V for Vendetta

[andave_ya]

I saw this movie last week and fell in love with it. Today I searched the LitNet to see if I can get some of your viewpoints when I saw that some of us like it -- so, this is a discussion for it, if you like.

Politics. I enjoyed the references to 1984. When I first read that book I wondered why everyone here likes it so much. However just the fact that the movie is set in some dystopian future England brings it somewhat onto my home ground. I could also definitely relate to the whole totalitarian thing, what with the Iraq horror stories I've read and heard about from my mom.

Literature. Generally, I've never been able to get interested in Shakespeare, but all that lovely quoting pushed me to try him again. I started Hamlet today. I also now want to find the graphic novel, but I'm afraid that its going to be too blatantly political for me to enjoy much. Another nod to literature -- a Romantic hero! The rhyme too, "Remember, remember the fifth of November" was tantalizing. I looked it up on Google to get the rest of it.

History. Usually if my history textbook mentions Guy Fawkes it glosses over him if it mentions him at all. Now it is another thing I'm curious about. Why did Guy Fawkes try to blow up Parliament? Hero or idiot? Research beckons :p
Of course, there were the Nazi references as well.

Music. CLASSICAL MUSIC! WOW! I loved the Tchaikovsky and Beethoven selections. When V kills Creedy, for example, he turned up the music, which was, of course, Beethoven's Fifth. The four note theme? It symbolises fate knocking at the door.

V. The Romantic hero. The brilliant, vivid "v" introduction spoken rapid-fire by a rather talented Hugo Weaving, Thinking about it, I don't understand why all the fuss was for Natalie Portman. Weaving made the movie tick, with his sophistication and polish. The mask was fascinating. Too, I could understand why he took Evey prisoner and tortured her. Cruel, maybe, but perhaps in that sort of time and place it was justified.

My only complaint was that the whole "dying-in-her-arms" scene was a bit cliched.

So, literature, music, and two periods of history in a movie about politics.
Wow.

[Dori]

Politics. I enjoyed the references to 1984. When I first read that book I wondered why everyone here likes it so much. However just the fact that the movie is set in some dystopian future England brings it somewhat onto my home ground. I could also definitely relate to the whole totalitarian thing, what with the Iraq horror stories I've read and heard about from my mom.

Im not a huge fan of 1984, but V for Vendetta remains my favorite graphic novel and movie.


Literature. Generally, I've never been able to get interested in Shakespeare, but all that lovely quoting pushed me to try him again. I started Hamlet today. I also now want to find the graphic novel, but I'm afraid that its going to be too blatantly political for me to enjoy much. Another nod to literature -- a Romantic hero! The rhyme too, "Remember, remember the fifth of November" was tantalizing. I looked it up on Google to get the rest of it.

Off the top of my head:

"Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot.
I know of no reason,
Why the gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot."

Right?

Anyways, in my English class we're reading Hamlet and it is excellent. I was delighted to recognize a line when reading Hamlet that was quoted in V for Vendetta. I think it was,

"Tis too much proved, that with devotion's visage
And pious action we do sugar o'er
The devil himself." (Polonius, III, i)


History. Usually if my history textbook mentions Guy Fawkes it glosses over him if it mentions him at all. Now it is another thing I'm curious about. Why did Guy Fawkes try to blow up Parliament? Hero or idiot? Research beckons :p
Of course, there were the Nazi references as well.

I don't believe it was Fawkes who was the leading figure behind blowing up Parliament. He was put in charge of executing the blowing up of Parliament because of his expertise with explosives and such. I think the purpose was to blow up Parliament when King James and the rest (or most) of the Protestant aristocracy were inside. Those behind the whole scheme were Roman Catholics, of course. Essentially, it was an assassination attempt.


Music. CLASSICAL MUSIC! WOW! I loved the Tchaikovsky and Beethoven selections. When V kills Creedy, for example, he turned up the music, which was, of course, Beethoven's Fifth. The four note theme? It symbolises fate knocking at the door.

Yet another reason to like V for Vendetta. :)


V. The Romantic hero. The brilliant, vivid "v" introduction spoken rapid-fire by a rather talented Hugo Weaving, Thinking about it, I don't understand why all the fuss was for Natalie Portman. Weaving made the movie tick, with his sophistication and polish. The mask was fascinating. Too, I could understand why he took Evey prisoner and tortured her. Cruel, maybe, but perhaps in that sort of time and place it was justified.

