Elizabeth Banks to Star in "The Miniature Wife"

[scidram]

OH. MY. SWEET. JESUS!!!

I wasn't sure what to expect at all but this looks incredible!

There's so much interaction and imagination on display and Banks looks like she's really being put through the wringer. The crew were going on about how this isn't going to focus much on the "wonder" aspect of her being tiny but it seems they're going to hit on a lot of it anyway.

My only disappointment of course is the lack of process and all but otherwise this looks like the real deal.

Yeah, but what they may consider the "wonder" aspect is very different than what we think it is. We saw brief snippets of SW moments in the trailer that will have extended scenes in the series. There's our "wonder," and it will truly be wonderful.

This looks fucking amazing.

[scidram]

Here's the official poster. Notice the cat in the background.

[lbh]

First Trailer

[Firewall]

The way that the trailer phrases the time crunch, I predict if they're going to make a second season, there will be a event that will buy time for a cure.

[goodshrnker]

OH. MY. SWEET. JESUS!!!

I wasn't sure what to expect at all but this looks incredible!

There's so much interaction and imagination on display and Banks looks like she's really being put through the wringer. The crew were going on about how this isn't going to focus much on the "wonder" aspect of her being tiny but it seems they're going to hit on a lot of it anyway.

My only disappointment of course is the lack of process and all but otherwise this looks like the real deal.

Yeah, but what they may consider the "wonder" aspect is very different than what we think it is. We saw brief snippets of SW moments in the trailer that will have extended scenes in the series. There's our "wonder," and it will truly be wonderful.

This looks fucking amazing.

I'm not so sure. So far in the trailers, it just looks like the same stuff we have seen in other SW media. Oversize props, a lot of in the dollhouse where everything is her size, a handheld where she's just sitting on his open hand and others. All the same easy and cheap effects that they've always done.

I'd like to see stuff we haven't seen much of. Like a grasping handheld. And are there any villains that might want to capture her? Or a child that might think she's a doll or toy? That's the kind of thing I like to see in something like this. Granted, the trailers are probably from the 1st and 2nd episodes, so there is probably a lot more to see. Do you know if the episodes are an hour long or a half hour?

Anyway, I'm reserving my judgment and keeping my hopes in check until the series is out and I see more.

[Schadenfreude]

The SW riding on a model train is reminiscent of "The More Things Change" by Princess Parisa. (Except I think that Laura Longacre had shrunk small enough to ride inside the locomotive.)

[scidram]

Caught this clip from yesterday's episode of The Today Show.

Apparently, Jenna Bush Hager plays herself interviewing Lindy about a new book release. They show a quick image of Jenna and Lindy doing what looks like a split-screen television interview. I'm wondering if this is something Lindy has on her schedule while she happens to be six inches tall. That would be an interesting plot complication! She'd have to use her phone as a camera, but it's a good thing she's in a scaled-down version of her house so it looks somewhat normal. But what if there's something that looks just a little off? This could be a cool development.

Also, I notice that when Lindy first opens the door inside the dollhouse, her coffee mug has a picture of a cat on it, and the cat kinda looks like the one on the poster. That implies the cat is their pet and not one that Les purposely brings in to hunt her down like in the story.

And I've updated my big reference sheet with things confirmed by the trailer.

[DocRick]

The shrinking device looks like an innocent toy, he already had the dollhouse before shrinking her and they had marital problems.......was he planning on shrinking his wife from the beginning?

[scidram]

The shrinking device looks like an innocent toy, he already had the dollhouse before shrinking her and they had marital problems.......was he planning on shrinking his wife from the beginning?

The shrinking device is a scale model prototype. It sprays the corn in the lab. Why he brings it home is the question. I don't think he intended to shrunk Lindy. I think he planned on shrinking something else to show he could do it and gain her approval/support.

As for the dollhouse, not entirely sure yet. They have a daughter Lulu, played by Sofia Rosinsky, so maybe it was a gift for her when she was younger.

