DN - Spoiler Thread

[wichiwoman]

Should we start a thread called "Rufus's Body Parts"? That way we could make allllll kinds of observations! You cool with that, GE2? ;D

[numbat]

ROFLMFAO!!!

GE2 - i hope you noticed that i had nothing to do with that conversation! I just innocently posted the picture and went to bed!!! Just goes to show that i really am not the cause of all the trouble round here ;D

(I would just like to add one small observation though before we finish this conversation - in general, men do tend to get hairier as they get older. As do some women i expect. Not numbats of course. I still have the same amount of stripy brown fur as i've always had!!!)

[bluehorse]

wichi excellent idea... I think we would never run out of things to discuss in such a thread

and poor innocent numbat... no one blames you

You defended Albert's thread and I take the shame on me

[GreenEyesToo]

May 7, 2010 8:15:01 GMT bluehorse said:

As for the off topic stuff, I take this as my responsibility. It was simply having some fun and I apologize if I broke the rules.

No need to apologise, Bluehorse - fun is what we're about. It's just that the thread had strayed too far off the subject, and I was just trying to bring it back, that's all.

May 7, 2010 16:05:01 GMT @wichiwoman said:

Should we start a thread called "Rufus's Body Parts"? That way we could make allllll kinds of observations! You cool with that, GE2? ;D

Someone did actually ask me a while ago if it was okay to start a thread with that title - the answer was NO. Don't know if you're being serious with that request, Wichi, but sorry, it's too easy for a thread like that to degenerate into comments/discussions that get people a warning and then a ban.

And, of course, I'm sure we all respect Rufus far too much to want that!

(And Numbat, yes, your lack of culpability was noted! ;D)

[bluehorse]

OK GE2, glad you're not angry with me. It's not an easy job you're doing here

Well, as easily as we get off topic even in a serious discussion, probably you're right... a new thread about his body parts would drive us all mad.
But who knows, maybe right in the middle of a wild discussion over the number of his chest hairs, we would get into something really serious, deep and thoughtful???
The symbolism of bath tubs and bare chests...

No, just kidding.
Waiting for true and deep discussions about DN (even though still nobody explained to me why there were no spots on his shirt from the... well... er .... you know what.... NO, I DON'T WANT TO START ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!)

[wichiwoman]

Nope, not serious at all, GE2! And I agree with your reasoning. I figured it would go over like the proverbial lead balloon!

[nell]

Finally got to see Downloading Nancy last weekend and it blew me away. I wanted to watch it for a second time before adding to this thread - now I have so here goes.

Before watching I didn't know whether I'd need a box of tissues or a pillow to bury my head in.

On the first viewing the suspense was incredible. What an incredibly emotive film. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and didn't really know if Louis would go through with it.
I felt empathy for Nancy straight away. When Albert left Nancy on the dance floor I was disgusted with him.
Albert and Nancy struck me as such an incompatible couple. Albert being so incapable of talking and Nancy being such a wreck. My sympathy for Albert came later. I couldn't help wondering how Albert got to be the way he was. He seemed to me to be anal retentive (according to Sigmund Freud's theory) his washing of hands, tidy house, plastic covers on the couch taking shoes off at the door and arranging the email pages into a neat pile all seemed to be symptoms of this. I wanted to know what had happened to him - I think he had his problems before he even met Nancy - she spoke to him about adoption before they married and he said he wanted to eat Chinese. Obviously incapable of discussing important issues even at that early stage in their relationship. How was this ever going to work ?
I think we were meant to wonder about Albert and not getting the back story on him was kind of the whole point. No-one knew it - because he couldn't communicate.
I couldn't help hoping Nancy would make a go of things with Louis and everyone would live happily ever after - ever the eternal optimist !
I though all the actors were exceptional. The casting was spot on here IMHO. The way it was put together and cut away from or hid certain elements just added to the tension. The subtlety too and the art of suggestion of what was happening was brilliant I thought.

Lots of you say you don't understand why member of the audience walked out at Sundance. I think I understand why though. I'd hazard a guess that they didn't know what the film was really about (I mean there would be loads of film showings at the festival). They wouldn't know what to expect and when that piece of glass came out - (I'm guessing this may have been the bit that did it) they didn't know it was going to cut away at that point (unintentional pun there - sorry). Or imagine just 1 member of the audience had suffered abuse. Could they watch that not knowing what had actually been filmed. They get up to leave and others start thinking. OMG they know what's coming here I can't watch this so it became contagious. Lets face it - it did feel very real.

