Fire & Air

Dracula in Love by Karen Essex

2011-12-11T02:19:00.001-08:00

Dracula in Love by Karen Essex

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoy reading this one. I liked the portrait of the characters, especially Mina whom I have to admit I never liked very much I always had a thing for Lucy. The story and especially how K.Essex told it was interesting and it adds new angles to the story of Dracula. I did also enjoy the fact that Dracula is not supposed to be the rencarnation of everything evil and wrong and immoral and that for a change humans were the bad guys. However, I didn't like the ending. Why stick to the original or why not so us some years ahead... If you read the novel you'll know that she could have satisfied us with ahappy ending eventually. You can always imagined it, but I would wish to see it written as well. If you like Dracula I think you will find this a rather interesting reading.

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2011-11-30T04:22:00.000-08:00

Marc Warren, Sophia Myles, David Suchet
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Plot Summary:
In this version the plot centers around Lord Arthur Holmwood (Dans Stevens), who after his engagement to the beautiful Lucy Westenra (Sophia Myles), discover that his father immoral, lustful life has given him syphilis (he contacted the illeness in his bieth and so did his mother who as we are informed killed herself). He neither wishes to expose Lucy to the deadly decease nor break up their engangement and so he joines a weird, obscur cult who promises that can give him a cure if he brings Dracula to England.

The latest production of Dracula is or had the potential of being a very interesting take on the very well none story of Count Dracula, but it failes miserably. I mean he had the actors, the costumes, the amazing settings and a good story, but somehow they managed to destroy everything.
I do not care that they have altered the original story. I actually though that concetrating on Arthur and Lucy was a very nice and original idea and the syphilis angle could have been great if they bothered to actually work those ideas. I mean it's like they had an idea and somewhere in the middle decided that they should have better stayed close to Bram Stoker's Dracula but they had filmed half ot the mini series and they didn't want to waste their money, so they changed the script somewhere in the middle. Usually I'd rather prefer that the movies stay close to the books, but I am not against re imagining something if you do it right.
The one good thing about this production was Lucy (Sophia Myles). She is so beautiful and sexy that you understand why Dracula goes for her first. Her sex scene with the Count is quite hot and it has something that reminded me of good, old Hammer Horror films (and I seriously could have lived with seeing Sophia Myles naked boddy) despite the fact that I seriously didn't like Marc Warren as Dracula. Neither he is handsome nor charming and personally I don't think that he contributed anything to the part. As far as his acting is concerned it was rather bad and not at all convincing as Dracula. He was more like a thirty year old guy with anger management issues. Plus, the dirty nales were very disgusting.
Mina, on the other hand, was pretty in a very innocent way as you expect her to be and I believe that she had a lot of potential but her time wasn't enough and her role as it was written was weak. She wasn't able to be the leading lady after Lucy's death, but in my personal opinion this happens because they have diminished her importance for both the movie and Dracula, so his sudden attention to her seems somewhat stranged and unexpected. The same thing happens with Van Helsing he doesn't quite fit this adaptation and he seems to be a stranger to the story.
The plot was weak and a lot of things were unexplained or silly. I mean how is it possible that Arthur couldn't postpone the wedding due to Lucy's persistant, but he was able to resist the amazingly beautiful and hot Lucy, with whom is desperately in love, when she attemps to seduce him? Or how is it possible for dracula to be so fascinated with a single photo of Mina? Francis Ford Copolla's Dracula was reminded of his late wife Elizabetha and that is why he had that reaction, what is this guy's excuse. And what about Jonathan's close? Why did he take those? I mean for goodness shake he good have better ones. Was this all the writers could think for his first meeting with Mina? And what about Van Helsing? They imprisoned him but they let him live. Why? They clearly wanted dead everyone who knew about Dracula's existance and true nature, so why does he lives?
To be fair, this is the first adaptation that portaits Lucy as something more than a frivolous flirt, but a real flesh and blodd woman whith real needs and desires and this is a good thing since I always though that Lucy was a far more interesting character than the holy, uninteresting, innocent Mina , but this is as fas as it goes. You can watch this if you have nothing better to do, but if you want a really good dracula movie you should try something else. If you like Sophia Myles as much as I do maybe you want considered it a total waste of time and if you are a costume lover you will enjoy them a lot since they are quite nice, especially women's dresses.