[blackbat]

This can be done easily because Elizabeth Banks will likely stay in that one spot and position for the scene, with her, the cushion and cat sculpture thing are surrounded by white.

That's not a cat sculpture. I think it's supposed to be an earbud for her phone.

That makes a lot of sense, I'm guessing the phone's speaker would be too loud

[rscholar]

The shrinking device looks like an innocent toy, he already had the dollhouse before shrinking her and they had marital problems.......was he planning on shrinking his wife from the beginning?

The shrinking device is a scale model prototype. It sprays the corn in the lab. Why he brings it home is the question. I don't think he intended to shrunk Lindy. I think he planned on shrinking something else to show he could do it and gain her approval/support.

As for the dollhouse, not entirely sure yet. They have a daughter Lulu, played by Sofia Rosinsky, so maybe it was a gift for her when she was younger.

I'd just like to point out a moment: as Lindy picks up the model, Les looks like he kneels down off screen. As soon as his face isn't visible, there's a soft click or activation right when Lindy is sprayed with the shrinking formula. I agree to some extent he never meant to shrink her, but maybe it was like a flash of anger that pushes him to activate it but he realizes too late the seriousness of what he's done. I believe his concern is real but I'm betting there's that smoldering resentment like in the book that will come out later. Remember, despite her "support" their two shown interactions before the shrinking are her passively-aggressively mocking him.

[scidram]

I'd just like to point out a moment: as Lindy picks up the model, Les looks like he kneels down off screen. As soon as his face isn't visible, there's a soft click or activation right when Lindy is sprayed with the shrinking formula. I agree to some extent he never meant to shrink her, but maybe it was like a flash of anger that pushes him to activate it but he realizes too late the seriousness of what he's done. I believe his concern is real but I'm betting there's that smoldering resentment like in the book that will come out later. Remember, despite her "support" their two shown interactions before the shrinking are her passively-aggressively mocking him.

I noticed him crouching/kneeling as well. I still don't think he intended to shrink her, even in a spur-of-the-moment passive-agressive way. I think the trailer is edited to give that suspicion, but I'd venture a bet he's reaching for a failsafe switch but gets to it too late.

[Prof Sai]

It doesn't look as bad as the story. But it is rather implausible to have such a perfect doll house. Also the motion and timing is wrong. Most shrunk things move faster. (Think of a pendulum on a clock.)

[shrinky]

Why would you want to shrink crops? Wouldn't you want to make them bigger?

[scidram]

Why would you want to shrink crops? Wouldn't you want to make them bigger?

Easier for transport. Shrink 'em at the farm, load lots on a truck, grow them back at their destination.

Or you can plant a lot in a smaller area.

[Some Wanderer]

Why would you want to shrink crops? Wouldn't you want to make them bigger?

Easier for transport. Shrink 'em at the farm, load lots on a truck, grow them back at their destination.

Or you can plant a lot in a smaller area.

I was thinking it has something to do with helping world hunger.

[shrinky]

Of course the writers expect you to justify it for them, but really, it doesn't make any sense.

[scidram]

Why would you want to shrink crops? Wouldn't you want to make them bigger?

Easier for transport. Shrink 'em at the farm, load lots on a truck, grow them back at their destination.

Or you can plant a lot in a smaller area.

I was thinking it has something to do with helping world hunger.

Yes. Both easier transport and being able to plant more in smaller areas would indeed help world hunger.

[EhnVee]

This upcoming TV show piqued my interested in SW again. It's been a slog waiting around for decent content (I am not as skilled at creating), but the direction and casting looks very promising.

What sells it for me is Elizabeth Banks. She has acted for basically my entire life, so younger generations miss out on that context and probably don't care. But for us somewhat old geezers (we are getting up there) it feels like an honest attempt at telling this impossible story for a niche audience.

[Schadenfreude]

Caught this clip from yesterday's episode of The Today Show.

