And the Oscar goes to a movie you have never seen

Quote: Pacomartin

The Queen officially pardoned Turing last summer just over 61 years from his conviction.

They mentioned that at the end of the movie.

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Turing was convicted in early 1952, of gross indecency for homosexual acts with a 19 year old man. Turing's conviction led to the removal of his security clearance and chemical castration which was probably a factor in his death.

This is given quite a bit of attention in the movie. At times you wondered if the movie was about Enigma or this issue.

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In contrast, the celebrated Shakespearean actor John Gielgud, ...

I didn't know he was gay.

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Turing was accepted into a private school at the age of 13, but on the first day there was a general strike. He rode a bicycle 60 miles at the age of 13 without being accompanied by an adult in order not to miss the opening day. He was a world class athlete and nearly made the Olympics for running.

There are several scenes of him running but they never explain why.

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I have never heard him described as being any more arrogant than any other driven, brilliant prodigy, but it certainly makes him more interesting as a movie character.

I suspect they overdid it in the movie. He was as bad as Sheldon on the BBT, but not funny at all.

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While you don't expect a film to concentrate on the enigma machine, did they at least not ruin the mathematics completely. When Jill Clayburgh played a math professor in 1980, they made sure that all the mathematics in her talk and on the board made actual sense. Even the pushy student's comments were accurate.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the accuracy of the math scenes in Good Will Hunting.

Quote: Wizard

I didn't know he was gay.

John Gielgud was outed in this very humiliating way at the age of 49 just a few months after receiving his knighthood. Turing was 8 years younger and in the final year of his life, and his punishment was probably well known news. Gielgud thought his career was over, but according to the biographer Richard Huggett, for his first post arrest performance Gielgud was so paralysed by nerves that the prospect of going onstage as usual seemed impossible, but his fellow players, led by Sybil Thorndike, encouraged him:

She grabbed him and whispered fiercely, "Come on, John darling, they won't boo me", and led him firmly on to the stage. To everybody's astonishment and indescribable relief, the audience gave him a standing ovation. They cheered, they applauded, they shouted. The message was quite clear. The English public had always been loyal to its favourites, and this was their chance to show that they didn't care tuppence what he had done in his private life ... they loved him and respected him dearly. It was a moment never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it.

Quote: Wizard

This is given quite a bit of attention in the movie. At times you wondered if the movie was about Enigma or this issue.

I am surprised you would think the film would be primarily about enigma. What is the topic of most of the Oscar nominated films?

Quote: Pacomartin

While you don't expect a film to concentrate on the enigma machine, did they at least not ruin the mathematics completely. When Jill Clayburgh played a math professor in 1980, they made sure that all the mathematics in her talk and on the board made actual sense.

I like it when science and math are not Hollywoodized. With The Enigma Machine, the German viewpoint was that it was such a daunting mathematical challenge there was no need to ever test for the impossible-to-happen cracking. The British were aware of the challenges but sought out weaknesses in theory and practice. The No Character Ever Itself feature often made headings and salutations easier and the short cut taken by some tired operators to preposition the rotors before inserting them again consisted of an exploitable weakness.

Quote: Pacomartin

I am surprised you would think the film would be primarily about enigma. What is the topic of most of the Oscar nominated films?

The only other one I saw was Boyhood, which was about the journey through life of an ordinary boy, from 8 to 18, and his family. I liked that comparably low-budget movie (I assume) much more than Wild and the Imitation Game.

I would fault Wild in much the same way as The Imitation Game. Too much emphasis on the person and too little on their accomplishment.

Quote: Pacomartin

The message was quite clear. The English public had always been loyal to its favourites, and this was their chance to show that they didn't care tuppence what he had done in his private life ... they loved him and respected him dearly. It was a moment never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it.

You'd think their favorites would include the man who helped crack Enigma and who set down much of the theoretical basis of modern computers.

Quote: Nareed

You'd think their favorites would include the man who helped crack Enigma and who set down much of the theoretical basis of modern computers.

His Enigma work was secret and almost no-one knew what the bloody hell a computer was...

Quote: Pacomartin

John Gielgud was outed in this very humiliating way at the age of 49

The English were very hard on Gay people
until about the 60's. Somebody like Elton
John would never have been tolerated
20 years earlier, now he is celebrated and
knighted.

This American Sniper may be the #1 movie of 2014 having grossed $248 million in 17 days of wide release. In contrast The Hunger Games: Mockingjay only sold $223 million in tickets by day 17. It is still considered a 2014 movie as it was in limited release in 4 theaters in the latter part of December.

It is difficult to predict the final tally, as this film is one of those rare movies (like Passion of the Christ) that is pulling in adults who almost never go to the theaters. As a result it may sell far more tickets in later weeks than a normal film.

Quote: Pacomartin

This American Sniper may be the #1 movie of 2014 having grossed $248 million in 17 days of wide release. .

$317 million worldwide.

Quote: Evenbob

$317 million worldwide.

I don't think this film will take in much overseas. Certainly not compared to the PG-13 movies which rake in hundreds of millions from foreign markets.

These were the three biggest R-rated films overseas
$332.2 overseas; Lucy - $126.7 domestic
$231.0 overseas; 300: Rise of An Empire- $106.6 domestic
$200.3 overseas; Gone Girl - $167.6 domestic