Skullknight.NET Podcast: Berserk Movie Edition

[Walter]

Berserk Movie Edition: http://skullknight.net/podcast/Podcast-Berserk_Movie_Edition.mp3


The Skullknight.NET admins share their opinions on the recent Berserk animated movie, and folks it's not pretty. Berserk deserves better.

[Griffith]

Here's a quick summary of our viewing experience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ythpzsu18#t=0m08s


I'd like to preemptively say not to mistake our detailed criticism of the film with mere nitpicking of an otherwise passable product. That actually undermines how fundamentally broken I thought it was. My reasonable hope going into the movie was that, rather than a faithful adaptation of Berserk, it would just be something cool in its own right (that's fair, and I secretly really wanted to like it). I hoped that it would be something I could show friends to expose them to Berserk in the most casual way possible. But, it wasn't. It was bad. Like I said, it was fundamentally broken, jarringly so, not just as an adaptation, or as a Berserk movie, but just as a movie at all. It's just a badly constructed movie, one that unfortunately happens to be a Berserk movie. So, more than our many specific Berserk-related complaints, that's what I ultimately take away from it, and I hope you will too (not that you have to agree; appreciate it as a piece of Berserk iconography or however you will, but just understand where we're coming from). But hey, if we just said that, it would've been a pretty short podcast. =)

[Proj2501]

The three of you hit nearly every issue I had with the movie.

[Jaze1618]

This is all so sad.. so so sad

Really appreciate the special podcast guys. Didn't expect anything so fast.

[Dar Klink]

Well, that was depressing. This podcast made me wish it had gone the way of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood movie which adapted the first part of JoJo. Rumors say it was so bad that Araki, the mangaka, asked for it to never come out on DVD, and it didn't. More truthfully, the fans boycotted the movie after hearing about the cuts to it, seeing the poorly done animation, and feeling betrayed, so the studio saw that a DVD release would just be more lost money. Instead of being "that shitty movie that ruined what I love" it's a sort of holy grail for the fanbase. For Berserk, we have not just this one embarrassing film, but two more coming after it and being hyped like crazy.

I'll still watch it, but I won't defend it any longer or recommend it to anybody. I feel bad for Miura, especially because he's not the type who would say he didn't want to see it released and the fanbase isn't niche or big enough to boycott it and affect that in any real way. It's right in the middleground where this type of half-assed effort is possible.

It almost feels like the flashback Miura is doing is a sort of "sorry you had to see that movie, here's some Guts as a child to make up for it."

[Aazealh]

I feel bad for Miura, especially because he's not the type who would say he didn't want to see it released and the fanbase isn't niche or big enough to boycott it and affect that in any real way.

Yeah, definitely.

It almost feels like the flashback Miura is doing is a sort of "sorry you had to see that movie, here's some Guts as a child to make up for it."

The timing is uncanny, but honestly I think it's just a coincidence.

[Truder]

I can see it now.. "A berserk man rips anime director's right eye out at the French premier of Berserk Golden Age Arc I: Egg of the Supreme Ruler"  

Thank you guys for doing this quick podcast! I still want to see the movie very badly though!

..but you guys successfully made me feel bad for Miura.

[hellrasinbrasin]

..but you guys successfully made me feel bad for Miura.

Its bad one because Miura was duped into believing that these guys could do the job
they swore they could. Its much worse when the community and the writer are
collectively taken for a ride.

[SuperVegetto]

Well, that was depressing. This podcast made me wish it had gone the way of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood movie which adapted the first part of JoJo. Rumors say it was so bad that Araki, the mangaka, asked for it to never come out on DVD, and it didn't. More truthfully, the fans boycotted the movie after hearing about the cuts to it, seeing the poorly done animation, and feeling betrayed, so the studio saw that a DVD release would just be more lost money. Instead of being "that shitty movie that ruined what I love" it's a sort of holy grail for the fanbase. For Berserk, we have not just this one embarrassing film, but two more coming after it and being hyped like crazy.

I'll still watch it, but I won't defend it any longer or recommend it to anybody. I feel bad for Miura, especially because he's not the type who would say he didn't want to see it released and the fanbase isn't niche or big enough to boycott it and affect that in any real way. It's right in the middleground where this type of half-assed effort is possible.

It almost feels like the flashback Miura is doing is a sort of "sorry you had to see that movie, here's some Guts as a child to make up for it."

