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macgeek2005 · Jan 11, 2007, 05:14 PM

I think The Secret Garden (1993) is the most underrated movie ever. For one thing, not many people know about it. Then we have the fact that it's rated G, it's under the category of "children's" movies, and it's based on a simple children's book.

Now that i've stated at least a few of the possible reasons why it didn't get much recognition, i'll move on to why it should be one of the most highly acclaimed films ever.

For starters, it has one of the most hauntingly beautiful movie scores ever written. Combine that with brilliant cinemetography, incredible acting (Kate Maberly and Maggie Smith in particular), and a storyline that leaves you crying and laughing with joy by the end, and you have one of the most amazing pieces of art that has ever graced the world of movies.

I've seen the movie at least 40 times, and I still notice new things when I see it. It's not so much a "movie" in the literal sense (i.e. a story played out by actors, and accompanied by music), but a work of art, where every piece of it fits into a puzzle of such perfection that it's easy to forget that you're watching a movie. I've noticed that in almost every scene, they fit the tone of the scene, to the tone of the music, to the tone of the actors voices. In places, it's almost as if the actor can hear the music and is fitting their tone of voice and rythm of speech to it. Footsteps, door's opening, backround sounds, nature sounds, small details that most people don't notice on first viewing; they all fit together seamlessly.

This movie doesn't have "seperate" aspects to it like most movies do. With most movies, theres a clear difference between the actors, the music, the scenery, the camera work, etc etc. In this movie, there may have been differences during production (of course there were), but the final product is so seamlessly put together, that it feels like one. Like everything is one. As if one brilliant mind had the vision of what this movie would look like, and that mind alone was in charge of everything.

So, why isn't this movie a timeless classic? Why isn't it hailed as the pinnacle of perfection in movie making? Why isn't it known worldwide as the example of a movie that doesn't need violence or special effects to make 100 minutes feel like 10?

Anyway, just thought i'd share my thoughts on this film.

turtle777 · Jan 11, 2007, 05:15 PM

Hmm, I never heard of it. I know, oh shock.

-t

macgeek2005 · Jan 11, 2007, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Hmm, I never heard of it. I know, oh shock.

-t

I highly recommend that you see it.

Anyone else have any input on what i've said about it?

jonasmac · Jan 11, 2007, 06:06 PM

Hrmph. I thought this thread was about Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)

macgeek2005 · Jan 11, 2007, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by jonasmac

Hrmph. I thought this thread was about Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)

Guys, i'm serious!

willed · Jan 11, 2007, 07:09 PM

I think I saw it when it came out in the cinema... but i would only have been 9 years old, so have a pretty hazy recollection. It's a re-make of the book though, yeah?

TailsToo · Jan 11, 2007, 07:25 PM

Never heard of it.

macgeek2005 · Jan 11, 2007, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by willed

I think I saw it when it came out in the cinema... but i would only have been 9 years old, so have a pretty hazy recollection. It's a re-make of the book though, yeah?

Yes. But that doesn't even matter. What it is as a movie (regardless of whether it's based on a book or not) is one of the most incredible pieces of art you will ever come across.

CharlesS · 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

For starters, it has one of the most hauntingly beautiful movie scores ever written.

I don't know if they can really take credit for that, since the whole movie theme, IIRC, was just an orchestration of Chopin's posthumous E minor Nocturne.

What's far more amazing is that Chopin was only one year older than you are when he wrote it.

macgeek2005 · 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

I don't know if they can really take credit for that, since the whole movie theme, IIRC, was just an orchestration of Chopin's posthumous E minor Nocturne.

What's far more amazing is that Chopin was only one year older than you are when he wrote it.

Wow. Really? I didn't know that. I'm gonna have to find that piece and listen to it.

Thanks.

edit: If you mean Op 72. No. 1, then you're wrong. It's not at all the same as the music from the secret garden. And that's the only E minor Chopin nocturne I can find.

edit 2: Furthermore, who wrote the music doesn't change how good it is. I was talking about the quality of the movie, with every aspect of it as it is. It doesn't matter how it arrived there.

macintologist · Jan 11, 2007, 09:30 PM

I lost my original copy that I had on VHS. Anywhere I can download a backup of it?

edit Nevermind, I found it

flabasha · Jan 11, 2007, 10:05 PM

Yup, a totally forgotten masterpiece. Only G-rated movie I own. Phenomenal cinematography.

macgeek2005 · Jan 11, 2007, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by flabasha

Yup, a totally forgotten masterpiece. Only G-rated movie I own. Phenomenal cinematography.

