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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

Serenity: The Firefly Movie (spoilers within)

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11:34 / 22.08.05

Hi - I haven't read most of this thread in case of spoilers and also because I'm new to Firefly as I'm UK-based and I don't think it's had a terrestrial showing over here, or if it has I missed it. I'm a big Joss Whedon fan, though.

My question is this - is it worth going to see Serenity without having seen the TV series first, as I severely doubt that even if I bought the series on DVD I'd manage to have watched it by the time the movie comes out. Is it a case of "you'd enjoy it, but not as much" or is it "you totally wouldn't get it"?

Cheers

ONLY NICE THINGS

13:10 / 22.08.05

Don't panic - thanks to Fox TV, there are only 14 45-minute episodes, so watching them should be a piece o' cake.

13:24 / 22.08.05

I'd say buy the dvd set and watch as much of it as you can before going to see it.
I've not seen the movie so can't say for sure but I imagine from what I've read that it will be a case of appreciating it more if you've seen the series but not too much of a problem if you haven't.
Of course, getting through as much of the dvd set as possible will help establish the characters more for you - at the very least you should try to see the pilot - and that can only be a good thing.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

15:01 / 22.08.05

I picked up the DVDs for about eighteen quid a few weeks ago, and watched 'em in a weekend, so it's easily doable.

16:26 / 22.08.05

Nevertheless, if Whedon did his job, the movie should work for those who never saw the show. Although I'm sure it'd be much more enjoyable having seen all the ep's, of course.

08:01 / 23.08.05

Well I took the plunge and ordered the DVD last night - it will get thrown to the wolves in my ever-expanding "to watch" pile and will have to claw its way to prominence. It's Darwinian entertainment in action.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:55 / 23.08.05

FinderWolf- normally, I'd agree, but seeing as how this is the movie that's supposed to be a replacement (of sorts) for the non-existent Season Two, I'm not sure it is his job to make it work on its own... think of it as more in the way of a sequel, rather than a standalone film. Of course, I've not seen it, but that's kind of what I'm expecting.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:58 / 23.08.05

h1ppych1ck- be advised- the first one's kind of slow, and I found myself at points wondering what all the fuss was about, but by the time it finished I was well up for watching another one.

ONLY NICE THINGS

14:49 / 23.08.05

Stoats - true, but since only about 3 people watched Firefly, he'd better reach out to a wider audience, or he's in sexy trouble.

20:17 / 23.08.05

Well, I subbed our reviewer who gave it five stars (out of fiv) and sounded really fucking impressed. That seldom happens. Sounds like it might be almost as good as the Farscape finale. The backstory is apparently summed up in the first five minutes very effectively with a couple of Whedonesque carpet-pulling tongue-in-cheek moments and from there on in it's scuzzy, funny and good. He says. I missed it as the bugger sold out in 20 minutes after the tickets went on sale to block bookings from Japan an the US. Bastards.

10:55 / 24.08.05

it will get thrown to the wolves in my ever-expanding "to watch" pile and will have to claw its way to prominence.

I thought this when we got the DVD as well, then by two episodes in was actively trying to stall watching it so as to be able to keep watching it for as long as possible. There's a thread about the TV show too if you're interested. Mainly, I'm jealous of anyone watching Firefly for the first time...

11:29 / 24.08.05

Thanks for the lonk, I won't read it till the DVD arrives so that I can keep pace and not spoiler myself to death.

15:28 / 24.08.05

that should be the new word for links (lonks).

06:29 / 26.08.05

... and it looks like Tom heartily agrees with our reviewer. Yay! Come on, hurry up general release...

19:18 / 26.08.05

There is a rumor that they will move up the movie's release, but Whedon sidestepped the question in a recent interview. Sept. 30 doesn't seem so far away now, though...

21:17 / 26.08.05

Hell, given the reception , I reckon it has BIG XMAS FILM written all over it.

10:58 / 27.08.05

Yup - I saw the film and frankly it was awesome. Better if you've watched the series, but still bloody good. Joss turned up afterwards to talk about the whole thing and basically if the film is popular, then there will be a sequel. Success means something like it making $50 to $80 million. So here's how it goes. If you want it to work you need to make sure your friends are going to see it, and in order to make sure that they enjoy it, you need to try and get them to watch the series beforehand. Frankly, that's a pretty good indicator about whether they'll like the film anyway (if they stick through the slightly flat beginnings and start to love it). Once they've seen the show they'll bloody love the movie. People who you can't convince to see the show, you have to make see the movie anyway. It's the best genre sci-fi movie in years, possibly decades.

17:23 / 27.08.05

Firefly DVD on Amazon UK. I'll be getting mine once my bonus comes through.
and in the US, use this link and get Tom a cut of the profits.

18:54 / 27.08.05

My DVD arrived this morning and I've already managed to cram the pilot and two episodes amongst lots of running around preparing to host a monster barbecue tomorrow.

I think you can say I've been hooked and will be adding to the UK box office.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

18:59 / 27.08.05

It seems our work here is done...

22:02 / 28.08.05

Am now ver ver drunk after hosting megabarbie and now in process of yuk clearup. Have watched 2 more episodes earlier whilst sober and can give 2 categorical thumbs up to the Fly. I love Mal. I want his little spaceroaming Alliance hating quirky babies. I need coffee.

