300 The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

[cbernard]

I try to question my boredom first, because it's the easiest thing to embrace. Sorry.

[ben d banana]

Well that explains it Michael, because it certainly didn't seem like something you'd say.

I always think, I play(ed) soccer, what's wrong with soccer moms? Then I remember, I disagree w/ my mother on EVERYTHING (except Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

[Lino]

I think that the main reason it was advertised as a quirky comedy (heck, even Tenenbaum's trailer was misleading) is because Touchstone is the distributor and it being part of the Disney empire, maybe there was some kind of pressure to make it all seem like a "family movie".

I don't mind it at all, as long as Anderson keeps doing his thing and gets all the money he wants to do just that.

[Michael]

There's nothing wrong with soccer moms. I wish mine was though.

I wonder how many of you who dislike Life Aquatic are willing to give the film another chance. I think with a film like this, no one should be permitted to make the immediate judgement of it until revisiting Aquatic 2 or 3 more times (at least).

[lord_clyde]

I definitely need to watch it again. I liked it the first time I saw it, so I bought it, and the second time I enjoyed it a little less. I'm hoping the third time it will grow on me like Tenenbaums (which I liked the first viewing, and loved every viewing thereafter) and Rushmore (Disliked on first viewing, now I love it). I did however like the animation much more the second viewing (I think it looks better on the small screen).

[Michael]

I have a question. Is The Life Aquatic a film within a film? There is a handful of clues and statements in the film that get me thinking that the film may be partly or wholly fake?

a) Zissou gives the actual description of what would be his next film - for instance, he is hunting the jaguar shark for revenge.

b) Alistair asks Zissou if the shark is even real - to which Zissou replies " I don't want to ruin the ending". The film of course ends with the yellow submarine trip and the discovery of the shark. Also at one point, Jane takes Zissou to ask about the look of the Part 1 of his film (a reference to the "claymation" underwater shots".

c) The self-aggrandizing nature of the film which makes Zissou look like
some sort of action hero.

d) What about the title - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou? It's the film by Steve Zissou, isn't it?

[Steven H]

Drew brought up some good points earlier in this thread, and much of this seems to be confirmed by the director on the commentary where Fellini's 8 1/2 is said to be a major influence. The film opening and closing at a film festival seems to be a coda clue.

[Svevan]

...

[Steven H]

never mind

I agreed with your post and added some thoughts to it.

[Michael]

Ned got a boner!

When you get to the hot tub scene with Ned and Jane, pay really close attention.

[kschell]

Her idea of the perfect comedy = Meet the Fockers. I don't know how her son would respond to Life Aquatic

I doubt there's any content in Life Aquatic that surpasses Meet the Fockers in unsuitableness for kids.

[Michael]

I agree, kschell. But did my aunt's son see Meet the Fockers? I have no idea. When it came out theatrically last Christmas, my aunt constantly raved about it to everyone, like it was the greatest comedy she had ever seen. I went to see it recently at the dollar theater and found it very shitty (even though I enjoyed Meet the Parents a lot). My aunt and I have an extremely different taste in films.

[Michael]

I love the Queen Bitch closing credits. As everyone joins Steve and Klaus's nephew fast-walking, skipping, running toward the Belafonte, I feel joyous and giddy every time. Does anyone figure out why Jane and her new baby fail to show up? Maybe now with the new baby and working on the cover story, Jane is too busy, no?

[Lino]

If anyone is wondering what the hell Seu Jorge is singing in Portuguese during his fantastic Bowie cover songs, let me just tell you that he's definitely not literally translating them to his native tongue to say the least...!

All of the lyrics are his own and he's singing completely different stuff as opposed to the original material! Once in a while he integrates some of Bowie's lyrics but sometimes they don't even fit in with what he's singing!

Needless to say, I get a phenomenal kick hearing this!

[javelin]

If anyone is wondering what the hell Seu Jorge is singing in Portuguese during his fantastic Bowie cover songs, let me just tell you that he's definitely not literally translating them to his native tongue to say the least...!

