The Rules of Attraction

[markums2k]

Pulp Fiction it ain't.

goddamn right it ain't. they're hardly fucking comparable.

why does everyone keep trying to compare the two, like the rules of attraction is somehow tarantino's brainchild?

imbeciles.

Traditionally, when writing partners split up for individual projects, it is fun to compare them [new projects] to older, collaborative works.  We aren't TRYING to compare Rules of Attraction to Pulp Fiction, we ARE comparing Rules of Attraction to Pulp Fiction.

Here's what I see:  Pulp Fiction, written by Tarantino and Avery... good.  Jackie Brown, written and directed by Tarantino... good.  Rules of Attraction, written and directed by Avery... well, let's say, putting it like "it's no Pulp Fiction" is a nice way of alleging that Avery has no talent of his own.  If you don't see the logic of this argument, maybe you should run for some state office and stop clogging up the boards, fellow.

[MacGuffin]

Edited at Cecil's request:

Why not compare it to Avary's other writing/directing job, "Killing Zoe"?

[jasper_window]

Why not compare it to Avery's other writing/directing job, "Killing Zoe"?

Excellent point.  I really like Killing Zoe and I liked Rules of Attraction.  I also liked the book though.  It's naive to deny Roger Avary's talent.  If you really think Tarantino was the ONLY one behind Pulp Fiction and Avary was just riding his coattails, I got a bridge to sell ya.  He just wrote Lords of Dogtown for Fincher maybe that'll convince people.

[markums2k]

Why not compare it to Avery's other writing/directing job, "Killing Zoe"?

Ah, see, I completely forgot about that.  I've never seen it.  Ignorance is bliss.

[OmegaSlacker]

Avary may be a hack but at least he stays in fairly constant contact with fans...

www.avary.com/rogeravary/journal/journal.php

I can't think of any director that does that...One can only imagine how apeshit all of us would go if PTA posted here...at least Brett Easton Ellis enjoys ROA...he claims it is his favorite adaptation of his work and has watched it several times, which he never does.

Kevin Smith is really good about keeping in contact with fans as well, keeping them updated on what he's doing and all that.
He owns about 5 websites which are all pretty solid and he regularly posts on NewsAskew.com

[Cecil]

i adore killing zoe. and avary (spelled with an "a," people) also did some writing on true romance. anyone see mr. stitch?

[Gold Trumpet]

I think the main difference between Rules and Pulp is that Rules is trying to go for an emotional center, a plot that pays off with you feeling a tradegy at the end and caring about the characters you see end up in bad ways. With Pulp, the story stayed, well, pulp. Its story focused on going as much to the center of its genre as it could and speaking for almost every single storyline and idea that genre had. It almost felt like a moasic piece of an entire culture summed up to one story, and most importantly, done with talent.

I believe there is talent to Rules, but misdirection. The misdirection is that Rules keeps so many signature identities of the pulp film, especially in its characters, that its dialogue is way too stuck at remarks too cute or shrewd to be affecting dramatically and has symbolism that seems wrong for who it is showing. It feels like gimmee drama only, like it is trying to be what it is not. It just feels sophmoric and smells of bad vibes when watching, but I did at least enjoy watching Rules.

~rougerum

[jasper_window]

i adore killing zoe. and avary (spelled with an "a," people) also did some writing on true romance. anyone see mr. stitch?

He claims on his website that he still has all of his drafts for True Romance and will one day post them to show how much of the script came from him.

[snaporaz]

Traditionally, when writing partners split up for individual projects, it is fun to compare them [new projects] to older, collaborative works.  We aren't TRYING to compare Rules of Attraction to Pulp Fiction, we ARE comparing Rules of Attraction to Pulp Fiction.

Here's what I see:  Pulp Fiction, written by Tarantino and Avery... good.  Jackie Brown, written and directed by Tarantino... good.  Rules of Attraction, written and directed by Avery... well, let's say, putting it like "it's no Pulp Fiction" is a nice way of alleging that Avery has no talent of his own.  If you don't see the logic of this argument, maybe you should run for some state office and stop clogging up the boards, fellow.

wow....your opinion with absolutely no basis has truly derailed my case. omg.

idiot.

[markums2k]

wow....your opinion with absolutely no basis has truly derailed my case.

You're welcome.

[oakmanc234]

Though I feel that this flick is an overall misfire, it has some serious moments of genius.
The bit where the girl slits her wrists in the bath made me literally feel sick in the gut. The expressions on her face said it all, so realistic, as if she was reminiscing from experience. The reverse stuff was trippy to watch, the 'two shot becomes one' was great, that guy from 'Driven's fast montage of all the shit he's done was crazy, when Van Der Beek tries to hang himself etc, etc.....

[markums2k]

Though I feel that this flick is an overall misfire, it has some serious moments of genius.
The bit where the girl slits her wrists in the bath made me literally feel sick in the gut. The expressions on her face said it all, so realistic, as if she was reminiscing from experience. The reverse stuff was trippy to watch, the 'two shot becomes one' was great, that guy from 'Driven's fast montage of all the shit he's done was crazy, when Van Der Beek tries to hang himself etc, etc.....

Ah, I have to admit, the hanging thing was cool.  I'm going to reserve further judgement until I see Zoe.

[Cecil]

just wanted to share this really nice finish dvd cover

[Gold Trumpet]

nice dvd package. I caught this movie again last night on cinemax. I originally didn't like it while admiring it, but this movie is too much fun not to watch. I couldn't change the channel. So I think on give and take, I actually like this movie because as a pulp movie, it is prolly one of the better made ones. More talent in filmmaking and story that sometimes attempts to be a little too dramatic in the convential sense.  I think the convential parts threw me off in the first viewing.

~rougerum

[Cecil]

holy crap