Walking with Dinosaurs 3D

[Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus]

Many Pixar (and Disney) stories look dull and rehashed when condensed down to a few sentences or a paragraph. Take "Finding Nemo" for example...an uptight father looses his son and in his attempt to find him learns to loosen up and enjoy life. "A Bug's Life", a member of the working class is unsatisfied with his lot in life and ends up saving his oppressed "people" from their oppressor. "The Lion King"...basically it's "Hamlet". These stories have all been done before but these movies tell them in new and relevant ways; with interesting and often stylized visuals, likeable characters, great writing and dialogue. Also keep in mind that children are the target audience here, while us older people may have heard these stories...they likely have not. That said I'm sure Pixar will manage to make this story interesting for children and adults alike...just like they have with 99% of their other films.

As for visuals, how many animated movies don't use stylized visuals? The visuals for TGD are exactly what I would expect from Pixar. They're not making a documentary or even a summer blockbuster, they're making an animated childrens movie. One of the reasons I was excited for WWD is because it looked like something more than a kids movie. It looked like something educational that everyone would enjoy, an honest to goodness dinosaur documentary but upon seeing the latest trailer I can see what it really is. A kids movie. Pretty to look at but ultimately horrible for any adult to sit through (unlike Pixar's movies). Like Disney's Dinosaur, it will look good but won't amount to anything new or special and ultimately be forgotten by most.

Man, now you guys have got me all bummed about WWD. Thanks. In all seriousness, I agree with everything you said. Why couldn't they just make a movie version of the TV series?

[Gwangi]

Many Pixar (and Disney) stories look dull and rehashed when condensed down to a few sentences or a paragraph. Take "Finding Nemo" for example...an uptight father looses his son and in his attempt to find him learns to loosen up and enjoy life. "A Bug's Life", a member of the working class is unsatisfied with his lot in life and ends up saving his oppressed "people" from their oppressor. "The Lion King"...basically it's "Hamlet". These stories have all been done before but these movies tell them in new and relevant ways; with interesting and often stylized visuals, likeable characters, great writing and dialogue. Also keep in mind that children are the target audience here, while us older people may have heard these stories...they likely have not. That said I'm sure Pixar will manage to make this story interesting for children and adults alike...just like they have with 99% of their other films.

As for visuals, how many animated movies don't use stylized visuals? The visuals for TGD are exactly what I would expect from Pixar. They're not making a documentary or even a summer blockbuster, they're making an animated childrens movie. One of the reasons I was excited for WWD is because it looked like something more than a kids movie. It looked like something educational that everyone would enjoy, an honest to goodness dinosaur documentary but upon seeing the latest trailer I can see what it really is. A kids movie. Pretty to look at but ultimately horrible for any adult to sit through (unlike Pixar's movies). Like Disney's Dinosaur, it will look good but won't amount to anything new or special and ultimately be forgotten by most.

Man, now you guys have got me all bummed about WWD. Thanks. In all seriousness, I agree with everything you said. Why couldn't they just make a movie version of the TV series?

I really thought (and hoped) that WWD the movie would be like the TV series and am very disappointing that it does not appear it will be that way. I have not given up completely on the movie but I think any hopes I do have are just wishful thinking at this point.

[Roselaar]

Here's a pic of the WWD standee at work I asked a colleague to make. Too bad you can't discern the eye momvement here, but at least you get a sense of detail and scale.

[FUTABA]

That'd go well in my bedroom. I'm sure I could cram it in there.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

That'd go well in my bedroom. I'm sure I could cram it in there.

Just make it one whole wall.

[FUTABA]

 

I wonder how many of these will end up on Ebay in a few months time. Shouldn't think about it too much though in case I end up spending my savings actually getting one. Must. Resist. Looking.

[Gwangi]

I saw that same display at my local cinema yesterday.

[HD-man]

I'm still going to see this, because the artistry involved is definitely still awesome and deserves to be seen, and I think it's important to promote a film that features dinosaurs that are at least made to look and act realistically and be presentable to children.

Having said that...

It seems I was right for a while now that this really is Walking With Dinosaurs... in name only. VERY, VERY, VERY much so. I don't know who decided on the idea of the voiceovers (I'm guessing a studio exec who didn't originally work on the project), but to me, it was a very misguided decision. It's almost like... they really don't trust their audience, or KIDS, who are usually naturally fascinated with dinosaurs at a young age if they see enough of them/about them. Granted, at least this time the lips DO NOT move... from how the voiceovers sounded in the trailer... they may as well have. It's that close to being just as offensive. At first I thought it may have been cute for this to be a Milo and Otis for dinosaurs... but no. It works on cute puppies and kittens. But not dinosaurs. It just comes off to me as... weird. Dinosaurs are creatures we have never seen alive. They are almost like aliens or some bedtime story monsters, if you will, in terms of how the imagination conjures them up, based on their bones. To put voices... on something as mysterious and provocative as that... when it isn't a cartoon or something like Land Before Time... I just don't get it.

Walking With Dinosaurs showed the world on television many years ago what it would have really been like. It's a bit dated, but it seems to forever be unbeatable in any other attempt. The saddest part is, there is plenty of talent, that we SEE on that very same trailer, to make it happen. But it gets mucked up along the way, most likely by people who never should be involved in something like this in the first place (unappreciative studio), and who don't understand what it is about dinosaurs that excited kids in the first place. I saw the original on TV when it came out. I WAS a kid. The narration was good enough for me. Why couldn't it have been again?

