comment #1

Wrecktum says ...

Similar but not the same.

comment #2

Sonic Boom says ...

It's exactly the same.

comment #3

GKLondon says ...

Wrecktum, could you tell us how it differs?

comment #4

GKLondon says ...

Sorry Mr. Boom, slow connection out here in the Gulf.

comment #5

diesel says ...

it said benjaminbutton.co.uk at the end, right? that leads straight to warner brothers. and i who was getting my hopes up for some nice treats.

comment #6

Mr. Gittes says ...

Soooo many Oscars.

comment #7

Geoff says ...

It's excactly the same, editing wise.

comment #8

The Winchester says ...

Except for the Spanish, I can't tell any difference. Curious no mention of it as a Fincher film in either version.

comment #9

Mr. Gittes says ...

Let me rephrase: Benjamin Button will be the next Forrest Gump. That is, it will garner similar BO numbers (maybe more), be more critically acclaimed than Gump, and it will be the movie that everyone's talking about. For those who have read the script, you know it's similar to Gump because it views our country's major historical events through the eyes of one man...a la Forrest, Forrest Gump.

comment #10

Roman says ...

This was just a great unexpected bonus before the great Indiana Jones movie.

I think this trailer is absolutely terrific. There is no doubt in my mind that this will be a major contender. This could be the one for Fincher and his movie.

Roth could also be our frontrunner for the best adapted screenplay.
Art Design and Make-up are shoo-ins. Costume and and Cinemotography are also possibilities. Pitt could also get a nod.

Yeah, this should be great.

My only (minor) problem with it is that it seems to give too much away.

comment #11

lazarus says ...

Hopefully it doesn't subversively use the favorite music of the baby boomers to help spoonfeed a disgusting mockery of their free-thinking and idealism, like Forrest Gump.

I don't speak Spanish and don't know what the narration says, but as there's no dialogue in that trailer, are people even supposed to understand what this film is about yet?

comment #12

jimjonesiii says ...

youth without coppola?

comment #13

facls says ...

While watching it the name Tim Burton came to my mind. Very similar visual style.

comment #14

The Pope says ...

Lazarus,

I don't think there is any cause to fear the use of such music. It's all set in the first half of the last century (from what I could make out of a somewhat murky image on YouTube). The choice of using Saint-Saen's "The Acquarium" was very good... for us cineastes, Mallick used it in Days of Heaven. They could have gone for some crooning, or The Inks Spots... but this suggests to me that they have a piece of REAL CLASS on their hands... and they know it.

Final point about the music... Fincher chooises songs really well (Remember "25-25" in Alien 3? Hurdy-Gurdy Man in Zodiac? The Heart's Filthy Lesson in Se7en?)

I am aware that I know the story from which the film is drawn, but the opening shot of the trailer, with the clock ticking BACKWARDS and then ywe see some shots running in reverse.. I guess that the V/O in the trailer let's us know that fact for sure.

This one I am REALLY looking forward to.

comment #15

dangovich says ...

To those who've read the script: Is it any good?

Fincher has a much darker sensibility than Zemeckis, so I can't imagine it would be much like Gump other than on a superficial level.

comment #16

Mjs says ...

Chills. Fucking chills.

comment #17

actionman says ...

Wow. All I can say is Wow.

comment #18

Josh says ...

Pretty ballsy to say this will be the next Forrest Gump.

comment #19

lazarus says ...

Dangovich--

I don't remember any specifics, but I did read something a while back suggesting that this may be Eric Roth's best script to date. And that's saying a lot.

comment #20

Hamish33 says ...

Saw Indiana Jones last night in San Jose, CA and this trailer did NOT play at all. BTW, video is indicating no longer available...

comment #21

Roman says ...

One thing’s for sure though, no matter the greatness this movie will have a heck of a time trying to make it’s $150 budget back.

comment #22

Rich S. says ...

Terrific use of The Aquarium. Fascinating choral arrangement.

My only concern is that Pitt seems to be a much better supporting actor than leading man. I know that makes no sense, but it's true. But it looks like he's really sunk his teeth into this role.

The novella was interesting and had a great melancholy ending. Looks like they're hitting the right beats in the film.

comment #23

Richard_Stone says ...

I was going to ask if this trailer was showcasing original music or using something temporary, but I think Rich S. just answered. It gives the trailer a very Burton-Elfman feeling to me.

There was little to no reaction for the trailer in my theater (which has the annoying policy of not fully closing the lights during the trailers). It shows well the main concept of the movie, Pitt's backward aging, but not much else. Which is probably a good thing, but I can't say this trailer has me excited. Yet.

comment #24

Mr. Gittes says ...