The Three Musketeers (2011)

2011-10-24T03:01:00.000-07:00

My rating: 0 of 5 stars

Seriously, with this one I do not know where to start. Well, if you love the book of A.Dumas and if you where anxious to see a decente adaptation of if it DO NOT watch this movie. Absolutely not. I mean seriously I have seen bad adaptations before, but this one is way worst from anything that comes to mind.

If you haven't seen the movie you should be wondering what is wrong with it. Well let's start with the title. Why is it called "The three musketeers" I have absolutely no idea. Not only the plot and the characters have nothing in common with the story of Dumas -nothing but the names of course- but the whole idea of the musketeers and France at this era has been utterly changed and tranformed into something alien and kitsch.

Apart from the fact that they used the popularity of Duma's novel to sell tickets, this movie is very but on it's one. The plot is too loose, the story is not interesting enough, the characters are non-existant, neither bad nor good. Neither villans nor heroes. D'Artagnan is a cocky highschool boy who believes himself to be handsome and brave, the three musketeers are handsome and do some decent sword fighting but the writer or the director didn't bother to exploit their chemistry and do something nice with them and their friendship.

As far as the plot -which plot?- is concerned, well I couldn't make much sense of it and I often wondered if they actually had a script or if they were just running wild in the set. However if they did have a script they should have burned it and read Dumas novel so they would know that Milady was the arch-enemy of the musketeers and never ever worked with them and she was also Athos wife, before he ever consedered being a musketeer. That the affair between the Queen and the Duke of Buckingham was a fact and one of the things that make the story of the musketeers so interesting and that the fleur-de-lis which was branded on Milady's shoulder is essential and absolutely nessesary for understanding her character and for making this story a really good one.

And Milady, ohhh my all time favorite femme fatal. One of the best villains ever writen, charming, full of mystery and sorprises, resourceful and capable of manipulating her way out of almost every possible difficulty. My eternal beauty. My angel with heart of stone. An iconic figure has been turned into nothing. I have been searching all night to find another interpration of a character as bad as this one and seriously nothing comes to mind. I mean even Uma Therman's Poison Ivy is a masterpiece compared to this atrocity. I mean Milla's Milady couldn't even be a comic. Such a waste, such a pity. I mean seriously with Milla's beautiful face they could have done great things with the character but allas they converted her into a trushy red-headed bitch who for some mysterious reason she has Nio's ability to duck bullet's.

Seriously, this is a bad movie, as bad as it can possible be. For our cinema's sake let's hope it cannot be any worst.

DO NOT watch it. Forget it ever happened.

Camelot (2011)

2011-09-05T04:28:00.000-07:00

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Since I am a huge fan of the Arthurian saga, I am always on the look out for new adaptations of the myth. So as you can imagine I was very much excited about this show when I first heard it was coming out, but I am afraid that I was rather dissapointed because I did have much higher expectations.

"You are not made of Kings, boy!"

Fist of all, I honestly did not like Jamie Campbell Bower as King Arthur. I mean seriously apart from the fact that he is a blonde, scrawny feminine male lead the boy cannot act. Seriously. He like empty of air and blood walking around trying to pretend that he is the one and future King. I totally found myself wishing Morgan -Eva Green- will kick his pathetic, blonde ass.

On the other hand Morgan was an amazing excellent choice. Eva Green brings something really new and fresh in the role of Morgan Pendargon and although you can see how seriously wrong she is about Igraine you can totally understand why and feel for her. I mean she was just a little girl whose mother was murdered by her own barbarian father and was send away in a nunery. Can you rwally blame her for hating Igraine? I definately cannot. She is a very human, kick ass, amazingly impressive Igraine. All she has to do is walk in the room and your blood is freezing! I did like her voice and how she spoke her lines and that extra edge which she puts in every word and how she drugs her voice. I do wish we had a little more information about what was going on on that nunery of hers and maybe just maybe a few flashbacks.