On my second viewing I was sobbing by the opening scenes - having selected through chapter selection and the first one titled "Gone" it was so obvious second time around what this meant. It was a good job I was home alone. Just kept mumbling "Oh Albert !" (I just wanted to hug him.)
Rufus really acted out of his skin here. He portrayed so much emotion with just facial expression and stance. This must be the saddest film I have ever seen.
In the dining table (mashed potato scene) the 1st time round I just thought Nancy was trying to provoke Albert & get a reaction. 2nd time I though she was trying to add some fun & break the monotony. Lets face it he was pretty boring and that scrapping of the knife on his plate - was so annoying. Did Albert laugh afterwards because she had given up on getting a a reaction - or did he actually see the funny side of it. Funnily he didn't seem that bothered about her making a mess. Likewise when he washed his hands after picking up the razor blade he just chucked the towel instead of arranging it neatly like you would expect from someone with a mild OCD. Perhaps much of the tidy bit was down to Nancy & some of it rubbed off on Albert.
I think they were both already damaged when they got together and their own problems made them completely blind to each others needs. They just made each other worse.

The expression on Alberts face after hitting Louis with the golf club, that moment of realisation and his reaction to it was pur Roofie brilliance

At the end of the film I couldn't decide if Albert had moved house or not. I assumed to start with the computer was still boxed up after it had been taken away and used for evidence. Perhaps Albert didn't have the heart to get it out again. Also Albert didn't seem to know one end of it from the other ! Albert replaced hand washing with replaying the video over and over and re-reading the emails. They actually said it was a year after the sentencing of Louis, we don't know how long he's had the recording and it probably took a year for the case to get to court so I'd say this was at least 2 years afterwards maybe more.

I notice there was the hint of a chain around Albert's neck. A hint that he was wearing Nancy's necklace. There seemed to be a few items still littering the place too. The razor blade, the hair grip on the floor. The pizza boxes stacked up hinted at his not cooking for himself. Just subtle things but so brilliantly done.

I'm still thinking about this film days after watching it. How often can you say that. I guess this isn't one of the films I'm going to forget I've ever seen and after insisting to hubby that - no I definitely haven't seen it before then realise 5 minutes before the end that actually I have and I know what's going to happen.

Now brilliant as you were Rufus - if you read this -we fangirls could do with a bit of a laugh now. That's two draining films on the trot you've given us. How about another TOTS. I feel completely wrung out ! Thank you <kiss, kiss>

p.s. sorry if I went on a bit !

[tipou]

dont apologize, nell, that was brilliant, on target, deep, and you also spotted the unanswered questions that have been juggling in my mind since i saw the movie. i like it so much when a film maker does not feel obligated to spell out every detail. we can THINK, in fact we like to, don't we?

[dippyponge]

I had to think about what to write about this film. I can see why people walked out on it. I think that the way it was filmed, although never showing actually cutting or actual violence as such, you were able to live thought the actors and there were times that I felt sick to my stomach, so much so that I couldn't finish my tea. For example the glass scene and when Nancy revealed how young she had been when she was first abused.
I found myself feeling sorry for Nancy for having to endure her childhood and a relationship with Albert but also wondered whether his boringness was a result of being with Nancy. Was he trying to ignore her behavior thinking that she would stop if nobody noticed, like if a child is having a tantrum you are advised to just walk away. It did seem as if he thought she was just after attention, for example at the works function. He danced with her but as soon as she did something different to just shuffling around the room he walked away and then when she wanted to go home he wasn't bothered, he couldn't see what he had done wrong and treated her like an insolent teenager. It wasn't until near the end that I started to feel for Albert. He had only lived half a life and although it is obvious that he knew about Nancy's problems, he just pretended not to know. I wonder if Nancy ever told Albert the full story like she did the other guy (sorry can't remember his name) and I wonder what Albert's life was like as a child. Albert's face, as nell said, when he saw the pleasure he had caused the other man was very convincing. I feel that Albert was disgusted by his wife but more disgusted with himself for not doing anything to stop her. I could go on forever with different theory's I have. Very thought invoking but very bleak, especially when you realise that it is based on real life. My Husband asked me if it was a film he would like and I said no. He is a smash em up, shoot them down kind of guy and I don't think he would get the subtleness and undercurrents of this film.

Just wanted to add how good the acting was, from all of them.

[judypatooty]

May 18, 2010 18:48:08 GMT nell said:

I'm still thinking about this film days after watching it. How often can you say that. I guess this isn't one of the films I'm going to forget I've ever seen and after insisting to hubby that - no I definitely haven't seen it before then realise 5 minutes before the end that actually I have and I know what's going to happen.

