#2002 remake

[gamergoff]

Resident Evil (2002) - PC

[fromhelles-blog]

reasons why the 2002 remake of Doctor Zhivago is actually amazing

I heard so many bad things about it but now that I've seen it, I actually prefer it to David Lean's epic (shock horror!)

reasons why:

Keira Knightley as Lara I know heaps of people dislike Keira but she perfected the role as Lara. Julie Christie didn't convince me enough; yes, she was ruthlessly independent and had the toughness of Lara, yet she lacked the vulnerability that Keira showed- not just with Kamarovsky but with Yury as well. Keira also had subtlety; her expressions were so delicate in showing the slightest of emotion without overdoing it. In terms of appearance Keira was much more believable- I know the original film was made in the 60s so it was acceptable for Lara to have a perfect beehive hairstyle in Siberia, but however great that film is, the remake just has the down-to-earth authenticity which makes everything so much more real.

The inclusion of certain characters What I was surprised at most was the presence of characters in the remake that the original disregarded altogether. One of the most interesting characters is that of Misha, so i was really pleased that he played a significant role in the remake. Of course, his character had even more of a part in that he was always sort of in love with Tonya (I didn't pick that up in the novel, maybe I missed something?) but I really liked that additional aspect and it made me feel better about Tonya's circumstances once Yury finds his soulmate in Lara. Other characters such as Olya and Vassya also got a part- even if they were slightly adapted, I found the alterations compelling. Then again, Yevgraf was left out altogether.

Scenes that are more accurate (yes, really!) Somehow I find it bizarre that the remake had more accuracy in some regard than the original- I'm not one of those people who are focused on accuracy alone, i think that style and cinematographic originality are also valid, but I did love that the remake included very accurate scenes such as that in the train, and of course Yury seeing Lara in the library (one of my favourite scenes ever), with all the details such as the hayfever-induced librarian, and Yury trying to reposition his seat so as not to stare at her. There were even certain quotes that I recognised from the book and I was pleased to hear them.

Time spans Considering that David Lean had to produce a film whereas the remake has 225 minutes to tell the story, there is of course more realism in the passing of time- particularly with Yury and Lara's time at the front in WWI, a part I really liked because it showed their mutual respect for one another and their close proximity develop into friendship, to then blossom into attraction. The time also allowed for other features, such as the flashbacks of Yury on the train with his father (even though he wasn't even meant to be there?) which added to the dimensions of the visual retelling.

Hans Matheson grows on you Ok having seen the epic 60s movie first, I kept in mind that few people could do justice to the role of Yury Zhivago and Omar Sharif mastered it. But I have to say that Hans Matheson impressed me. In some way, (probably due to the remake being so long) there was a more distinct progression of character, Matheson impressed me in the early parts with his enthusiasm for life and love, and as the story developed he did transform into that pensive yet strong-willed man Yury does become, but like Keira he didn't overdo things. On the other hand, Sharif retained this sort of gentility from the beginning, so in a way both actors took a different approach to the role and both did absolute justice to his character. 

Lara and Tonya Another thing that we didn't get to see in the film was the meeting of Lara and Tonya, which I think is a really delicate part of the remake. I was worried Tonya would be washed over in such an encounter and portrayed falsely as the passive wife. But this scene was perfect: Tonya in effect let Yury go, but her anger at Lara encapsulated all the pain and struggle she had undertaken during Yury's absence. She still came across as strong-willed and independent, which I really admire her for. I think it was beautifully done.

The Ending Ok, I don't understand why both cinematic adaptions had to add something to make the ending more dramatic? Either way, the ending of the remake is definitely my favourite. I would have preferred Lara's child to have been a girl (as in the novel), but I guess the use of the same actor for little Yury/Yury's child was to prove most effective. I love that he saw his father and a part of Yury seemed to know; that glimpse seemed to soften (if only slightly) the tragedy of Yury dying with Lara just out of reach. In the same way, I really love the last moments- Lara smiling because she knows her child will survive. I think that if they weren't going to adhere to the novel on the ending, this ending was the next best thing. Every time I watch it I desperately want the child to run into Misha or someone we know, just to really make sure he'll survive- but that's a bit too much to ask I guess!