IFDB Review: Hand of the King, The:

This is quite an interesting idea, and I'm glad someone has tackled it. It is essentially "Game of Thrones Season 1" told in a short film. If you are not a fan of the series, because it's either long-winded, excessively violent, or too sexual, then this might be right up your alley.Where I think there could be the most improvement is the narrative itself. There is an old saying (I think it was Hitchcock) referring to the idea of "meanwhile, back at the ranch." Essentially it says that any time the attention of the viewer is about to wander, switch to another plot or subplot. That way the storyline doesn't start to drag, and is paced nicely.I think this film needs some more "Meanwhile back at the ranch." There are quite a few moments when the scene suddenly faded to black, then moved on to a new scene with the same character as the previous scene. This interrupts the flow a bit, and reduces the overall quality of the edit.To avoid idle criticism, I have prepared a small list of candidates I think might work:1. Restore more Sansa. Even when she's being a brat, she is still a major character in these events and her storyline has value. Plus her brattiness gives the Starks more personality and variation. Arya is too close to her dad for any major tension. Give it to them by restoring Sansa.2. Add in more of Robert's scenes. There aren't many, but ones like the "War Stories" scene give some really good insight into who he is, and why he is such a bad king. It also has an excellent little Jaime moment, that makes him seem less of a villain.3. Restore a couple of those Littlefinger scenes. He can be crude, but he's instrumental. Restore those scenes where he interacts with people like Varys, or with his prostitutes, so we get a better sense of who he is. The Court of the Red Keep is one of the show's stars, and the tension between Varys and Littlefinger is great viewing. Recommend keeping it.4. Restore Beric Dondarrion. He'll be important for Arya later, probably best to keep him?Those are some candidates that leaped out at me. Otherwise cuddlyninja has done a fine job here. That I've not given it a higher grade is solely due to the occasional lapses in engagement, which can easily be fixed with the "Meanwhile back at the ranch" approach.Thanks cuddlyninja, I look forward to your season 2 edit!

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