My only complaint was that the whole "dying-in-her-arms" scene was a bit cliched.

So, literature, music, and two periods of history in a movie about politics.
Wow.

I think I can wager a guess as to what the fuss was for Natalie Portman. Personally, I think she's a good actress, and a quite attractive one at that! Even with her head shaved! :D

On a last note: READ THE GRAPHIC NOVEL! It rocks! :D

Oh and follow the link in my sig to see a parody trailer of V for Vendetta. :lol:

[djy78usa]

Off the top of my head:

"Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot.
I know of no reason,
Why the gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot."

Right?



Dori, right you are! Here's the rest:

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Hollo' boys, hollo' boys, let the bells ring.
Hollo' boys, hollo' boys, God save the King!

Drinking pints by the bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night is one of my fondest memories of my time spent in Yorkshire :)

[andave_ya]

Im not a huge fan of 1984, but V for Vendetta remains my favorite graphic novel and movie.

I'm still not a huge fan. Don't get me wrong; it is a good book, just not my type.



Anyways, in my English class we're reading Hamlet and it is excellent. I was delighted to recognize a line when reading Hamlet that was quoted in V for Vendetta. I think it was,

"Tis too much proved, that with devotion's visage
And pious action we do sugar o'er
The devil himself." (Polonius, III, i)

Like I said, I've been reading Hamlet. I still don't get it -- why is he so great? Ungh, and I've got to take a Shakespeare course before I graduate :(



I think I can wager a guess as to what the fuss was for Natalie Portman. Personally, I think she's a good actress, and a quite attractive one at that! Even with her head shaved! :D

On a last note: READ THE GRAPHIC NOVEL! It rocks! :D

Oh and follow the link in my sig to see a parody trailer of V for Vendetta. :lol:

Mm-hm, she's a good and even brilliant actress and indeed very attractive! But her whole role wasn't exactly essential to the film, unless it was to just give V a sort of sidekick/love interest.
No, she was good, but overhyped.

I will read the graphic novel! You've got me excited about it.

I watched the trailer and, truthfully, found it a bit creepy. :lol: Take a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Q0dfrbr10

[papayahed]

Like I said, I've been reading Hamlet. I still don't get it -- why is he so great? Ungh, and I've got to take a Shakespeare course before I graduate :(



Hamlet was never my favorite either.

[Dori]

Like I said, I've been reading Hamlet. I still don't get it -- why is he so great? Ungh, and I've got to take a Shakespeare course before I graduate :(

Why is Hamlet so great or Shakespeare?


Mm-hm, she's a good and even brilliant actress and indeed very attractive! But her whole role wasn't exactly essential to the film, unless it was to just give V a sort of sidekick/love interest.
No, she was good, but overhyped.

I will read the graphic novel! You've got me excited about it.

Her role was essential to the movie in the sense that the movie is based on the graphic novel. ;) Although, she (Evey) has a more important role in the graphic novel than in the movie, I think. :)


I watched the trailer and, truthfully, found it a bit creepy. :lol: Take a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Q0dfrbr10

That was pretty cool. Thanks for the link. :) If you're a fan of parodies, then I suggest the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q7-YdEr-QU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45SmSdoScZw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zM5RXoetnQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spfo1P4zXbo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW_CLj2wPKg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDzfuLfld8M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POs5wFcx4Vc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtmuYvcDW9E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LshvYpQKewU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otXhq3SaiIc

It's a ten-part series making fun of V for Vendetta. It's perhaps a little vulgar at times, but it's extremely funny. :D Oh, it's important that you watch them in the order that I posted them. ;)


Hamlet was never my favorite either.

Really? May I ask what is your favorite?

[mtpspur]

You lucky dogs. V for Vendetta started out as a serial in Warrior Magazine (from Great Britain) which got cancelled mid story. DC comics finally finished it off when writer Alan Moore turned into gold mine with his work on Watchmen and Swamp Thing (though I will never forgive him for making a fool of Adam Strange). So yes the graphic novel is available and well worth the read. But somehow it was more powerful a chapter at a time.

[papayahed]

Really? May I ask what is your favorite?

That's a toughie, I just checked my spreadsheet and Henry IV part 1 has the highest rating but all the stuff I've read before 2004 isn't in the spreadsheet and I remember really liking Macbeth and Much Ado about Nothing and I can't forget Titus Andronicus but I think that play got a boost from the movie.

[Lily Adams]

I should probably see that.