The Adventures of Tintin

[Goliath]

[...] Anyways, even though I've never read any of the comics, I'm hoping for the best.

Oh, you should. As somebody who loves classic movies that much, you'll especially like the later 'Tintin' comics; they really have a cinematic quality to them. They're very well 'directed', so to speak.

[Goliath]

I've just seen the 2-minute trailer on IMDb and it was so horrible...

Not just the animation, though that sucks as well. All the characters look really good... until they start moving. They move like puppets. The moment where Thompson runs into telephone pole and falls back onto the ground, for instance, is just embarrassing to watch... seems like they ran a dummy doll into that pole. But that's just the animation. Worst is: Spielberg has mashed up several different comic books to combine them into one adventure. He starts out with 'Secret of the Unicorn' and in the process of the unraveling ofn this secret, he has Tintin meet Haddock, which actually happened years before in the earlier story 'The Crab with the Golden Claws', as well as other scenes from that earlier adventure. I also see a villain that does not appear in any of the Tintin comics. I also see Haddock use a rocket launcher... WTF?!

I should've known: anytime Americans lays their hands on original European comics, they butcher it.

[ajmrowland]

^Well, what did you expect? I may not have read the comics myself, but plenty of serial literature was combined into one movie before. I do recall one Series of Unfortunate Events, and that movie was still entertaining.

And not *all* us Americans are that bad.

[estefan]

Also, can you name a director more appropriate for Tintin than Steven Spielberg? Because I can't.

[Goliath]

Also, can you name a director more appropriate for Tintin than Steven Spielberg? Because I can't.

Oh, you with your Spielberg worship. Is he your God or something? Okay, the man has made some good movies (and also some turds), but that doesn't mean everything he does is sacriligeous.

[estefan]

I'm a massive fan, yes, but he's not even my favourite director, if that's what you're asking (I rank Chaplin and Kubrick above him).

And neither do I think he's perfect for every project. I'm actually pleased he didn't direct Harry Potter as originally intended. I will even admit to not liking The Lost World and Always. However, Tintin is a film that really is suited for him. I've often described Tintin as "Indiana Jones, but a reporter rather than an archaeologist," so it makes perfect sense for me that he would direct the adaptation.

However, you didn't answer my original question. Who do you feel is a more appropriate director for a feature adaptation of Tintin, since you feel Spielberg is so wrong for it?

[Goliath]

However, you didn't answer my original question. Who do you feel is a more appropriate director for a feature adaptation of Tintin, since you feel Spielberg is so wrong for it?

I don't feel Spielberg is wrong for it; I just don't like the way he handled the material.

[jpanimation]

Oh, you should. As somebody who loves classic movies that much, you'll especially like the later 'Tintin' comics; they really have a cinematic quality to them. They're very well 'directed', so to speak.

Funny thing, Peter Jackson pretty much said just that at Comic-Con:

http://movies.ign.com/articles/118/1183675p1.html

You both have me very intrigued. Calvin & Hobbs is currently my favorite comic but maybe that'll change. I checked out my library but they only have about 6 of the books, all in random order. I guess I'll have to use Google...

[Goliath]

You both have me very intrigued. Calvin & Hobbs is currently my favorite comic but maybe that'll change. I checked out my library but they only have about 6 of the books, all in random order. I guess I'll have to use Google...

Most of Tintin's adventures can be read in random order. Some adventures are two-parters. What Hergé did like to do, is to refer to previous stories or to have old supporting characters pop up in later stories. While not neccesary to understand the story, it enhances the reading experience.

The earliest Tintin-adventures (the first five or six) are not by far as well-told as the later books. You'll have to remember Hergé wrote and drew his first Tintin-story in 1929, when comics were very rare in Europe. Hergé essentially invented the comic formula for us. All the 62-page books as they're available now are very different from how the stories first appeared in newspapers and, after the war, in the 'Tintin' magazine. They've all been redrawn, colored and changed from 3 rows of panels a page to 4 rows a page, sometimes eliminating lots of scenes. This was done first by Hergé himself and his friend Edgar P. Jacobs (of 'Blake & Mortimer' fame) and later by his Studio under supervision by his closest collaborator Bob de Moor. The original forms are only available in expensive fascimile editions.

