# The Life of Pi **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214 "2012-11-16T17:08:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/21 "2012-11-17T22:40:08Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > The Charlie Rose show spent 40 minutes or so talking to the director and actors, and showing clips, a couple days ago. You can watch it here: > > [http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12655](http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12655) I just watched the clip in this link and the writer voiced a concern that I held after fiishing the book last night, that of the tiger and Pi becoming friends. This clip I keep seeing of Richard Parker laying his head on Pi’s lap just did not happen in the book. Now, I don’t think it is entirely unrealistic, because Richard Parker was raised in a zoo and accustomed to people, plus Pi had become his provider. Most ANY animal can and will become semi-approachable. In fact, I wondered about that while reading- why DIDN’T Richard Parker seek out companionship? The book left me wondering, as I suppose it intended, which was the real story? It also left a lot of unanswered questiuons, like the meerkats… the algae island…the Frenchman… I will definitely be re-reading it after seeing the movie. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/22 "2012-11-21T18:47:21Z")
[The rave reviews for the film are starting to pile up.](http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1697778/life-of-pi-reviews.jhtml) > [@](#): > > **The Story** > “Our playful, not-always-reliable narrator here is Pi Patel, played by newcomer Suraj Sharma as a teen and as a grown man reflecting back on his adventure by Irrfan Khan. As a youth, Pi, his parents and brother set out from India, where the family runs a zoo in a botanical garden, to Canada. Pi’s father brings along some of his menagerie on their voyage, including a tiger named Richard Parker with which Pi had a terrifying encounter as a boy. Their ship sinks in a storm, with Pi the only human survivor aboard a lifeboat with an orangutan, a hyena, a zebra with a broken leg and Richard Parker. Survival of the fittest thins their numbers into a life-and-death duel, and eventually an uneasy truce of companionship, between Richard Parker and Pi.” — David Germain, Associated Press > > **The 3-D** > “Like ‘Hugo,’ from Martin Scorsese, ‘Life of Pi’ puts 3D in the hands of a world-class film artist. Lee uses 3D with the delicacy and lyricism of a poet. You don’t just watch this movie, you live it. Every sight and sound is astounding, especially when you consider that the tiger is a digital creation.” — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone > > **Ang Lee** > “It turns out Lee has more affinity for Pi the yarn-spinner than for any of his other heroes. His movies (‘Lust, Caution’; ‘Crouching Tiger,’ ‘Hidden Dragon’; ‘Hulk’; ‘Brokeback Mountain’; ‘Taking Woodstock’) center on emotions that can’t be suppressed and finally burst forth — but the meticulousness of his framing and color-coordination (or that mythical cowboy iconography in ‘Brokeback Mountain’) make his work seem one step removed, as if in a terrarium. In ‘Life of Pi,’ he finally has a story in which that very distance is the source of the emotion.” — David Edelstein, New York Magazine > > **The Final Word** > “The leap of faith required for Lee to believe this could be put up onscreen in a credible way was necessarily considerable. His fingerprints are at once invisible and yet all over the film in the tact, intelligence, curiosity and confidence that characterizes the undertaking. At all times, the film, shot by Claudio Miranda and with production design by David Gropman, is ravishing to look at, and the 3D work is discreetly powerful.” — Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/23 "2012-11-21T22:53:25Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I too loved the book. The first third is a bit of a slog, but once you get through that part it’s hard to put down. Odd, my feelings about the book are completely reversed. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/24 "2012-11-21T22:58:40Z")
I loved the book. I hope the movie is half as good. At least by the ads it looks beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/25 "2012-11-22T00:00:40Z")
The reviews sound promising… going to see it Friday or Saturday and can’t wait!! ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/26 "2012-11-22T01:53:42Z")
I really hope they don’t have a scene where Richard Parker is basically transformed into a huge kitty. It was pretty clear in the book that there is always a tension between Parker and Pi, no matter how long they are stuck together on the boat. Pi can never let down his guard. And the way Parker leaves in the end without a backwards glance is fitting. I do want to see the movie but I’m trying not to expect too much. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/27 "2012-11-22T02:56:15Z")
Read it a few years back and saw it today. I think those who have read it and enjoyed it will also enjoy the movie. Those of you who haven’t read it and want to see it will probably enjoy it as well. It’s a beautifully shot movie. disclaimer: did not see it in 3D ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/28 "2012-11-23T14:44:49Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > I really hope they don’t have a scene where Richard Parker is basically transformed into a huge kitty. It was pretty clear in the book that there is always a tension between Parker and Pi, no matter how long they are stuck together on the boat. Pi can never let down his guard. And the way Parker leaves in the end without a backwards glance is fitting. > > I do want to see the movie but I’m trying not to expect too much. I saw this yesterday (in 2-D). Don’t worry - there’s really no scene like that. Good movie. If it doesn’t win the Oscar for cinematography, I’d be shocked. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/29 "2012-11-23T21:33:45Z")
I saw it today. I enjoyed it but wasn’t wowed. Richard Parker’s CGI wasn’t _quite_ 100%… his movement was just a bit off & took me out of the movie. Still a few things I don’t get… like tree-climbing, fish eating meerkats that live on a carniverous island? I need a little help with that one folks… And why was the CGI Richard Parker… neutered? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/30 "2012-11-23T23:22:06Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > I saw it today. I enjoyed it but wasn’t wowed. Richard Parker’s CGI wasn’t _quite_ 100%… his movement was just a bit off & took me out of the movie. > > Still a few things I don’t get… like tree-climbing, fish eating meerkats that live on a carniverous island? I need a little help with that one folks… > > And why was the CGI Richard Parker… neutered? Are you not familiar with the term “unreliable narrator?” ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/31 "2012-11-23T23:47:44Z")
