I'll finally be getting to see it...

[Neil]

It's released in the UK next week on DVD... :rockbrow:

[Legion2213]

It's released in the UK next week on DVD... :rockbrow:

Have you ordered the "steelbook" version?

I might have a GAR fest when it arrives, watch all the other "Dead" movies over a weekend before cracking open the new one. :cool:

[Neil]

A friend has ordered it for me and I believe he has amended the order to the 'steel tin' one...

[MinionZombie]

Steel Tin 2-disc one, that's the one you want, and that's the one I've had pre-ordered for about 6 weeks or so. Should be here soon, hopefully the stock will be in early (it appears to be at least), so they're just waiting to send it off at a decent time before street date, but not too far ahead to be naughty.

Ideally I'd get it for Saturday, cos I love getting a new DVD to pour over during the weekend, ideal really, a nice way to burn up time until Top Gear comes on at 8pm on Sunday. :)

It'll be my 3rd viewing when I get it.

[Legion2213]

Just got an email from Play.com, my "steelbook 2 disc sexy edition" of Diary was posted today. :cool:

[Neil]

Just got an email from Play.com, my "steelbook 2 disc sexy edition" of Diary was posted today. :cool:

I had that too... Did you not get the follow up a few hours later? It's the standard editions they're sending out! I phoned and the tin ones are delayed by weeks!!!!!! :mad:

[Legion2213]

No mate, all I got was this...

"Your order for Diary Of The Dead: Limited Edition Steel Tin (2 Discs) (w/Play.com Exclusive Sleeve Designed By Charlie Adlard) has been posted."

Just checked my mail again and no follow ups....they better not have posted me an inferior version! :mad:

What did they say to you exactly, that they had posted the normal version to you, or that they had posted nothing at all?

Edit: Just checked my actual account at Play, and it is marked as posted there as well.

Edit: 2 Sorry you already told me they are sending out standard versions....nob ends, they can have it back if they send me one (unless they are providing it free of charge).

[MinionZombie]

As long as it's 2 discs I'm fine with it. They cannot send you a 1-disc if you've ordered the 2-disc, because clearly you don't want the 1-disc.

The only difference might be packaging, but I've had no email about such things. :confused:

When did you order yours Neil? Maybe they ran out of stock of the tin edition? It is limited after all (in tin anyway).

The special cover does look funky, but even if it isn't the tin, it's it being a 2-disc edition that I'm bothered about.

[Neil]

As long as it's 2 discs I'm fine with it. They cannot send you a 1-disc if you've ordered the 2-disc, because clearly you don't want the 1-disc.

The only difference might be packaging, but I've had no email about such things. :confused:

When did you order yours Neil? Maybe they ran out of stock of the tin edition? It is limited after all (in tin anyway).

The special cover does look funky, but even if it isn't the tin, it's it being a 2-disc edition that I'm bothered about.

Just joking :) :o

I'll designate one night next week to 'Diary night'!

[Legion2213]

Just joking :) :o

I'll designate one night next week to 'Diary night'!


Bastard! :D I have checked my email about a dozen times since reading your post...hook line and bloody sinker! :evil:

[capncnut]

Neil, you're mischievous little bugger. :D

[Neil]

Bastard! :D I have checked my email about a dozen times since reading your post...hook line and bloody sinker! :evil:

LOL!

Sorry, I just couldn't resist trying to make you and Minion go radio rental for a few hours!

[MinionZombie]

Well you failed to send me to blockbuster, mate, I looked at it logically and wasn't going to believe it (at least fully) until I'd seen confirmation first hand.

The only reason I partially thought it might be true is I remember a while back I ordered a CD, and it came in a special package (like a book thing), and it was delayed because of distribution/stock making problems - meanwhile the other editions of it went out as planned at the right time.

So that sort of thing can happen.

However, if I'd thought further, I'd seen the stock was in earlier this week and they were just waiting till now to post it.

