Greetings one and all. It has been quite some time since I have updated, and there are, no doubt, many wonderful and magical tales I should share. But that will have to wait. In just a few moments I will be leaving the bleak, grey skies of Michigan for the slightly less bleak, less grey skies of Indiana, en route to the bright, sunny, hurricane-laden air of Florida. Chelle and I are spending New Years with fellow Oxonians Scott and Sarah. Happiness ensues.
See you all on the other side.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Prideful and Prejudicial Thoughts
Jane and I went to go see the new theatrical release of Pride and Prejudice this afternoon (my first time, her second), and though I loathe the idea of structuring a formal review, I thought I would share some of my random thoughts on the matter (the "original" BBC production being one of my favorite films of all time).
Good things of note:
-The film had a good bit of life and energy to it. The world of the film looked "lived-in", with folks living their lives, rather than prancing about on Georgian set pieces. Things got dirty, hair got mussed, and so forth. And the ball scenes were turned to 11.
-They conveyed well the disparity in wealth and status between the Bennets and the upper social circles. Admittedly, this was a bit heavy handed, as the Bennets came off a bit shabbier and more working class than Austen probably intended, but, honestly, subtlety is not the strong suit of the average moviegoer, so I think this was probably a necessary evil.
-It was nice, too, to see girls who looked roughly the ages the characters were supposed to be, acting roughly that age. Granted, the giggling and general goings on was a bit thick at times, but not completely out of line. And they did actually attempt to make Jane prettier than Lizzie.
-Wickham, though his presence is scarce, manages to be as dashing and likable as he *should* be. The BBC's Wickham was, let's face it, well-acted, but average slouching towards homely.
-Beautiful sets.
-Nice cinematography, though a bit claustrophic early on.
-ummmm......Oh. My beloved Netherfield ball scene with Darcy and Lizzy was different, but still one of the highlights.
And now, the BAD things of note:
-BINGLEY. Words fail me. At best I can call Bingley an idiot. And I mean this in the classic mentally infirm, wandering the town drooling and muttering to the pigeons sense of the term. He was more Darcy's ward, lapdog, or incompetant nephew lackey than his friend (although there is one cute scene where he is rehearsing with Darcy what he will say to Jane), and he was neither handsome, gentlemanly, or affable.
-Darcy is, well, not bad, but bland. Here we have not an intense and principled but prideful man who changes for the better because of love, but kind of an awkward, stuffy kind of guy who is sort of misunderstood. I know, I know, I am a Colin Firth fanboy (though Jane called him "stiff" as Darcy), but when he was on screen you knew he was *about something*; give me some tortured brooding or something here. Interestingly, this film hits the attraction between Darcy and Lizzie rather early, but does little to develop him; if we didn't "know" that he ends up with Lizzie, we just wouldn't care.
-The first proposal. Outside in the rain? An almost kiss? Enough said. Maybe not. I also thought their argument, and The Letter which follows, lacked the depth and levels it needed.
-The second proposal too, actually. The bridge seemed to be stolen from Anne of Avonlea, and did we really need a solid minute of Darcy striding through the mist with his shirt open, as the music swells?
-The Wickham scenario, which is supposed to be the conflict of the end of the story, ends almost before it begins. Its import is lost, and here serves as much to marry off Lydia as bring Darcy and Lizzie together.
-Actually, I thought the whole Change (Darcy towards most everything, and Lizzie towards Darcy) was lacking. It seemed undercut by a dozen little things, from plotting to dialogue downward, and almost comes off as more of a misunderstanding or a foregone conclusion than anything else.
-Wasted time (and I am not talking about the multiple shots of the world spinning round and round the *allegedly* gorgeous Kiera Knightley). What Emma Thompson did BRILLIANTLY in Sense and Sensibility was establishing solid characters with little moments, and use of wonderful, witty, Austen-esque (if not actually Austen) dialogue. There seems to be a lot of wasted space for just about all the characters, here. And the dialogue in general was sort of sub-par, and some of it oddly placed.
-Instead of sarcastic Dad and shrewish Mum, we get passive faded Dad and simpleton Mum.
-Lizzie seems a bit less...bemused...in this one. Less kind but quick-witted connoisseur of human folly we have come to expect, and a bit more a stubborn, sharp tongued teenager. Perhaps this subjective, though.
You know, I could probably go on about this for a while, and honestly I keep thinking of more stuff as the evening goes on (barely scratched the surface earlier, Jane), but I will just stop here in the middle, because I have no desire to go through the whole thing a point at a time.
Honestly it wasn't a bad little film, despite what all the above may lead you to believe. But it is, I fear, ancillary. P&P "Lite", or with all the sharp corners worn off.
Two and a half pancakes out of five, maybe? Three? And honestly, it may not be possible to come up with a two hour version that will truly satisfy. (I'd like to see what Emma Thompson would have done with it, though).
Any thoughts?
