Vince Is Right. - Page 2 - Nigerian Movies & Nollywood on Naijarules.com

KikisMuffin · #16 (**permalink**) 05-18-2007, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vince

Depends on what you mean by,"believability",kikis.Believability means different things to different people.What is yours?

Well in the context of nigerian movies to me "believability" means that as part of the storyline I have to recognise that whatever idea is being ported by a xter can actually happen in the society that is nigeria. Case in point Olu Jacob's xter....a man sending out his wife to have adventures that would inform his book , can that really happen in nigeria? (its such a narrow minded society where people like to "keep up appearances" even when they commit atrocities in their own home") and so immediately I start to find fault with the script.

I must admit if it was a hollwood flick I wouldnt bat an eyelid at the concept.
SO I guess my "believability" is influenced by the culture I percieve in any instance, so is somewhat limited and maybe a tad myopic.

I will rewatch Dancing Hearts tonight and get back to you

vince · #17 (**permalink**) 05-18-2007, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KikisMuffin

Well in the context of nigerian movies to me "believability" means that as part of the storyline I have to recognise that whatever idea is being ported by a xter can actually happen in the society that is nigeria.Case in point Olu Jacob's xter....a man sending out his wife to have adventures that would inform his book , can that really happen in nigeria?

Interesting.How do you know what that thing is,that can and cannot happen in nigeria?Putting it into consideration that nigeria is such a complex society,with behaviourally incredibly diverse and complex people.
How can one really and truely say that certain things can and cannot happen in nigeria,and indeed,in any society for that matter.
Have you heard of the phrase,"there is nothing new under the sun"?Especially where human beings are involved.
A naija man sends his wife out for adventure to inform his book?
What's so unbeleivable about that?
Pretty common and ordinary to me,compared to what we nigerians are capable of,in that same society.
Conventionally,it may not be a common action to take by a husband,but that does not rule it to be impossible or unbeleivable.It doesn't even come close to doing that.
And the fact that this particular xter is willing to do something uncommon,or unconventional,makes him unique, or eccentric,which in turn makes it worthwhile to build an intriguing story around.In other words,he is an interesting human being.
Conventional,everyday folks,who live their lives within conventional borders,usually have no story to generate,except boring ones.
That is how fiction writers think.The more unique in behavioural pattern a fictional xter is,the better.
Xters that will go against the conventions of the society they live in,are what good fiction writers always go after(I do that all the time).Around such xters,new and great concepts can be built.
Why do you think 99% of nolly flicks are so boring?simple answer;The stories are about "normal" folks,in "normal" situations,going about achieving "normal" goals.
Add all that together,and you get tedium and boredom,in quantum.

vince · #18 (**permalink**) 05-18-2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KikisMuffin

I must admit if it was a hollwood flick I wouldnt bat an eyelid at the concept.

That's probably because you have unconsciously,in your subconscious,come to realise and accept that the white race is an extraordinary one.One that does extraordinary things.So it is much easier to accept unusual behavioural patterns,or events involving them.
But you can't do that with,say,nigerians,because we're so "ordinary".But to think that nigerians are just mere "conventional" bunch,even subconsciously, is so so wrong and misleading(thank God for that!From a writer's POV).

KikisMuffin · #19 (**permalink**) 05-18-2007, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince

Interesting.How do you know what that thing is,that can and cannot happen in nigeria?Puting it into consideration that nigeria is such a complex society,with behaviourally incredibly diverse and complex people.How can one really and truely say that certain things can and cannot happen in nigeria,and indeed,in any society for that matter.

I cannot know Vince, hence my ending comments in my post (that my view may be a tad myopic, did you read that?) Its my perception rather than certified knowledge, of what can and can not happen in nigeria, based on what I feel people's values are with regards to wives especially.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince

Have you heard of the phrase,"there is nothing new under the sun"?Especially where human beings are involved.
A naija man sends his wife out for adventure to inform his book?
What's so unbeleivable about that?

