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Seabiscuit

The TVClubHouse: Archives: Movies & Library 2003 -2004: Movies: May 2003 - April 2004: Seabiscuit users admin

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Ketchuplover

Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 4:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
On July 25 discover an american legend. Seabiscuit. I get a little misty-eyed whenever I see the latest trailer. That music just brings a smile to my heart. Is anyone else looking forward to this?

Grannyg

Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 4:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yes I am. I know it's a great story and looks like it is gonna be a great movie!!

Brenda1966

Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 10:06 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I haven't seen a preview yet, but I loved the book. I can't wait for the movie.

Grannyg

Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 10:14 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I hope the movie stays close to the book because it was a great book. Sometimes movies just take the part that they want and leave out the parts that make it really good. And it ends up being no where close to the book.

Calamity

Tuesday, July 08, 2003 - 2:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'm looking forward to Seabiscuit too - the book was terrific.

This is probably contradictory to my wanting to see the film but when I was a kid, I took horseback riding lessons until I read Black Beauty in fourth grade. The "breaking" scene upset me so much that I tearfully told my mother I would never go to another lesson again. And I still flinch when I see jockeys use those riding crops.

Crazydog

Friday, July 11, 2003 - 9:22 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I dunno, the trailer makes it look kind of sappy.

Ketchuplover

Friday, July 11, 2003 - 8:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
please define sappy.thank you.

Muse

Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 1:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
The preview made it seem sappy to me as well. It's the sort of movie where I'd wait to see the reviews beforehand.

And for me -- a movie is sappy if it's overly saccharine...to the point where it seems forced, annoying, cheesy, and/or melodramatic. The Legend of Bagger Vance is sappy, IMO. There's better examples than that out there, but that's just what popped into mind...

Crazydog

Monday, July 14, 2003 - 7:35 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sappy = overwrought to the extreme, all the odds look stacked up against the hero, but somehow the hero manages to valiantly come through in the end. In short, a very predictable movie that tugs at your heartstrings.

Having no advance knowledge of this movie other than it's about a horse, I could probably provide a brief synopsis of the plot, sappy style.

There's this young boy. He grows up poor and down on his luck. But his dream is to become a jockey. He goes to see the Evil Owner who tells him that he will never make it. Despite repeated pleas, the Evil Owner says no. So he gets himself in shape by training in an abandoned barn. He raises money by doing odd jobs around various farms.

Along the way he meets a farmer's daughter. He only sees her every third day. Her father's farm is far from his home but he never complains about the 15 mile walk. They gradually fall in love with each other. There's even a funny scene where they both fall in the pig sty and end up covered in slop. They laugh and have their first kiss amongst the pigs. She persuades her father to lend him a horse. Even though the father doesn't like the boy, he agrees. But the horse is the scrawniest, saddest looking thing you've ever seen.

Our hero doesn't care. He's just happy he got a horse. He rides every day. He gets better and better and the horse gets stronger and faster. He enters a local race and to everyone's surprise, he wins!!! He is encouraged by his success and keeps entering and winning other local races. Then he hears of the Big Race in the Big City. Nothing is going to stop him from entering. He scrapes together his money and sets off, with the farmer's daughter in tow.

Lo and behold, who does he encounter in the Big City but the Evil Owner. Evil Owner threatens him, but he ignores it. The night before the Big Race, Evil Owner sends masked goons to attack the horse. But suspecting something like that would happen, our hero had spent the night in the stable. He valiantly defends his horse, but earns a black eye in the process. The farmer's daughter goes for help, but by the time the cops come, the attackers are gone. He knows it was the Evil Owner's doing but he can't prove it.

The next day, he sees the Evil Owner in the stands. He gives him the evil eye. The Evil Owner's horse trots out. It is magnificent. The horse and the jockey are dressed in the finest of livery. Meanwhile, our hero is racing in a thrice-used, dirty outfit. His equipment is old and sullied. The race begins. The Evil Owner's horse charges off to a quick start. It looks like he has the race won. But the hero refuses to give up. He keeps gaining steadily. The horses round the homestretch. It looks like the Evil Owner's horse will win. But then the hero sees the triumphant look on Evil Owner's face. Spurred on by desire, our hero reaches in and gives it everything he's got. He wins the race!!! The farmer's daughter greets him with kisses to the accompaniment of a great swell in the soundtrack.

Sappy.

Ophiliasgrandma

Monday, July 14, 2003 - 9:23 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
CD, one correction in your story. Jockys don't wear 'livery', they wear 'silks'. My hubby and I spent over 20 years raising and racing thoroughbreds.

I do believe the actual, story was sappy, but true nonetheless.

Brenda1966

Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 9:14 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'm so glad that is NOT the story Crazydog! LOL!

If they make this movie sappy, and they could, it will be a shame. If they turn it into "the little engine that could" with a horse, that will be an injustice to the book.

The book was a sometimes grim look at horse racing and injury and how the jockeys abuse themselves. Yes, the achievements of this horse were heartwarming and I fully expect the movie to bring me to tears. But I also want them to show me the real story.

Ketchuplover

Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 6:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I read somewhere that Seabiscuit says"I am Mr.Ed"

Calamity

Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 9:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Saw a new teaser ad for Seabiscuit - jump cuts with the tag line “Fight for the Finish” (or something like that). Maybe the studio is trying to position the movie as not just a “sappy” horse tale to lure you skeptics :) .

