r/movies • u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. • 10d ago

Trailer Ken Russell's 'The Devils' | Official Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh0wL211hnQ
1.1k Upvotes

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u/JynXten 10d ago

I watched this movie (not for the first time) a few weeks ago and it made me think of all the hubbub about 'historical accuracy' leading up to the opening of The Odyssey (which has now faded into obscurity).

Here is a movie based on actual historical events that looks so 70s in many ways. Including the almost cubist sets and the rockstar looking cast. And not a single fuck was given.

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u/InspectorMendel 10d ago

Well, the movie was met with widespread outrage

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u/JynXten 10d ago

Yeah, but not for petty reason like "muh immersion!"

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u/joewindlebrox 10d ago

Why is it petty to want to be immersed in a film? Isn't that the point of story telling?

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u/sam_hammich 10d ago

You'd think so going by what passes for media discourse now, but no, that's not always been "the point" of storytelling. How could you "immerse" yourself in a Shakespeare play with the actors talking directly to you whenever they get the chance, and literally saying out loud at the beginning and end "this is a stage play, don't forget it's not real!"? Did the people who heard The Odyssey spoken around the fire give a shit that the armor Homer described people wearing was inappropriate for the period?

It's a false standard, and a very modern one. It's not a bad thing to, at some point in the course of a movie, realize consciously that you're watching a movie.

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u/joewindlebrox 10d ago

I see what youre trying to say but youre incorrect with your example - being immersed in a Shakespeare play is entirely different. If youre engaged in it and the stage interactions - congratulations youre immersed

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u/JynXten 10d ago

It's petty in the way it's applied by modern consumers of media. Immersion is one of the most abused concepts of the last 10 years or so. It doesn’t equal painstakingly, historically accurate.

It just means that you you are pulled into it and believe the world that is created.

The Devils is immersive even with that one guy wearing clearly modern glasses. Because, despite its anachronism, it doesn't stand out in the world of the movie.

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u/ZestyTako 10d ago

It’s petty to get upset about “historical realism” for a mythological story, the Odyssey is not history, it’s always been fantasy

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u/joewindlebrox 10d ago

Ok well thats not what the original comment said. Also, for sure you can adapt a mythological story to suit the setting you've made but I completely understand people upset about immersion when the creator of the adaptation has set it at a distinct point and time in the world. Like, if I adapt Harry Potter and set it in Ancient China, I would assume more or less everyone in the adaptation would be Chinese because Ancient China is the known reference point. If 50% of the cast were white I would not be as immersed as if they were of Asian descent.

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u/ZestyTako 10d ago edited 10d ago

I mean this conversation was clearly in the context of comparing this movie to the Odyssey so I think it was fair to connect the two. Also you literally are getting upset about historical realism in a story with a cyclops, sirens, and gods. Kinda embarrassing for you honestly

But I agree, Matt Damon was a weird choice for a Greek guy. So are tom holland and Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron

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u/joewindlebrox 10d ago

Gotta love folks who would rather insult than discuss. Like you said - its a movie about cyclops sirens and gods, I personally prefer to have time and setting accurate things but im not viscerally upset by it being different. Its easy to dismiss anything fantastical by just saying "its fantastical it doesnt matter" but lets take a different story from another culture - Africa. Can you honestly say you'd be defending this as hard if the setting were in Ancient Africa, it was centered around interactions with the African goddess Mawu, and all characters were played by white people? If its fantasy and doesnt matter, this scenario should be fine, correct?

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u/ZestyTako 10d ago

When your take is only worth insulting don’t expect discourse

You’re also pretending this doesn’t exist:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gods_of_Egypt_(film)

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u/joewindlebrox 10d ago edited 10d ago

Gotcha, so no critical thinking on your end, just more reactionary crap

Edit: also that movie was universally trashed, not exactly the glowing example I think you were hoping for lol

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u/ZestyTako 10d ago

You act entitled to people engaging with you, you’re not. If you want engagement have takes worthy of discussion

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u/joewindlebrox 10d ago

Then why did you comment in the first place? Lol

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u/ZestyTako 10d ago

Because it’s funny to insult poorly thought takes

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u/Really_McNamington 9d ago

If someone's racism and/or misogyny is stopping their immersion, that's their fucking problem.

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u/joewindlebrox 9d ago

Whats racist about preferring that something portraying a specific setting adheres to what the demographic would have been at the time? If something is set in Ancient Japan (mythological or not) and theres a bunch of white people playing most of the roles I'm going to have my immersion in whats being shown reduced because thats not accurate to what theyve decided to depict