Post by ajk on Oct 29, 2019 20:05:58 GMT -5
Sorry this one is late; too much to do over the weekend.
Well good gravy Marie we sure got our money’s worth in this one! Loved it. Chock full of good stuff.
The first half was the Mujinju battle and it was great. Right from the beginning--how KH had a subordinate step forward and do the shouting at the fortress rather than doing it himself. We always see the main characters do that and put themselves in harm’s way, which looks good for TV but would never really happen. Good for the producers for getting it right. And the battle was beautifully done—great camera shots, some terrific looking charges by the army, excellent stunt work, the pace of how it all unfolded, can’t ask for more. Even Subal’s troops slopping through that creek to get into the back of the fortress, that couldn’t have been very much fun to film but it added a lot. And the way that the Mujinju commanding general gradually came apart mentally as the whole thing started to unravel, that’s a nice piece of writing to put into a battle scene. The producers put some serious coin and effort into this thing and it was well spent.
As usual, the arrows have to be flaming, don’t they. It’s always felt like just a cheap stunt to look good for TV...but suddenly I’m wondering if there may be some truth to it, if only because a flaming arrow would help the archer find his range when shooting at a dark target. Is that possible? I’m going to look into this and if anything turns up I’ll post a separate thread.
The only two quibbles I had were some of the cheesy-sounding dubbed-in arrow and sword sounds, and once again too much tympani in the music. But neither of these are new and it looks like we just have to get used to them. Getting the feeling that whoever has been writing the music to this point doesn’t know how to write properly for brass and is overusing the tympani to cover for it. Sorry but strings and tympani shouldn’t be overused in a battle scene.
“A thousand years of glory is turning into ashes in one day...How did it become a land of doom?” That’s a great question. Of course the series needs to start at the point where the whole thing is already in the last stages of collapse, but the decline would make for a really interesting series on its own.
The first two narrated texts:
That shot of the port at Song-ak, the variety of costumes we saw...that kind of small detail is really making this series shine so far. Another shot that cost them some money and wasn’t really all that necessary, but it sure helped make the point about a thriving port. And it looked great too.
“General, please calm down. We can’t kill the messenger.” (momentary pause) “Beat him to near death and send him back!” I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so hard in a historical. Intentional or not, that was darned funny.
Wow, the scene of the two monks meditating was actually jarring, the silence after forty minutes of noise and bluster.
Won Hee to Ki Hwon: “I’ve come to kill you.” Why wake him up and announce it? What good does that do? Very weird. But that aside, Won Hee and Sin Hwan, those guys are heroes for what they did.
“Soldiers of this fort have revered you for a long time. Please lead us.” Came as kind of a surprise, didn’t it? Felt like maybe we should have had some more backstory to this beforehand. Yes we saw him treating the sick and injured, but for soldiers to want to make him their leader...just felt like we missed some of the bigger picture.
The final narrated text:
Well good gravy Marie we sure got our money’s worth in this one! Loved it. Chock full of good stuff.
The first half was the Mujinju battle and it was great. Right from the beginning--how KH had a subordinate step forward and do the shouting at the fortress rather than doing it himself. We always see the main characters do that and put themselves in harm’s way, which looks good for TV but would never really happen. Good for the producers for getting it right. And the battle was beautifully done—great camera shots, some terrific looking charges by the army, excellent stunt work, the pace of how it all unfolded, can’t ask for more. Even Subal’s troops slopping through that creek to get into the back of the fortress, that couldn’t have been very much fun to film but it added a lot. And the way that the Mujinju commanding general gradually came apart mentally as the whole thing started to unravel, that’s a nice piece of writing to put into a battle scene. The producers put some serious coin and effort into this thing and it was well spent.
As usual, the arrows have to be flaming, don’t they. It’s always felt like just a cheap stunt to look good for TV...but suddenly I’m wondering if there may be some truth to it, if only because a flaming arrow would help the archer find his range when shooting at a dark target. Is that possible? I’m going to look into this and if anything turns up I’ll post a separate thread.
The only two quibbles I had were some of the cheesy-sounding dubbed-in arrow and sword sounds, and once again too much tympani in the music. But neither of these are new and it looks like we just have to get used to them. Getting the feeling that whoever has been writing the music to this point doesn’t know how to write properly for brass and is overusing the tympani to cover for it. Sorry but strings and tympani shouldn’t be overused in a battle scene.
“A thousand years of glory is turning into ashes in one day...How did it become a land of doom?” That’s a great question. Of course the series needs to start at the point where the whole thing is already in the last stages of collapse, but the decline would make for a really interesting series on its own.
The first two narrated texts:
892 A.D., sixth year of Queen Jinsung’s reign...Kyun-hwon finally seized Mujinju and proclaimed himself king. One of nine states in Shilla, Mujinju was a fortress with passages to the Southwest Sea, Wansanju, Chungju and Sanryangju. Kyun-hwon was 27 years old at the time, and this was three years after his first revolt. There are two theories to validate his lineage as a Bekjae descendant. One is that his father Ahjagae was a descendant of Guyuhshi, and the other claims that he was a direct descendant of King Jinheung. Whichever is true, he declares himself a Bekjae native, and later proclaims the rebirth of Later Bekjae to the world. And along with Mujinju, he gains a truly loyal servant Shin Kang. Shin Kang never leaves Kyun-hwon’s side, and sacrifices his life for Later Baekje.
In a few short years, Shilla’s central government seriously weakened its ruling power. Taxes went unpaid, and royal orders went ignored. The government was at wits end when Kyun-hwon seized Mujinju. What [they could do] to prevent him from advancing to the Imperial City was to grant him a position in the government. The position had a truly long title and it is as follows: Superior Chief of Military of South Shilla, Exclusive Military and Administrative Director of Juhnju, Beneficiary of 2000 household homestead in Hannam County. What a grandiose title it was. This is evidence of the government’s desperation at the time.The first one brings up a problem, because if KH was only 27 when this happened, well, does anybody see the actor playing KH as a 27-year-old? I don't think it's even close. The actor is 51 when this is being filmed; he certainly doesn't look old at all but he sure doesn't pass for 27. Same problem here as with Goongyae.
That shot of the port at Song-ak, the variety of costumes we saw...that kind of small detail is really making this series shine so far. Another shot that cost them some money and wasn’t really all that necessary, but it sure helped make the point about a thriving port. And it looked great too.
“General, please calm down. We can’t kill the messenger.” (momentary pause) “Beat him to near death and send him back!” I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so hard in a historical. Intentional or not, that was darned funny.
Wow, the scene of the two monks meditating was actually jarring, the silence after forty minutes of noise and bluster.
Won Hee to Ki Hwon: “I’ve come to kill you.” Why wake him up and announce it? What good does that do? Very weird. But that aside, Won Hee and Sin Hwan, those guys are heroes for what they did.
“Soldiers of this fort have revered you for a long time. Please lead us.” Came as kind of a surprise, didn’t it? Felt like maybe we should have had some more backstory to this beforehand. Yes we saw him treating the sick and injured, but for soldiers to want to make him their leader...just felt like we missed some of the bigger picture.
The final narrated text:
On the year Kyun-hwon conquered Mujinju, after a long silent soul-searching, Goongyae finally broke from Ki-hwon’s shadow and gained his own power. But he did not rush...He had a different p[lan in mind. Goongyae’s different plan—what could that be?Definitely the best episode so far. All kinds of fun!