MovieChat Forums > Moby Dick (1956) Discussion > Seeing it again, after at least 30 years...

Seeing it again, after at least 30 years.

posted 11 years ago by jonhopper217
6 replies | jump to latest

I read Moby Dick (or had it read to me) when I was very young. I watched the movie with my parents when I was about eleven or twelve years old and never saw it again. Last night, I happened to sit down, just as it started and decided to give it a go. It's probably one of the earliest guilty pleasures I can remember and is today. It's far from a great movie and quite possibly one of Peck's lesser roles, but it doesn't detract from the fact that this movie is ridiculously fun to watch. The special effects, for 1956 are pretty good and in many ways you could say, finer than the end product of Jaws in that category. I refuse to watch the remake from a few years back, but do believe this needs a big budget revamp, but almost in a horror movie kind of way.

[–] wrfarley 11 years ago

They've already tried a couple of remakes and they've been busts (the last one was with William Hurt as Ahab). I think the 1956 version works quite well. It was made by literate people; and Peck's performance while, yes, showy, remains the centerpiece of the film.

[–] cwente2 11 years ago

I quite agree.

[–] steve112547 11 years ago

I agree also - for its time, filming this story was a great challenge and accomplishment. The acting talent of key players is consistently good, even if Peck was a bit young for Ahab's character. It still works well today.

[–] ziggystar86 9 years ago

The special effects are amazing and the colours beajutiful and gives the films atmosphere. I Think this is one of Gregory Pecks finest performances. But it's no a perfect film even if great fun to Watch, it feels little slow at places.

[–] jonhopper217 9 years ago

Agreed with pace. I think Peck is wonderful, but critics don't seem to like him in this role. The only comparison I can think of offhand is Adam Sandler in Punch Drunk Love. His fans hated it, because he isn't funny and P.T. Anderson fans hated it, because Adam Sandler was in it. The irony is, it's Sandler's best work and while not Anderson's best, it's a phenomenal achievement. Now that I've written this, Carrey in Eternal Sunshine and Williams in One Hour Photo come to mind too. Critics don't know how to handle these types of things.

I've also read that the making of this had problems that rivaled Jaws (odd, huh?). Huston wanted such a perfect film that it wasn't, but the look and feel sure was. It would be interesting to watch it right after To Kill A Mockingbird and see if it has any bearing on how I view it.

[–] janet-conant 8 years ago

First thing I noticed was the great cast and narration. Fine old film. They could remake it with better special effects and all that computer trickery but could never cast it better.