Comments on: J. Michael Straczynski Thinks Kenneth Branagh is Perfect For ‘Thor’ http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/09/30/j-michael-straczynski-thinks-kenneth-branagh-is-perfect-for-%e2%80%98thor%e2%80%99/ Stuff by geeks, about geeks, for geeks. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:26:45 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: NeverWanderer http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/09/30/j-michael-straczynski-thinks-kenneth-branagh-is-perfect-for-%e2%80%98thor%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-432806 NeverWanderer Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:39:00 +0000 http://geeksofdoom.com/?p=5035#comment-432806 My one issue with Branagh is that he tends to direct movies overdramatically. Both in Dead Like Me and Frankenstein, where characters are supposed to exist and behave in a realistic setting, many of the actors -- actors who I have SEEN turn in good naturalistic performances -- will go too big. Their performances will be too extreme in their expression. He directs them for theater, which may go over well with Shakespeare movies, but for everything else it can come off hokey and unrealistic. Thor is gonna be big and fantastical, sure, but if LOTR proved anything, it's that even fantastical elements need to be grounded in the reality of the characters. I dunno if Branagh can do that. I've never seen him do it. Not when directing. My one issue with Branagh is that he tends to direct movies overdramatically. Both in Dead Like Me and Frankenstein, where characters are supposed to exist and behave in a realistic setting, many of the actors — actors who I have SEEN turn in good naturalistic performances — will go too big. Their performances will be too extreme in their expression.

He directs them for theater, which may go over well with Shakespeare movies, but for everything else it can come off hokey and unrealistic.

Thor is gonna be big and fantastical, sure, but if LOTR proved anything, it’s that even fantastical elements need to be grounded in the reality of the characters. I dunno if Branagh can do that. I’ve never seen him do it. Not when directing.

]]> By: Michael Midnight http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/09/30/j-michael-straczynski-thinks-kenneth-branagh-is-perfect-for-%e2%80%98thor%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-432544 Michael Midnight Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:57:26 +0000 http://geeksofdoom.com/?p=5035#comment-432544 Initially when I heard that Kenneth Branagh was tapped to direct "Thor" I wasn't surprised and actually thought it could work. What JMS says about Thor and being very similar to Shakespearean works is very true but at the same time, we stand now at a fulcrum that can either give us the Ang Lee Hulk or possibly something akin to Iron Man. Although I still have a glimmer of hope that Branagh may create something altogether different and awesome. Whereas The Dark Knight is a mixture of action, drama, suspense, and film noir, mayhaps Thor will be epic and mythic in size and scope. Initially when I heard that Kenneth Branagh was tapped to direct “Thor” I wasn’t surprised and actually thought it could work. What JMS says about Thor and being very similar to Shakespearean works is very true but at the same time, we stand now at a fulcrum that can either give us the Ang Lee Hulk or possibly something akin to Iron Man. Although I still have a glimmer of hope that Branagh may create something altogether different and awesome. Whereas The Dark Knight is a mixture of action, drama, suspense, and film noir, mayhaps Thor will be epic and mythic in size and scope.

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