11 comments

  • On second-thought, if we are only comparing the two clips out of context, the bootleg scene might still edge out the spot…

    I take some of that back — the scene alone does still *seem* important, it’s the scenes that precede and follow which sap any meaning from it. By those rules my argument that it has no impact on the story would be invalid —- (as the clip ends before the Xavarian rescue, and long before DJC almost mopes his cowardly way back to Jasoom). It is only when we see the surrounding film that we learn to dislike both characters for their self-serving motivations and dishonest behavior. Indeed, we could watch the scene by itself and convince ourselves it was actually a turning point for the characters.

    With that, and considering how truly awesome some of the DJC vs. Warhoons footage is, I’ll concede this clip is better than the TV spot.

  • Despite that this is the best piece of Giacchino’s moderately good score, and that the bootleg clip shows the best action shots in the film, I still prefer the Warhoon TV Spot.

    The reason for this is that it hints at a scene that has some meaning or impact on the story, when the actual scene (while still probably the highpoint of the film) does not. One can watch the TV spot and imagine something important has happened between Disney John Carter and Disney Dejah Thoris, and that his decision to hold off the Warhoons will buy her a real chance at safety or escape (not undercut by the rescue of premature-Admiral Kantos Kan). If one has read the book, one can watch that TV spot and still hope that – perhaps – Stanton might nail at least one of the great moments. The TV spot also, mercifully, spares the audience an awkward series of shots featuring Taylor Kitsch in an embarrassingly floppy hat being sad about his love for a woman who is not the Princess of Helium.

    To be fair, though, the actual scene contains the one moment in the film that gave me a chill — that being the ridiculous shot of Woola mouth-tackling a Warhoon rider. Even though the design of Woola is overly Disneyfied, he is the only character Stanton truly respected – the only character in the film who retains his soul from the novel. Seeing his loyal attack (albeit still cutesy) was the one shot in the film that gave me an genuine emotional charge.

    Despite this, I am nostalgic for this spot because when I first saw it, there was still a chance the movie might be decent.

  • The unofficial version is the one that reveals the heart of the film and makes you want to see it!

    By the way. Have you seen the TV spots for BATTLESHIP, with the tie-in with Subway and promotions on their drinking cups? Where were the tie-ins for JOHN CARTER? The plush Woola toy animals, etc?

  • The second one is devastating in the way that a moment of epic drama should be. THAT is what filmmakers working in the genre should aim for.

  • First I love that Woola stays with him. It shows his loyality to his master and friend. Second I hated the intercutting and you all know why. Plus the fact it was done a whole lot better in The Searchers and Stanton is no John Ford.

  • I noticed that and said…did I miss that? Tomorrow and the screening I’m going to look for it. Good catch!

  • If I’m not mistaken, there’s one beat I noticed in the unofficial trailers that wasn’t in the official ones: it’s at 0:52 in the leaked scene, the close-up of Taylor Kitsch just before charging the Warhoon horde, and this little shiver he has. That says it all, it’s not for laugh, he’s aware that it’s probably his last fight. Awesome character beat, and just a few seconds. Love it.

    Awesome how Disney was able to destroy in marketing all the fire and passion that was in the movie.

  • the second scene is from a leaked copy of the movie that got uploaded to the internet.

    Hmmmm….well, how’s this for some logic? The reason we oppose illegal downloads is because a) they give people an alternative way of seeing the movie without paying, and thus b) create a disincentive for them to pay to see it legally.

    This a) isn’t an alternate way of seeing the movie — it’s just one scene, and b) instead of creating a disincentive to see the movie in theaters — it does the opposite, creating an incentive by demonstrating that there is more to the film than the trailers would have you believe.

    That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Anyway, it’s a YouTube embed, so if Disney doesn’t want it on the internet, they just have to make a claim to YouTube and YouTube will take it down which will cause it to disappear here too.

    But that would be foolish in my view. Disney needs to let the true character of the movie start being understood since their other approach didn’t exactly work.

    Well, if Disney wants it off the internet they’ll just go to Youtube and cause it to be taken down. If they do, it will go down here too, since it’s just embedded. For me — I guess I”m kinda desperate to give people who have only seen the trailers a chance to conclude that there might be something more special awaiting them if they see it.

  • The actual scene from the film embodies everything John Carter is…it is so moving, so insightful, it transports us inside JC’s psyche…from a lost soul into his emotional awakening…

    The warhoon tv spot? A jumbled piece of confusing digital celluloid..It belongs in the trash…not worthy of everything John Carter embodies…

    Enough said..WE get it! BARSOOM….

  • the second scene is from a leaked copy of the movie that got uploaded to the internet.

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