The Hunger Games

[Poetic Chaos]

Reading the first book now. Loving it.

 

[SuperBatman]

I just finished the 2nd book. I loved it a lot better than the 2nd one. I will start reading the 3rd book here in a few days.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

Jennifer Lawrence talks The Hunger Games, "It's not Twilight.":

Vanity Fair -
First off, congratulations again on your best-actress nomination! Since then you’ve been working nonstop. Have the experiences from those insane weeks sunk in yet?

Jennifer Lawrence -
Thanks. I don't know if an experience like that can ever sink in, but I'm so grateful for it.

VF -
Tell me about how you got to be involved in this project.

JL -
I had read the books before I even knew I would be auditioning for the movie, and was a huge fan of the material. Actually, my mom read them first and thought it was an incredible role and story. She did the same thing with Winter’s Bone, so she must be a clairvoyant, or just has really great taste. Katniss is an incredible character: she’s a hunter but not a killer, a 16-year-old who’s being forced into the arena. These kids are killing one another only because if they don’t they’ll die. It’s needless, pointless, unjustified violence. It’s heartbreaking. When I auditioned, I told [director] Gary [Ross], “I understand if you don’t hire me, but please remember that after Katniss shoots a bow and kills someone, her face cannot be badass.” So there’s nothing cool about her. It’s not like she looks around the arena and goes, Yeah, I got this. I think she looks around helplessly, and thinks, I made a promise to my sister that I would survive; now I have to kill in order to do so.

VF -
Do you worry at all about the film becoming a massive phenomenon in the way of Twilight—and what that will mean for your personal and professional life?

JL -
I try not to think too much about it. Hunger Games is not Twilight, and while I hear the comparisons, it’s really premature to say that it will be the same phenomenon. I’m so proud of the work we did on the film—Gary and the entire cast and crew were amazing, and I can’t wait for it to be brought to life because I think it’s an important story. If it does become a crazy phenomenon, I’ll soak up my freedom now!

VF -
Do you think the film will do justice in the eyes of the books’ fans?

JL -
Absolutely.

VF -
What has been the most interesting or challenging experience you’ve had on this project?

JL -
The fact that it didn’t feel like filming a movie. When we were filming in the woods, it didn’t have that Hollywood gloss—it was real snakes, real bears, and really scenes of running up and down a mountain for 13 hours.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2011/11/jennifer-lawrence-the-hunger-games-twilight

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Really? Because all the stuff released so far makes it look like Twilight.

 

[ironwez20]

Its not like twilight. In hunger games you have a girl trying to fight off a dictator and being forced to partake in horrible games against her will. Now she does sorta like two guys named peeta and gale but as the story progresses she starts to love peeta more than Gale. Twilight doesnt really have a plot. Its about a girl who cant choose between a dog and a fairy and the volturri or whatever arent really that threatning like the capitol in hunger games. Hungers games leans towards survival more than anything. Twilight leans toward choosing jacob over edward in every book.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I am simply talking about the aesthetics. The film has that annoying shiny, sterile look to it. A bunch of annoying young people, with an overabundance of hair.

 

[Sawyer]

Young people = Twilight

Of course.

 

[ironwez20]

Yea that makes no sense just because there young doesn't mean it's twilight. Those dudes in twilight are like 28 anyway

 

[Project862006]

young love story is also twilight no one ever did it before lol

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Young people = Twilight

Of course.

Nice to see you missed the rest of my post.

I could simply point out that the first trailer showed what looked and felt like the same forest that Bella continues to find herself in in those godforsaken films.

The posters, the footage, have a similar sterile look of Twilight. It lacks the the grit of a Super 8 or Harry Potter. Two other recent films about young people, that don't feel like they are about a bunch of pretty drones.

I don't know much about the book the film is based on, but apparently we are talking crappy future Lord of the Flies/Battle Royale/Running Man stuff. Not exactly the feel I am getting from Jennifer Lawrence running in that forest. The posters do not reinforce that feeling.

 

[dark_b]

some here need to stop writting how the books are not like Twilight. because noone is talking about the books. but about the promo images,covers and trailer.

 

[John Locke]

We only have one teaser that was released on MTV so of course they made it look like Twilight. Plus is was a one second teaser they weren't going to show that much when they were in the middle of filmming. Also Harry Potter 7 and Star Trek 09 had similar posters and no one questioned them.

 

[danoyse]

The Hunger Games is nothing like Twilight.

Sincerely,

-Everyone who read the books. We read them, we know this better than you do.



