitles.  I've joked before about watching the Matthew Broderick Godzilla that way, but in this case, it might actually improve the movie a great deal hearing the familiar voices.

Shoot, if they really want to garner some good will from fans, they'll include the Japanese audio as a standard option in the bluray release.

Edited March 15, 2017 by Chronocidal