That's pure assumption. We have no idea how good the 2nd and 3rd movie will be. They will be longer and have better animation from what's been shown, not so sure if they will be failures or not, but even so you guys are very attached to the manga. It is a masterpiece work of literature, so of course you might watch good movies and claim them as bad because you are used to one of the best stories ever thus will not be impressed by lesser quality stories. I hope that if they continue the project, they don't make the other adaptions ( OVA, movie whatever ) as bad as this one if it's as bad as you're saying.


Edit: I listened to the podcast a little and read more reviews by admins, I have to say I can understand why you call it that bad now. What I'm most worried about is the lack of emotion as some admin ( which one was that btw?) said on the podcast and  that the characters weren't true to themselves as some other member said

[Walter]

That's pure assumption. We have no idea how good the 2nd and 3rd movie will be.

Actually, we have a pretty good understanding of what to expect from the future movies, seeing as how they are being developed by the same production staff, and were being created right alongside the first movie, not as a response to fan reaction.

They will be longer and have better animation from what's been shown,

Yeah, that's not this movie's only problem and I wish people could understand that. It's how it's constructed. An extra 10-20 minutes would not resuscitate this movie. Even the scenes that are elongated fall flat.

[SuperVegetto]

Actually, we have a pretty good understanding of what to expect from the future movies, seeing as how they are being developed by the same production staff, and were being created right alongside the first movie, not as a response to fan reaction.
Yeah, that's not this movie's only problem and I wish people could understand that. It's how it's constructed. An extra 10-20 minutes would not resuscitate this movie. Even the scenes that are elongated fall flat.

Then they fucked the whole thing up. That sucks, really sad

[mazinken]

 I really enjoyed this podcast it made me laugh so hard great job guys. I can live without seeing this piece of s***. Maybe I am going to rent it whenever it becomes available in video stores near to me just to see how bad of an adaption it is.

I think Mr. Miura had a weird smile because he wanted to laugh at this garbage but at the same time he is remembering that this supposed to be an adaption of his work I feel for him.

If they are going to treat the other movie the same way as this one they can forget about their ambition of doing along adaption since their not pleasing the fans or newcomers no wonder the movie bombed at the box office I can imagine people seeing the movie then telling their friend and relatives to not waste time by seeing it.

It is a shame as I was very excited for it but someday I am sure that their will be a respectful adaption of berserk until then lets continue to enjoy the masterpiece which is the manga.

[SuperVegetto]

I really enjoyed this podcast it made me laugh so hard great job guys. I can live without seeing this piece of s***. Maybe I am going to rent it whenever it becomes available in video stores near to me just to see how bad of an adaption it is.

I think Mr. Miura had a weird smile because he wanted to laugh at this garbage but at the same time he is remembering that this supposed to be an adaption of his work I feel for him.

If they are going to treat the other movie the same way as this one they can forget about their ambition of doing along adaption since their not pleasing the fans or newcomers no wonder the movie bombed at the box office I can imagine people seeing the movie then telling their friend and relatives to not waste time by seeing it.

It is a shame as I was very excited for it but someday I am sure that their will be a respectful adaption of berserk until then lets continue to enjoy the masterpiece which is the manga.

If this adaption fails you really think there will be another?
And the movie didn't do bad at all in the box office, considering how it showed in only around 90 screens, it did pretty well.

[hellrasinbrasin]

Yeah, that's not this movie's only problem and I wish people could understand that. It's how it's constructed. An extra 10-20 minutes would not resuscitate this movie. Even the scenes that are elongated fall flat.

Thank you. I believe I touched on that in the film discussion thread several pages ago. If you are going to adapt a property like this from book to screen
you're looking at a bare minimal of 230 - 240 Minutes per film across 4 films. You would need 4 because outside of the battlefield campaigns , the main/supporting
characters, the political intrigue between the Nobles, material that could be borrowed from The Retribution/Millennium Falcon Chapter(s), you had the story itself.

If in the future another studio tries to adapt the property I want the folks behind The Lord of Rings production in charge.

[SuperVegetto]

Thank you. I believe I touched on that in the film discussion thread several pages ago. If you are going to adapt a property like this from book to screen
you're looking at a bare minimal of 230 - 240 Minutes per film across 4 films. You would need 4 because outside of the battlefield campaigns , the main/supporting
characters, the political intrigue between the Nobles, material that could be borrowed from The Retribution/Millennium Falcon Chapter(s), you had the story itself.