There is nothing hidden under the sun, been there done that and know it

. I think you mistook my comments somewhat as simplistic(Thats why I made those comments in bracket about people keeping up appearances and the narrow-mindedness of the society) You do realise in sending his wife out he was fully prepared to have her have an affair with a total stranger etc, the juicer his story right? Again my perception is that very few nigerian men would do that, so hence i found the story unbelievable, but it can happen no doubt. I told you my own sense of "believability" is heavily dependent on the culture I percieve in the society where that story is coming forom. I found it a tad far-fetched for a nollywood flick, and moreso the excecution of the concept very poor.

You are absolutely right about the "sameness" of our storylines making our movies very stale today. Again, it has to do with the vviewers like me and our "perception" of whats believable or not, because if Dancing Heart was a holloywood flick I would find it very believable...

Why then do I not find it so believable, because they were done in nolly you have asked? Hmmm for the reasons I stated above, but am I justified...maybe not?

KikisMuffin · #20 (**permalink**) 05-18-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vince

That's probably because you have unconsciously,in your subconscious,come to realise and accept that the white race is an extraordinary one.One that does extraordinary things.So it is much easier to accept unusual behavioural patterns,or events involving them.
But you can't do that with,say,nigerians,because we're so "ordinary".But to think that nigerians are just mere "conventional" bunch,even subconsciously, is so so wrong and misleading(thank God for that!From a writer's POV).

It has nothing to do with any misconception that the white race is extraordinary, jeez Vince where did you pull that from?

the sky?

My comment was based on my perception that western society(not necessarily white if I might add) is more permissive-Its a "live and let live" culture" and so a storyline of the nature of "Dancing hearts" wouldnt phase me if it was a hollywood film, while the nigerian culture may be a bit more constrained, so i dont see how that scenario would play out in a typical nigerian setting.

moviewizard · #21 (**permalink**) 05-18-2007, 05:02 PM

I liked the concept of the movie and i thought it was brilliant. Vince is right that we need out of the ordinary stories and not the everyday predictable stories littered everywhere.

angeleyez · #22 (**permalink**) 06-13-2007, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KikisMuffin

Let me go and re-read the comments, and rewatch the movie. i get am for house.

Seriously though, from what I remember the concept was good but not well executed and even when you are exploring new frontiers you still have to maintain some "believity" if you get my drift. And I think thats what where most people had a problem with it

My thoughts exactly, that particular movie was not well executed and that was what a lot of us had a problem with. Although some people still love their wicked stepmother movie more than and thing that possess a new concept.

Thickmadam · #23 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 10:40 PM

a year later and we're still complaining of the samething.

ddizzle · #24 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 11:34 PM

TM for me i dont watch that much anymore..infact i hardly watch nowadays but for me with the new concept bruohaha my problem is when they try the new concept but drop the ball somewhere in the middle its like watching what should have been part 1 and 2 (makes you want to cut the movie into two parts yourself) in part 1!

Angela81 · #25 (**permalink**) 07-12-2008, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lafemmedi

I am not sure if it is a matter of people not knowing what they want. It is more a matter of diffferent strokes for different folks and the industry will cater to the taste of the majority as the law of economics dictates and that majority might or might not be represented on this board.
Having said that, I loved Bridgestone, RMD and Liz were wonderful in it. I also loved the idea behind Dancing heart, the age difference was not even an issue, but the concept of a writer using his wife and her escapades to unblock his writer's block was quite cool and innovative. I remember the thought briefly crossing my mind that, the idea was not very African, (nor is it very much of any other culture worldwide for that matter). It takes a certain mindset to think of such a plan for the furtherance of their art, but it did not stop me from enjoying the movie. I will see what I think of Shut in when I get it, although the previews I have seen makes me believe, it will be a movie I will be thinking about for a long time.

be prepared to be angry when you watch shut in. concept was good but te movie was much ado about nothing. a disappointment from Izu. the music was annoying especially as the same thing played over the entire movie even during dialogue.

vince · #26 (**permalink**) 07-13-2008, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela81

be prepared to be angry when you watch shut in. concept was good but te movie was much ado about nothing. a disappointment from Izu. the music was annoying especially as the same thing played over the entire movie even during dialogue.

She's seen it already,and she loved it.