Hammer annoyed the crap out of me - I think I might have sprained something from how hard I was rolling my eyes.
But other than that (and finding Pt I a bit slow and uncomfortable simply because I feel too much for the socially inept), once I got over the initial gut-punch of the ending, I've decided I really like it. Musically, I happen to love cross-vocals (eg. I can listen to "One Day More" from Les Miz for hours on end), and my little one had me play "Brand New Day" over and over and over and over....
Having said than, I recognize that a lot of the attraction for me may have more to do with personal identification with various elements than any intrinsic, universal excellence of the work itself.
I came away satisfied. I can see that opera is a better description than musical or musical comedy.
I loved some of the subtle references. Breaking down the third wall between the show and viewers with Penny calling Dr. Horrible by the name Billy Buddy, alluding to NPH as a person rather than a character. It worked on other levels beyond that, because you could make a case that any super villain/ super hero relationship carries some homo-erotic undertones and posturing. And then there's the whole Ahab/Moby Dick obsession subtext, since Billy Budd was Melville's last published work, and you could make the case that it was one of Melville's obsessions.
And Bad Horse turning out to be an actual horse? ROTFLOL. :-)
I still keep hearing some of the songs, and I think that's good. But I had some early trepidation about the characters, and they were confirmed rather than contradicted.
Hammer was such a broad character that I ended up feeling like Fillion had decided he didn't need to put that much work into him. I think that was exactly the wrong decision.
I didn't mind the cross-vocals as much as MGK did, but some of the songs felt a bit unpolished, both lyrically and musically. I liked them overall, though; I just didn't like where the story took me, 'cause I've been there too many times before.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-21 05:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-21 06:25 pm (UTC)But other than that (and finding Pt I a bit slow and uncomfortable simply because I feel too much for the socially inept), once I got over the initial gut-punch of the ending, I've decided I really like it. Musically, I happen to love cross-vocals (eg. I can listen to "One Day More" from Les Miz for hours on end), and my little one had me play "Brand New Day" over and over and over and over....
Having said than, I recognize that a lot of the attraction for me may have more to do with personal identification with various elements than any intrinsic, universal excellence of the work itself.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-21 06:48 pm (UTC)I loved some of the subtle references. Breaking down the third wall between the show and viewers with Penny calling Dr. Horrible by the name Billy Buddy, alluding to NPH as a person rather than a character. It worked on other levels beyond that, because you could make a case that any super villain/ super hero relationship carries some homo-erotic undertones and posturing. And then there's the whole Ahab/Moby Dick obsession subtext, since Billy Budd was Melville's last published work, and you could make the case that it was one of Melville's obsessions.
And Bad Horse turning out to be an actual horse? ROTFLOL. :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-23 01:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-23 01:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-23 01:38 pm (UTC)I didn't mind the cross-vocals as much as MGK did, but some of the songs felt a bit unpolished, both lyrically and musically. I liked them overall, though; I just didn't like where the story took me, 'cause I've been there too many times before.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-23 01:38 pm (UTC)