So I dipped my toe into your lies, Neil, but didn't fancy the temperature. :p

[jim102016]

I can't believe it took Diary this long to get across the Atlantic. I'll bet the Chinese have had it for months! Let us know what you think of it, have a couple beers before you watch it. Preferably, Schofferhofer Hefeweizen, can't get it in North America.

[MinionZombie]

We had the film in cinemas in February here in the UK, so here we are 4 months down the track with it on DVD.

So we're only a month behind the USA on both counts, which is pretty good for a movie of this nature - with Land of the Dead we were months behind, heck, we were the last country in the world to get it who hadn't banned it! :eek:

After I saw it in September 2005, I got the Region 1 DVD three weeks later.

[jim102016]

We had the film in cinemas in February here in the UK, so here we are 4 months down the track with it on DVD.

So we're only a month behind the USA on both counts, which is pretty good for a movie of this nature - with Land of the Dead we were months behind, heck, we were the last country in the world to get it who hadn't banned it! :eek:

After I saw it in September 2005, I got the Region 1 DVD three weeks later.

The man is trying to keep you down! Sounds like a conspiracy!

[MinionZombie]

Literally just unpacked my Diary DVD from the postage packaging. A really nice outer box for the limited edition, and it's a tin case in the inside of that, which also looks really nice.

Quality, mate. :)

[Neil]

Literally just unpacked my Diary DVD from the postage packaging. A really nice outer box for the limited edition, and it's a tin case in the inside of that, which also looks really nice.

Quality, mate. :)

I've just heard these tins rust to nothing but a pile of dust in just 48hrs!!! :eek:

[MinionZombie]

I've just heard these tins rust to nothing but a pile of dust in just 48hrs!!! :eek:
:rolleyes:

Your gags are going down hill fast in the quality stakes, Neil. :lol:

[Neil]

:rolleyes:

Your gags are going down hill fast in the quality stakes, Neil. :lol:Man walks into a bar... ouch!

[MinionZombie]

Man walks into a bar... ouch!
Yeah, but the classics never die though, so that's okay by me. :D

[bassman]

You guys let us know of the content on these UK SE discs. I'm curious to see if it's actually more than the US version. I still think the 90 minute documentary is the same....

[Neil]

All I can say is the packaging for the 'steel tin' version is excellent! Very classy!

[MinionZombie]

All I can say is the packaging for the 'steel tin' version is excellent! Very classy!
Indeed it is, classy as ... something very classy.

Bassman: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=67790

The 90 min doc was previously "TBC", but was confirmed about a week or two ago, it's on disc two and was pretty darn schweet, got a lot of new information about Night and the early days of Latent Image. :)

[DubiousComforts]

The 90 min doc was previously "TBC", but was confirmed about a week or two ago, it's on disc two and was pretty darn schweet, got a lot of new information about Night and the early days of Latent Image. :)
Is this One For The Fire, just released in the Diary set?

[MinionZombie]

Is this One For The Fire, just released in the Diary set?
Yep it is.

[kidgloves]

WTF. Apparently the blu-ray version doesn't have the documentary on it. Why?Theres more than enough space to fit it on. I'm still waiting for my copy but if it doesn't have it, its going straight back. How fooking ridiculous. Can anyone confirm this?

[Neil]

Tomorrow night should be 'Diary of the Dead' night for me :)

Kids in bed, other half out, lights out, curtains closed, 5.1 amp turned up :)

[MinionZombie]

Kid - I think I heard that yeah, the BR doesn't have the doc on it. Very random.

Neil - don't go in with a heap of expectations, and don't come out with a whole list of Neil-style niggles with it, you'll do my head in! :lol:

I personally preferred Land of the Dead (out of his two latest efforts, being that and Diary), but I still enjoyed Diary. It has it's flaws, but it's pluses out-weigh the flaws. I'll be re-watching it again today with the commentary, having ploughed through the DVD extras over the weekend.

[Neil]

Kid - I think I heard that yeah, the BR doesn't have the doc on it. Very random.

Neil - don't go in with a heap of expectations, and don't come out with a whole list of Neil-style niggles with it, you'll do my head in! :lol:

I personally preferred Land of the Dead (out of his two latest efforts, being that and Diary), but I still enjoyed Diary. It has it's flaws, but it's pluses out-weigh the flaws. I'll be re-watching it again today with the commentary, having ploughed through the DVD extras over the weekend.

