WAR HORSE competitive crying thread

[MitchierInge]

I know I'm not the only person snivelling through the trailer when it appears. Anyone seen it sneakily yet?

Was more than a bit traumatising on page and stage so am preparing for worst. (Cannot help noticing no mention of OUR major Morpurgo adaptation yet :()

Read the book.

DD2 went with school to see the play, and came back with the programme.

Guess which one reduced me to sobbing, gulping, snotty mess........... yes, the programme. Having been subject to that I think family are banning me from the film.

Mind you, when I was little, apparently I watch a cowboy film where the hero rode into town, had significant scene with love interest, had showdown with baddies, shot almost everyone, then drove out of town in love interest's buggy. At which point I burst into hysterical sobs. Eventually my mother got me to explain why I was so upset - "He left his horse behind". And so it began

What's WH actually about? I haven't seen it advertised or anything!

Spaghetti It's set just before & during WW1. Follows the journey of Joey a horse and his young owner Albert.

The stage produciton is amazing as all the animals are life size puppets made of bamboo frames and leather straps and moved by visible puppeteers. However the puppeteers are so skilful you forget they're there, they have every twitch of the horses flanks every stomp of a foot off to a "T" it's a stunning produciton.

Here's the official synopsis from the film.

"From director Steven Spielberg comes "War Horse," an epic adventure for audiences of all ages. Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, "War Horse" begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets-British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter-before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man's Land.

The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse-an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. "War Horse" is one of the great stories of friendship and war-a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is arriving on Broadway next year. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history."

I am going to see the play next month with DH.

Oh thanks, wow that sounds sad. I might buy the book then, I don't think I could stand the film!

I met the puppet horse at a lunch last summer and, even up close, it was amazingly lifelike and had every movement down perfectly.
My parents went to see the film a couple of nights ago and my dad said it is incredible - he said my DDs will love it.
I'm sure it will be sad enough (I used to cry at the Black Beauty theme music), but I still can't wait to see it. We'll go en famille and I can at least amuse myself watching DH trying not to cry. Horses rule us, I'm afraid.

Oh, I'd love to take ds1 to see the theatre production. We will definitely be going to the cinema to see the film.

DS1 and I have both read it, I found it heartbreakingly moving. I'm welling up now just thinking about it

A really magical book.

Private Peaceful was something else too. DS1 read it and didn't want to talk about it, so I knew something had upset him. I read it and sobbed, amazing but truly moving. So sensitive for young readers though, he is such a wonderful author. I think ds1 has all his books now, he is slowly working his way through them.

I remember reading 'The Butterfly Lion' at primary school and that's a good book. What's Private Peaceful about?

With AlpinePony on this one.

When the trailer comes on I have to stick my fingers in my ears and go 'la la la'.

It is not just what is on the screen is it, it is remembering the real horrific suffering of the millions of horses in WW1.

Oh no, oh very no.

I love the (pretty spoiler-free) review of War Horse here .

The play is fantastic; the film apparently drops most of Albert's story after he leaves home in favour of concentrating on Joey alone, and I'm not sure how well that will work.

Not wishing to spoil the story for anyone but....

exit I agree, but almost as horrific for me was the fate of the horses left behind after the war, deemed too expensive to repatriate

I mean all the horses Bossy. Everywhere. Anytime.

lalalalalalala

Exit

Horses, actually any animal, & kids....anytime....box of tissues job, me.

I've been know to dissolve over reports on the radio news to the extent I have to pull over in the car.

how will I sleep? am so excited, it's like Christmas but will be horrible instead of nice

so not entirely sure what am so excited about really

not sure whether to chicken out or stock up on revels to numb the pain, chocolate is an emotional anaesthetic isn't it?

nooooooo, daughter won't come with me

:( am not brave on my own :(

I am worried about how they will have got thin and worn out looking horses for the film?

Anyone know?

If you had picked any other day but Friday or Saturday I would come with you Mitchy!
Marge, I'd imagine they will use plenty of mud to hide condition, and more than a little photo shopping!

you've still got time to abandon what you are doing and get here saggy!

I am manacled to a market stall! No can do!

huh :(

so its fine for me to be left to fend for myself in the wilds of Suffolk but your market stall can't be left unattended?!

but I need my job! I can't let the Shetlands starve now, can I?

as if they would starve! I have met them, adorable greedy things!

ok ok, I will do it alone

POOR ME THOUGH

phew!