For me it just wasn't a good movie, regardless of historical context. I left a long write-up in some other thread as I couldn't dig this one out at the time. A lot of confusing scenes that would build up suspense but then inexplicably skip forward in the story. Lots of creating tension without resolution. You could say it's an antidote to Django, in his music there was always a resolution.
I loved seeing Hono in it, he's a natural. I hope he gets more movie offers, he has a great presence on the screen.
Chris Martin's post above beat me to my own review and said most of what I was thinking in a better way... but also agree with some of what Buco said on the other thread RE the inclusion of some odd / unresolved scenes which somewhat interrupted the narrative flow. But I am glad I watched it and will certainly watch it again. For me the music recreations (bearing in mind the limitations of working with a non-playing lead actor) were perfectly fine in their context, and really brought home what it might have been like to be there with Django playing, if you had a time machine. I do wonder, though, why they did not darken the lead actor's skin a bit to make him look a bit more gypsy-like and also fit with the original Django appearance of course.
I liked the idea of the re-created "requiem mass" but as far as I know, that is a fictional element - Django's own "Mass" , to the extent that it exists, was for the gypsies to use in their own worship in place of one written by non-gypsies, and not really a requiem in the sense that the film states - unless of course he wrote a separate work. (I am also aware of the "symphony", https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/8823/socre-for-djangos-symphony , but am guessing that is different again...)
I thought the gypsy encampment scenes were especially good and the whole film was a stark evocation of, and tribute to what it must have been like to be Romany and live through that terrible period. So congratulations to the Director in bringing elements of Django's story, and the wider wartime/Resistance/Romany experiences, to life, in a way that the film-going public, not just the Djangophile, may see.
I think that was ultimately the main point of the film, the gypsies plight under Nazi occupation, but it was a handy trick to use the most famous gypsy as the central character.
I misread that at first, as if you thought Adrien played Negros well but the makeup could not disguise him totally !!!Strange I thought, but then you did leave a space between the two statements.
But yes Negros came across as the Boss and pretty feisty with it. Adrien was one of Django's buddies along with Rocky Gresset and others.
Comments
For me it just wasn't a good movie, regardless of historical context. I left a long write-up in some other thread as I couldn't dig this one out at the time. A lot of confusing scenes that would build up suspense but then inexplicably skip forward in the story. Lots of creating tension without resolution. You could say it's an antidote to Django, in his music there was always a resolution.
I loved seeing Hono in it, he's a natural. I hope he gets more movie offers, he has a great presence on the screen.
This is where I wrote my take on it:
Many recognizable names in GJ world were in bit parts:
Chris Martin's post above beat me to my own review and said most of what I was thinking in a better way... but also agree with some of what Buco said on the other thread RE the inclusion of some odd / unresolved scenes which somewhat interrupted the narrative flow. But I am glad I watched it and will certainly watch it again. For me the music recreations (bearing in mind the limitations of working with a non-playing lead actor) were perfectly fine in their context, and really brought home what it might have been like to be there with Django playing, if you had a time machine. I do wonder, though, why they did not darken the lead actor's skin a bit to make him look a bit more gypsy-like and also fit with the original Django appearance of course.
I liked the idea of the re-created "requiem mass" but as far as I know, that is a fictional element - Django's own "Mass" , to the extent that it exists, was for the gypsies to use in their own worship in place of one written by non-gypsies, and not really a requiem in the sense that the film states - unless of course he wrote a separate work. (I am also aware of the "symphony", https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/8823/socre-for-djangos-symphony , but am guessing that is different again...)
I thought the gypsy encampment scenes were especially good and the whole film was a stark evocation of, and tribute to what it must have been like to be Romany and live through that terrible period. So congratulations to the Director in bringing elements of Django's story, and the wider wartime/Resistance/Romany experiences, to life, in a way that the film-going public, not just the Djangophile, may see.
Here is a little more about the "Symphony" - there called "Résurgence" - on Djangostation (Google Translate will do the work for you if you want:
Plus I just noted, Teddy Dupont put this up earlier: https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/uploads/FileUpload/dc/ee6aae6261630f506430b81f0f050d.jpg
I liked Negros!
Looked like Adrien Moignard in one scene??
Yep. Playing poker.
I liked that it highlighted the plight of the gypsies under the occupation. Nazis suck and they had bad taste in music (IMHO).
I think that was ultimately the main point of the film, the gypsies plight under Nazi occupation, but it was a handy trick to use the most famous gypsy as the central character.
I misread that at first, as if you thought Adrien played Negros well but the makeup could not disguise him totally !!!Strange I thought, but then you did leave a space between the two statements.
But yes Negros came across as the Boss and pretty feisty with it. Adrien was one of Django's buddies along with Rocky Gresset and others.