Berk's Forumvine

http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationsco ... r-dragon-2

Interesting interview. For the first time that I've seen anywhere, he actually addressed a lot of the concerns I and several other people have raised about Valka's character. I really hope that he isn't exaggerating about her being flawed and somewhat controversial. That would be awesome compared to the nearly perfect version of her that's been portrayed in most of the promotional material thus far.

You know, it's easy to say these things, DeBlois, but another thing entirely to actually do them in the story.

Also, this:

Quote:

 

She's a dragon whisperer who clashes with her son about how to best protect them and was originally conceived as a sympathetic antagonist. But DeBlois realized after two drafts that Drago Bludvist (Djimon Honsou) is a better antagonist.

Did he seriously just replace the interesting antagonist with the generic take-over-the-world villain? If I facepalmed any harder, I'd crack my skull open.

How to Train Your Dragon 2: proof that rewrites are not always a good idea.

Oh well it's not like discovering that the movie was better at one point actually makes the final product any worse.

Cartoon Freak

04 Jun 2014, 21:22

You know, it's easy to say these things, DeBlois, but another thing entirely to actually do them in the story.

Also, this:

Quote:

 

She's a dragon whisperer who clashes with her son about how to best protect them and was originally conceived as a sympathetic antagonist. But DeBlois realized after two drafts that Drago Bludvist (Djimon Honsou) is a better antagonist.

Did he seriously just replace the interesting antagonist with the generic take-over-the-world villain? If I facepalmed any harder, I'd crack my skull open.

How to Train Your Dragon 2: proof that rewrites are not always a good idea.

Oh well it's not like discovering that the movie was better at one point actually makes the final product any worse.

Valka as an antagonist... I like to see that, but HTTYD is still for a younger spectator. I don't think that kids could understand that situation, when mother of main protagonist become even a "villain" (Of course only to the point, when everyone will fight together against "new villain" ).

To bring out the obvious example, I'm pretty sure kids understood The Empire Strikes Back. Kids aren't, on the whole, stupid.

Cartoon Freak

04 Jun 2014, 21:22

You know, it's easy to say these things, DeBlois, but another thing entirely to actually do them in the story.

I agree with you, I think it's a shame, the intention was definetly there but the execution doesn't seem that successful. Until now i haven't heard anyone satisfied with how this was handled

Quote:

 

But the director learned a lot from Blanchett. Naturally she was intimidating at first because she questioned everything, from motivation to context to subtext. "She took it so seriously," DeBlois adds. "It was always a discussion that furthered the understanding of the character once I realized what we were doing because she wanted to workshop it. I really had to be ready with answers."

^this made me so happy that she was involved in the film, and so shocked that Dean never asked himself those questions, like REALLY??!!! I know every creator has a different vision of his/her work but to not be able to know your character is really worrisome.
After this i think it would be a good idea for Dean to look at the comments that will be made after the release of the film, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism of course, because I'm afraid he is so into it he might not realise all the flaws (or perhaps plot holes) he needs to work with.

Is no one interested about the little snippet about Toothless? (And if you definitively know, I don't want to know. I'll watch the movie, thank you very much.)

As for the Valka/Drago debate, how believable could you keep Valka as an antagonist when she would see her own son and husband coexisting with dragons? The switch to Drago, in my mind, is justifiable.

I have to admit that having Valka as a "sympathetic antagonist" sounds far more interesting than Drago on paper, but I have no idea what kind of plot they had drawn up for that. It could be a shame that it was changed, or might not have been as great as it sounds. I'd be interested if any storyboards, scripts, etc. exist from that period of the movie's development, and if they'd ever be made public.

Cartoon Freak

04 Jun 2014, 22:38

To bring out the obvious example, I'm pretty sure kids understood The Empire Strikes Back. Kids aren't, on the whole, stupid.

I'm going to assume you're referring to Vader. Vader wasn't revealed as a sympathetic antagonist until Return of the Jedi, and even then I'm sure most young kids didn't understand the cautionary tale he was supposed to represent.

Crest1347

05 Jun 2014, 00:32

Is no one interested about the little snippet about Toothless? (And if you definitively know, I don't want to know. I'll watch the movie, thank you very much.)

As for the Valka/Drago debate, how believable could you keep Valka as an antagonist when she would see her own son and husband coexisting with dragons? The switch to Drago, in my mind, is justifiable.

Not to mention it sounds kind of nighttime soap opera-y.