Topic: Hunger Games (2012)

[samuelrichardscott]

So, I know nothing about this really other than the synopsis seems to have a some similarities to Battle Royale. The cast looks pretty awesome and I've heard the books are good but early reports are saying it has made $155m in it's opening weekend in the US + $59.5m foreign, the third highest ever overall, but the highest ever for a non-sequel. So, any of the Americans see it yet and can tell us their thoughts? I'm certainly interested in seeing this but my cinema is now 100+ miles away so it has to be special.

[samuelrichardscott]

OK, just received this link via e-mail:
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20419951_20579776,00.html#21135277

It's Hunger Games poster variations for if the movie had been directed by someone else. Love the Hitchcock and the Corman ones.

[Najemikon]

Yeah, the Hitchcock one is very cool. That would work now, I think. Also liked the way they played with similarities between Mallick and Herzog. 

[samuelrichardscott]

The Sunday morning numbers bear this out. Young men, once the pillar of blockbuster math, were largely no-shows. Exit polls by Lionsgate show that the audience skewed 61% female and 39% male.

And well over half of the audience – 56% – was over the age of 25.

This means that in addition to breaking a number of box office records with its $155 million opening weekend haul, “The Hunger Games” has accomplished something even more significant in launching a blockbuster without the critical quadrant of young men.

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/hunger-games-blockbuster-without-young-men-36524


Interview with Lenny Kravitz:
http://collider.com/lenny-kravitz-the-hunger-games-interview/154369/

[Achim]

I have seen this and might review it a little more as part of a marathon.

The comparisons with Battle Royale are obviously invited, but they are certainly not helpful for Hunger Games. They are trying to tell a different story, but anyone knowing Battle Royale will have to really concentrate to get to that. Personally I feel the PG-13 rating also hurts the film, which leaves Battle Royale the edge in visceral story telling. Shaky cam is overused as well (not only in action scenes).

But, it seems the fan base was sufficient anyway and the box office kept coming.

[samuelrichardscott]

Hunger Games characters if they were in The Simpsons:
http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/hunger-games-simpsons-characters/

Video essay on whether Battle Royale was the inspiration:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/foreignc/2012/03/-nbsp-nbsp-michael.html

[Kathy]

Should I read the books first? Or, doesn't it matter?

[Jimmy]

To quote someone from another forum I'm a member of...

"If you're over, say, 25 or so, just go rent out BATTLE ROYALE, wich is so much better and more savage, THE RUNNING MAN, the original DEATH RACE 2000, or even DEATHROW GAMESHOW. They're all better done."

As I have seen and own all those films and am well over 25, I'll pass this one...

[Najemikon]

I do agree with that. After all, Battle Royale is all kinds of awesome. One thing I just thought of though, is that this is a series of books, not a one-off. So... what happens next? Maybe the sequels bring in a decent development that means the franchise of The Hunger Games can legitimately exist alongside Battle Royale.

By the way, "what happens next" is a rhetorical question! I'm seeing HG on Friday.

One other thing worth considering is that BR and the other movies were a metaphor, a satire. The sequel was horrendous for how heavy handed and political it was. Perhaps if we don't think of The Hunger Games as having the same point to make, it becomes more about the characters. Less a case of "better done" and just different.

[DJ Doena]

Amongst other stuff I'm reading The Hunger Games right now and I have to say, I really enjoy it.

I hope I'll get it done before I see the first movie...

[Jimmy]

The sequel was horrendous for how heavy handed and political it was.

Never read anything positive about it. It's the reason why I haven't done any effort to import it (I know it is part of the recent region 1 set released by Anchor Bay, but I own the Arrow set so it would be kind of a waste of money...).

[samuelrichardscott]

BRII is definately awful. I picked up the HK release for pennies on release.

As for The Hunger Games sequels... I read that they think it can be another billion dollar franchise and that the first is open ended. IMDB already have pages up for the second (Catching Fire), + Hunger Games 3 and Hunger Games 4. They must be reasonably confident.

[Najemikon]

The sequel was horrendous for how heavy handed and political it was.

Never read anything positive about it. It's the reason why I haven't done any effort to import it (I know it is part of the recent region 1 set released by Anchor Bay, but I own the Arrow set so it would be kind of a waste of money...).

It's a not-so-thinly veiled attack on the US and essentially a defence of terrorism. In fact, I remember I had the DVD for a while and got rid of it because I disliked the film so much, but I took a copy of the sleevenotes because I was thinking of using them in an essay at the time, so I've attached them for your perusal. Typical of the Tartan label, it's a well written piece in support of the film, but in fact it also works to demonstrate the things I was uncomfortable with.

And the great twist is, God knows BR director Fukasaku had every right to feel the way he did, but even if you do agree with his sentiments, his son completed the film after his death and it's a piece of shit that makes no sense! 

[goodguy]

To quote someone from another forum I'm a member of...

"If you're over, say, 25 or so, just go rent out BATTLE ROYALE, wich is so much better and more savage, THE RUNNING MAN, the original DEATH RACE 2000, or even DEATHROW GAMESHOW. They're all better done."

And as a discussion on yet another forum reminded me, I need to see more Peter Watkins. For example, The Gladiators (1969).

[Achim]

The production budget is mentioned with $78M and in the first 5 days it has already taken $150M+! A sequel can clearly be expected at this point.

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