*** SPOILERS *** Game of Thrones Season 8

[Runwildboys]

The cinematography was exceptional.

Sarcasm, I assume.

 

[Runwildboys]

That's a little like removing a segment of film and judging the whole on that. I think this last season is going to be enjoyed best when viewed as an 8 hour movie. And part of this for me was the fact that the director of the battles has done such an impressive job, the best ever for anything not made for the theater, that I keep expecting more and for him to keep one upping himself. And he may very well be saving the best for last.

The only thing I didn't care for was the "just in the nick of time" for all the main characters. They're all teetering on death when Arya strikes the Night King, just too many of them on the edge at the exact same time. And I would have liked to have seen more of her path to the Night King, not just showing up amidst a gang of White Walkers.

But my complaints about this are few and minor, the anticipation of these episodes has been like Christmas for me and the magic of Christmas is the anticipation.

The thing is, if they'd shown more of her path to the Night King, it would've given away that she was heading there. The best part of that whole episode, for me, was her sudden appearance, the Night King grabbing her by the throat, like a toy, then Arya dropping the knife to her other hand, as if she'd planned that all along. My niece watched it with me, and I thought she was gonna break out in a dance, she was so excited about that scene.

 

[CouchCoach]

The thing is, if they'd shown more of her path to the Night King, it would've given away that she was heading there. The best part of that whole episode, for me, was her sudden appearance, the Night King grabbing her by the throat, like a toy, then Arya dropping the knife to her other hand, as if she'd planned that all along. My niece watched it with me, and I thought she was gonna break out in a dance, she was so excited about that scene.

If I were the Night King, I would be pissed at my White Walkers just standing around and that one looking over like "hey, who's that with that dagger in her hand running at the chairman of the board?"

 

[Runwildboys]

If I were the Night King, I would be pissed at my White Walkers just standing around and that one looking over like "hey, who's that with that dagger in her hand running at the chairman of the board?"

That's the Grand Poobah's point of view, naturally.

 

[Big_D]

So, I re-watched The Longest Night again, which should have been titled The Darkest Night, to see if I can see what I couldn't see in the first viewing and discovered something but I haven't seen anything from the producers or directors about this but was this by design? I was actually more engrossed in the battle than the first time because I was trying to see and when those frantic, moving too quickly images were taking place, my level of tension rose. I had more of a feeling of being in the battle because I was so focused in on it. The confusion of battle was captured.

So, I wonder if they took a page from Ridley Scott's "Alien" book when he purposely muddied the audio to create tension and add an edge to it? Don't know about you but I did get edgy trying to figure out what the hell was going on with all of that action and the added element of darkness. It was as if they were really only using the light of the torches and fires to shoot by, which is all they would have had at Winterfell. All the electricity is at King's Landing with the rich people.

Anyway, I hope they did that by design because it will make me like the series even better but I am hoping for a day war at King's Landing. Maybe the naval part of it at night because ships on fire at night is just flat cool.

I've got my "to die in order" list going on the bad guys and in all fairness had to pepper in a few good guys, as good as they can be in the Seven Kingdoms and these writers are a bloodthirsty lot. Got a lot of characters to off and only 3 episodes to get that done.

Sunday night combo, Cinco de Mayo and episode 4, the beginning of the end for many. Hate to see them go but they've overstayed their welcome and I've other carnage to consider.

I think it was by design. The entire episode was absolute chaos and the darkness just added to that element.

 

[Kevinicus]

Sarcasm, I assume.

Nope, it really was. Possibly the most beatifully shot episode of TV I have ever seen.

 

[Nightman]

It's a Night King power, hence the phrase "Winter is Coming", it's not just a metaphor. As the army of the dead advance, kill and conquer new land winter extends it's reach. I suspect that's a reason they couldn't just bypass Winterfell and continue to march south, they have to conquer the land/people to be able to advance and be able to bring Winter" with them.

I was a little surprised too, that it ended in one episode. I was expecting a more cliffhanger ending with the NK being killed next week.

Winterfell was the key

The Night King was most likely a Stark and Winterfell had the Weirwood Trees, the power of the Children of the Forest

The Night King wanted revenge against all those that turned him and those were, the Starks(the First Men), the Children of the Forest(the Old Gods and 3 Eyed Raven) and the Crows that manned the Wall

He was mocking their Gods with those symbols and arrangements of the dead bodies..... the Night King had to kill Bran( Stark lord and 3 eyed Raven) against the Weirwood tree and once he marked him he was able to track him to the exact spot

But Bran also knew this and set a trap .... that is why he needed Jon and Arya to have the knowledge and correct weapons to stop him when he finally did come for him

The Night King also had to "swing the sword himself" like Ned said in the very first episode.... that is why he had to kill Bran himself and not have a General do it...... "look him in the eye and hear his last words"...... that was the code of the North and the Starks...... it is why he paused and it allowed Arya to get the jump on him.... literally

 

[Nightman]

I think it was by design. The entire episode was absolute chaos and the darkness just added to that element.