Keep mentioning those extras to our US folks :)

[Legion2213]

Got mine today. :cool:

Smeared tin in WD40 to prevent any rust induced unpleasantness. :D

[Neil]

Got mine today. :cool:

Smeared tin in WD40 to prevent any rust induced unpleasantness. :D

Nice tin aint it :) Love the fact it's the same size as a normal DVD :)

[Legion2213]

Nice tin aint it :) Love the fact it's the same size as a normal DVD :)

Aye, the only other steelbook DVD I own is the german NotLD 3 disc edition, they are sweet.

[Neil]

http://memorabilia.homepageofthedead.com/?id=343

[MinionZombie]

http://memorabilia.homepageofthedead.com/?id=343
Hell yeah boi. :thumbsup:

*Diary five!*

[Mike70]

that is a pretty snazzy looking piece of kit.

--jealously begins to kick in--

[dracenstein]

I bought mine in HMV today, on the way home from work, and I have just seen it.

I thought it was prety good!

I had heard all the bad reviews and posts it got, so I didn't watch it with high expectations, and it was a lot better than I thought it would be!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

Just curious, I got the Limited Edition tin box 2 DVD set (I didn't see any of the standard edition), how many will the Limited Edition be?

I got the lowest number I could find, 004299. Most of the numbers were in the 0084/89s range. Anybody want to reveal their numbers?

[Legion2213]

You got a pretty low number there Drac, mine is #019729

I haven't watched the actual movie yet, I will probably grab some snacks and settle down for a good wholesome zombie-fest later on this evening. :)

[Neil]

I bought mine in HMV today, on the way home from work, and I have just seen it.

I thought it was prety good!

I had heard all the bad reviews and posts it got, so I didn't watch it with high expectations, and it was a lot better than I thought it would be!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

Just curious, I got the Limited Edition tin box 2 DVD set (I didn't see any of the standard edition), how many will the Limited Edition be?

I got the lowest number I could find, 004299. Most of the numbers were in the 0084/89s range. Anybody want to reveal their numbers?
That's my copy in the memorabilia section - http://memorabilia.homepageofthedead.com/?id=343 #19895

Wonder if there is a #00001 out there? :)

Did you're come with a sleeve over the tin (like mine) which the tin slides into? Or was it just the tin?

[axlish]

Enough tin talk. What did you think about the movie, Neil?

[Neil]

Enough tin talk. What did you think about the movie, Neil?

...tick...tick...tick...

...5 hours to go till I watch it...

...tick...tick...tick...

[MinionZombie]

With all this build up, I bet he comes back and just moans about it. :p:rolleyes::lol:

[Danny]

With all this build up, I bet he comes back and just moans about it. :p:rolleyes::lol:

hes gotta get ready, light some candles, a little barry white and some vino tinto, hes gotta build it up before he freaks on it, you dig?

[capncnut]

With all this build up, I bet he comes back and just moans about it. :p:rolleyes::lol:
Oh yeah, you can bet a pound to a pinch of s**t he will. :D

[dracenstein]

That's my copy in the memorabilia section - http://memorabilia.homepageofthedead.com/?id=343 #19895

Wonder if there is a #00001 out there? :)

Did you're come with a sleeve over the tin (like mine) which the tin slides into? Or was it just the tin?

Just the tin.

Wonder if you can get #000001 on e-Bay for a small fortune?

[Neil]

Romero! Romero! Wherefore art thou Romero :(

Just didn't quite work really did it. I'd have to say the POV was far better in Blair Witch and [REC] for example... In Diary the camera work and acting (& dialog) all left it feeling somewhat fake, which means the whole effect is wasted :(

The characters all felt a little flat and dull...

Many of the scenes generally just felt strung togethor without my point or reason to them...

And the effects even felt contrived at times... An 8 stone boy being thrown across the room by an arrow?