Now, Tamsin Egerton is very beautiful. So beautiful, I am feeling sorry that I did not like her Guinevere. I did not found her acting good and sometimes she looked like she was bored, but then again with that Arthur why she wouldn't be. I did not think there was chemistry between her and Arthur, but I did like her with Leontes and I have to admit that she was more alive with him. Another think is that I keep wondering how the writers where excactly planning to continue the story and lead her to meet the love of her life Lancelot without her being a total floozy that makes a habbit of cheating her husband. However I did like the way the built the story and how the distinction between how things really happened and how the legend of King Arthur says they did. An excellent example is how the story of the Lady of the Lake and the sword in the stone was created.

Merlin and Igraine were interesting characters and well-portraited and there story was really worth watching and I do wish they had more screen time.

I actually enjoyed Camelot because I did like the way it told the story and because of the kick ass Morgan, but it could have been such a better show if they haven't miscasted Arthur and it would have been such a welcome surprise if I actually didn't wish Morgan to have it all, the Pedragon castle, Camelot, the crown and Guinivere so that she can show the little brat how things are done!

Jeune fille by Anne Wiazemsky

2011-08-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Jeune fille by Anne Wiazemsky

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the spring of 1965 the French director Robert Bresson asked a17 year old girl, Anne Wiazemsky, to be his leading lady in his next movie "Au Hasard Balthasar".
Forty years after her first cinematographic experience Anne is wondering if he wasever in love with her.
"Jeune Fille" is a book immensely exciting in its amazing simplicity with well portraited characters and a story as interesting as only life can write. It describes the addictive, possesive and controlling relationship between Anne and Bresson and how that changed her life for ever. Those two had a chemistry despite their age difference and they had intense feelings for each other, but it never stoped them from hearting each other at various points. Bresson had a power over Anne and although he was known for treating his actors in a possesive, authoritan way he did go over the edge with her. They were leaving in the same house, with adjoying bedrooms and he tried to control every part of her life in and out of the set and he did try to stop her from developping any king of relatioship with other members of the crew, keeping her a 'prisoner'. Anne felt strongly about Bresson and admired him deeply and strangely enough he was the reason that her sex life started. She took a lover, someone from the crew in a desperate attemp to regain a little control over her life and escape Bresson's control. Bresson grew so possessive over her that on finishing filming Au Hasard Balthasar asked her for the role of Guinivere in "Lancelot du Lac" on condition that she will never film with anyone other than him. Of course this never came to pass but its an excellent example of their relationship.
This is a book about a girl leaving her safe world and middle class family in order to enter the dazzling world of cinema and the adulthood under rather strange but also amazingly interesting circumstances. I remembered how it was when I was her age and I found myself thinking that I was ,at times, like her.

“I have been happy with you”, Anne told him.
“Me, too. Living near you has given me a great deal. . . your youth has made me young. . . Often I was your age. . . You will understand later on . . . later”
And, thus it is later Anne Wiazemsky will write one of the very best books I read this year. A pure wonder, simple but absolute. An excellent piece of literature.

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Crazy Ladies by Michael Lee West