Brad Pitt is not a naturally gifted actor. Like Mark Wahlberg, Tom Cruise, and even Colin Farrell, Pitt has to have the right director pushing him with the right material. PTA pushed Wahlberg to give his career best to date in Boogie Nights; PTA also pushed Cruise to arguably give his best performance in Magnolia; and, oddly, Joel Schumacher pushed Farrell to give his best in Phone Booth.

I would consider Pitt an inconsistent actor. Inconsistent might be too harsh of a word to use but I believe it to be true. However, David Fincher and Brad Pitt obviously have a unique connection with each other and it's produced two great Pitt performances - Seven and Fight Club. So, with Fincher pushing Pitt again in Benjamin Button, I think we can expect something quite extraordinary. This movie will really show what Pitt is made of.

Kudos to Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall for believing in the project/Fincher/ Roth, and writing the checks before, during, and after the shooting of the film. It has been said that Button's budget is around 150 million; I think it will be more around 200 million when everything is all said and done.

I think the only way this movie will fail if it's too, uh, Tim Burtony - think Big Fish. Mind you, I really liked Big Fish but I know most do not. Yet, I think Fincher is close to a sure thing, and I believe Kris Tapley said that Eric Roth considered Button his best script and/or he was quite fond of it - something to that effect. And I know this is going to sound crazy (maybe I am) and I'll probably have to eat my own words come December, but if there was ever a movie that could flirt with Titanic's box office numbers...

comment #25

NDH says ...

I've not read the script, but based on the trailer, it seems like a pretty great, albeit expanded, adaptation of the original short story. The melancholy vibe is absolutely perfect. There is one change that I spy however. It looks like Button is born as an elderly looking baby in the film, whereas in the story he is born simply as an old man (around 5'8" tall with a beard and everything). Oh, and those that think this is gonna be as big as Forrest Gump are deluding themselves. Gump was inspirational, funny, and had mass audience appeal. Button is, by contrast, a very somber tale, with an ending that borders on horrific. Great trailer though! Hope Fincher will finally get some Academy recognition after getting passed over for Zodiac.

comment #26

Josh Massey says ...

"Brad Pitt is not a naturally gifted actor. Like Mark Wahlberg, Tom Cruise, and even Colin Farrell,..."

Wow, I have to agree with you on, yep, all four there. Especially Pitt and Cruise. They have transcended their pretty boy status more than any other actors have in my lifetime.

comment #27

Josh Massey says ...

... disagree ... Dang it.

comment #28

Mr. Gittes says ...

" They have transcended their pretty boy status more than any other actors have in my lifetime."

I couldn't agree with you more, Massey. But like, say, Phil Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Hanks, Freeman, Daniel Day-Lewis, and more...they're good in just about everything they do, even if the movie sucks - they're usually good in it anyway. I don't think that's the case for Cruise, Wahlberg, Pitt, and Farrell. They "work" if the right people are involved. And recently, that's certainly been the case; they've been working with the "right" people. Except Cruise recently...J.J.Abrams = cringe.

comment #29

jjgittes says ...

Far be it for me to disagree with someone who has the good taste to reference Chinatown in their screen name but Paul Giammati is not good in almost everything he does.

Wildly overrated actor...........agree on all the rest of the point in the posts though Mr. Gittes.

comment #30

rgmax99 says ...

This looks amazing. Based on the trailer, any comparisons to Gump in terms of quality are inane. The visual differences alone make Gump look like Big Fat Liar -- which, appropriately enough, is one of Giamatti's funnest performances, but it's a horrible movie. (My kids loved it, though.)

On the flip side, Giamatti as Zmuda in Man on the Moon made me cringe. Enjoyed John Adams, though.

Now, where were we?

comment #31

John Y says ...

People keep on mentioning its $150 million budget, but I doubt the budget was that high. Yes, IMDb says $150m at the moment, but it's not always reliable. For the longest time, IMDb had the budget for "Children of Men" at $150m before it was finally brought down to a much more realistic $70m.

I just don't see any studio giving Fincher $150m for this kind of story.... its budget is probably more like $70-100 million, just my guess.

comment #32

Rosebudsthesled says ...

My friend Michael, who's an undergrad at USC film school, said to me a few months ago that the BENJAMIN BUTTON script "wasn't 'good'--it was great to the point that I actually sat down on my bed and wondered what the hell I'm doing in this business."
From this trailer, I have a feeling I might be saying the same thing when I see the finished film.