No, never heart the term and I am a complete moron. Thank you for your input. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/32 "2012-11-24T00:13:45Z")
Well Pap, answering that would let loose an entire floodgate of spoilers so before I (or anyone else) addresses it, I have to ask - doesn’t the end of the movie allude if not completely address that point? ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/33 "2012-11-24T00:50:26Z")
I guess it went over my head. I’ll just back out of my own thread now and let those more intelligent than myself enjoy a good laugh at my expense. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/34 "2012-11-24T15:44:29Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > No, never heart the term and I am a complete moron. Thank you for your input. > [@PapSett](#): > > I guess it went over my head. I’ll just back out of my own thread now and let those more intelligent than myself enjoy a good laugh at my expense. You do have a flair for the dramatic, don’t you. An “unreliable narrator” just refers to the type of story where it’s being told to us by someone (Pi) who may or may not be telling us the story exactly as it happened (a concept I think you in particular would be familiar with). Did you see the scene near the end where Pi was relating his story to the Japanese insurance company agents? There was no tiger in the boat. Or a hyena, or any other zoo animals. The story was much much darker than that. But since the boat sank anyway, and his family died… Why not just believe the more fanciful/pleasant story? The story’s point is that believing in God is also choosing the better of two stories - because why not believe in something pleasant if it doesn’t change the facts of how we got here? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/35 "2012-11-24T17:33:06Z")
“My friend, I will tell you a story that will make you believe in God…” I literally got a chill when I read this line in the book. Can’t wait to see the film. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/36 "2012-11-24T18:11:35Z")
I saw it last night in 3D and liked it a lot. I didn’t read the book, and didn’t know anything about the story except that it involved a boy and a tiger in a boat. I expected it to be even more of a fantasy than it actually was. I thought the CGI of the tiger and other animals was astonishingly good. They were virtually indistinguishable from real animals, even down to the details of the fur. I’m amazed at how far CGI has come. The more fantastical scenes, like the whale leaping, the flying fish, and some of the underwater scenes were breathtaking in 3D. I’ll be interested to hear more input from those who have read the book to see how well the movie realized it. But at least in its own terms it was great. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/37 "2012-11-24T18:40:44Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’ll be interested to hear more input from those who have read the book to see how well the movie realized it. But at least in its own terms it was great. Very faithful adaptation of the book. I worried it was unfilmable but Ang Lee did a masterful job. The only major difference was the author talking with the older Pi, which isn’t part of the book (though I suppose it’s alluded to in the way the book’s story is told.) ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/38 "2012-11-24T23:41:44Z")
I’m going to have to see it again. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting and I nodded off in parts. That said… Visually it was spectacular. But the 3D wasn’t as good as I had heard. I stopped noticing it in parts and had to take off my glasses to see if it was still being used. The acting was great, especially Pi, as a newcomer having to carry almost a whole film, was impressive. Did they cut out the part where he goes blind? I missed that. It seemed like an crucial part of the story that RP saves his life at some point. I was amused that they neutered Richard Parker given how silly and distracting the boobs on Orange Juice were. I was disappointed that they went for “tell not show” for the “alternate” version of events. I also didn’t quite get how the analogy would have translated exactly. The “more realistic” version doesn’t seem to make much sense. Maybe someone can spell it out for me. How is Pi the tiger? Why does he spend all this time figuring out to deal with a tiger that doesn’t exist? Why is the cook killing people before the supplies run out? How did Pi’s mom make it to the raft but not the rest of his family? What did the carnivorous island represent? What really happened with the blind guy? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/39 "2012-11-25T00:48:27Z")
I saw it but have not read the book. I liked it quite a bit but really did not like the time in the “present” with the adult Pi. To me it felt more like, “Well, the boy can’t act that and have everyone get it so we’ll just let the adult Pi explain it to you.” I saw it in 3D and it was really nicely done, meaning not overdone. There is a scene where the tiger put his head on the boy’s lap. But they are both nearly dead at that point. I hated that they very literally say the heyena was the cook, the zebra was the sailor, you mother is the orangutang and the tiger was you. My god they must think I’m really stupid. To be fair the previous day I had scene Anna Karenina, which is fantastic and it really treats the audience like they are smart. You have to pay attention. I want to watch that one over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214/40 "2012-11-27T18:39:14Z")
I’ve been hearing really good things about this movie–I’d like to see it, but I’m always leery of watching movies with cats in them, because I’m afraid something will happen to the cat and I don’t want to see that. So can somebody spoil enough of the movie for me to let me know nothing bad happens to the tiger (or any other cats)? Thanks! From reading through the thread it sounds like it might not even be a real tiger, but that doesn’t matter. If bad things happen to it I don’t really want to watch that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-life-of-pi/641214.md?page=3)