2011-08-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

This is a story about 6 unforgetable southern women- Miss Gussie; her daughters, Dorothy and Clancy Jane; Gussie's granddaughters, Violet and Bitsy; and Queenie, who had been with Miss Gussie's maid.
The book starts with a young Miss Gussie trying to calm her daughter Dorothy who has a colic and ending up killing a serial rapist in defense of herself and this is only the begining of misfortunes, tragedies, wrong desicions, misunderstandings and wrong desicions that those 6 women will make in a story takes place over 40 years, from 1932 to 1972.
The characters are well drawn and what I found really interesting is that I found a little piece of myself in every single one. While I was reading the book I tried to indentify myself with one of the characters especially Dorothy or Clancy Jane and I realised that depending the occasion I was all of them. That made them real and I ended up to really care about them. Especially poor Dorothy who was so mitreated by everyone and especially by her own mother. She was so sad and unloved thatt it was no surprise that she ended up like she did. She was a little crazy but honestly who isn't.
The story was interesting and had some unexpected turns and it was writen in a very nice style. It's woman had her own voice so you could actually see the story from everyone's point of view. Quite post-modern now that I come to think about it.
I cjoose this book because I liked the title and because the summary reminded me of "Divine secrets of the Ya Ya sisterhood" which is one of my most favorite books and it is about southern crazy ladies as well. I really liked and it was easy to read and I highly recommended to anyone who is into that short of fiction, but it didn't superpass the "Divine secrets of the Ya ya sisterhood"

Winter in Madrid

2011-08-07T11:49:00.001-07:00

Winter in Madrid by C.J. Sansom

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The sroty takes place after the civil war and during WW2 in Spain. The author must have done quite a research and I think he captures the atmosphere of Madrid at that period quite nicely.
This had a potential to be a really great novel.I mean there was a war, a traitor, a reluctant spy, an abused woman and a love triangle, but unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations.The story had potentials but I didn't like the way the author painted the characters.In my opinion he was far more concentrated in the historical events so the characters of the book elude him completely. I mean I can understand why Harry turns out to be so bitter after loosing the love of his life but why he was so pathetic and indifferent in the beginingof the novel I cannot tell.And how about Barbara why was she so traumatized because some kids were teasing her about her hair? As far as I am concerned the characters were very little described/analysed and somehow they do not feel complete.They are more fragments of a personality than a whole complete person which you can love or hate. I remained indifferent to them through out the whole book. The only character that intriguided me a little was Sandy the villain of the story but then again he was not portraited as he should have been.
Another thing that bothered me is that none of the love stories was believable and I really could not warm up to any of the 2 couples of the book. Simply you cannot understand why those people love its other. Its something sudden and inexplicable and maybe that is what love is but the author failed to described it a way that will make the reader feel part of the magic that is love and being in love. It's simple something that happens in order to continue the narrative of the story.It's really a pity because I do love a nice well portraited love story.
The book on the whole was not bad it was easily read and I quite enjoyable especially for describing Spain in such hard and controversial times, but it lacked really nice, interested, well portraited characters that will make you feel about them and become part of their story

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The girl with the dragon tatto

2011-07-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

This was a highly enjoyable book. I have bought it almost 3 years ago and for some reason I could not bring myself to read it. I have read the first pages got bored and droped it, but I never really leave a book for ever I consider it an unforgivable waste so this summer I picked it up again. And it was a wise choice. Now I cannot wait to read the rest of the trilogy.
It has a very interesting plot and a lot of characters. The author creates a complicated story with a lot of aspects but he manages not to leave any loose ends.
Salander is a very unlikely and unorthodox heroine even for a modern crime mystery but she manages to keep your interest and she even makes you to like her. In fact I wish there was a little more of her in the book, but I hope that her appearence and role will escalate in the next two books and I do hope that she and Michael -the other hero of the book- the journalist who actually has ethics and morals, will meet again.
The book has a lot of complicated characters which are very well portraited and its story is not easily predictable. It was only before the end that I managed to guess whta have actually happend to Harriet at least parts of it. For this I have Agatha Christie to thanks and o long history of crime-mystery reading during summer. So when I actually found a book that took me so long to figure out what was going on and still managed to surprise me in some aspects I was absolutely thrilled.
Finally the author talks about some really serious and tabboo issues such as sexual absuse and incest and it makes you confront a hard and unpleasant reality.

The whole trilogy has been adapted for the big screen nad were directed by Niels Arden Oplev
The girl with the dragon tattoo
The girl who played with fire
The girl who kicked the hornests nest
and an american adaptation of "The girl with the dragon tatto" is expected directed by David Fincher , starring Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist and Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander .

I have seen the first swedish movie and although I have heard a lot of praise for it I cannot say I liked it. Not that it was bad or totally uninteresting, but honestly it didn't do the book justice. In my personal opinion they have changed crusial parts of the story. It was not unfaithful to the book, god knows I have seen worst adaptations but as far as I am concerned they simply changed the wrong things. For example they altered the relationship between Michael and Erica and they deminished it to nothing. It was a complicated unsual relationship that showed a great deal for the character of Michael and they should have included it. They also changed the realationship of Michael and Lisbeth in a most crusial and annoying way. In the book its Lisbeth who fells for Michael not the other way around and it was agood think too, because it showed a more 'sentimental' side of her. Furthermore, I didn't like the actress that portaited Lisbeth. She did her best and she wasn't bad , but she failed to capture Lisbeth's essence and her eyes were way to expressive. I mean she was constantly walking around showing emotions while Lisbeth is or better appears to be a cold, little girl with tones of bad attitude who shows absolutely no emotions. And what was all that about Lisbeth's backround?

The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall

2011-05-10T00:11:00.000-07:00

The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is the story of Lydia Ivanona, a teenage thief, a political refugee from Russia, who tries to survive in the harsh world of China with her mother and fells in love with a Chinese communist.

I have to admit that I do love historical novels and this one had all the potential for a great story since the beginning.Bolsevics, Russia, Revolution, poverty, opium, China, forbidden love, criminals, communists.I have to admit that I was a little dissapointed when we moved out from Russia so fast but Chine draw me into her world really fast.
It was a really nice, interesting, well read story with interesting characters.What I liked about them was that they were no saints (even the highly morally and principled, like the headmaster of Lydia's school, who against his better self is drawn into a world of corruption and opium) they have flaws and they are human but you come to like them.What I also liked is that China is also a character in this book.It definately captivated me and made me wanna know more about China, its history and culture.
The love story war an interesting one, too.It has all the potential for a great love story and Lydia and Chang An Lo can be put in the long list of curshed lovers.What I didn't like so much is that Lydia was too fond of Chang too fast too easy, no wonder under the circumstances they met, but on the other had he was a communist and her family's miseries were due to them and she kind of warmed up to his communists theories too.I did expect to see her give it some though first.Somehow it seemed too rapid I know in her position I would do so.I wouldn't stop myself from loving him but I would definately be uncomfortable and not to easy to give in to him.I do think its the natural reaction.
One other thing I find quite strange was the title. After I read the book I can understand it of course, its due to the mother, but its Lydia that is the leading character not Valentina so it is kind of an odd choice."The Girl from Junchow" which is the title of the next book of K.F. it is more like what the title should be in this book.Anyway it is not very disturbing, it's just odd.

To sum up, this book is interesting, entertaining, easily read wth interesting characters and a nice story.I have read better but this works your time

The Legend of Robin Hood (1975)

2010-06-16T01:02:00.000-07:00

Since there has been a new Robin Hood film I remembered my love for the legend a took a look in old and favorite Robin Hood films/series.

The Legend of Robin Hood was a six part television series. Broadcast in late 1975 it then promptly disappeared for three decades until a petition campaign by Robin Hood fans encouraged its DVD release. During its absence the series became something of a legend in its own right.Filmed most in interior sets, like most of the BBC programs of that era (remember sense and sensibility). The historical content is not totally accurate but then again we are talking about a mini series with aim to entertain and after all Robin Hood is a legend who knows what is real or not.

Martin Potter makes a very decent and remarkable Robin Hood not as stanning as Error Flyn but then again this mini series has a very different point of view for the legend of Robin Hood from the 1932 classic film.

In this version he is wrongfully outlawed by King Richard himself, who believes Robin deserted him on the brink of departure for the Crusades. Potter is appropriately youthful, aggressive, but with the educated tone of a Saxon Lord. The main plot line involves the scheming Sheriff of Nottingham Guy of Gisborne as they assist Prince John to take the throne from King Richard.

