I don't feel like season 2 is separate from 1, it had the same tone, quality, style just different villains. truly remarkable how a show gets beeter insetad of a decline in quality.
I could never compare the two seasons, there are too few eps anyway but almost all are gems. The only one I don't like so much is Destructive Testing because Kraven taking the serum was quite frankly a dumb thing to do.
- Gothamite #4
I've learned that it's OK to be flawed - Winona Ryder
Is there some fans who feel like the two seasons feel different?
shareI don't think that anyone will argue against it either, I have never in my life seen two seasons of the same series match so perfectly as in TSSM. I would have thought that the 26 episodes were part of the same season if I hadn't known better.
The the reason that I'm replying to this though is to go completely Off topic. I got around watching A Railway Station for Two last week and I thought I should give you my opinions in it seeing that it was you who made me aware of it's existence in the first place.
Pros:
Wonderful use of the Steadicam, the Russians are truly the masters of the Steadicam. (Although Martin Scorsese and John Woo needs a mentioning for Goodfellas and Hard Boiled.)
Long uninterrupted takes - I love those.
Actors that looks like real people rather than models - This what I love about Russian cinema, they usually pick actors for their talents rather than their looks.
A Wonderful silent scene near the end, I love it when you throw the dialogue overboard to give it all to the photography.
Cons:
Broke the 180 degree rules a few times for no reason what so ever, it made the director seem amateurish.
To few shots of the beautiful Russian landscape.
A little to close to Hollywood romantic comedies from time to time.
I will watch A Cruel Romance this week and I'll gladly comment on that as well if you want me to.
When the choice is between a American and a Russian film, always choose the latter.
It was the first Russian film I ever saw, so it had quite an impact on me I guess.
Feel free to comment on A Cruel Romance too.
- Gothamite #4
I've learned that it's OK to be flawed - Winona Ryder
I tried to watch A Cruel Romance only to realize that it came with subtitles in what seemed to be Romanian. I will try to best to find English subtitles that synchronizes with the film files. Here's hoping that it won't be too hard. (I can't imagine that their would be too many rips of the film circulating.)
When the choice is between a American and a Russian film, always choose the latter.
No problem. Do you have any recommendations for me, Russian films or otherwise?
- Gothamite #4
I've learned that it's OK to be flawed - Winona Ryder
Excuse me for taking so long!
I think I counted up all my Russian favorites so let's see if I can recommend films from categories that I have not mentioned at all:
If you want to see "pure" film I could recommend everything by Maya Deren. She made short films with a 16mm camera and pretty much no budget to speak of but her films are the real thing. I'm usually hesitant to recommend her seeing that she's pretty much as far from conventional cinema that you can come but seeing that you enjoyed Stalker I take it that you should be open enough for new things which I think is great. I mean the problem with art cinema is not that you're average movie goer is to stupid to get the films but rather that the average movie goer feels more conformable with watching blockbusters for entertainment and thus skips out on art films without even trying.
The films of Maya Deren can be found online on sites such as YouTube.)
A few other films I really like that often finds themselves overlooked are:
The Big Heat - This is my favorite Film-Noir. The genre includes legendary films such as Sunset Blvd, Double Indemnity, The Maltese Falcon etc but my favorite remains The Big Heat. It's as hard boiled as it gets in the 50s. An honest cop (Dave Bannion) tries to go up against the mob boss (Mike Lagana) that owns the city and his the police department in his pocket. After refusing to back down even after being threatened the mob places a bomb in his car but he's wife ends up getting killed instead, when the police tells Bannion to sit the investigation out he quits and starts a personal war against Lagana's syndicate.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - We watched this in film class and I simply loved it. A young man (Colin Smith) is sent to a reform school after being arrested following a break in into a bakery. It's a very left wing film showing that poverty causes people to become criminals and that youth class can rebel against the older authority. It's a textbook example of the British free cinema wave from the 60s.
Jean-Pierre Melville the director:
I love crime cinema and I have recently gotten into Melville and I consider him to be the king of it. His most famous film is probably "Le Samurai" which follows a professional killer, you might have watched Leon by Luc Besson and/or The Killer by John Woo? They were both heavily inspired by Le Samurai.
When the choice is between a American and a Russian film, always choose the latter.