A lot of people don't have their TVs set up correctly for dark screens

Turn off the lights, sit back and put the TV on Dynamic if you have to...... adjust the back lighting

But some chaos and darkness was intentional...... he is the Night King and brings Winter with him

 

[DallasEast]

A lot of people don't have their TVs set up correctly for dark screens

Turn off the lights, sit back and put the TV on Dynamic if you have to...... adjust the back lighting

But some chaos and darkness was intentional...... he is the Night King and brings Winter with him

Bold> I performed all those suggestions and one or two more things but there was little significant visual improvement.

 

[Nightman]

Nope, it really was. Possibly the most beatifully shot episode of TV I have ever seen.

Everything was shot to build the tension and give their POV..... which was terror and fear and chaos

The Tracking shots and the music and the overall cinematography were amazing

It took 55 nights of shooting and will not be done again on that scale for a long time if ever

 

[YosemiteSam]

Someone tried to get too creative and blundered. No if, and, or but about it.

It was too dark and it was without question, too much motion with very short cuts to the point you couldn't focus on anything and if there was a point you could. It was blurry. They might as well made the screen black and just asked you to listen to the battle because that's about all you could do at times.

That was like the original War of the Worlds radio show back in 1938.

 

[Nightman]

If I were the Night King, I would be pissed at my White Walkers just standing around and that one looking over like "hey, who's that with that dagger in her hand running at the chairman of the board?"

That is Code of the North

If you order the execution you have to swing the sword yourself.... the Generals had no chance stopping Ninja Arya.... she snuck on Jon last week when Bran gave her the dagger in that exact spot

She had advance knowledge and even practiced the death move with Brieanne

 

[Nightman]

Bold> I performed all those suggestions and one or two more things but there was little significant visual improvement.

That is strange

We had a viewing party and no one complained

Some of the chaos was intentional... led to the tension

 

[DallasEast]

That is strange

We had a viewing party and no one complained

Some of the chaos was intentional... led to the tension

I did not have a complaint about the entertainment quality of the episode. That was exceptional. My issue was seeing actors and sets with an equivalent visual standard from start to finish, of which the visual quality worsen primarily during battle scenes outside the castle on the ground and in the air. I could see all scenes inside the castle walls and where Bran was setting the trap perfectly. So I must ask if everyone in your viewing party discerned all faces, bodies, shapes, movement, etc., cleanly depicted on-screen throughout the entire episode?

 

[Runwildboys]

I did not have a complaint about the entertainment quality of the episode. That was exceptional. My issue was seeing actors and sets with an equivalent visual standard from start to finish, of which the visual quality worsen primarily during battle scenes outside the castle on the ground and in the air. I could see all scenes inside the castle walls and where Bran was setting the trap perfectly. So I must ask if everyone in your viewing party discerned all faces, bodies, shapes, movement, etc., cleanly depicted on-screen throughout the entire episode?

I have to say, I feel much better that such a high percentage of people agree that the battle scenes were hard to discern. I was honestly concerned that I might need to buy a better TV.

 

[jsb357]

Someone tried to get too creative and blundered. No if, and, or but about it.

 

[cml750]

Nope, it really was. Possibly the most beatifully shot episode of TV I have ever seen.

Agree to disagree with your assessment. I get why they did it but I view it as a swing and a miss.

 

[cml750]

That's a little like removing a segment of film and judging the whole on that. I think this last season is going to be enjoyed best when viewed as an 8 hour movie. And part of this for me was the fact that the director of the battles has done such an impressive job, the best ever for anything not made for the theater, that I keep expecting more and for him to keep one upping himself. And he may very well be saving the best for last.

The only thing I didn't care for was the "just in the nick of time" for all the main characters. They're all teetering on death when Arya strikes the Night King, just too many of them on the edge at the exact same time. And I would have liked to have seen more of her path to the Night King, not just showing up amidst a gang of White Walkers.

But my complaints about this are few and minor, the anticipation of these episodes has been like Christmas for me and the magic of Christmas is the anticipation.

I did not say I hated it. I just did not care for the blurriness and I was hoping to see the Azor Ahai prophecy fulfilled. Some people may feel the blurriness added to the effect for which I disagree and after all of the buildup to this I thought we would see the prophecy fulfilled. Perhaps the prophecy is yet to be fulfilled and we will see it later with the Cersei battle?? I still love the show overall and patiently await the next three episodes.

 

[FloridaRob]

The thing is, if they'd shown more of her path to the Night King, it would've given away that she was heading there. The best part of that whole episode, for me, was her sudden appearance, the Night King grabbing her by the throat, like a toy, then Arya dropping the knife to her other hand, as if she'd planned that all along. My niece watched it with me, and I thought she was gonna break out in a dance, she was so excited about that scene.

I read the actor who played the Night King comments regarding the scene. HE said they practiced it at least 15 times with Arya on a wire. He was scared that he was going to hurt her when holding her by the throat. That moment came out well even if it was for just 10 seconds.

https://winteriscoming.net/2019/05/02/vladimir-furdik-night-kings-end-game-thrones-long-night/

 

[FloridaRob]

I am thinking that Tyrion ends up killing Cersai. Cersai gave Bron the crossbow to kill Jaime and Tyrion. There is no way Bron kills them. He will end up giving the cross bow to Tyrion who kills his sister the same way he killed his father.