In this mini series you will not find the dashing style of Error Flynn or Richard Greene nor the dark mysticism of other version like the 1991 with Uma therman and it is definately nothing like the beloved extravaganza with Kevin Costner. It is simple and subtle full of quite energy and outstanding performances. Totally worth watching even if you are not a Robin Hood maniac. It is also amazing how well it stands the passing of the time even though you can tell that is an old, low budget production.

Screencaps of all six episodes : here

Persuasion , a review

2009-08-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

The last complete novel that Jane Austen wrote before her death tells the story of Anne Elliot, a sensible, good girl from a good and snobish family that in the age of 19 broke off her engagement with Frederick Wentworth a young man of no fortune or good name and "nothing to recommend him, but himself". She follow the advice of her good friend who acted in the place of her mother and now 9 years later she meets him again. He has made his fortune in the war and now he is quite a catch. She has to persuade him to give her another chance.

One of my most favorite novels written by Jane Austen writen with great talent and sensitivity. The characters are extremelly well written. As in all her novels Jane Austen shows how well she knows her time and she manages to bring to life an area long gone. Yet, you will regognize part of yourself in the novel, your experiences and some of your thought (that goes for the ladies) identify with Anne Elliot. It is what makes Austen a really great writer the fact that she so well knows her times and the amazing talent in bringing to life a world that we never knew and in the same time her stories have something that any person who recognise as part of his/hers very own world.

This is a novel about second chances and how sometimes life gives you another opportunity. It is a novel mainly dedicated to those unfotunate who never where given the chance to correct their mistekes and "have a second bloom" as dear Anne Elliot.

Kandukondain kandukondain (Bollywood Sense n Sensibility)

2009-08-12T03:38:00.000-07:00

I am a huge period drama fan and it is not without concern that I watch an adaptation of a period drama so well known, so loved as is 'Sense & Sensibility'.However, I was not dissapointed far from it I should say.

'Kandukondain kandukondain' (English title : 'I have found it') is a real gem of Indian cinematography.The director has taken the classic novel of Jane Austen, set it to our times in India and made a masterpiece.The main plot of the story was kept of course.Two sisters, as different as day and night, one full of emotions and the other one full of sense are robbed of their writeful inheritage and the trouble starts.In this adaptation when they are driven out of the safety of their house they do not find refuge among good people but they are thrown into the city and they only have themselves to count on.

Sowmnya (Elinor) played by Tabu is a girl of sense that keeps her feelings to herself and she is though of being unlucky.In this version there is no Lucy Steele trying to Keep the lovers away.Our Bollywood Edward is a wanna be director who will marry only after his first film.Here the two lovers are separated (temporarily of course) by a misunderstanding based on horoscopes!Tabu gives a very nice performance, maybe a little more emotional than the Elinors we are used to.

Aishwarya Rai plays Meenakshi (Marianne) and I am glad to announce that I have finally find my perfect Marianne.She is emotional (of course), romantic, she was a wonderful singing voice (no piano forte in this version) and she is loving and caring with her sister.There is not a segment of histeria in her performance.Aish is simply excellent in this one.She captures the romantic, impulsive nature of Marianne without making me dislike her and without stop showing that she cares about her sister (not like Kate Winlet's Marianne at all)

Colonel Brandon here is named Captain Bala.He is older than Meenakshi and he has a war injury.What I particularly liked in their story is what I came to call the revenge of the Colonel.Meenakshi in this version (in the end of course) not only admits that she has come to love him, but rejects a handsome suitor of hers and runs after the Captain who refuses to believe that such happiness is possible for him!!!Those eyes of Aish in that scene are simply amazing!No need for words at all...

I absolutely recommend this one!Beautiful cinematography, amazing combination of colours, excellent songs, nice performances.The director has a fresh eye and gives new breath to Austen's classic.Bare in mind that this is Bollywood so there will be songs, colours thigs you could never imagine in an Austen novel but it is definately worth a chance.