Night, Dawn, Day, Night90 I can happily watch over and over. Even Land I can watch again, with a little push, but I have little desire to watch Diary again (at the moment) :(

5.5/10... Pretty average really...

[capncnut]

Completely agree with you, Neil. I was having a (friendly) barney with Andy about this last night and was illustrating how different and average it is compared to the other installments - even Land.

I liked Diary but I find it far from impressive...

[Redman6565]

After buying the version of Diary without the extra disk of stuff I'd rather let them keep the Diary movie disk and just get the disk with all the extras. Then I could feel like my $20 was well spent. Diary was so full of holes I grabbed the 'white out' and changed the title on the cover to 'Swiss Cheese of the Dead'. What a bad movie. Ouch.

[Neil]

I've feel to *meh* about it I'm tempted to even remove it from the memorabilia section...

[clanglee]

I agree with you Neil. Just sort of bleh. Not terrible. . just . . i wish there was a shrug emoticon.

[Redman6565]

It leaves you with, who cares. Of all the dead movies GAR has done I can say this is the first one that left me feeling that way. Did I hate it? No. Did I like it? No. In the end I just don't care.

[Neil]

It leaves you with, who cares. Of all the dead movies GAR has done I can say this is the first one that left me feeling that way. Did I hate it? No. Did I like it? No. In the end I just don't care.

The script/story and dialog/acting just left you feeling *meh*... Not engrossing/believable enough...

I suspect I'll not even watch the extras on the disc I'm so *meh* about it...

[MinionZombie]

I knew it! I f*ckin' KNEW he'd moan about it! :lol::rolleyes::dead:

I think a second and third viewing benefits it better, as well as with the commentary.

I did like Land more than Diary, and was a smidge disappointed initially, then when I watched it a second time I think I liked it less, but then a third viewing I liked it more again.

I think 6.5/10 is a fair score, even a 7/10 if I'm feeling randy.

I do think that some scenes do feel rehearsed though, and obviously the acting isn't going to be as 'good', if you will, than say Land purely because those acting in it have less experience than some of the other people who have starred in GAR flicks.

I wonder how much theatre they've all done - because that sort of experience would come in handy for the long-take scenarios in Diary.

Some scenes play better than others, but some do feel a bit on the rehearsed - like nobody slips up on a word, or repeats a word like "and" or "or", etc ... which you would if you were freaking out. Perhaps Diary could have used a bit more gestation time...I duno...just mulling around his noggin' for a bit, like.

Still dug it though, I dig the low budget vibe behind it, the production of the film if you will - that's something that often makes me really like a movie on the lower budget end.

I don't think a Diary 2 is necessary though - at least in first person view anyway. Traditional set-ups, but hand-held - I think that'd work.

I'd rather see GAR's idea of a zombie comedy - that whole road runner vibe he was on about. Either that or a whole different film not in the zombie sub-genre.

[Neil]

I knew it! I f*ckin' KNEW he'd moan about it! :lol::rolleyes::dead:

I think a second and third viewing benefits it better, as well as with the commentary.

I did like Land more than Diary, and was a smidge disappointed initially, then when I watched it a second time I think I liked it less, but then a third viewing I liked it more again.

I think 6.5/10 is a fair score, even a 7/10 if I'm feeling randy.

I do think that some scenes do feel rehearsed though, and obviously the acting isn't going to be as 'good', if you will, than say Land purely because those acting in it have less experience than some of the other people who have starred in GAR flicks.

I wonder how much theatre they've all done - because that sort of experience would come in handy for the long-take scenarios in Diary.

Some scenes play better than others, but some do feel a bit on the rehearsed - like nobody slips up on a word, or repeats a word like "and" or "or", etc ... which you would if you were freaking out. Perhaps Diary could have used a bit more gestation time...I duno...just mulling around his noggin' for a bit, like.

Still dug it though, I dig the low budget vibe behind it, the production of the film if you will - that's something that often makes me really like a movie on the lower budget end.

I don't think a Diary 2 is necessary though - at least in first person view anyway. Traditional set-ups, but hand-held - I think that'd work.

