WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS--Updates, Reviews and Discussion

SnoopyDances · Unread post by **SnoopyDances** » Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:54 pm

I was able to rent it for $6.99 on Apple TV and watched it today.

It stays pretty close to the book. There isn't a lot of action; definitely a though-provoking move. The action and most of the torture is done off-screen, like it is in the book where the Magistrate is told of the violence and sees the aftermath. And I'm impressed the film makers didn't run wild with the nudity (suggested or otherwise) as so many films do.

The main theme, of course, is which side is supposed to be the barbarian side?

Mark Rylance is wonderful as the Magistrate and Johnny brings an uneasy calm to a very violent and twisted man. Rob Pattison does well as a young, brash officer.

It's a very bleak story and, sadly, one still relevant today.
I loved how the closing scene left it to the viewers' imagination as to which barbarian army was approaching.

justintime · Unread post by **justintime** » Sat Aug 29, 2020 3:53 pm

Disturbing. I know I don’t need to rant on why for a major European distribution platform to do this to any Johnny Depp film, now and going forward, is very, very worrisome. What will happen to films where he is the lead actor?

nebraska · Unread post by **nebraska** » Sat Aug 29, 2020 4:56 pm

I don't think this was ever meant to be a mainstream blockbuster. I don't understand everything that has to happen between the time a movie is finished and the time it is in the cinema, but those factors may have little to do with Johnny and much to do with the entertainment business in general. No doubt the pandemic has hurt the movie industry, with many cinemas closed or offering only very limited seating. It is an unsettled time.

With that said, Waiting for the Barbarians has been available to rent on several platforms for a while now in the United States -- Apple TV, Amazon, and others, for less than a trip to the cinema would usually cost. It is strange to me that more fans here on the Zone have not commented they have seen it. I know it won't be available for a little while to our European members, I hope there is more enthusiasm then.

AdeleAgain · Unread post by **AdeleAgain** » Fri Sep 04, 2020 3:59 am

Big love to Mark Rylance who has addressed the allegations against JD head on in the Times (Murdoch press no less) and said he totally believes JD. Being reported in Mail and other places.

Very close to being able to watch the film on AppleTV in UK - cannot believe it is being released on a Monday and not the weekend - originally planned a big family watch on big TV we've bought anticipating rarely being able to go to the cinema again!

gipsyblues · Unread post by **gipsyblues** » Fri Sep 04, 2020 7:35 am

AdeleAgain , Mark Rylance ..... is a great actor, with a lot of courage.

SnoopyDances · Unread post by **SnoopyDances** » Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:03 pm

Johnny to appear at Mallorca Film Festival, running Oct. 14-17.

nebraska · Unread post by **nebraska** » Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:30 pm

SnoopyDances wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:03 pm
Johnny to appear at Mallorca Film Festival, running Oct. 14-17.

The article puts a more positive spin on Johnny 's reputation.

and it is good to see there is still life and hope for the film.

kmsin_1 · Unread post by **kmsin_1** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:38 am

SnoopyDances wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:03 pm
Johnny to appear at Mallorca Film Festival, running Oct. 14-17.

SnoopyDances · Unread post by **SnoopyDances** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:39 am

Now available in the UK

AdeleAgain · Unread post by **AdeleAgain** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:30 pm

The DVD has sold out - I wanted to get both digital and a physical copy - ah well I am sure it will restock and am so pleased it has sold out on day of release! Go UK!

Ruby Begonia · Unread post by **Ruby Begonia** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 5:48 am

Glad to hear it's sold out in the UK! I've watched it a few times via prime, but plan to order the DVD in the next couple of days.

Will Johnny be able to take a break from filming FB3 in mid-October to promote WFTB in Spain?

AdeleAgain · Unread post by **AdeleAgain** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:16 pm

Presumably they've organised his schedule so that he can - bit like they built in a break for FB2 to allow him to promote MOTOE.

I am watching it tonight! I got it yesterday, was all set up to watch it last night (chocolate, wine etc) - and a client called and I had to work late. Was I grumpy! Watching it tonight on my own and then we are having a screening (socially distanced) with a few friends on Saturday night on a big screen. Want to see it by myself first though.

AdeleAgain · Unread post by **AdeleAgain** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 5:02 pm

Movie, wine and chocolate consumed.

It's beautiful and very harrowing. A film that needs to be seen multiple times, the attention to detail was wonderful - the set wonderful and perhaps they could have such attention to detail because it was shot in just a few places, all around the fort you've seen in the pictures.

Apologies I am writing this as if people haven't seen it which I am sure most have.

Ok, Johnny, Mark and R-Patz are all perfect. There are too few scenes with all three in them but the stand out for me is a very long scene where a bloodied, beaten magistrate stands before Joll sitting at a desk in a real power stance with Mandel to the side. It's electric between the three of them. JD and R-Patz sit very still. They are both able to do that thing where their bodies don't seem to move at all. Up until this scene JD's speech has been very studied and deliberate - I'd love to know what ingredients he used to make this character. I had a slight sense of a backstory of a rough, poor boy who goes into the frontier police as one of the few ways of making a decent living. So his accent would have been rough and he's trained himself to speak properly. That's just my conjecture. It was just the way he so deliberately and carefully said everything in the first part of the film.

Then this - my favourite scene - well, it is just pure class from them all. JD is looking absolutely drop dead gorgeous and allows the hitherto buttoned up, emotionless Colonel Joll to be cynical and snide - but he keeps himself so ramrod straight. And makes tiny gestures. But his speech flows and whilst he's delivered short, deliberate sentences beforehand - he expands in this scene.

Other fabulous details - he keeps his gloves on whilst eating. I don't know why but I loved that. The way he shaves! The final shots of him - looking vulnerable.

The cinematography is wonderful they make full use of the desert setting. Haunting music. But more than that are the other sounds you are allowed to hear. People walking. Horses hooves. It is the sort of film where the director gives time for things to happen - there is no assault of the senses although there are moments of such cruelty that I gasped outloud.

It all adds up to a sense of the eery and how fragile this frontier civilisation is - and that is such a big theme - what makes us civilised, how quickly that erodes and the crowd is manipulated into becoming cruel. In a way, it was the cruelty of the crowd that was more upsetting that Joll or Mandel's actions.

Very much a film for now I think. I liked the ending - I know not everyone does but I liked the uncertainty - I can't remember how the book finished, I'll have to go over it again.

Anyway - thoroughly recommend. I find it wonderful that JD can mix the big character plays (Grindelwald), next to something so restrained - still!

(And a final thought - it tells you everything you need to know about the actor-pulling power of JD and Mark Rylance that super hot R-Patz, schlepped all the way to Morocco to play a relatively minor role - he and Johnny have very complimentary acting styles, let's hope to see them again together.)

AdeleAgain · Unread post by **AdeleAgain** » Fri Sep 11, 2020 2:27 am

This is lovely news and so pleased it (1) proves the concept (2) middle finger to the nay-sayers, JD has pulling power of course, I mean this is not exactly a populist style movie but people want to see him.

https://variety.com/2020/film/global/ie ... 234765622/

AdeleAgain · Unread post by **AdeleAgain** » Sun Sep 13, 2020 3:38 am

Sorry to keep going on about this film but it is fast becoming a favourite JD performance.

Watched it again last night with some socially distanced friends on a big screen. There are some shots and scene which are so worth seeing on a larger screen if you get a chance. The opening in particular and some others set outside the fort - sweeping camera shots of the mountains etc.