Third time's the charm...
Oct. 19th, 2005 05:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
girlofpreyI went to see Night Watch for the third time today. Colour me obsessed. But I think I've had my big-screen fill now. I'm ready to wait for the DVD, and y'know, the next one. Or two. Or whatever.
One thing that was different for me this time was that I viewed Anton a lot differently, at least at the beginning. When I first watched it, my only reference to him was from the reviews (which called him the 'hero'), and the trailer, which was all sunglasses and dark coat and looking badass. However, having 'researched' the original book he's really not that guy - apparently he's mostly just admin boy, but he gets sent on random missions sometimes for some reason - maybe he volunteers, or maybe it's because they need his psychic powers. Which doesn't make much sense, because I'm pretty sure the driver guy is a Seer too, but anyway. The beginning bit makes a lot more sense when you look at it that way - that he's just an ordinary guy, who runs into a building to face vampires because he was a bit useless and lost sight of the kid, and now the kid's in danger. At that point, his fight with Andrey isn't a bit of a letdown (as it was for me, a bit), it's poignant - because he's really not a fighter, he's just doing his best and getting the crap kicked out of him, and needs some SERIOUS mojo to get him back on his feet again.
Of course after that, he sort of turns into super-Anton. But he does have an owl-lady to protect him. And a strangely sexy shirt. But this is most likely because he's got a real cause after this - he's protecting the boy, and then trying to save the city from Svetlana. And that's probably his place in this Battle/story - he has the potential to be a 'Warrior of Light' (or darkness), when he believes in his cause enough to go all out. And I don't think just the Light Side or the Dark Side is enough of one for him on their own, hence all the doubting, and still thinking 12 years later, 'which one are you?'.
I still think it's slightly odd that every time the 'Great Other' gets mentioned (see; the beginning, the story of the Virgin, my 'Making Of' bit on my Total Film DVD) we see a shot of Anton. But probably it's just wishful thinking.
I also understand the whole Anton/Kostya shipping a lot better when I see him as just an ordinary guy, who goes out for a drink with his (Dark) friends after work, and needed any friend he could get when he first became an other, rather than as the 'Warrior'. Possibly when I get started with my Anton/Zavulon bunnies I make out Anton's part in the prophecy and Zavulon's regard to be somewhat greater than it is, at which point I lose sight of the real character of Anton and the whole thing goes belly up. But I still think there's some interesting manipulation and Anton-as-a-weird-sort-of-Virgin-Mary stuff to work with there. And Nick Cave's 'Red Right Hand' is so absolutely their theme song. Yes.
Also, my theory was correct - Anton really does just get more and more beautiful as the film goes on. And never more so then when he's wearing his necklace charmfrom Zavulon, omg!
And FYI,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
slippery_fish? There is something weirdly sexy about the fight between Anton and Andrey. Especially when he takes off his sunglasses. But then he just has TOO MANY TEETH and his voice is really high and squeaky and I get freaked out again.
But I do like the whole idea of passionate kissing bringing out an Other/the girl's dark side. Has some interesting potential for Anton/any Dark Other slash, non? ;)
And once again, a Night Watch post which is much longer than I intended it to be. But I think I'm done now. Roll on Day Watch.
I have far, far too much reading to do for next week. A 300 page novel. AND 600 pages of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Woe. I considered buying Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' in Fopp today as well, but a quick check of the balance reveals I have minus money again. So perhaps not.
I do have the new Lemony Snicket though. First chapter reactions = Kit Snicket, omg. PREGNANT Kit Snicket, OMG! Clearly you should trust her, you young fools! :;shakes fist::
One thing that was different for me this time was that I viewed Anton a lot differently, at least at the beginning. When I first watched it, my only reference to him was from the reviews (which called him the 'hero'), and the trailer, which was all sunglasses and dark coat and looking badass. However, having 'researched' the original book he's really not that guy - apparently he's mostly just admin boy, but he gets sent on random missions sometimes for some reason - maybe he volunteers, or maybe it's because they need his psychic powers. Which doesn't make much sense, because I'm pretty sure the driver guy is a Seer too, but anyway. The beginning bit makes a lot more sense when you look at it that way - that he's just an ordinary guy, who runs into a building to face vampires because he was a bit useless and lost sight of the kid, and now the kid's in danger. At that point, his fight with Andrey isn't a bit of a letdown (as it was for me, a bit), it's poignant - because he's really not a fighter, he's just doing his best and getting the crap kicked out of him, and needs some SERIOUS mojo to get him back on his feet again.
Of course after that, he sort of turns into super-Anton. But he does have an owl-lady to protect him. And a strangely sexy shirt. But this is most likely because he's got a real cause after this - he's protecting the boy, and then trying to save the city from Svetlana. And that's probably his place in this Battle/story - he has the potential to be a 'Warrior of Light' (or darkness), when he believes in his cause enough to go all out. And I don't think just the Light Side or the Dark Side is enough of one for him on their own, hence all the doubting, and still thinking 12 years later, 'which one are you?'.
I still think it's slightly odd that every time the 'Great Other' gets mentioned (see; the beginning, the story of the Virgin, my 'Making Of' bit on my Total Film DVD) we see a shot of Anton. But probably it's just wishful thinking.
I also understand the whole Anton/Kostya shipping a lot better when I see him as just an ordinary guy, who goes out for a drink with his (Dark) friends after work, and needed any friend he could get when he first became an other, rather than as the 'Warrior'. Possibly when I get started with my Anton/Zavulon bunnies I make out Anton's part in the prophecy and Zavulon's regard to be somewhat greater than it is, at which point I lose sight of the real character of Anton and the whole thing goes belly up. But I still think there's some interesting manipulation and Anton-as-a-weird-sort-of-Virgin-Mary stuff to work with there. And Nick Cave's 'Red Right Hand' is so absolutely their theme song. Yes.
Also, my theory was correct - Anton really does just get more and more beautiful as the film goes on. And never more so then when he's wearing his necklace charm
And FYI,
slippery_fish? There is something weirdly sexy about the fight between Anton and Andrey. Especially when he takes off his sunglasses. But then he just has TOO MANY TEETH and his voice is really high and squeaky and I get freaked out again.But I do like the whole idea of passionate kissing bringing out an Other/the girl's dark side. Has some interesting potential for Anton/any Dark Other slash, non? ;)
And once again, a Night Watch post which is much longer than I intended it to be. But I think I'm done now. Roll on Day Watch.
I have far, far too much reading to do for next week. A 300 page novel. AND 600 pages of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Woe. I considered buying Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' in Fopp today as well, but a quick check of the balance reveals I have minus money again. So perhaps not.
I do have the new Lemony Snicket though. First chapter reactions = Kit Snicket, omg. PREGNANT Kit Snicket, OMG! Clearly you should trust her, you young fools! :;shakes fist::
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