McQueen's Greatest???
Added 11/11/2009
It's hard to pick McQueen's best. In The Sandpebbles he shows us his ability express the greatest range of emotions. The scene with him weeping in the boiler room after he has to shoot Po-Han makes me cry every time I see it and it has even more power with his back turned to us. And who ever looked like the quintessential sailor in his dress whites? I was in the Navy when I was a kid and the whites were always our favorite, we just felt so cool. I am a stickler for details and I can't figure out what happened to the uniforms in the last third of the movie as the ship spends the winter in port. The rank insignia (crows as we used to call them) should all be on the left sleeve. They appear randomly placed on the uniforms and sometimes not at all. Also the forward gun had no recoil even though you see the mechanism.I know there was a Navy Machinist Mate who consulted on the movie. What happened, did they fire him? Just a details only a nerd would notice. Watching McQueen portray a character that grows and develops as the film progresses is a miracle. What a pity the current generation has to do without someone like him. The only one that comes close may be Russel Crowe but he talks a lot more and relies less on his ability to act without speaking. Something I think McQueen brought to an unbelievable level. Tom Cruise still has a little "growing up" to do. I know its futile to find a replacement but how about some to try to at least stand in his shoes.
I read the book and aside from combining two missionary characters I would say it's one of te most accurate translations form print to screen I've ever seen. Check out the book because there are a few more really interesting characters and some nifty descriptions of Jake actually movng the engines so things run smoother.
The music score is fantastic also and I love the "Introduction" and "Intermission." Ridley Scott brought this feature back in Kingdom of Heaven. I like it because it seems to assume a certain intelligence on the part of the audience. the score is quite beautiful but it is constructed in such a way that you know some really bad things are going to happen. Candice Bergan's first movie opposite McQueen? She was only 19. Must have been pretty intimidating. I don't like her personally and her voice-over commentary is too full of political garbage for me to take it seriously. I don't care what her views are, I want to know more about the movie and how it was made. Attenborough is great as usual. The whole cast is able to bring off the small ship Navy swagger I loved so much on the destroyer I was on. Great movie, you can't go wrong.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Probably the best ever McQueen performance...
Added 11/1/2009
1966 is a long time ago... but as it depicts an episode of gunboat policy (historic epic) then time does not affect it. Of course Sand Peebles is the way the sailors of the gunboat SAN PABLO refer to themselves.
Excellent script, cast and performances.
Fans of epic films will love it.
Candice Bergen at her best. Subdued and not overacting... quite a counterpoint for McQueen.
See it at least once.
RECOMMENDED
ADB
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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The Sand Pebbles
Added 9/23/2009
A genuine classic in HD. Too bad HD is no longer available thus eliminating fair competition with Blu Ray
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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The Sand Pebbles
Added 9/20/2009
A classic. McQueen's engineer, Jake Holman, is forced to deal with the complications imposed on US Navy gunboat life by the martinet Captain Collins (Richard Crenna), the troubles of cross-cultural romance as experienced by his friend Frenchy (Richard Attenborough), his own cross-class romantic issues with mission teacher Shirley Eckert (Candice Bergen), and the difficulties involved with reforming the existing engine room coolie hierarchy while training Po-Han (Mako) to be the new engine room "boss," all set against the turbulent rise of communism in mid-1920's China. Strong, likable characters with great moments of personal growth. A solid story that is as believable as it is remarkable.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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the Sand Pebbles
Added 9/6/2009
I loved this movie when it first came out when I saw it in a movie house and I still love it. I'm very glad that I purchased it. Steve McQueen and Candice Bergen are great together.
She still looks good on Boston Legal.
The video came in good condition. No problems at all with this order.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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McQueen's Greatest???
Added 11/11/2009
It's hard to pick McQueen's best. In The Sandpebbles he shows us his ability express the greatest range of emotions. The scene with him weeping in the boiler room after he has to shoot Po-Han makes me cry every time I see it and it has even more power with his back turned to us. And who ever looked like the quintessential sailor in his dress whites? I was in the Navy when I was a kid and the whites were always our favorite, we just felt so cool. I am a stickler for details and I can't figure out what happened to the uniforms in the last third of the movie as the ship spends the winter in port. The rank insignia (crows as we used to call them) should all be on the left sleeve. They appear randomly placed on the uniforms and sometimes not at all. Also the forward gun had no recoil even though you see the mechanism.I know there was a Navy Machinist Mate who consulted on the movie. What happened, did they fire him? Just a details only a nerd would notice. Watching McQueen portray a character that grows and develops as the film progresses is a miracle. What a pity the current generation has to do without someone like him. The only one that comes close may be Russel Crowe but he talks a lot more and relies less on his ability to act without speaking. Something I think McQueen brought to an unbelievable level. Tom Cruise still has a little "growing up" to do. I know its futile to find a replacement but how about some to try to at least stand in his shoes.
I read the book and aside from combining two missionary characters I would say it's one of te most accurate translations form print to screen I've ever seen. Check out the book because there are a few more really interesting characters and some nifty descriptions of Jake actually movng the engines so things run smoother.
The music score is fantastic also and I love the "Introduction" and "Intermission." Ridley Scott brought this feature back in Kingdom of Heaven. I like it because it seems to assume a certain intelligence on the part of the audience. the score is quite beautiful but it is constructed in such a way that you know some really bad things are going to happen. Candice Bergan's first movie opposite McQueen? She was only 19. Must have been pretty intimidating. I don't like her personally and her voice-over commentary is too full of political garbage for me to take it seriously. I don't care what her views are, I want to know more about the movie and how it was made. Attenborough is great as usual. The whole cast is able to bring off the small ship Navy swagger I loved so much on the destroyer I was on. Great movie, you can't go wrong.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Probably the best ever McQueen performance...
Added 11/1/2009
1966 is a long time ago... but as it depicts an episode of gunboat policy (historic epic) then time does not affect it. Of course Sand Peebles is the way the sailors of the gunboat SAN PABLO refer to themselves.
Excellent script, cast and performances.
Fans of epic films will love it.
Candice Bergen at her best. Subdued and not overacting... quite a counterpoint for McQueen.
See it at least once.
RECOMMENDED
ADB
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
The Sand Pebbles
Added 9/23/2009
A genuine classic in HD. Too bad HD is no longer available thus eliminating fair competition with Blu Ray
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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