Apparently, Jenna Bush Hager plays herself interviewing Lindy about a new book release. They show a quick image of Jenna and Lindy doing what looks like a split-screen television interview. I'm wondering if this is something Lindy has on her schedule while she happens to be six inches tall. That would be an interesting plot complication! She'd have to use her phone as a camera, but it's a good thing she's in a scaled-down version of her house so it looks somewhat normal. But what if there's something that looks just a little off? This could be a cool development.

Something similar happens in Roger Corman's Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader. Cassie has to do Skype with her mom without her mom finding out that she's now 50 feet tall. (Cassie's mom does notice that her daughter no longer looks like a nerd, thanks to the "beauty formula".)

[Schadenfreude]

Why would you want to shrink crops? Wouldn't you want to make them bigger?

Easier for transport. Shrink 'em at the farm, load lots on a truck, grow them back at their destination.

Or you can plant a lot in a smaller area.

http://www.toontales.net/short/i-gopher-you/

[Schadenfreude]

One thing that I noticed while watching the trailer is that Lindy asks if she's supposed to wear what I assume is her wedding ring like a crown. That implies that her jewelry didn't shrink with her, and thus her clothes didn't shrink with her either. That would make sense, since she just got sprayed in the face, not completely drenched with the shrinking formula. That would explain why Les dressed her in her pajamas. (At least he shrunk pajamas for her, instead of making her wear doll clothes, like Leyna Shaw in Small World.)

[scidram]

One thing that I noticed while watching the trailer is that Lindy asks if she's supposed to wear what I assume is her wedding ring like a crown. That implies that her jewelry didn't shrink with her, and thus her clothes didn't shrink with her either. That would make sense, since she just got sprayed in the face, not completely drenched with the shrinking formula. That would explain why Les dressed her in her pajamas. (At least he shrunk pajamas for her, instead of making her wear doll clothes, like Leyna Shaw in Small World.)

Unless, perhaps, things were bad enough in their marriage before that moment that she had stopped wearing her wedding band.

But to your point, she's wearing earrings before the shrink and not after the shrink, so your logic does make sense.

Either way, we shall see.

[scidram]

Now that we've all watched the trailer a gazillion times, did anyone notice the blue tape lanes on the floor of their house? They're noticeable in the scene where Les slips on the marbles and ends up on his back, and then again in the final scene with the wedding band.

Looks like Les made safety zones so Lindy doesn't get stepped on. Either the lanes are where he's allowed to walk in or the tape is what she's supposed to walk on.

Details like this really impress me. They've taken the time to really think about what realistic accommodations would have to be made for being six inches tall for a long period of time. I don't think we've experienced something like that before.

[Nropyub]

Now that we've all watched the trailer a gazillion times, did anyone notice the blue tape lanes on the floor of their house? They're noticeable in the scene where Les slips on the marbles and ends up on his back, and then again in the final scene with the wedding band.

Looks like Les made safety zones so Lindy doesn't get stepped on. Either the lanes are where he's allowed to walk in or the tape is what she's supposed to walk on.

Details like this really impress me. They've taken the time to really think about what realistic accommodations would have to be made for being six inches tall for a long period of time. I don't think we've experienced something like that before.

The practical approaches to living as or with a tiny person has always been one of my favorite things. Tape on the floor, home made tools and supplies, repurposing objects for tiny person use. I kinda wish the dollhouse looked more improvised but maybe there is an explanation as to why it was set up so well. Maybe he was planning on shrinking himself instead? I don't think he planned to do this to her, but who knows. We'll see what happens.

On another topic, I was hoping they would diverge from the short story a lot, but it doesn't look like it. Maybe the first season is the entirety of the short story and if there is a second season we'll get more story? Who knows.

The special effects are amazing and we're so lucky to have this. I just hope they nail the tone down. I tried to watch Downsizing again recently and it's just all over the place. The problem with size related content for the mainstream is that the premise is so silly (I'm honest with myself) to most viewers that it's easy for producers to fall back on comedy/dark comedy/romantic comedy and not actually stick to just telling a compelling story about people.

I'm wondering how much of the conflict is that Lindy is a control freak and has now basically lost control to someone she clearly doesn't respect, or trust. That's the kind of thing I want explored.