I'd rather see GAR's idea of a zombie comedy - that whole road runner vibe he was on about. Either that or a whole different film not in the zombie sub-genre.

:)

I'll make myself watch it again...

But the acting/script just seemed to let it down. If you're going for the POV effect then it has come across as genuine. Blair Witch managed this perfectly. Cloverfield was let down a little at times as it came across fake. [REC] managed it pretty well.

But Diary generally just felt flat... I rarely believe these were real people with a real camera on them. And worse still I rarely cared about them or what the story showed them doing...

*meh* sums it up :)

[AcesandEights]

:)
*meh* sums it up :)

Agreed. I was most excited about picking up the DVD for the commentary.

[Trin]

Hey Neil,

I think you bring up some interesting points on the use of the first person camera angle, and reasons why it doesn't work for you. My feeling is that the camera angle was a gimmick to go along with the message and was never intended to stand on its own. I think from my perspective the camera work did its intended job. I also think that were it any more shaky (which admittedly would be more realistic and true to the style) I would've hated it. As it was the camera work didn't detract too much for me.

I agree with a great deal of the rest of your comments. I feel your meh-ness.

@MZ - I love you man. That recount of how many times you've watched it and how you felt after each is priceless. I love the line, "...if I'm feeling randy." I'm not sure if that means the same thing where you are as it does here in the states, but I hope to never feel randy over a GAR movie. LOL!!!

One question, though - is there a magic number of times that I can watch it that I won't want to kill Jason for being such a dick?

[MinionZombie]

lol, well I say randy ... as in in a generously cheery mood ... :p ... yeah, I'm sticking with that. :D

Having listened to the commentary, I appreciate the Jason/his g/f (forget her name suddenly) dynamic.

I do totally understand the mind-set of Jason and the whole "gotta shoot" mentality, I totally get that and follow it through the movie, and I find it interesting that Debra - yes, that's her name! - ends up somewhat going down that road, and indeed that she's manipulating the viewer - putting music in (which she does admit to), or indeed how she cuts certain scenes (or indeed how GAR's editor cut it ... in a way that Debra might)

*head explodes*

It's 4th wall buggery all over the shop! My brain is melting! :eek:

Anyway, I do think that Diary could have done with more polishing - as a concept mainly I think, but also in terms of the performances - as I've said, it sometimes does feel rehearsed.

I think the first person gimmick isn't as central to Diary, far from it, it's the YouTube "thing" that's more central, and indeed those responsible for such a society.

Whereas Cloverfield, it's godzilla in a handicam. I bought Diary more than Cloverfield, cos 'field is supposed to be this tape from the military, but they leave in all the character stuff in the first 15 minutes ... how's that got anything to do with the monster, or indeed the scenes that are just character stuff and nothing to do with the monsters, it seems odd that they'd edit in a title card, but not chop out the useless stuff ... I doubt there's many military leaders interested in who's holding the camera, or that the lead is off to Japan or whatever soon. :p

I did a whole rant about Cloverfield on my blog a while back ... I'll leave it there on that film for now, rather than repeat myself again, it's on my blog somewhere, have a look at the key words down the right side.

In fact, here's the blog post on it:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/search/label/cloverfield

And here's my thoughts on [Rec.]:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2008/04/rec.html

And here's my earlier thoughts on Diary:
http://deadshed.blogspot.com/2008/03/diary-of-dead.html

I believed the premise of Diary and Rec, especially in terms of "why are they still filming?" more, a lot more even, than Cloverfield.

If I was in New York, running for my life from a giant thing, I wouldn't hang around to film a CGI Lady Liberty noggin' come flying at me. I'd be too distracted. I might try to film some stuff, but certainly not enough to flesh out an 80 minute movie complete with character development, a three act structure, and perfectly timed action capturing all within one un-edited tape. :D

Whereas Rec and Diary - both are shot by documentary makers, and the latter was indeed edited together by a character from multiple sources (70-something, according to some French reviewer, so says GAR).