02:12 / 29.08.05

Your coat is now shit-colored. Welcome aboard.

Mysterious Transfer Student

06:28 / 02.09.05

OK, this could easily go into the anger and hate thread in Convo, but those of us who attended the Frightfest film festival in London this week had the pleasure of viewing the Serenity trailer (a hit with everyone present, needless to say)... only to be informed by the organisers that while they tried to bring us the actual film, Universal turned them down on the grounds that they didn't think we were the right audience.

Rational response: OK, so maybe the marketing department's having a stupid, they've never heard of crossover appeal, or realised that the audience for horror movies is also likely to include a large proportion of sci-fi fans...
Irrational response: ARE YOU FUCKING DENSE?! We demand to see the fucknuts responsible for this decision, followed closely by the film itself, RIGHT NOW!

Thank you for your indulgence. Please resume.

13:39 / 02.09.05

That is bizarre.

The 'official book of the movie' just came out, a nice oversized paperback with the full script, lots of production art, interviews with Joss & others, etc. Looks shiny. I only flipped through it quickly since I didn't want to be spoiled.

20:55 / 13.09.05

Rich Johnston reports this week:
-------------------------------------------
Adam Hughes wants to get people to see "Serenity," for which he's doing the cover for the collected TPB that bridges the gap between the "Firefly" TV series and the new movie. So he's giving away free artwork to one person who sees the movie in its opening weekend.

If you're in the US, see it on the weekend starting September the 30th, keep the ticket stub and send it in with your name on the back and your name, address and e-mail address on an accompanying piece of paper. All the stubs will be entered into a draw for a fully finished piece of art.

ADAM HUGHES
PO BOX 190823
ATLANTA, GA 31119-0823

The contest will be extended to other countries with different release dates, with two draws, one for UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Iceland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy, mailed in no later than November 7th. And a second round for Mexico, Sweden, Argentina, Hungary, Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland (German speaking region), Finland, Norway, Turkey and Peru, no later than January 7th.

00:46 / 14.09.05

Wow, that sounds cool.

18:56 / 15.09.05

Last bundle of preview screening round the UK, Thursday 20th September

Some are sold out, but Glasgow and Newcastle still have tickets (two I picked at random).

*vibrating* Still waiting till Oct 7th for me.

10:27 / 16.09.05

Oooooh. There are still tickets for Bristol. Unfortunately I'm out for drinks/food with a work leaver next Tuesday - what a bummer. Cardiff's available too, though, which is where I'm going out. I'm so tempted to see if I can squeeze it in somehow. Aaaaarrrrrggh.

06:22 / 21.09.05

Did anyone get to see this? If so please can you report back to the class (without spoilers, natch).

Mysterious Transfer Student

05:12 / 22.09.05

Yes, miss! I made it to the Cardiff preview and can recommend this movie not merely to Firefly fans, but to anybody who wants a spaceship movie that, unlike most recent attempts, ISN'T boring, stately and stiff.

I don't have much time at the moment but I will echo Alex Thoth's comments upthread... this is what anything in Jedi episodes 1-3 would have been like if soul, wit, passion, glee, and writing and acting talent had been included in the mix. The opening sequence that summarises the universe we're in and introduces Chiwetel Ejiofor's character (a wonderful spin on the 'nameless Zen badass' trope we're so used to seeing in genre stuff nowadays) had my jaw on the floor with its innovative scene transits.

No single two-hour movie can include everything we possibly wanted, but right now, I'm happy with the following:-

1) Mal in drag as a Buddhist acolyte.
2) Inara (very nice) showing her Paradise Island roots with a kickass bow and arrow in the last reel.
3) Reavers, thousands of 'em.
4) The initial tracking shot through Serenity, been done a million times but a beautifully concise way of introducing "the tenth character".
5) Several peerless Jayne moments... I quote:

Kaylee (bemoaning Simon's non-interest in her): Been more'n a year since I had anything twixt my nethers didn't run on batteries!
Mal: Whoa whoa whoa! I do not need to hear this!
Jayne: Well... I could stand some more of it.

08:21 / 22.09.05

Hey I think you work in the same building as me Canty? We could form an in-house Serenity appreciation society.

I nearly went to the Cardiff showing as well but was out at a leaving do at Las Iguanas till 9 so wouldn't have made it down to the bay in time.

16:50 / 22.09.05

Very very psyched for opening night.

12:48 / 23.09.05

Josh Micah Marshall, the guy who does the political newsblog Talking Points Memo has an offer for TPM readers -- to serve as a test screener group for Serenity.

The offer behind that link is for a free screening in New York City, but if you get to the bottom and follow the link there, he's also got access to free screenings in Atlanta, Miami, D.C., and a bunch of other cities around America.

Use this knowledge wisely, American lithers. Free screenings are really fun.

14:46 / 23.09.05

Anyone know if the phrase "Can't stop the signal" actually relates to something in the movie? Cause I saw all the TV DVDs and it doesn't ring a bell for me at all. They keep using the phrase in all their promotion for the film.

15:15 / 23.09.05

It does.

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