Seriously, yes...there are pretty people in the promos. Which is exactly what is done with everything being promoted to a mostly teenage demographic. And Twilight made lots and lots of money doing that, so logically they are going to try and attract that same demo here. Hell, I hate Twilight and I think those posters are hot.

We've seen approximately 60 seconds of footage so far. There's no need to jump to this conclusion yet...and it's especially dumb to tell people who've actually read the books that this is another Twilight. It's not.

 

[OsGom]

I thought Effie was supposed to have pink hair? Maybe just streaks in the movie? Either way that's more of a violet purple than a pink.

Effie changes her hair color quite often. It was described as pumpkin orange at one point.

I could simply point out that the first trailer showed what looked and felt like the same forest that Bella continues to find herself in in those godforsaken films.

The posters, the footage, have a similar sterile look of Twilight. It lacks the the grit of a Super 8 or Harry Potter. Two other recent films about young people, that don't feel like they are about a bunch of pretty drones.

I don't know much about the book the film is based on, but apparently we are talking crappy future Lord of the Flies/Battle Royale/Running Man stuff. Not exactly the feel I am getting from Jennifer Lawrence running in that forest. The posters do not reinforce that feeling.

I find myself agreeing with Darthskywalker on this point (even though he is being rather *****ey).

It's pretty clear to me that this franchise is being groomed to fill the market niche left once Twilight is finished. All the casting and promotional images point in that direction. It would not be hard for filmmakers to slant the story from a survival horror to a survival romance. I am not quite ready to write this project off, especially after they cast Harrelson and Banks. However I remain leery until I see a full trailer.

I thought the books were great but I was very disturbed that they chose to cast so old. In my opinion it dilutes the impact of The Hunger Games. There is a big difference between 20-25 year olds hacking each other to pieces rather than 14-16 year olds. The story is about these horrible things these kids are forced to do to survive.

I understand why they did it when you consider Hollywoods aversion to violence against kids and their need to preserve a PG-13 rating. I just don't agree with it.

IMO the event that will make or break this movie:

Spoiler

The death of Rue. I fear it will be limited to a scream in the woods and I think it needs to be on screen. It is the one event that has the biggest impact on Katniss and echoes throughout the entire series. They need to do it right.

 

[danoyse]

I don't think anyone is disputing that they're taking Twilight-esque approach to showing off the cast. That formula worked for Twilight (and just about every other teenage-skewing franchise) and this franchise clearly wants to get that same crowd now that the Twilight series is finally ending. It makes sense that the marketing has been similar.

But no, that doesn't mean you can announce that it's the same thing as Twilight when you haven't read (or at least try to have a passing knowledge of) the books. A good portion of the fans in this thread have read the books and can easily tell you the stories are completely different - and they won't be wrong for saying so.

If you want to jump to a conclusion based on a 60 second teaser and some promo photos, go ahead. You'll still be wrong. And people will still be here to tell you so.

 

[ironwez20]

some here need to stop writting how the books are not like Twilight. because noone is talking about the books. but about the promo images,covers and trailer.

Yea but the freaking posters and trailer look nothing like twilight. Seriosly. Granted we only see like 30 sec of footage and it looked nothing twilight. Twilight didn't start a woodland atmosphere. If you read the books you would no this is different in many ways

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I don't think anyone is disputing that they're taking Twilight-esque approach to showing off the cast. That formula worked for Twilight (and just about every other teenage-skewing franchise) and this franchise clearly wants to get that same crowd now that the Twilight series is finally ending. It makes sense that the marketing has been similar.

But no, that doesn't mean you can announce that it's the same thing as Twilight when you haven't read (or at least try to have a passing knowledge of) the books. A good portion of the fans in this thread have read the books and can easily tell you the stories are completely different - and they won't be wrong for saying so.

If you want to jump to a conclusion based on a 60 second teaser and some promo photos, go ahead. You'll still be wrong. And people will still be here to tell you so.

When did I say it was Twilight? I said based on the material released so far, it looked like Twilight. Which you apparently agree it does. That is all I said. Something marketing itself heavily to the crowd that enjoys Twilight is not a good sign to me. Especially when it looks shot in the similar, mundane manner.

Furthermore, what the source material is and what ends up on screen can be vastly different. I sat through Constantine. Just look at the lead. I am a fan of Jennifer Lawrence, but in no way does she look 16.

Effie changes her hair color quite often. It was described as pumpkin orange at one point.



I find myself agreeing with Darthskywalker on this point (even though he is being rather *****ey).