Good things of note:
-The film had a good bit of life and energy to it. The world of the film looked "lived-in", with folks living their lives, rather than prancing about on Georgian set pieces. Things got dirty, hair got mussed, and so forth. And the ball scenes were turned to 11.
-They conveyed well the disparity in wealth and status between the Bennets and the upper social circles. Admittedly, this was a bit heavy handed, as the Bennets came off a bit shabbier and more working class than Austen probably intended, but, honestly, subtlety is not the strong suit of the average moviegoer, so I think this was probably a necessary evil.
-It was nice, too, to see girls who looked roughly the ages the characters were supposed to be, acting roughly that age. Granted, the giggling and general goings on was a bit thick at times, but not completely out of line. And they did actually attempt to make Jane prettier than Lizzie.
-Wickham, though his presence is scarce, manages to be as dashing and likable as he *should* be. The BBC's Wickham was, let's face it, well-acted, but average slouching towards homely.
-Beautiful sets.
-Nice cinematography, though a bit claustrophic early on.
-ummmm......Oh. My beloved Netherfield ball scene with Darcy and Lizzy was different, but still one of the highlights.
And now, the BAD things of note:
-BINGLEY. Words fail me. At best I can call Bingley an idiot. And I mean this in the classic mentally infirm, wandering the town drooling and muttering to the pigeons sense of the term. He was more Darcy's ward, lapdog, or incompetant nephew lackey than his friend (although there is one cute scene where he is rehearsing with Darcy what he will say to Jane), and he was neither handsome, gentlemanly, or affable.
-Darcy is, well, not bad, but bland. Here we have not an intense and principled but prideful man who changes for the better because of love, but kind of an awkward, stuffy kind of guy who is sort of misunderstood. I know, I know, I am a Colin Firth fanboy (though Jane called him "stiff" as Darcy), but when he was on screen you knew he was *about something*; give me some tortured brooding or something here. Interestingly, this film hits the attraction between Darcy and Lizzie rather early, but does little to develop him; if we didn't "know" that he ends up with Lizzie, we just wouldn't care.
-The first proposal. Outside in the rain? An almost kiss? Enough said. Maybe not. I also thought their argument, and The Letter which follows, lacked the depth and levels it needed.
-The second proposal too, actually. The bridge seemed to be stolen from Anne of Avonlea, and did we really need a solid minute of Darcy striding through the mist with his shirt open, as the music swells?
-The Wickham scenario, which is supposed to be the conflict of the end of the story, ends almost before it begins. Its import is lost, and here serves as much to marry off Lydia as bring Darcy and Lizzie together.
-Actually, I thought the whole Change (Darcy towards most everything, and Lizzie towards Darcy) was lacking. It seemed undercut by a dozen little things, from plotting to dialogue downward, and almost comes off as more of a misunderstanding or a foregone conclusion than anything else.
-Wasted time (and I am not talking about the multiple shots of the world spinning round and round the *allegedly* gorgeous Kiera Knightley). What Emma Thompson did BRILLIANTLY in Sense and Sensibility was establishing solid characters with little moments, and use of wonderful, witty, Austen-esque (if not actually Austen) dialogue. There seems to be a lot of wasted space for just about all the characters, here. And the dialogue in general was sort of sub-par, and some of it oddly placed.
-Instead of sarcastic Dad and shrewish Mum, we get passive faded Dad and simpleton Mum.
-Lizzie seems a bit less...bemused...in this one. Less kind but quick-witted connoisseur of human folly we have come to expect, and a bit more a stubborn, sharp tongued teenager. Perhaps this subjective, though.
You know, I could probably go on about this for a while, and honestly I keep thinking of more stuff as the evening goes on (barely scratched the surface earlier, Jane), but I will just stop here in the middle, because I have no desire to go through the whole thing a point at a time.
Honestly it wasn't a bad little film, despite what all the above may lead you to believe. But it is, I fear, ancillary. P&P "Lite", or with all the sharp corners worn off.
Two and a half pancakes out of five, maybe? Three? And honestly, it may not be possible to come up with a two hour version that will truly satisfy. (I'd like to see what Emma Thompson would have done with it, though).
Any thoughts?
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Differential Diagnosis, People
Today, I am sick. I even stayed home from work. I had actually intended to work from home despite it all, but I slept a large part of the day, and really had neither the inclination nor the motivation to get started on anything. I tried. Honest.
And I sound something like a cross between Johnny Cash and Janis Joplin.
I also realized that I have no "sick traditions"; you know how some people watch Gone with the Wind or read tax law or something every time they are incapacitated? So I decided to start one. There is something so appropriate and comforting lying in bed watching episodes of House when you don't feel well. I even had my cane. But just to reach things so I needn't get up.
Honest.
And I sound something like a cross between Johnny Cash and Janis Joplin.
I also realized that I have no "sick traditions"; you know how some people watch Gone with the Wind or read tax law or something every time they are incapacitated? So I decided to start one. There is something so appropriate and comforting lying in bed watching episodes of House when you don't feel well. I even had my cane. But just to reach things so I needn't get up.
Honest.
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