Anyway...I'm off. :)

[Redman6565]

lol, well I say randy ... as in in a generously cheery mood ... :p ... yeah, I'm sticking with that. :D

Having listened to the commentary, I appreciate the Jason/his g/f (forget her name suddenly) dynamic.:)

With your point of "having listened to the comentary, I appreciate the Jason/his g/f",,, this is why I think Diary is a flop. I shouldn't have to listen to the comentry to appreciate any character or relationship more in a movie. Isn't that what the movie should accomplish? Then again maybe that's why GAR felt he needed to add this comentary because he knows he did a poor job with these characters.

[MinionZombie]

With your point of "having listened to the comentary, I appreciate the Jason/his g/f",,, this is why I think Diary is a flop. I shouldn't have to listen to the comentry to appreciate any character or relationship more in a movie. Isn't that what the movie should accomplish? Then again maybe that's why GAR felt he needed to add this comentary because he knows he did a poor job with these characters.
Careful, if you reach any further your arm might come out at the socket. :p

...

It doesn't necessarily relate to the movie, more like it relates to me. You can 'get' their relationship in the movie throughout fully if you want, but you might not necessarily get it fully on the other hand as you might be distracted by other aspects - I for one, was focussing more on the first person aspect the first couple of times.

There are countless movies where you appreciate aspects more because of a commentary, or a making of, or whatever. You can't be expected to get every single aspect from start to finish, across the breadth of the production, 100%.

That's my thoughts on that...

[Trin]

I'll admit that I'm really torn on this subject.

On the one hand, art is not always obvious, nor should it be. If the commentary sheds some light on the artists message and points out some subtlety that I didn't "get", well, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Diary is clearly the most artsy of the GAR Dead series and had things to say beneath the surface. I'm interested to see the commentary now to see if it affects my views on the movie.

On the other hand, it's a zombie movie, not the freakin' Magic Eye. How long do I have to stare at this thing for it to make some sense?

I have no problem with embedding lots of deep and subtle meaning in a movie so long as it doesn't come at the expense of the enjoyment of the movie. Good art is pleasing to the eye first and foremost and subtle and deep second. I feel like Diary (and this is a similar complaint to what I have with Land) made compromises in the obvious (plot, story, characters) to facilitate the inobvious (commentary, message). It wasn't pleasing to the eye and thus doesn't justify looking deeper.

[Redman6565]

Careful, if you reach any further your arm might come out at the socket. :p

...

It doesn't necessarily relate to the movie, more like it relates to me. You can 'get' their relationship in the movie throughout fully if you want, but you might not necessarily get it fully on the other hand as you might be distracted by other aspects - I for one, was focussing more on the first person aspect the first couple of times.

There are countless movies where you appreciate aspects more because of a commentary, or a making of, or whatever. You can't be expected to get every single aspect from start to finish, across the breadth of the production, 100%.

That's my thoughts on that...

After watching this turd for the 5th time today the real relationship Deb has seems to be with the other guy rather than her boy friend. By the time they get to her parents house my point is very evident.

*SPOILER*

By the way, the scene at her parents home was another reason this was a bad movie. Talk about cheap poorly done scare tactics in a movie. When her little brother jumps on to her back I was wondering if my movie wasn't screwed and they threw in a zombie scene from the Day remake. :p

[Legion2213]

This film wasn't that bad, not as disappointing as Land anyway, maybe because I wasn't expecting too much after Land.

I think that if I was in that group, I would've shot that Jason prick very early on though...what an idiot. :rolleyes:

[Trin]

I think that if I was in that group, I would've shot that Jason prick very early on though...what an idiot. :rolleyes:That would've improved the movie immensely. But Jason seemed to never be in danger. Not from the zombies or his friends. Does carrying a camera foul the zombie's ability to discern you as food?


Wouldn't it have been funny if the National Guard guys had been about to leave after stealing their canned food (which was silly) and everyone in the RV started saying, "Are you sure you don't want to steal the camera? Are you sure? Really, this thing is super-valuable. Oh, pleeeeease don't steal the camera."

