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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

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“I was born under unusual circumstances . . .” Thus begins The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the Academy Award–winning film starring Brad Pitt as a man who is born in his eighties and ages backward, and Cate Blanchett as the woman he is destined to love forever. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a monumental journey—as unusual as it is epic—that follows Benjamin’s remarkable adventure of romance and redemption from the end of World War I through the twenty-first century. Directed by David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a powerful testament to life and death, love and loss.

AVAILABLE IN BOTH DOUBLE-DVD AND BLU-RAY DIRECTOR-APPROVED EDITIONS:

- Interviews with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett
- Audio commentary featuring Academy Award-nominated director David Fincher
- Never-before-seen footage revealing the innovative techniques behind the Academy Award–winning visual effects and makeup
- Step-by-step examination of the motion-capture process aging Brad Pitt
- In-depth exploration of David Fincher’s creative process on the set
- Interview with acclaimed composer Alexandre Desplat about the score
- Featurettes on the film’s storyboards, costumes, and Academy Award–winning art direction
- Stills galleries, including costume design and candid behind-the-scenes production photos
- Optional French- and Spanish-dubbed soundtracks
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, and optional French and Spanish subtitles
- PLUS: An essay by film critic Kent Jones

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Ahh, Days of Heaven.

I'm kind of surprised that Paramount and WB are backing this, given that Zodiac didn't exactly burn up the boxoffice.

Cronenfly wrote:I'm kind of surprised that Paramount and WB are backing this, given that Zodiac didn't exactly burn up the boxoffice.

That deal predated Zodiac, which of course was distributed by both studios. I guess there is some honor left in Hollywood.

Saw the trailer and was very impressed.

The trailer was the best part of the Indiana Jones film, although I wonder if yet again I just watched another US trailer which summarized the whole movie.

In the future, while Americans just sit in movie theatres and watch extended trailers instead of films?

I hereby declare a moratorium on the use of "Aquarium" in movies, trailers for movies, TV ads for movies, documentaries about movies, and anything else peripherally connected with movies. It's a great piece, but really now.

This trailer's use of it, though, with all the other sounds (mostly) dropped out, is perfect.

Movie looks decidedly un-Fincher.

AWA wrote:I wonder if yet again I just watched another US trailer which summarized the whole movie.

Well, to be honest, the basic conceit of Fitzgerald's original short story is very straight-forward, so it's pretty easy to predict how it's going to turn out. In fact, it's the consistency with which Fitzgerald follows his idea to its logical conclusion that makes the story so disturbing. I do hope, however, that Fincher will pick up on Fitzgerald's sense of humor. The first half of the story is extremely amusing.

Svevan wrote:Movie looks decidedly un-Fincher.

Visually maybe, but thematically it seems like Fincher may be circling around the objectivity of the male gaze here, certainly as Benjamin Button will be observing himself throughout the film, becoming more and more good looking. I'll be interested to see how Fincher handles it. He certainly seems to be on top form at the moment.

Svevan wrote:Movie looks decidedly un-Fincher.

I'd offer that it has an Alien 3 vibe going in terms of its look.

This project has caught me completely by surprise.I'll be seeing this opening day.

I hereby declare a moratorium on the use of "Aquarium" in movies, trailers for movies, TV ads for movies, documentaries about movies, and anything else peripherally connected with movies. It's a great piece, but really now.

Oh come on, it's hardly the "Higher and Higher" of classical pieces insofar as trailer music goes. I personally believe "Aquarium" fits the trailer like a glove. With that said, the composer Alexandre Desplat (Birth) has already written an original score and recently recorded his music in London.

tryavna wrote:

AWA wrote:I wonder if yet again I just watched another US trailer which summarized the whole movie.

Well, to be honest, the basic conceit of Fitzgerald's original short story is very straight-forward, so it's pretty easy to predict how it's going to turn out. In fact, it's the consistency with which Fitzgerald follows his idea to its logical conclusion that makes the story so disturbing. I do hope, however, that Fincher will pick up on Fitzgerald's sense of humor. The first half of the story is extremely amusing.

Having seen the trailer there does appear to be a bit of humor in it with the young(?) man posing in front of the mirror, and just the overall look of the child. Also, even if Fincher darkens the tone it will be hard to look at the image of what looks like an elderly dwarf with the mind of a child and not chuckle at least once.

I was surprised to see this was a Fincher film, it looks like something Barry Sonnenfeld might be involved with since he has more than a penchant for the fantastical. Although, I'm very interested in seeing this, especially after Fincher's Zodiac, which might be his best film.

Murdoch wrote:I was surprised to see this was a Fincher film, it looks like something Barry Sonnenfeld might be involved with since he has more than a penchant for the fantastical.

The rich visual style doesn't exactly scream 'Barry Sonnenfeld' to me.

I actually thought the look was very Fincher, in the sense of its very strong stylisation.

Cde. wrote:The rich visual style doesn't exactly scream 'Barry Sonnefield' to me.

Men In Black 2 is like the Days of Heaven of Our Generation.

domino harvey wrote:

Cde. wrote:The rich visual style doesn't exactly scream 'Barry Sonnefield' to me.

Men In Black 2 is like the Days of Heaven of Our Generation.

Where does that place Wild Wild West and RV?

it looks like something Barry Sonnenfeld might be involved with

I can't really see what you mean here. I like Sonnenfeld's work as a DP with the Coen's (though it isn't as good as their work with Roger Deakins), but as a director I don't believe he has any distinguishable style, aside from the typical glossy-big budget-special effects-Hollywood.

If I were to compare this trailer's visual style to anybody, it would be (strangely enough, perhaps, given the subject matter) the Francis Ford Coppola of Youth Without Youth.

Dylan wrote:

it looks like something Barry Sonnenfeld might be involved with

I can't really see what you mean here. I like Sonnenfeld's work as a DP with the Coen's (though it isn't as good as their work with Roger Deakins), but as a director I don't believe he has any distinguishable style, aside from the typical glossy-big budget-special effects-Hollywood.

If I were to compare this trailer's visual style to anybody, it would be (strangely enough, perhaps, given the subject matter) the Francis Ford Coppola of Youth Without Youth.

I guess I was just referring to his involvement in things like Pushing Daisies and A Series of Unfortunate Events, which are these kind of tragicomic fantasies, I didn't think of him as being the director, but just attached in some way.

I've always thought of Fincher as someone who liked a more realistic story, despite the implausibility of some of his films he always seemed to be interested in average men overcoming surreal conflict that could be seen as at least somewhat realistic.

How's Fincher shooting this, film or digital? The period setting screams film to me, but then so did the 1970s of Zodiac, and look how that turned out

The film was shot digitally using the Viper FilmStream cameras.

Thanks Antoine. Zodiac was the first movie to lift my spirits from the usual "film is a dead medium" depression, so I'm excited to see what Fincher does here.

Here's the same trailer as above, but in English. Looks like it's getting a Christmas release date.

Link doesn't work.

kaujot wrote:Link doesn't work.

Fincher yanked the trailer, but it should be on Apple's site in HD "very, very soon."

Looks extremely good. I remember that this trailer was what made seeing Indy in theaters worth it.