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Aug. 15th, 2022 09:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatTook today off - glad I did it - since I slept horribly. Took me forever to fall asleep - body was wired, and mind was raging about work and other things.
And I think I need a day of doing very very little.
1. On Sunday, watched latest film adaptation of Persuasion on Netflix, starring Dakota Fanning, and Henry Golding. I'd read the reviews, but figured it had been so long since I'd read the book or seen the 1990s film version, that it wouldn't matter to me. I was wrong. It did. I found the film jarring, and the characters unlikable - and I loved the book and 1990s film version.
What went wrong?
Anne Elliot is portrayed as cynical, judgemental, critical of those around her, and sardonic. She's not in the book or previous film. Here, she talks to the camera and tells us her younger, somewhat of a invalid sister, is a narcissist. In the book she doesn't say this at all, and is rather kind and caring of her sister. She's also far less self-absorbed. This version, I had an overwhelming urge to smack - that wry condescending grin off her face. The version in the book and 1990s film was quite lovely in comparison. Also not as whiny.
The talking to the camera tactic doesn't work for Austen. I'm not sure it works for any historical romance novel adaptation. It's a contemporary tactic.
Mr. Elliot (Anne's distant cousin) and Mrs. Clay aren't really portrayed as villains, so much as distractions. Wentworth thinks Anne is about to marry Elliot, and she even considers his proposal. Briefly. In the book and 1990s adaptation she never would consider it - not in a million years, she's devoted to Wentworth. Also, here, Elliot falls for Mrs. Clay, while in the book - he's just trying to get her away from Anne's father, to ensure she doesn't give Anne's father a male heir. They worked better as villains - gave the book a focus other than Anne and Wentworth.
Series of intentionally comical pratfalls that don't quite work. They write it as a rom-com, it's not a rom-com.
The final bit about men being as constant in their love as women works better - if Anne hadn't considered Elliot's proposal and hadn't flirted with him.
Anyhow, I found it jarring enough in spots to find myself distracted during it and not really paying attention. In short, I kind of drifted away from it and did other things, while it played in the background.
Due to the popularity of "Bridgerton" - people are trying to adapt historical romances the exact same way. Sigh.
***
2. Industrial Light & Magic documentary series on Disney Plus - talks about how the organization which arose during the making of Star Wars, and because of Star Wars. Basically, Lucas wanted to make a space opera with fighting space ships - and couldn't find a special effects workshop still in business that could do it, so he created his own.
It's good - if you are interested in how special effects are created and the history of F/X.
3. A League of Their Own - on Amazon Prime, is kind of slow. My attention wandered during the first episode, and none of the leads grabbed my atention.
And I think I need a day of doing very very little.
1. On Sunday, watched latest film adaptation of Persuasion on Netflix, starring Dakota Fanning, and Henry Golding. I'd read the reviews, but figured it had been so long since I'd read the book or seen the 1990s film version, that it wouldn't matter to me. I was wrong. It did. I found the film jarring, and the characters unlikable - and I loved the book and 1990s film version.
What went wrong?
Anne Elliot is portrayed as cynical, judgemental, critical of those around her, and sardonic. She's not in the book or previous film. Here, she talks to the camera and tells us her younger, somewhat of a invalid sister, is a narcissist. In the book she doesn't say this at all, and is rather kind and caring of her sister. She's also far less self-absorbed. This version, I had an overwhelming urge to smack - that wry condescending grin off her face. The version in the book and 1990s film was quite lovely in comparison. Also not as whiny.
The talking to the camera tactic doesn't work for Austen. I'm not sure it works for any historical romance novel adaptation. It's a contemporary tactic.
Mr. Elliot (Anne's distant cousin) and Mrs. Clay aren't really portrayed as villains, so much as distractions. Wentworth thinks Anne is about to marry Elliot, and she even considers his proposal. Briefly. In the book and 1990s adaptation she never would consider it - not in a million years, she's devoted to Wentworth. Also, here, Elliot falls for Mrs. Clay, while in the book - he's just trying to get her away from Anne's father, to ensure she doesn't give Anne's father a male heir. They worked better as villains - gave the book a focus other than Anne and Wentworth.
Series of intentionally comical pratfalls that don't quite work. They write it as a rom-com, it's not a rom-com.
The final bit about men being as constant in their love as women works better - if Anne hadn't considered Elliot's proposal and hadn't flirted with him.
Anyhow, I found it jarring enough in spots to find myself distracted during it and not really paying attention. In short, I kind of drifted away from it and did other things, while it played in the background.
Due to the popularity of "Bridgerton" - people are trying to adapt historical romances the exact same way. Sigh.
***
2. Industrial Light & Magic documentary series on Disney Plus - talks about how the organization which arose during the making of Star Wars, and because of Star Wars. Basically, Lucas wanted to make a space opera with fighting space ships - and couldn't find a special effects workshop still in business that could do it, so he created his own.
It's good - if you are interested in how special effects are created and the history of F/X.
3. A League of Their Own - on Amazon Prime, is kind of slow. My attention wandered during the first episode, and none of the leads grabbed my atention.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-15 07:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-15 09:50 pm (UTC)But it is fascinating how they went about making the effects and designed their own - I highly recommend to anyone else who loves this sort of thing. (I am admittedly a film process geek.)