Are you serious? Or are you being sarcastic?

abbaZaba · Jan 11, 2007, 10:43 PM

it is very nifty that you think it's the best film ever created. not many are going to agree with you though.

macgeek2005 · Jan 11, 2007, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by abbaZaba

it is very nifty that you think it's the best film ever created. not many are going to agree with you though.

I don't think it's "hands down" the best film ever. We must not forget that theres Charlie Chaplin, and theres movies like The Godfather, but I wouldn't say that anything that Chaplin did, or The Godfather, is "better" than The Secret Garden.

CheesePuff · Jan 11, 2007, 11:57 PM

Is this the one where The Secret Garden popular pop song is from?

macgeek2005 · Jan 11, 2007, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by CheesePuff

Is this the one where The Secret Garden popular pop song is from?

No...

starman · Jan 12, 2007, 02:13 AM

macgeek2005 · Jan 12, 2007, 02:18 AM

Hey guys, I just thought of a REALLY big favor that you could do for me. It would take no effort what so ever on your part, and make me SO happy.

Go here: The Secret Garden (1993)

Then give the movie a vote of 10. Theres thousands of you on this board, and the movie doesn't even have 5000 votes. If we work together, we can bring it's average rating up above 9 even!

Please help me with this! In fact, I think i'll start a new thread with a title that tells people that I need their help, cause not many people are viewing this thread.

Thanks.

If you don't have an account at imdb then make one please. It takes no effort.

CharlesS · Jan 12, 2007, 05:07 AM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

edit: If you mean Op 72. No. 1, then you're wrong. It's not at all the same as the music from the secret garden. And that's the only E minor Chopin nocturne I can find.

Ah, my apologies. A check of IMDB revealed that there have been a gazillion different adaptations of the Secret Garden, and the one I saw that had the Nocturne in it was a different version, so I guess I haven't seen the one you're talking about. My bad. I was a small child when I saw the one that I saw, which explains why I didn't remember the year correctly.

talisker · Jan 12, 2007, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Hey guys, I just thought of a REALLY big favor that you could do for me. It would take no effort what so ever on your part, and make me SO happy.

Go here: The Secret Garden (1993)

Then give the movie a vote of 10. Theres thousands of you on this board, and the movie doesn't even have 5000 votes. If we work together, we can bring it's average rating up above 9 even!

Please help me with this! In fact, I think i'll start a new thread with a title that tells people that I need their help, cause not many people are viewing this thread.

Thanks.

If you don't have an account at imdb then make one please. It takes no effort.

Surely it's better that the rating is an accurate representation of the independent views of those people who've actually seen the movie, rather than being artificially adjusted to correspond to your particular point of view?

Relax. You clearly love the film. Even if everyone else in the world hates it, it doesn't matter.

Dakar² · Jan 12, 2007, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Hey guys, I just thought of a REALLY big favor that you could do for me. It would take no effort what so ever on your part, and make me SO happy.

Go here: The Secret Garden (1993)

Then give the movie a vote of 10. Theres thousands of you on this board, and the movie doesn't even have 5000 votes. If we work together, we can bring it's average rating up above 9 even!

Please help me with this! In fact, I think i'll start a new thread with a title that tells people that I need their help, cause not many people are viewing this thread.

Thanks.

If you don't have an account at imdb then make one please. It takes no effort.

Geez, grow up. The last time I saw a request like this someone was trying to get their team's forward to the NBA All-Star Game.

macgeek2005 · Jan 12, 2007, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by talisker

Surely it's better that the rating is an accurate representation of the independent views of those people who've actually seen the movie, rather than being artificially adjusted to correspond to your particular point of view?

Relax. You clearly love the film. Even if everyone else in the world hates it, it doesn't matter.

It does matter, and you know why?

This is my country as well. If theres anything I can do to prevent or at least delay America's steady downfall into Hell, then i'll do it. The Secret Garden was rated 7 out of 10 on IMDB and Sin City was rated 8.4.

If you ask me, that is tragic. The Secret Garden is an amazingly acted story about love and hope, bringing to life an amazing world with no action or special effects shots. Not to mention the unbelievably erie atmosphere that the director managed to create on the screen, with the help of the incredible music.

Sin City is a violent sick low-life movie. It's darker than dark, it's meaner than mean, it's worse than bad!

And people have rated it higher than The Secret Garden?

sek929 · Jan 12, 2007, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Sin City is a violent sick low-life movie. It's darker than dark, it's meaner than mean, it's worse than bad!