I recommend you start with 'King Ottokar's Sceptre' (his eight adventure) and read on from there, and later read the earlier adventures. This story is a clever political satire in which Tintin plays a crucial part in preventing the invasion of a peaceful country by its fascist neighbour (written in 1938!).

And of course, let us know whether or not you liked it!

[jpanimation]

And of course, let us know whether or not you liked it!

OK, I just got done reading King Ottokar's Sceptre, The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Shooting Star, The Secret of the Unicorn and it's sequel Red Rackham's Treasure. So far, The Crab with the Golden Claws is definitely my favorite, it was the most adventurous. As a whole, they're not that great but I can definitely see some things that had to be new at the time and that movies have been ripping off ever since. I also appreciate how each adventure is different and distinctive from the last.

Things to note, the professor offering Tintin a cigarette not once but twice. Also, the dog talks? Should make for some awkward moments in the movie, should they decide to include it.

Speaking of which, I know the movie is supposed to be a combination of The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure but I'm seeing many things in the trailer that look unfamiliar to me. Hopefully Spielberg makes the movie it's own thing, as I honestly don't think The Secret of the Unicorn and especially Red Rackham's Treasure (which is literally just digging and diving for treasure, with no antagonist or mystery to solve) would make for a very exciting movie. We'll just have to see how it all pans out but Hergé supposedly wanted Spielberg to make the movie right before he died....so, yeah. Also, I'm intersted in seen what Peter Jackson intends to do with the sequel (that is, assuming Spielberg doesn't blow it).

[Goliath]

OK, I just got done reading King Ottokar's Sceptre, The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Shooting Star, The Secret of the Unicorn and it's sequel Red Rackham's Treasure. So far, The Crab with the Golden Claws is definitely my favorite, it was the most adventurous. As a whole, they're not that great but I can definitely see some things that had to be new at the time and that movies have been ripping off ever since. I also appreciate how each adventure is different and distinctive from the last.

I think The Secret of the Unicorn is a good detective story. I like how Hergé has set out three apparant seperate storylines (the pickpocket; the stealing of the unicorn modelship; and Haddock's tale of his ancestor) and ties them together perfectly at the end. Red Rackham's Treasure is one of the weaker stories, but still memorable for Calculus' first appearance. I also don't like The Shooting Star that much, though I think the apocalyptic beginning of the story is wonderful. While reading, I could almost feel the tense atmosphere there. (No doubt this was a reflection of the state of the world during WW II.)

The Crab with the Colden Claws is definitly the best of the bunch you've read, though I also think highly of King Ottokar's Skepter. Next in line is the best album in the series, The Seven Crystal Balls. I wanted to give a brief summary, but I deleted it, because the effect will be much bigger when you discover it for yourself. It's a true haunting, tense, at times sinister tale with a constant sense of urgency throughout the book. Its sequel, Prisoners of the Sun, which is set in Peru, is also magnificent.

Things to note, the professor offering Tintin a cigarette not once but twice. Also, the dog talks? Should make for some awkward moments in the movie, should they decide to include it.

Well, smoking was much more accepted back then, even though the heroes in children's comic usually don't smoke (except for Haddock, but he's a flawed character after all, and not the squeeky-clean typical hero that is Tintin). Snowy, the dog, does talk but it's not supposed to be heard by the other characters. It's a way for Hergé to comment, from a readers point of view, on Tintin's actions. In the first 8 adventures, Tintin is all on his own, so he needed someone to give some balance to the almost infallabile hero.