I'll grant you that I hope they don't lay on the gauzy Americana nostalgia too thickly.

Kaili

Wednesday, July 30, 2003 - 7:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Has anyone seen this yet? I was finishing the book on my flight this weekend and the guy on the aisle seat said he saw it and that it was really good. I didn't talk to him long cause the woman sitting between us came back, but he said it was pretty true to the book although the book, of course, was better (since books always have more to them than what can be put into a movie).

Brenda1966

Monday, August 04, 2003 - 10:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Just saw this film and cried like a baby. They do a good job at giving you an overview of the lives of these men and this horse. The film also is edited nicely with many beautiful shots of horses running and racing without a million cuts.

That said, the book is so far superior (which can be argued for any book to movie translation). I'd say read the book first and then see the movie.

Ketchuplover

Monday, August 04, 2003 - 12:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Now you tell me :)

Ophiliasgrandma

Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 4:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
My husband read the book, I did not. We both enjoyed the movie immensely.

Calamity

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 1:05 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Saw this last week – thought it was very good but not *great*. I’m probably comparing it too much to the wonderful book to be completely objective though.

The movie was beautifully shot and I really enjoyed Tobey Maguire’s performance as Red Pollard and Elizabeth Banks’ as Marcela Howard (the adoring wife is usually such a thankless role in Hollywood films but Banks had terrific charisma). On the downside, I thought the narration was sometimes patronizing, William H. Macy’s fictional character - while funny - seemed out-of-place, and Chris Cooper’s portrayal of Tom Smith was just…off. (To be fair, his acting was fine it’s just that they changed the character so much from the book’s description of him.)

I’d still recommend the movie but if you had to choose between book or movie…read the book.

The only trailer that sorta caught my attention was the one for Peter Pan. It looked gorgeous. I have semi-traumatic memories of reading the book as a kid (it’s nothing like the Disney film!) and sometimes wonder if I should go back and read it again now as an adult.

Midlifer

Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 1:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I just saw "Seabiscuit" last week, and LOVED it! I'm not really into horses and racing, but this was a beautiful testimony to the human and animal spirit. I especially found the horse psychology to be fascinating! I now plan on reading the book, if I can get it away from my DD. lol

Juju2bigdog

Sunday, August 17, 2003 - 11:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Saw this today when Pirates of the Caribbean, movie we wanted to see, was sold out. It was a bit sappy - an okay, but not great movie. Good for a video rental, not a big screen must see.

Ketchuplover

Monday, August 18, 2003 - 3:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Gary Stevens got trampled this past weekend. :(

Midlifer

Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 8:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Ketch, I saw that, but it looks like he'll be ok. I really enjoyed him in the movie. Kind of reminds me of when "Red" got hurt.

Mamie316

Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 11:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I bought this dvd for my husband who had wanted to see the movie (he loves horse racing) and we never got around to seeing it. I loved it! I loved the understated acting by all the players. This movie just draws you in and slowly takes you to the end cheering. Great Movie, should not be overlooked at Oscar time!

Midlifer

Monday, January 05, 2004 - 12:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I saw it when it first came out, Mamie. Loved it! See my earlier comments.

Eliz87

Saturday, January 17, 2004 - 11:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
We rented the video tonight and the story really caught your attention, although the ending was pretty predictable. Frankly though, I thought the movie was over with the "big race" against War Admiral.

I don't usually care for Tobey Maguire's style, and again I didn't in this movie, but I must admit that he showed more range in this particular role.

I would recommend the movie in general, although it wasn't really enough for me personally to want to run out and read the book. I thought the characters were portrayed fine. In summary, I thought that it was a nice "family" inspirational-type, "feel good" movie. :-)

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 9:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
in real life, the place both seabiscuit and his jockey went to recuperate was willits, california....a tiny town known for being one hub of the skunk railroad and where my parents owned a lumber mill when i was a baby. we lived in willits, although i was born in ukiah--closest hospital--but actually, i was born in the street on a gurney the hospital had sent over to the ob's office:-)
anyway, seabiscuit was there 2 decades before i was born, but i thought i would share with you all that one of the cafe's in town has 'seabiscuits and gravy' on the breakfast menu:-)

Ketchuplover
Member

08-30-2000

Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 4:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
ewwwwww

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Sunday, March 14, 2004 - 10:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LOL....Seabiscuits and Gravy....Don't think I'd go for anything w/ "horse" in it! LOL

I loved the movie, but I absolutely adored the book! It was a "one night" read....and some of the changes in the movie bugged me as a result. If I'd seen the movie first, THEN read the book, I'd have thought the movie was spectacular.

Highly recommend both, anyway!

Spygirl
Member

04-23-2001

Friday, April 30, 2004 - 9:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I saw this last week and WOW! This was the best film I've seen in a while. It was slow in the beginning - maybe the first 15 minutes - but I see that it was important to set the tone and mood of the country. The story would not have had nearly the wonderful appeal if it were not told in the context of a depression-ridden country.

I cried sad and happy tears when I watched this - very well-told and amazing that it is a true story. So inspiring!