Cold Mountain

ExtremeSleuth

ExtremeSleuth

Veteran
I just got done watching the film for the first time in ages, and I forgot how good it was. I'm not a big fan of Renee Zellweger, but she had a SOLID performance in this film. I loved Sean Penn in Mystic River, but I would have rather Jude Law won for Cold Mountain. Nicole Kidman should have won as well. Great solid film, and the acting was top notch, even by the supporting actors, like Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Natalie Portman. Anyone else like the film?
 
It was entertaining but a typical Hollywood treatment IMHO. The book is really good and the book on tape (read by the author) is really good as well. I'd rather have seen it become a movie that had an authentic feel for the time and especially for the region, with a real eye and ear for the particulars of the land and culture. Instead, it's a slicked up, souped up story that isn't rooted in any time or place except Hoolywood fantasyland.
 
I'm not much of a Civil War buff...but I have friends who are, who seemed to find 'Cold Mountain' pretty decent, as a period piece.
 
This is the only movie that my father has called me up and said "Hey, did you see Cold Mountain? I HATED THAT MOVIE!!!" OK dad, calm down.

He's a huge civil war buff and I think he was mad that they spent so much time on the romance and not on the war.

I liked the movie. Only enough to see it once so far. The performances were the strongest part of the film. The connection between Ada and Inman was touching and well constructed. I felt that the Natalie Portman section of the film really didn't belong and kind of detracted from the eventual reunion of Ada and Inman. I think Cold Mountain is one of Minghella's weaker films, but it was still expertly done.
 
krestofre said:
This is the only movie that my father has called me up and said "Hey, did you see Cold Mountain? I HATED THAT MOVIE!!!" OK dad, calm down.

He's a huge civil war buff and I think he was mad that they spent so much time on the romance and not on the war.
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Well, that's in line with WS Burroughs' old observation about critics who ignore what the artist was actually trying to do, and slam him for not doing what the critic thought he should have done...
 
krestofre said:
...
The connection between Ada and Inman was touching and well constructed.
...
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I disagree. Watching it I just couldn't stop asking myself what the heck that movie was about? Love? What love? When did they fall in that? There was hardly any moment in the story that focused on that, besides final physical encounter in the hut... Maybe Inman was ghost already? Maybe it was more spiritual than physical? I don't know. Finding such explanations can take one anywhere.

I agree Natalie's Portman part was somehow disconnected and distracting.

Performances were fine, but it does not help much when the story itself lacks, imo.
 
So do you think the connection between Romeo and Juliet is touching or well-constructed? That's the type of film Cold Mountain is. Do people really fall in love that way? That quickly? Or that intensely? Not in my experience, but if you can accept that connection in a film then I think that Cold Mountain works on that level. Plus the letters back and forth really build the relationship for me.

Regarding the sex, I think it was a little cheap and somewhat of a Hollywood way to end it. "We have a bond stronger than marriage" or whatever the line is was cheesy and actually lessened the emotional impact of the two getting back together.

I'm completely ignoring the physical vs. spiritual argument for this post. I think it's an interesting concept that is hinted at in the film, and it metephorically present, but I wanted to specifically talk about the relationship with Inman and Ada.
 
Again, the main problem in my opinion was lack of build up of their relationship. I did not feel that special kind of bond. Something important was missing, something major. It's not my point they couldn't fall in love so quickly. Love, like other emotions, can erupt unexpectedly. Without that bond, their subsequent mental messages simply did not have much effect on me.
 
i also loved this film, the acting,war setting and the mise en scene to be really well done. bogdan it would be nice, but if they did that i think it would be over 3hrs long, and you how impatient people are when it comes to slow moving movies.
 
All of these neagtive reamrks about the film leaves one wondering ifthey actually watched the same movie
I'd rather have seen it become a movie that had an authentic feel for the time and especially for the region
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By all means; elaborate on where they messed the details up .
Watching it I just couldn't stop asking myself what the heck that movie was about? Love? What love? When did they fall in that
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Poor guy; it sounds like you've never been hit with the Lightning Bolt.
 
I saw it once and it was okay. I wasn't knocked out by it, but I didn't hate it either, so I guess that makes it okay. I own a lot of movies but I've never felt compelled to purchase this one.
 
And it was the first major studio film cut entirely on Final Cut Pro (version 3, on OS 9).
 
THX1138 said:
And it was the first major studio film cut entirely on Final Cut Pro (version 3, on OS 9).
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I enjoyed listening to Murch talk about cutting that movie.
 
In that time, and through much of history, marriage was a practical matter where love came sometime after vows were exchanged [if ever].

Ada idealized the limited relationship she had with Inman - that's what most of the movie centered on. Girls have been groomed from early childhood to marry, birth another generation of children and generally act as a servant to one man. Despite what we believe in modern Western culture, this holds true for the greater world population even today.

Okay, so, with respect to Ada, she was doing what all girls were bred to do in those times. If the man she was bequeathed to was away forever, she was beholden to him for all intents and purposes, regardless of how she felt about it.

It wasn't until she broke from convention - literally years after convention and civility left her world - that the story became engaging.

Cold Mountain had little if nothing to do with the historic facts of the Civil War, which merely provided the backdrop and situational device for Ada's story.

e
 
overlandfilms said:
Ada idealized the limited relationship she had with Inman - that's what most of the movie centered on. Girls have been groomed from early childhood to marry, birth another generation of children and generally act as a servant to one man...

Okay, so, with respect to Ada, she was doing what all girls were bred to do in those times. If the man she was bequeathed to was away forever, she was beholden to him for all intents and purposes, regardless of how she felt about it.
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This is exactly why I didn't find Cold Mountain engaging. It's a love story out of context with present day love. I didn't buy that she could love Inman, and yet the film hinges on it. And they're apart for so much of the film, which is supposed to build a sense of fondness in the audience, but I just felt nothing. I've only seen it once, I've got it on my shelf so I'll give it another go and see if it's aged any better...
 
The love they have is certainly more viable than the scenario put forth in Titanic. It's all about historical contextualization.

Just a schmuck who's still in steerage,

e
 
Me too erik, but the longing was the thing that kept me hanging on. Also liked your cultural quote, appropriate as a lot of people just dont seem to get cultural variance through generations or country. I like this film, the characters and relationships.

Once again we are in a conundrum of sorts. This is a movie designed to entertain, its not a lesson in absolute history. I dont think I can recall a historical movie that wasnt questioned over accuracy. My advice, if you want a history lesson, go to the library.
 
Bravo. Conversely, you could take in a Ken Burns picture if you're looking for historic information on any given period. It's hard to go wrong with a Burns picture.

e
 
overlandfilms said:
The love they have is certainly more viable than the scenario put forth in Titanic. It's all about historical contextualization.

Just a schmuck who's still in steerage,

e
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Bastard ! You leave Rose and Jack out of it !

:grin: :D
 
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