Excellent comments, Nell & Dippy!

I just wanted to quote Nell's comment above because that's exactly how DN affected me, too. Even now, I can still vividly recall particular elements and scenes from the film and I only watched it once.

I remember reading or hearing somewhere about the concept of a film's "flight factor." How quickly after you've seen a film does it "fly" out of your memory? The higher the "flight factor" the more memorable the film. DN has an extremely high flight factor!

[bluehorse]

When reading Nell’s and Dippy’s comments, I was nodding all the time. How many questions in one film! I guess there’s not many films that cause so much thinking!

I can only agree with Nell’s observations about Rufus’s acting. But besides those single scenes, what most astonishes me about this role is: HOW on earth did he manage to play it that way??? He is so thoroughly credible.

Before watching that film, could one of you have imagined Rufus in such a role??

Not his charming smile, but just grimaces. Not his sensual body language we are used to, but inhibited and wooden (the dancing scene was incredible, the way he danced with her was so annoying!). His handsome face transformed into a cheesy masque, his wonderful mouth cramped. The only colored thing on Albert were his ludicrous socks.
Before seeing this film, would you have ever imagined that Rufus could somehow NOT look good?

[rueful]

Thanks for these new reviews, Nell and Dippy. I get so much more out of all these movies after reading everyone's analyses. I could only watch DN once, mostly through my fingers, so I missed a lot of nuances (heck, I didn't even understand the sex scene until someone explained it to me ). I'm so glad to get your insights.

Not his charming smile, but just grimaces. Not his sensual body language we are used to, but inhibited and wooden...His handsome face transformed into a cheesy masque, his wonderful mouth cramped.

Perfect description, Bluehorse!

[nell]

Good points girls. The fact it was based on a true story did make it really hit home didn't it ? It's interesting to see the film had a similar effect on all of us. Dippy my hubby watched it with me and said he found it depressing - I thinks he's more of an action man i.e. shoot em up type too (he'd never admit it though). Bluehorse - I think I'd have stuck that phone where the sun doesn't shine, on the dance floor - really annoying & the knife scrapping when he was eating - he may have worn the whole dish of mashed potatoes (I bit he's have risen to that ! LOL) if I'd been Nancy.
One point I didn't remember to say - this was set in the late 80's early 90's I'd say judging by the decor and dreadful clothes. I don't mean to be picky but shouldn't the mobile phone have been more brick sized and the pc slightly more antiquated looking ? Compare with Ashes to Ashes 80's set an you'll see what I'm getting at (although granted that was slightly earlier at 1983) any thoughts on that ? Or have I got the timing all wrong ?

[bluehorse]

nell... about the timing (mobiles, computers) I really don't know. I don't know if the real story took place in the 80s. Maybe someone knows?

For the dancing scene, it was not even so much his f....ing mobile that annoyed me the most, but the WAY he danced with her. Like a piece of wood. Worse than a 12 year old boy trying to dance for the first time.I f I would see a grown up man dance like this in the real world, I would keep away from him as far as I could.
I think it had cost Rufus an enormous effort to dance that way (we know how he can dance... just watch him dance in IASL, ask numbat! )

I know I go on repeating myself, but I can't say it often enough. What Rufus did in this role was incredible. It's just as if you ask a cat to walk like an elephant. Rufus did exactly that, IMHO. The most elegant, catlike being behaving like a piece of wood... that's really an art!
And still my question is unanswered. Before that film, has anyone of you girls thought that Rufus could ever be NOT attractive? Come on, even his worst baddies where somehow gorgeous. But Albert... I think none of us ever had dreams about Albert (if not nightmares). We feel sorry for him, OK. We wonder why is like he is. We may pity poor Albert, but nothing more.
So for me, in the end (just to speak about Rufus' acting, let alone the whole film which was really excellent), this is actually the most astounding achievement: he played this character so truly "repelling" that nobody, even the most addicted fangirl could fall in love with this character.
Hey, and that's really a difficult thing, don't you think?

[nell]

he played this character so truly "repelling" that nobody, even the most addicted fangirl could fall in love with this character.

I did say I wanted to give him a hug though Bluehorse !

I aim to watch IASL properly this weekend - will pay particular attention to the dance scene

And still my question is unanswered. Before that film, has anyone of you girls thought that Rufus could ever be NOT attractive? Come on, even his worst baddies where somehow gorgeous. But Albert... I think none of us ever had dreams about Albert (if not nightmares).

What about Amazing Grace Bluehorse. Really sweet character but slightly minging IMHO ! (I'll probably get lynched for that )