Again, I am still seeing this. But with low expectations. This one really is geared toward the kids now. I feel bad for the people involved that tried to make this be something that the studio just HAD to screw up. My one last hope is that the DVD/BLU will feature a music/effects only track. Disney's Dinosaur I think had this on the DVD, but with the dinosaur lip movements to speech, it still didn't mask the fatal error of that film. With this film, it could be VERY effective since there are no speech lip movements.

So please, studio execs, or any involved in the production (like Krentz), if you could somehow AT LEAST lobby for us for them to simply have a music/effects-only track on the BluRay, I think everyone here would be eternally grateful. It still LOOKS like a great film otherwise! We just want it to SOUND great, too. It should be a VERY easy thing for them to include. And there IS an audience for it, just look right here.

If I came off as rude in any way, I'm sorry. It's been a long day, lol.

You know, in the beginning, I was excited, because of the prospect of a remake of Walking with Dinosaurs. To fix any errors made in the series. However, I changed my mind, and I'll be okay without a remake. Still, when I learned it was a one story movie, I thought that it could really go in depth into the environment, and show really how their world was like.

THen, the first trailer was released. It looked a LITTLE anthropromorphised, not too much, just with the whites of the eyes. And it had nothing in common except dinosaurs. Trailer by trailer my expectations went lower. Now they where lower than ever before. I hate the voice of baby Patchi. If we are supposed to love him from a tiny baby, at least get a less annoying voice, that doesn't sound likes its congested. I think that it won't be as bad as Speckles. In Speckles, there where very unaccurate unfeathered Velociraptors, a time traveling immortal Tyrannosaurus, and dinosaurs falling over cliffs every five minutes. And impluasible scenes such as Speckles and the Tyrannosaurus falling into the ocean, AND SURVIVING!!!? REALLY!!!?

At least this Walking with Dinosaurs Movie is grounded in realism, there doesn't seem to be any impossible big epic fights of the Gods, and so far no pronated hands, mostly accurate feathered dinosaurs (Troodon is fine, Hesperonychus, jeez.....), and also it looks much better visually than Speckles was. Speckles had top notch state-of-the-art crap animation (or crapanimation) and crap CGI. Walking with Dinosaurs 3D looks wonderful visually. I hate to have really visually incredible movies be ruined by audio.

I will see this movie, but with low expectations, like scallenger.

The above quotes sum up my feelings on WWD3D. I will add that 1) I got super-hyped when I saw the 1st trailer b/c it looked like we were FINALLY gonna get a good non-JP dino movie with scientifically-accurate, beautifully-lifelike dinos & either no narration or good 3rd person narration, 2) I was super-dissapointed when I saw the 2nd trailer, but still held out hope for decent 1st person narration ala "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron", 3) I wanted to say the following quote to the BBC when I saw the 3rd trailer, & 4) I'm not gonna watch this movie in theaters & I'll ONLY watch it on DVD if there's a "no narration" option. I should also mention that the WWD part of this movie's title DOES make sense b/c, AFAICT, the "Walking  with" part of the original doc's title referred to the fact that we were following the stories of individual dinos.

Quoting The Lorax ( http://www.universalpicturesawards.com/assets/lorax/pdf/lorax_screenplay.pdf ):

You're better than this! You gotta stop! This is bad!

[Roselaar]

I wonder how many of these will end up on Ebay in a few months time. Shouldn't think about it too much though in case I end up spending my savings actually getting one. Must. Resist. Looking.

I did mention this standee cost 1,500 dollars, right? Just to give you a heads-up about what you might be getting yourself into if you want to get one yourself. I imagine the shipping costs too must be rather steep... 

[FUTABA]

I wonder how many of these will end up on Ebay in a few months time. Shouldn't think about it too much though in case I end up spending my savings actually getting one. Must. Resist. Looking.

I did mention this standee cost 1,500 dollars, right? Just to give you a heads-up about what you might be getting yourself into if you want to get one yourself. I imagine the shipping costs too must be rather steep... 

I think my family would likely disown me if I went that far.

[DinoToyForum]

How did I not think of this before!? I hereby dub this film, 'Talking with Dinosaurs'. 

[FUTABA]

I've thought of that title for a while. If only I'd written it down!

[DinoToyForum]

The Dark Prince!? I just guffawed.
This is getting worse and worse 

[DinoToyForum]

I've thought of that title for a while. If only I'd written it down!

TWD is a nicer acronym than WWD3D too. They so should have called it TWD,  then we'd all have known what we were in for

[FUTABA]

The Dark Prince!? I just guffawed.
This is getting worse and worse 

Aww God I know... I, I can't.. even... I jus, I just, don't.. can't.... I, don't even...

[DinoToyForum]

The Dark Prince!? I just guffawed.
This is getting worse and worse 

Aww God I know... I, I can't.. even... I jus, I just, don't.. can't.... I, don't even...

Take a deep breath, pour a cup of tea, and pop the original WWD series in the DVD player. We'll all get through this terrible ordeal!

[FUTABA]

You sir, have just planned my weekend for me.

[CityRaptor]

As cheesy as that might be, it hints at someone more powerful or atleast higher ranked than Gorgon.

Besides: Where exactly is he called that? The only site I found calling him that is Tesco.

[DinoToyForum]

As cheesy as that might be, it hints at someone more powerful or atleast higher ranked than Gorgon.

Besides: Where exactly is he called that? The only site I found calling him that is Tesco.

It is on IMDB here: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2534072064/tt1762399?ref_=tt_pv_md_1 but I don't think it is an official title. Just a description. The others are listed as 'The Courageous Warrior" and so on.

[CityRaptor]

Thanks.

The one for Alex is rather spoilerific.