The biggest sore thumb I came across was the inclusion of Lenny Kravitz's "Fly Away" in the final 15 minutes. Regardless of what your thoughts are on the artist, why is that in here? I'm guessing that Gieferg was running low on song picks
Well, actually, it is there, because:
1) fits perfectly lyrics-wise
2) this song is one of the main reasons this edit even exists as it was first soundtrack idea which basically started the whole thing (just like certain Queen song started JLG). Even if it is way more modern that majority of the music used, I couldn't discard something that is basically the reason the edit exists in the first place, Especially when
3) it's one of my two favorite music moments of this edit ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
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Few more words about my approach to re-scoring aspect: Picking songs is probably the most time consuming part of the whole process of doing these edits, and If there's a song with lyrics in any scene, that means that I was entirely happy with it*. And when I lost my patience trying to fit something with lyrics into a scene, or when I am not completely convinced, then I would usually use something without lyrics instead.
* I should note here, that sometimes I am not entirely happy from the beginning, just after I try a song for a first time. This is often a matter of getting used to it. After some shifting, trying to fit it, there usually comes a moment when I suddenly like how it works in the scene (or the moment when I know that I don't like it and abandon the idea). Sometimes I watch those scenes tens of times before I made a decision (and many more after I do). So, it's rather obvious to me, that something that I've seen many times before it ultimately "clicked" may not work for someone who is watching it for a first time. There's also the "expectations aspect" that may affect the reception in significant way (I suppose that's the reason i like some movies more, after second watching, when that aspect goes away). Finally, there's something about songs being "out of place" that makes me want to use them, just for a complete change of the mood of the scene (as in JLG in Barry saving Iris sequence, Fogerty's "I will walk with you" in Machete Sharpened and "Fly Away" or "Thriller" here).
So, any more "sore thumbs" to be pointed out? Cause from the review I know only about one song. And that makes me scratching my head, wondering if poor Lenny may be the sole reason for the lowest score this edit got so far...
For example, I dont really know on what exactly narrative score is based on.
so it's a fair assumption
Assumption is the mother of all F-ups
To me, putting Lenny Kravitz in a grindhoused version of Alien is like putting a Britney Spears song in The Wizard of Oz.
I could do that :>
Another interesting aspect of "grindhouse-fanediting" that was touched upon in your review is - what exactly "grindhousing" means:
For me, the grindhousing of the film begins at around the second half
let's see. There are entirely new opening titles with totally different feel, the picture looks different, and almost all music is changed to something different, some scenes are cut, some scenes were added, but the grindhousing starts in second half? That would mean, that only plot modifications (that start before cherstbursting scene btw) or some additions in the form of those bloodier outtakes / deleted scenes or bits from other movies are considered as "grindhousing".
If that's the case, then JLG has no grindhousing at all, cause apart from cutting almost half of the movie (and some little additions from theatrical cut), there are only visual and musical changes - altering the vibe & the mood, not the plot. And that is another thing that is tied with the "expectations aspect". I am almost afraid that with "Three Bears" I might just set the expectations for my next planned edits that I am not even intend to fulfill, as some of the planned installments in that series of edits are based mostly on audiovisual changes, not the plot modifications.
Well, we'll see about that.
Anyway, thanks for the review that provokes some reflections.
PS. out of curiosity - which one did you watch first - Star Beast or Three Bears?