Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby FelipeFritschF » Thu Jun 29, 2017 7:52 pm

Can we have a separate thread for this? If not, just delete it.

I'm actually positively surprised.

It's interesting to see a different take on the characters. While Light in the original was an straight A student, tall, handsome, rich (?), son of a police chief, this Light is more of a maladjusted social outcast. While the original Light could still have a conservative, punitive and even sometimes social Darwinist discourse, this one just sounds like a weirdo in a Western context with wildly different expectations, and at a different time. In the same manner, Misa (or whoever she's going to be called now) seems to be a lot more independent this time around, while, although she had her own quirks and interesting aspects in the original, Misa was ultimately still completely devoted to Light, and largely lacked a mind of her own. Plus she was sorta dumb. This Misa, however, seems to be playing a more active part in forging Light's path. And finally, L *might* not be quite the usual Hollywood Genius again, but instead someone a little less cartoonish.

Also, William Dafoe sounds terrifying as usual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvxNaSIB_WI

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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Reichu » Thu Jun 29, 2017 10:09 pm

For me there's nothing sacred about the original, plus I love me some Dafoe, so I'll check it out gladly.

And good lawd, the number of downvotes on that trailer and the waves upon waves of utter tripe in the comments section.
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Ray » Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:50 pm

I think this might have a shot of being good if I can separate the majority of it from The Source material.

Whitewashing aside the trailer looks pretty good. Ls body language seems to be in keeping with the spirit of the character, ( although I still doubt the actor they got to play him can pull off the "nerdy shut in super genius" character that he was in the anime.).

I am a bit conflicted about them keeping Ryuk as a Japanese death god though. It's going to be kind of hard to separate Japanese death God from The Japanese setting of the original. Having said that I am kind of glad they didn't localized him 100% by making him a fallen Archangel or ssomething.

My biggest issue is with the character of light though. Light is supposed to be a character that is at the top of the social ladder, he's not supposed to be a social outcast looking to get back at the world. Light isn't supposed to be one of the Columbine shooters with a supernatural notebook, hes supposed to be an ordinary person from a well-to-do family. Light is supposed to be a kid with a bright future ahead of him, he's not supposed to be at the bottom of the social ladder seeking Revenge at a world that's wronged him.

I will give this a chance though. Unlike with Ghost in the Shell I probably won't have to worry too much about it opening the floodgates for other anime adaptations.

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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby pwhodges » Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:01 pm

I may be out of line, but that looks to me as repugnant as I found the original.
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Sachi » Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:17 pm

On the contrary, Ray, this might open the floodgates for more adaptations in live action TV series on Netflix and other streaming sites.

Regarding the Columbine comparison, that might be exactly what this adaptation needs. An adaptation doesn't need to follow the original beat for beat, and if the premise can be used as a vehicle to explore other issues, so be it. The Columbine thing works well because it is so relevant to American culture today.
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby C.T.1290 » Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:20 pm

I remember coming across something like a while back, about how there's going to be another live action Death Note. Not sure how this will turn out, but I think I'll give it a chance to see how it compares to the other one.
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Gendo'sPapa » Fri Jun 30, 2017 6:52 pm

Is the anime series actually good or is it overrated like how most not-absolute-garbage anime ends up getting overpraised? The whole series is available for streaming on Netflix & if people on here - I trust in most of your weirdo tastes because I am one of you - I might give it a shot before the movie. I'm gonna watch the film because I'm a fan of Adam Wingard.

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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Reichu » Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:03 pm

View Original PostGendo'sPapa wrote:Is the anime series actually good or is it overrated like how most not-absolute-garbage anime ends up getting overpraised?

Definitely overrated IMHO. The first story arc is good, but after that it's all downhill. The series becomes one protracted exercise in listening to arrogant assholes standing around thinking about how clever they are -- an excruciating example of "tell, don't show".
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Sachi » Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:13 pm

It's a great series, but most definitely overrated. A major event happens when there's still ten or so episodes left, and those last episodes seem to drag because of it. First half of the series is really good though. Worth checking out at the very least. Solid 6.5/10.
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby pwhodges » Fri Jun 30, 2017 10:39 pm

View Original PostGendo'sPapa wrote:Is the anime series actually good or is it overrated like how most not-absolute-garbage anime ends up getting overpraised?