It's also ultra-cool and stylish.

So message of this thread is "I don't like Sin City, but I like Secret Garden"

Another riveting thread from macgeek....

abbaZaba · Jan 12, 2007, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Hey guys, I just thought of a REALLY big favor that you could do for me. It would take no effort what so ever on your part, and make me SO happy.

Go here: The Secret Garden (1993)

Then give the movie a vote of 10. Theres thousands of you on this board, and the movie doesn't even have 5000 votes. If we work together, we can bring it's average rating up above 9 even!

Please help me with this! In fact, I think i'll start a new thread with a title that tells people that I need their help, cause not many people are viewing this thread.

Thanks.

If you don't have an account at imdb then make one please. It takes no effort.

you're an imbecile

Dakar² · Jan 12, 2007, 01:42 PM

I smell a pile on coming on.

starman · Jan 12, 2007, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

It does matter, and you know why?

This is my country as well. If theres anything I can do to prevent or at least delay America's steady downfall into Hell, then i'll do it. The Secret Garden was rated 7 out of 10 on IMDB and Sin City was rated 8.4.

If you ask me, that is tragic. The Secret Garden is an amazingly acted story about love and hope, bringing to life an amazing world with no action or special effects shots. Not to mention the unbelievably erie atmosphere that the director managed to create on the screen, with the help of the incredible music.

Sin City is a violent sick low-life movie. It's darker than dark, it's meaner than mean, it's worse than bad!

And people have rated it higher than The Secret Garden?

Boo hoo. Star Trek: TMP was rated G initially when it first came out and I think it's a superior film to TSG. There. I think my G movie is better than your G movie.

climber · Jan 12, 2007, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by starman

Boo hoo. Star Trek: TMP was rated G initially when it first came out and I think it's a superior film to TSG. There. I think my G movie is better than your G movie.

And as much as I like Star Trek, it is not even in the same league as Kubrick's G rated effort in Sci-Fi. Probably the best G rated movie of all time.

Gossamer · Jan 12, 2007, 02:30 PM

And none of those can match the G rated classic "The Emperor's New Groove." A better movie does not exist.

Dakar² · Jan 12, 2007, 02:33 PM

I'll take Toy Story or Aladdin, thanks.

Gossamer · Jan 12, 2007, 02:35 PM

David Spade > Robin Williams > Tim Allen

Dakar² · Jan 12, 2007, 02:37 PM

Where does Tim Allen factor into all this?

(And Spade is not greater than Robin Williams, censored or not)

Gossamer · Jan 12, 2007, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

Where does Tim Allen factor into all this?

(And Spade is not greater than Robin Williams, censored or not)

He was in Toy Story. I realize that Robin Williams is a lot more popular, has been in a ton more stuff, and is probably an all around better actor/person than David Spade, but I prefer David Spade's sarcastic, sometimes evil attitude.

Dakar² · Jan 12, 2007, 02:40 PM

Oh that's right. Sorry, I focus on Tom Hanks in that. He's the main star there.

I appreciate Spade's sarcastic attitude as well, but it works better the meaner he can be.

Gossamer · Jan 12, 2007, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

Oh that's right. Sorry, I focus on Tom Hanks in that. He's the main star there.

I appreciate Spade's sarcastic attitude as well, but it works better the meaner he can be.

Does he still have that show on Comedy Central where he makes fun of celebrities? I watched it a couple times and it was okay.

Dakar² · Jan 12, 2007, 02:46 PM

I think its on hiatus, yes.

iCol · Jan 12, 2007, 03:08 PM

It is indeed a classic... but that's just nostalgia speaking!

CheesePuff · Jan 12, 2007, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Hey guys, I just thought of a REALLY big favor that you could do for me. It would take no effort what so ever on your part, and make me SO happy.

Go here: The Secret Garden (1993)

Then give the movie a vote of 10. Theres thousands of you on this board, and the movie doesn't even have 5000 votes. If we work together, we can bring it's average rating up above 9 even!

Please help me with this! In fact, I think i'll start a new thread with a title that tells people that I need their help, cause not many people are viewing this thread.

Thanks.

If you don't have an account at imdb then make one please. It takes no effort.

How old are you? C.A.T.S. CEO's younger brother, may I presume?

Dakar² · Jan 12, 2007, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by CheesePuff

How old are you? C.A.T.S. CEO's younger brother, may I presume?

Good lord. May god have mercy on our souls.