It's pretty clear to me that this franchise is being groomed to fill the market niche left once Twilight is finished. All the casting and promotional images point in that direction. It would not be hard for filmmakers to slant the story from a survival horror to a survival romance. I am not quite ready to write this project off, especially after they cast Harrelson and Banks. However I remain leery until I see a full trailer.

I thought the books were great but I was very disturbed that they chose to cast so old. In my opinion it dilutes the impact of The Hunger Games. There is a big difference between 20-25 year olds hacking each other to pieces rather than 14-16 year olds. The story is about these horrible things these kids are forced to do to survive.

I understand why they did it when you consider Hollywoods aversion to violence against kids and their need to preserve a PG-13 rating. I just don't agree with it.

IMO the event that will make or break this movie:

Spoiler

The death of Rue. I fear it will be limited to a scream in the woods and I think it needs to be on screen. It is the one event that has the biggest impact on Katniss and echoes throughout the entire series. They need to do it right.

Yes, because three post attempting to blow me off by insulting my intelligence without responding to the majority of my post didn't irrate me at all.

 

[Project862006]

neither does any teenager character on screen or tv lol

 

[DarthSkywalker]

neither does any teenager character on screen or tv lol

Harry Potter. Hanna. Super 8. The Lovely Bones.

 

[Project862006]

bad examples lol

super 8 and potter were actual kids who's character were much younger than 16

hanna and lovely bones had same actress too lol

katniss is a very mature character so it needed an older actress imo

 

[ComicChick]

I haven't read these books, so can someone tell me why all the guys seem to have really feminine names?

Uh, I've no idea but I don't think they sound feminine to me. I like that Collins uses names that aren't typical for today. In districts 1 & 2 for an example they have a lot of names that are based on Romans names. Cato, Flavius, Octavia and Brutus to name a few. Some of the other names have a meaning like:

Rue is a name of a plant I think, it's also means grief or repentance.
Peeta means rock but the female gender usually have that name.

some of the names kind of reflect their districts and what the districts are about. the richer districts have fancy names like glimmer etc

district 12 is poor and lowly
katniss is a plant
i always thought Peeta (the boy with the bread) was a play on Pita

 

[ComicChick]

i hate the comparisons to twylight that sadly pretty much every successful young adult novel/series with have to have now. however if it gets people in the seats to watch it, i won't complain... much lol

i read the series in december in about 10 days haha. the characters are strong, the games are intense and the capitol and the dystopian future are all intriguing and interesting.

if i knew nothing about the movie and its premise, it's almost a guarantee that i'd see this film based on the cast alone:

Stanley Tucci (when is he not great)
Woody Harrelson (he's shining right now)
Elisabeth Banks (underappreciated talent)
Jennifer Lawrence (lots of buzz around her now)
Lenny Kravitz (intriguing selection)
Donald Sutherland (great timeless actor)
Wes Bentley (an actor i haven't seen in a while)

 

[DarthSkywalker]

bad examples lol

super 8 and potter were actual kids who's character were much younger than 16

hanna and lovely bones had same actress too lol

katniss is a very mature character so it needed an older actress imo

Harry Potter stopped after the second film? Super 8 was about a 14 year old boy and his friends. That is much younger then 16?

Also apparent Saoirse Ronan (Hanna and Lovely Bones) was up for this film. Now there is a teen who is a very good, very mature actress, who is actually age apporiate. Same for Steinfield and Moretz.

 

[ComicChick]

Harry Potter stopped after the second film? Super 8 was about a 14 year old boy and his friends. That is much younger then 16?

Also apparent Saoirse Ronan (Hanna and Lovely Bones) was up for this film. Now there is a teen who is a very good, very mature actress, who is actually age apporiate. Same for Steinfield and Moretz.

true but none of them fit the look or feel of Katniss at all. Steinfield looks to soft and kind to me (just personal opinion)

i never heard of Ronan being up for the film. if anything, i could see her as one of the tributes from the richer districts

Elle Fanning (from Super 8) was a huge fan favorite for the role of Prim

 

[DarthSkywalker]

true but none of them fit the look or feel of Katniss at all. Steinfield looks to soft and kind to me (just personal opinion)

i never heard of Ronan being up for the film. if anything, i could see her as one of the tributes from the richer districts

Elle Fanning (from Super 8) was a huge fan favorite for the role of Prim

Could you possibly describe the look of the character to me?

From what little I know of the character, I thought Ronan would of been quite the good fit, especially after Hanna.