[DubiousComforts]

But Jason seemed to never be in danger. Not from the zombies or his friends. Does carrying a camera foul the zombie's ability to discern you as food?
Then I suppose you missed the end when Jason's demise by a single zombie comes about because he's too busy futzing around with his camera. Apparently he was no more or less safe from danger than anyone else, not to mention his blatant idiocy was directly responsible for at least one other person getting bit.
They argued about Jason having a camera plastered to his face in damn near every scene. Tell me, at what point did you get the hint that this character was not at all supposed to be likable?

[Trin]

And like every other aspect of this movie it was contrived and inconsistent.

Jason was killed by a zombie at the end to make a point. Not because he was in danger like everyone else. He simply wasn't. He got away with ridiculous acts of stupidity while he buddies died one after another around him. He died in the end because it suited the message, not realism or plot or good storytelling, or consistency.

I felt like the characters hated Jason before the events began.

[DubiousComforts]

And like every other aspect of this movie it was contrived and inconsistent.
You could label most any movie about reanimated dead bodies as being "contrived" and "inconsistent," but that won't make it fact.

The main character being offed by a fallen meteor in a movie full of flesh-eating living dead, for example, would be pretty contrived and inconsistent. But the main character being killed due to the stupidity of having a camera plastered to his face when safety is just a few feet away in a film that is highly critical of the media--that's anything but contrived and inconsistent.
Did you ever hear of a 1968 movie called Night of the Living Dead? A lot of people absolutely hated that ending, too.


I felt like the characters hated Jason before the events began.
Which shows the characters have a prior history with each other. So what's the problem? Redman even picked up on the "real" (at least burgeoning) relationship being between Tony and Debra, and not Jason and Debra. Unless you only enjoy contrived Hollywood movies, why would that possibly be considered a liability?

[Trin]

You could label most any movie about reanimated dead bodies as being "contrived" and "inconsistent," but that won't make it fact.
Aw, Dubious, I expected better from you!! So the fact that the movie has reanimated dead bodies excuses the other aspects of the plot that weren't plausible? *shakes head*

A plot contrivance is an artificial or improbable character action or event introduced to set up or enable a plot twist.

The ending of Diary was plot contrivance pure and simple. It was artificial in that it served the message not the plot. It was improbable in that no one would expect events to go that way without some ulterior motive. It was inconsistent in that it contrasted with the entire rest of the movie where events perhaps should've gone that way and didn't.

In contrast, the ending of Night was pure horror genius. Was it contrived? No. The events were neither improbable nor did they rely on uncharacteristic or artificial actions. It made sense. The fact that it put an exclamation point on the message of Night is just icing on the cake. Was the plot crafted around the final scene? Yes. But the events led to a very logical conclusion.


Which shows the characters have a prior history with each other. So what's the problem?
The problem is that, as you point out, Jason repeatedly put his friends lives in danger with his camera centric antics. In what universe does that kind of behavior without anyone putting a stop to it?

[DubiousComforts]

Aw, Dubious, I expected better from you!! So the fact that the movie has reanimated dead bodies excuses the other aspects of the plot that weren't plausible? *shakes head*
No, you misunderstood. I'm not giving any film a pass on logic simply because it's based on the premise of reanimated dead bodies.

I meant something like this: I make a movie entitled Dawn of the Dead and place my characters in a mall surrounded by zombies because it stands to reason that any movie entitled Dawn of the Dead should automatically have a mall and zombies. So everyone is safe from the undead hordes while in the impregnable mall but then for no apparent reason, I have my characters spend the remainder of the movie trying to escape their obvious safe haven. That's a textbook definition of contrived and inconsistent.


A plot contrivance is an artificial or improbable character action or event introduced to set up or enable a plot twist.

The ending of Diary was plot contrivance pure and simple. It was artificial in that it served the message not the plot. It was improbable in that no one would expect events to go that way without some ulterior motive. It was inconsistent in that it contrasted with the entire rest of the movie where events perhaps should've gone that way and didn't.
I disagree that it's improbable to have gone the way that it did. Contrived and inconsistent would have been Jason putting down the camera and joining everyone in the panic room, no?