I kinda' figured they weren't strictly Bowie's lyrics, but to hear they veer way off is just plain awesome. I'm going to the bookstore ASAP to get my Portugese to English dictionary. Or I imagine I might be able to use English as She is Spoke.

[jorencain]

Did anyone watch the interview with Mark Mothersbaugh and notice the striking similarity between his glasses and those worn by Jeff Goldblum in the film? I'm wondering which one came first.

[Martha]

I realize I'm totally late to this (as usual), but I finally watch Life Aquatic this morning and was completely charmed by it. As I have mentioned here many times, I hated Rushmore, which has since then kept me far from Wes Anderson-- but a kid I teach told me that Anderson's subsequent films have been very different from that debacle, which convinced me to give it a shot.

I think TLA is a remarkably powerful film, due largely to Bill Murray and the music. Were Zissou played any differently, I think the character could easily drive audiences away (as, I gather, the Anderson's own choices did with many)-- as created by Murray, though, he's so oddly open and honest that it's impossible not to feel sympathy for him. Along similar lines, I cannot imagine the film being similarly effective and powerful with a different score, though my status as a Bowie nut probably has something to do with that. (For example, the scene just after Ned tells Zissou he may be his father, when Zissou walks to the front of the ship in the dark, with "Life on Mars" playing nearly had me in tears. Of course, that song always does that to me, so maybe that's not a great example.)

So now I guess I'm going to have to watch Royal Tenenbaums. God dammit.

[Lino]

I cannot imagine the film being similarly effective and powerful with a different score, though my status as a Bowie nut probably has something to do with that. (For example, the scene just after Ned tells Zissou he may be his father, when Zissou walks to the front of the ship in the dark, with "Life on Mars" playing nearly had me in tears. Of course, that song always does that to me, so maybe that's not a great example.)

Same here! I have another favorite moment like that in the Tenenbaums but I won't tell what it is to not spoil it for you. I'll get back to you when you eventually watch it.

[Toshiro De Niro]

The packaging and design is much less attractive than on the Tenenbaums. Disappointing (but menus are cool). Cool special features as usual. I liked the score featurette and the Italian TV interview the most. I didn't know that all the animation was stop-motion and not CGI. That's very cool, although it looked like CGI.

This is the first Criterion DVD that didn't have their usual black/white sticker on top (just generic buena vista sticker).

It also interesting that it's the first DVD where "Director Approved sticker" isn't actually a sticker, but part of the cover design.

If you look at the cover, you'll see Martin Scorsese right beneath the submarine

[Michael]

I have another favorite moment like that in the Tenenbaums but I won't tell what it is to not spoil it for you. I'll get back to you when you eventually watch it

.

What is it, Annie Mall? Or do I have to tell Martha to hurry up and watch the Tenebaums?

By the way, does anyone notice a handful of similarities between The Life Aquatic and Fellini's And The Ship Sails On? Especially the whole film-within-the-film thing. Both were filmed on the Cincetta set, weren't they?

[Mr Pixies]

If you look at the cover, you'll see Martin Scorsese right beneath the submarine

I don't see it, unless you are saying the blowfish looks like Scorsese, but I don't see it.





The mark Mothersbaugh interview was really good, seemed to be more informative than the other extras. I'm glad to know that Suicide was an influence for the score, I recognize it one "We Call Them Pirates Out Here" theme.

[Toshiro De Niro]

If you look at the cover, you'll see Martin Scorsese right beneath the submarine

I don't see it, unless you are saying the blowfish looks like Scorsese, but I don't see it.

He was the voice of blowfish in Shark Tale and looked exactly like that.

[denti alligator]

I have another favorite moment like that in the Tenenbaums but I won't tell what it is to not spoil it for you. I'll get back to you when you eventually watch it.

I have a hunch what this is. Shall we move this to the Tenenbaum thread?

[Lino]

I have another favorite moment like that in the Tenenbaums but I won't tell what it is to not spoil it for you. I'll get back to you when you eventually watch it

.

What is it, Annie Mall? Or do I have to tell Martha to hurry up and watch the Tenebaums?

A clue: Nico.

[Michael]

That's what I thought. Loved that scene a lot. Pure magic.