The first part of the series (which is all I've watched) is quite well made, and I like the design. My intense dislike is for the story itself, which is built around such moral vacuity that it's painful, and shows no sign (at the point I could stand it no longer, about 14 eps as I recall) of ever making any acceptable commentary on that at all - rather, it appears to take itself seriously. No other series has ever had such a negative effect on me.
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby C.T.1290 » Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:58 pm

I don't see how it's overrated. Sure, the second half of the series is kind of like watching an episode of CSI or other mystery shows while focusing less the Shinigami. But overall, I enjoyed the series. It was interesting to see the Battle of wits between Light and L. As well as the elaborate ways Light has been using his death note, even though he was needlessly using it to kill some of the FBI agents.
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Sachi » Sat Jul 01, 2017 1:35 am

It's overrated because when it came out people treated it as the second coming of Christ. America at the time was embracing the emo fad, and Death Note fit the aesthetic really well, and so it was spread like a disease over here as well. Don't get me wrong, because I do enjoy the series, however I did avoid it for a long time simply because of how mainstream it was back then (because I'm a hipster like that).
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Gendo'sPapa » Thu Jul 06, 2017 11:25 pm

This show is..... this show is.....
Really mediocre. And dumb.
So fucking dumb.

Will probably do some kind of write up after I finish trudging through it. I'm curious to see if it ever stops being so superficial & starts being real. I mean there has to be something else here that made this show so huge? For a few years it was inescapable.

I can see the appeal though. Certainly I can get why it was so big in anime circles for a while. It's a show about a narcissist loner who thinks they're better than everyone else & behind the facade of being a good person genuinely believes in some dark almost eugenics like nonsense. To top it off it even has a bubbly overly sexualized blonde extrovert in fetish gear who through no choice on his ends comes into the protagonist’s life lusting after him cause he’s “so cool”. This show & everyone it says (shallow as it is) feels like a love letter to the socially benevolent but privately angry loner.

I'm actually now anticipating Adam Wingard's film to be a better version of this. There's potential in the core of the narrative both narratively & theologically but the story being told is so..... dumb. At least Wingard's version looks like it will indulge in some of the basic horror that can be played with when you've got demons floating around & a book that can kill people in whatever sick way the holder can think up. Also a 100 minute movie won't have the sluggish runtime to ponderously hobble through every plot detail with a never-ending cascade of tired voiceovers. Perhaps the movie will involve some, you know, VISUAL storytelling.
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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby pwhodges » Fri Jul 07, 2017 12:06 am

It's such a relief to have someone agree with me on this - at times I've really wondered how it was that no one else could see it for what it is.
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Postby Ray » Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:10 am

Okay I'll concede this the original anime was more of a radio show with pretty pictures then an actual TV show. But the original manga was pretty text-Heavy already.

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Postby Gendo'sPapa » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:41 pm

Whoa whoa whoa. HOLD UP.

You're telling me this show that for over 15 episodes up to now has basically taken place in a "real" world setting is now introducing magic super technologically advanced downtown super bases AND is now leaning into completely out of nowhere "comedic hijinks" tonal shifts mainly circling around this so-fucking-dumb-it's-offensive blond brat MURDERER AND there starting some kind of evil corporate intrigue subplot?

Fuck me. Somehow this dumb series is getting even dumber. That pretty much settles it for me, short of the Netflix movie being a "Batman V. Superman" tonal disaster Adam Wingard's film has all the potential in the world to surpass this dumb as shit show. Anime fans be tripping if they think this is some kind of "Untouchable Masterpiece" in the medium. Anime nerds on Twitter are talking about this like it's a David Fincher thriller. It's really a Jon Turteltaub thriller. This series is camp.

I wouldn't say I'm hate watching the series. But it's not far off.

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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby FreakyFilmFan4ever » Sun Jul 09, 2017 6:21 am

View Original PostRay wrote:Okay I'll concede this the original anime was more of a radio show with pretty pictures then an actual TV show. But the original manga was pretty text-Heavy already.

And with Japanese subtitles on, how does the anime keep from being a book all over again? (I've read manga while playing random soundtrack music in the background, and have gotten the same effect for way less production budget.) Usually a good filmmaker can scrub away all that rambling nonsense in favor for something more natural to the film and television medium.

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Postby Gendo'sPapa » Mon Jul 10, 2017 9:54 pm

Update:

Heading into the final arc & the show does not let me down by reasserting itself as not just morally ugly but also being sexist garbage. Misa continues to be a non-character who we're supposed to like even though she's a murderer & is solely defined by her sex appeal, her thirst for the male protagonist & the one character trait of sometimes showing "she's not THAT dumb". Now the little sister who has been a nonexistent side character returns as a sexy young adult... and is immediately kidnapped & used as bait for dumb plot shenanigans.

The end is in sight.... but man is it bugging me that something this morally ugly has been almost universally loved.

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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Cybermat47 » Mon Jul 10, 2017 10:15 pm

View Original PostGendo'sPapa wrote:Now the little sister who has been a nonexistent side character returns as a sexy young adult... and is immediately kidnapped & used as bait for dumb plot shenanigans.


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Re: Netflix's Death Note Live Action Adaptation

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Postby Ray » Mon Jul 10, 2017 10:19 pm

I'll say here about the female characters in Death Note what Bob Gale and Robert zemeckis said about Marty McFly a white guy stealing Chuck Berry's ( a black guys) biggest hit.

" as Freud said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".


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