(no subject)

[shadowkat]

1. Hmmm...haven't read all of it yet, but I think The Panama Papers may have a sizable effect on our world economy going forward. The Panama Papers is the largest data leak in history apparently, and reveals all the off-shore accounts and the names, etc of those who set up those accounts. (Offshore accounts are a means of avoiding taxes, amongst other things. And illegal.)

2. Favorite Shakespeare Films:

* Baz Lurhman's Romeo + Juliet
* Franco Zefreili's Romeo & Juliet
* Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing
* Ian McKellan's Richard the III
* Shakespeare in Love
* Julie Taymor's Titus Adronicus
* Kenneth Brannagh's Henry the V

Most of them fade in my memory, but those stuck out. There's humor in all of them. Even the tragedies.

3. Jane Austen vs. the Brontes

Austen by a mile. It's the humor. The Brontes don't appear to have a sense of humor and take themselves far too seriously. Had similar problems with Henry James. I do adore Austen -- who excelled at comedies of manners. Emma is hilarious in places. Didn't like Mansfield Park, far too dour.

Comments

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Baz's Romeo and Juliet makes me twitch, it's just too everything for me. The rest of the list I agree with although I'd add West Side Story, which, of course, is a modern day Romeo and Juliet.

And definitely Austen, much more fun to read. And better movie adaptations.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I don't think West Side Story really counts though, it just took the trope and created a new story off of it. Doesn't use any of the original language, and isn't really Shakespeare. It's Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein, who I admittedly prefer. ;-) (Much prefer West Side Story to any of the other adaptations or versions of Romeo and Juliet, it has more depth and layers.)

Yeah Baz's problem is his movies are too busy. Moulin Rouge -- I describe as being stuck in an elevator with a circus and marching band. It gave me a headache. R+J was a bit more palpable, but admittedly too busy visually as well.
But I thought effective in some respects -- it's the only modern Shakespearean version of the story that I've seen (that uses the original text and language).