If in the future another studio tries to adapt the property I want the folks behind The Lord of Rings production in charge.

Yeah if you gave studio C'4 the same budget as Lord of the Rings they would make everything perfectly (probably)
It's too short hence can't have enough material, however it seems they still made mistakes in the rest they decided to include to the movie. However if it was long enough I think they would have made it good

[Walter]

And the movie didn't do bad at all in the box office, considering how it showed in only around 90 screens, it did pretty well.

What's your information based on? I remember saying something like that just after its first week, but it fell off the charts in its third week. Based on the data available, all we know is that it made a little over $1.3 million. That's not a success.

It's too short hence can't have enough material, but even though it seems they still made mistakes in the rest they decided to include to the movie. However if it was long enough I think they would have made it good

Seriously, man. Shut up. First of all, you haven't seen the movie. So don't try talking about how it could  have been improved. And as I've now said three times, a few extra minutes would not have saved this movie. Maybe you'll understand once you've seen it.

[mazinken]

If this adaption fails you really think there will be another?

Yes I do believe as long the manga still running there will always be an adaption you can't ignore a name like berserk this why the company tried to make cash based on in it is name in the first place. If other works can have have different adaptions from different companies then berserk is no exception even if this movie fail.

[hellrasinbrasin]

Yeah if you gave studio C'4 the same budget as Lord of the Rings they would make everything perfectly (probably)
It's too short hence can't have enough material, however it seems they still made mistakes in the rest they decided to include to the movie. However if it was long enough I think they would have made it good

As with any production it comes down to having the right people put in charge of a production like this.

[SuperVegetto]

What's your information based on? I remember saying something like that just after its first week, but it fell off the charts in its third week. Based on the data available, all we know is that it made a little over $1.3 million. That's not a success.
Seriously, man. Shut up. First of all, you haven't seen the movie. So don't try talking about how it could  have been improved. And as I've now said three times, a few extra minutes would not have saved this movie. Maybe you'll understand once you've seen it.

I said long enough, which means as long as it would need to be good, not just a few extra minutes. Whether it needed 40 extra minutes, an hour or an hour and a half

[Walter]

I said long enough, which means as long as it would need to be good, not just a few extra minutes. Whether it needed 40 extra minutes, an hour or an hour and half

Running time is not the only problem with the movie.

[SuperVegetto]

Running time is not the only problem with the movie.

I know, but I wonder if they would make the same decisions if they had enough budget for a much longer duration.

From what I heard on podcasts and from reviews here, the biggest problems were that it was too rushed (newcomers won't be able to understand from what I heard ) and without emotion. A longer duration could fix the first one. It was their mistake for the second

[Walter]

From what I heard on podcasts and from reviews here, the biggest problems were that it was too rushed (newcomers won't be able to understand from what I heard ) and without emotion. A longer duration could fix the first one. It was their mistake for the second

There are dozens of problems. You've named two of them.

[hellrasinbrasin]

Running time is not the only problem with the movie.

Walter's responses on the topic of run time are sounding oddly familiar. That and
the same question is being asked repeatedly. I'm waiting for Walter to start
generating automatic No's for every question about the films run time as it is not
the only problem.

[SuperVegetto]

There are dozens of problems. You've named two of them.

Yeah I know I was just citing what sounded the worst to me. Anyway do you think that there could be new Berserk animes in the future if the trilogy fails? I like anime when done well especially if it adapts a masterpiece like Berserk, but some guy of Lucent Studios that decided to ask Miura to give the studio the right for an anime got rejected and he said Miura had tens of offers he rejected but Miura gave them the green light later when they showed him a high quality 77 seconds Berserk anime, and they were the only ones to do so. Hope it wasn't a problem asking your opinion here

[hellrasinbrasin]

For me the problems were

- The lack of Characterization
- The discarding of the Themes
- The Narrative Structure (or lack there of)
- The Soundtrack * I did love the insert and ED Theme by Hirasawa
- The Butchering of the Story
- The hybrid animation style
- The Voice Actors
- The Run Time
- The Marketing
- The fact that the Production Team didn't really care about the Project
- The fact that the Director thought he was cute by inserting material from the end of The Golden Age Arc in the End Credits.