The problem is that, as you point out, Jason repeatedly put his friends lives in danger with his camera centric antics. In what universe does that kind of behavior without anyone putting a stop to it?
In the all-too-common universe where people act routinely idiotic which others are eager to film--even without the crisis of living dead to magnify the blatant stupidity of the situation. You've never seen an episode of Jackass?

I don't see how you can claim with a straight face that DIARY is inconsistent when the obvious theme to every Romero undead film is diverging viewpoints on how to handle the situation, to the point where people die because of it. Should that message be made even more obvious?

[clanglee]

I disagree that it's improbable to have gone the way that it did. Contrived and inconsistent would have been Jason putting down the camera and joining everyone in the panic room, no?


No. Not really. He had access to the cameras around the house from the panic room and he could edit his film from there and still film the remaining survivors. Just like when he stayed with the camera when it was plugged in instead of following the action. I see what GAR was trying to say with the character's addiction to the camera, but (in the case of the panic room especially) it would have served the character better to go with the other people, because that is where th action is. It would have been well within Jason's personality to go to the panic room so he could work on his film.

[Trin]

No, you misunderstood. I'm not giving any film a pass on logic simply because it's based on the premise of reanimated dead bodies.

I meant something like this: I make a movie entitled Dawn of the Dead and place my characters in a mall surrounded by zombies because it stands to reason that any movie entitled Dawn of the Dead should automatically have a mall and zombies. So everyone is safe from the undead hordes while in the impregnable mall but then for no apparent reason, I have my characters spend the remainder of the movie trying to escape their obvious safe haven. That's a textbook definition of contrived and inconsistent.
Forgive me if I misunderstood.

It sounds to me like you are talking about Dawn 2004 here. If so then I agree with you 100%. Dawn 2004 suffers perhaps the worst case of plot contrivance around. The only defense for it was that Dawn '04 was an action movie first with no pretense of being anything else.


I disagree that it's improbable to have gone the way that it did. Contrived and inconsistent would have been Jason putting down the camera and joining everyone in the panic room, no?
To add to what clanglee said - why would this be so inconsistent? Granted, he wouldn't have put down the camera. But he already made the decision to stay with the group when they fled to a secluded mansion away from the very action he was trying to film. He was already hiding from the problem. Why would he not go into the panic room?

Nonetheless, what I was referring to is the string of improbable events that led up to a zombie munching on Jason. They were in a secluded mansion that had so far never been the target of zombies - not even the ones on the premises - not even when there were a considerable number of humans present - not even when they rolled up in the RV and made tons of noise. Then all of a sudden there's a zombie swarm? And a zombie gets knocked unconscious then gets up and comes after them? Has that EVER happened before? No, I'm not buying that it was probable.

The reality is that GAR had this beautiful and poignant scene in mind where Jason's death puts a nice exclamation point at the end of his message and he took great pains to force the story down a path to make that scene happen. The whole thing was so dripping with dramatic effect it's hard for me not to see it as contrived. The whole story led up to that point and without the message the story doesn't even make sense.


In the all-too-common universe where people act routinely idiotic which others are eager to film--even without the crisis of living dead to magnify the blatant stupidity of the situation. You've never seen an episode of Jackass?
If GAR's next movie is Night of the Living Dead as filmed by Steve-O then your observation makes perfect sense. But I'm gonna pass on seeing that movie because I'm really not that interested in seeing how a bunch of self-described idiots manage in a zombie outbreak. The crew in Diary was presented as being thoughtful and intelligent so I don't think comparing their decision making with the crew of Jackass is relevant.


I don't see how you can claim with a straight face that DIARY is inconsistent when the obvious theme to every Romero undead film is diverging viewpoints on how to handle the situation, to the point where people die because of it. Should that message be made even more obvious?I agree. But then I never claimed that.

I believe that Diary is inconsistent within itself. Zombies are sparse in highly populated areas and dense in rural ones. They show up at weird times - mainly to drive the plot to move the characters to the next location. They act oddly, changing their behavior midstream. The list of inconsistencies goes on and on.