Crime films aren't usually my favorites, but I can appreciate good films from any genre. Thanks for your suggestions.
I'll definitely check out The Big Heat and Maya Deren as soon as I can, it's spring vacation for me...
- Gothamite #4
I've learned that it's OK to be flawed - Winona Ryder
Crime films aren't usually my favorites, but I can appreciate good films from any genre. Thanks for your suggestions.
Speaking of crime films, I plan to watch some classics like The Godfather and Scarface on my spring vacation... then I'll probably go with some sci-fi
- Gothamite #4
I've learned that it's OK to be flawed - Winona Ryder
That reminds me that I still haven't gotten around watching The Godfather part 2-3 yet. Despite watching the first one years ago, I really need to get around doing watching those...
Speaking of getting around to something after a long time... I finally listened to to an old podcast that was made shortly after the cancelation of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Greg Wiesman was interviewed about his ideas for the show had it continued and how he was recruited in the first place, it was obviously depressing to hear about the great ideas he had in store but I still loved every second of it.
The most interesting part was without any doubt his description of Mary Jane. What he was going for with the character was the exact opposite what I thought he was going for. I really need to re-watch the show with this new information and see if I can discover something new.
Here you go if you want to listen (and believe me, you want to!)
http://spectacularwebspodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2010-07-09T12_16_18- 07_00
When the choice is between a American and a Russian film, always choose the latter.
That reminds I gotta watch TSSM again, I have no doubt it'll be even better this time around.
- Gothamite #4
I've learned that it's OK to be flawed - Winona Ryder
I did finally getting around re-watching it just recently. I did eventually realized that since I will never be able to forget about it or get over the fact that it was cancelled I could as well watch it again.
The first season went fine but the last couple of episodes of the second will always be tainted by the fact that it was cancelled. Episode 11-13 are the worst for me to watch, those are truly great episodes but it is when I reached that point that reality hits me with full force...
What will happen between Peter and Gwen now? It's not hard to guess that their social life will be awkward...
What will happen to Mary Jane now that Mark ended up in prison?
How will Liz Allan move on?
When/how will Gargan become the Scorpion.
Will Black Cat and Spider-Man ever be on speaking terms again?
Would Miles Warren create a Gwen Stacy clone*? (I think I might have shouted "We could have gotten the Gwen Stacy clone!" when re watched the last episode...)
Hammerhead and Silver Sable's origins please?
How will Connor turn into the Lizard again?
Will Tombstone go to jail eventually?
How did Norman Osborne survive and what will he do now?
Those were just some of the countless questions spawned from the last 3 episodes!
Now that I have listened to the audio commentary I will definietely re-watch the show again, it will probably not be tomorrow though seeing that I just re-watched it before hearing it. I guess Spider-Man: The Animated Series and Justice League/Unlimited are in line to be watched first. (I can't wait to see Justice League/Unlimited in 720p!)
*Gerry Conway might just be THE Spider-Man writer in my eyes. This might sound like a contradiction on my behalf since I have probably mentioned J. M. DeMatteis in the past. This is due to the fact that I have been able to decide between the two writers. DeMatteis wrote much better comics and had a fantastic understanding of both Peter and Mary Jane but Conway did lay the foundation that all the latter writers continued to build on.
I mean the guy gave us:
The Night Gwen Stacy Died.
The Goblins Last Stand.
Punisher.
Peter/Mary Jane
The Jackal
The Gwen Stacy clone.
Ned and Betty getting married, (he left the comic before that but I give him credit for really setting it in motion once and for all.)
Harry Osborne becoming the Green Goblin.
etc.
When the choice is between a American and a Russian film, always choose the latter.
I first watched TSSM online after it was already cancelled and after seeing the premier episode I was already wondering how could it get cancelled like that, not just the perfect Spider-Man show but a textbook example of how to do an awesome animated series.
I'll never forget it, I'm less bitter now, but when I think of the possibilities...
- Gothamite #4
I've learned that it's OK to be flawed - Winona Ryder
I'll never forget it, I'm less bitter now, but when I think of the possibilities...
You make sound so bad that I'll try not to expect much from it when I eventually watch it. If it's in the style of "Batman: the Brave and the Bold" it's clearly not to my taste.
- Gothamite #4
I've learned that it's OK to be flawed - Winona Ryder