The Book Thief

2009-08-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

One of the best books I have ever read!Well written, sensitive, realistic and above all things optimistic.It is a controversial book.I mean Death is the narrator of this extraordinary story yet it not depressing.Some times reality strikes hard the little heroine of the book, there is also humor, friendship and a tiny, little touch of romance, or rather the begging of it.

This book talks about a girl who at the begining couldn't read and ended up to be a book thief.She stole words because as a revenge to the world who took her family away and her friend and her new family.She stole words as a weapon and a talisman against fasist.She stole words for hope.She stole words as a ticket to a safe, resonable, happy place that she could call home.It's a story about an accordionist, a Jew fist fighter and some really bad Germans.

I guarantee you that you will not be able to put it down.

Sense and Sensibility

2009-08-09T04:37:00.000-07:00

SnS is my favorite novel and I managed to watch every single adaptation I can find.So I have seen the 1971, 1980, 1995 and 2008 version.
Now 1995 is one of my favorite movies and Emma is like the best Elinor.She is so sweet, loving, patient, sensible and restrained as Elisnor oughts to be.An other very good Elinor is the one in the 1971 and I think that Emma must have seen this version once or twice and inspired her performance from this mini siries.
Marianne was never my favorite but I did come to terms with her after watching the 2008 adaptation.She is definately acting like an angry teenager, something that is not in the book but her love for her sister is always there and never questioned.
In the 1995 movie this was not so clear until almost the end of the film and that makes Marianne even less likeable to me.Do not get me wrong though, I think that Kate Winslet is a great actress, but some how she manages to annoy me so much as Marianne that I do not quite understand how this is possible.Moreover, Emma and Kate never convinced me as being sister (I mean they look nothing alike ever their aura is so completely different) whereas the 2009 version has an excellent cast as far as the sisters are concerned and their chemistry is quite good.

Now Brandon I do adore Alan Rickman and he is so close to the book.I mean that David Morissey is so absolutely hot that it is so hard for me to understand why Marianne hasn't fallen for him instantly and David under no way can be though as the colonel described by Austen, but I didn't mind that changed I though it refreshing.However nothing compares with the powerful, silent performance of Alan Rickman and his desperation when Marianne gets sick.There is no romantic rescue on the 1971 and 1980 versions but after all is not in the book either so I cannot hold it against them that they omminted it.

Now what really makes me love and appreciate the 2008 version is Edward.I mean in the film he is hardly there and it was always hard for me to understand how Elinor fell so hard for Hugh Grand's Edward we hardly ever saw him.But in the 2008 version oooh my god!!!You can absolutely understand why she loves him and that he loves her!!!If you are ashipper of Edward Elinor you should watch the 1971 version it is mainly concentrated on those two and Elinor is almost as good as Emma.But be careful of Marianne she is absolutely histerical and it seems that she cannot get out any emotion if she doesn't scream her guts out.You will feel relieved when she fells sick beacause she finally shuts the fuck up.

Spoiler
Plus there is a scene where Elinor visits him in his house to tell him about the colonel's job offer and his has his shirt open
END of Spoiler

Mr Palmer now.Well, the Palmer in the 1995 rocks and I will have now arguments on that.He is ironic, satcastic and yet he has a kind heart which we get to see in the end.No one can compare with him.

The 1971 version:

The 1980 version:

The 1995 movie:

The 2008 BBC version:

Screencaps made by me and can be found in my lj :
http://community.livejournal.com/sns_red_curtain/

You can also find a compare/contrast picspam I have made for the 1980, 1995, 2008 version in here:
http://community.livejournal.com/sns_red_curtain/29885.html

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

2009-08-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

This book tells the story of Pelagia (a greek girl) and Captain Correlli (an Italian soldier) who met each other during War World II and despite being enemies they love each other.