[jpanimation]

Well, smoking was much more accepted back then,

I know but when you live in such a PC environment as we currently do, it kind of shocks you at first to see an adult casually offer a kid cigarettes. I know if they made it a movie, they would probably have to edit it out (even though it's actually important to the plot) as anti-smoking lobbyist would throw a hissy fit (look at how they tried to get Rango an ‘R’ rating for tobacco use).

[Elladorine]

Well, smoking was much more accepted back then,

I know but when you live in such a PC environment as we currently do, it kind of shocks you at first to see an adult casually offer a kid cigarettes. I know if they made it a movie, they would probably have to edit it out (even though it's actually important to the plot) as anti-smoking lobbyist would throw a hissy fit (look at how they tried to get Rango an ‘R’ rating for tobacco use).

Holy crap. Not that I didn't believe you, but I seriously had to go look the Rango thing up since I hadn't heard about it yet. Some people . . .

[ajmrowland]

Wow. I barely even noticed the smoking in Rango, and I dont even think the good guys do it at all.

[jpanimation]

Red Rackham's Treasure is one of the weaker stories, but still memorable for Calculus' first appearance.

Peter Jackson has just confirmed that Calculus isn't going to be in this movie. As I thought, they're going to minimize Red Rackham's Treasure's role in this movie and concentrate on the other two more entertaining stories (which is good).

[Goliath]

I know but when you live in such a PC environment as we currently do, it kind of shocks you at first to see an adult casually offer a kid cigarettes.

Speaking of a "PC environment"... I can't wait to read your reaction when you've read Tintin in Africa! Now that is baaaaaaaad!

A Congolese man in Belgium started a lawsuit to try to get it off the bookshelves. To be honest, it is very offensive. But it was written and drawn through the eyes of a young strictly Catholic adolescent who hadn't seen anything about the world and just repeated the stereotypes he was taught by his conservative environment.

[jpanimation]

Some reassuring words from IGN after a TinTin "set" visit:

"The feeling I came away with after viewing these scenes was relief. Personally, I had been slightly worried by the way the teaser and first trailer for the film seemed to shy away from showing facial animations and characters talking. That fear was completely put to rest within seconds of the footage starting up. The facial capture was created with the same technology as Avatar, and this film has that same level of detail and quality; top-notch, in other words."

Also, a new theatrical poster has been released.



A very large version of the poster can be found here. I was kind of hoping for a retro Drew Struzan type of poster, like Super 8 got.

[Toky]

Ive just started to watch the series again of Tintin, after i payed a visit to Cheverny (aka Marlinspike Hall) (don't know if there available in the US), but I have to say that it was more exciting when i was a kid and I can fully understand why Spielberg and Jackson want to combine stories. Red Rackham's treasure isn't a very exciting story and a bit short too.

Normally I don't like Motion capture performance, but I'm sure it will suit the cartoon, because i don't know if real live actors could have done right to the story, not unless they would have turned it into a more realistic, raw version ( think film noir)...

I'm still curious about what Spielberg would have done to the Crystal balls, if he putted that into a movie. As a kid i always got freaked out by Rascar Capac.

[Goliath]

I'm still curious about what Spielberg would have done to the Crystal balls, if he putted that into a movie. As a kid i always got freaked out by Rascar Capac.

Forget the animated series! It was not that bad (I loved it), but the comic books are so much better. Have you read them?

Remind me, jpanimation, have you read any further Tintin stories, like The Seven Crystal Balls, the best book in the series?

[Toky]

I'm still curious about what Spielberg would have done to the Crystal balls, if he putted that into a movie. As a kid i always got freaked out by Rascar Capac.

Forget the animated series! It was not that bad (I loved it), but the comic books are so much better. Have you read them?

Remind me, jpanimation, have you read any further Tintin stories, like The Seven Crystal Balls, the best book in the series?

We have all of the comics, as well as the series, here at my place, but i just wanted to see it again, because i always watched it as a little kid and wanted to see how they were build up, to see what an eventual big movie would look like....
Maybe its time to pull out the comics again