It is a book highly recommended at least from me!I so much love it.It is easily read and highly enjoyed.Although it looks so huge I read in only four days.I literally couldn't put it down.We get to hear the story fomr various accounts not only from Pelagia and this is so refreshing it just gives you a more completed view.
The characters are well described and the writer seems to know only too well the nature of the Greeks.This is not an easy thing, I assure, being Greek and all.One character of particular interest is Pelagia's father, old, educated, open minded, full of winsdom and understanding.There is Drosoula , Mandra's mother that comes to love Pelagia as a real mother would love her own daughter a true survivor of life, knows only too well of war, people's unexplained malice but has a loving heart.
Pelagia is beautifull, educated, tempestuos, a real greek fighter.Antonio is a musician, an artist.Too kind hearted, too sweet, too much in love with Pelagia what a real artist ought to be.

It is so much than a simple love story.It describes the love-lust love between Pelagia and Mandras, the love between father and daughter, the love of history even the love between men.Carlos is a gay italian soldier and through his own mouth we learn that he is homosexual and in love with Corelli.
The writer condemns every sort of abusing power by fasists or communists.I love his historical view and his way of interpreting history with a fresh eye and a clear heart.

Some might find the ending somewhat sad, but I especially liked it because it was more close to reality than fairy tal endings we encounter in a lot of books but it was not without a note of happiness.

Now, the movie.I have seen that too of course and although as a movie freak I realise that it was not something special I did enjoy the movie.The fact that i have read the book after the movie didn't heart neither the fact that I have a thing for the beauty and the talent of Penelope (if you feel like screaming please shut up and watch Volver and then we can talk about my talented Pe) and Nicolas Cage (I am so in love with the way he moves his fingers and he is such a brilliant actor he was heartbreaking at Leaving Las Vegas).A big part of the book is either altered or totally missing and so is the ending, but I think it is impossible to make this book a movie and not miss or alter anything, maybe a mini series but not a movie.
What I mean to say is that although I liked the movie and adored the book I do understand why people are not so fond of it.So if by any chance you have seen the movie, hate it and didn't give the book achance you are so utterly robbed of something so beautiful as this amazing book.An excellent choice and a must read for everyone who loves good literature.

Some photos from the movie.Sorry I couldn't resist.

The end of the affair

2009-08-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

I have watched the 1999 movie first of course and fell in love with it.I became curious and watched the original starring Deborrah Kerr, I liked it but not quite as the Julianne Moore version and I finally find the book, bought it and read it.
The book was interesting.The 1955 adaptation is more faithfull to the book and now that I have read it made me appreciate the black and white version more but I still will prefer the 1999 version.
The characters are very well developed andthe book is very well written.In the book it is more clear that the affair of the title is not between a man and a woman, but a man and God.It tells the story of a complete atheist who his affair with a married and unfaithful woman he realised that God does exist and he decided to "break up" with him. (If you can use this term concerning a relationship between a man and a God.)
Although it's written almost half a century ago it will not show its age.I particularly like the relationship between the lover and the husband and how the fact that after Sarah's death they grew fond of each other.Their common lost and pain united them.Do not expect to read a book about a passionate love affair full of lust, sex and secret meetings.No doubt their affair was strong enough to make an atheist aknowledge God's existance but there are no descriptions of stolen moments full of passion and lust.No doubt those existed between them but is more like a backround noise not the main theme.

The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel

2009-08-04T02:40:00.000-07:00

Interesting story especially because it is true.The character of Eastern Jewel Is well written with no effort to represent her as a victim of the situations.She was just cold heart bitch with a more than healthy appetite for sex.

However, I was not caught up by her neather by the book.Interesting but not something special.I think it would make a better movie especialy if it emphasizes the sex scenes which are not well written in the book.There are some references to sex no describes at all which is something silly if you think that after all it talks of a Chinese spy working for Japan, who was obsessed with sex from a very early aged and used it in order to achieve everything.She even worked as a prostitute for a period in her life and she was so happy as she tells.

I did like the ending of the book though and the way it leaves it up to you to decide if Eastern Jewel had a heart after all.If you ask me not a chance in hel, but then again I always liked a person with a steady character.

It has the potential of becoming a nice movie much nicer than the book if someone gives it a shot.