I Wonder what House Makes of Classic Literature

[meddow]

So this is pretty interesting: Why Heroines Die in Classic Fiction because some of us (i.e. me) aren’t satisfied with ‘fever.’ I know it’s asking a bit much given the medical practices of the times to expect a diagnosis from an author, but, as the article points out, it does seem that as soon as a female characters so much as gets wet she drops down dead and I want something more than that.

Anyway, I’m always curious about these things. I found out a few years ago that a few of my distant and long-dead relatives died ‘of a broken heart’, and since in the world outside of George Lukas’ head, people don’t actually die of heartbreak, I’m thinking that’s a euphemism for suicide, which, given that depression runs in the family (so far, thankfully, I’ve dodged that bullet), isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

I finally got to see Atonement last night. It’s not easy finding a time when my flatmate and I aren’t either working or going out and there’s nothing good on TV. Anyway, I was impressed and I was impressed for different reasons than I thought I would be.

The film is beautifully throughout, and the performances amazing. James McAvoy is, well, James McAvoy, he's been brilliant in everything I’ve seen him in. Keira Knightly holds herself like a 1940s Hollywood movie star throughout and I adore her for it. Vanessa Redgrave does absolutely amazing things with five minutes of screen time, and I can’t wait to see what the actress who plays young Bryony does in the Lovely Bones, because she’s quite something. Oh, and Benedict Cumberbatch it in it – he seems to show up in nearly every British movie I’ve watched this year Starter for 10, Amazing Grace and now Atonement.

The romance it central to the movie, and I thought going in that was going to be the factor that would impress me most. Though the reason you really have to see Atonement is the war scenes. You don’t see battle at all, instead there’s a shot of the beach at Dunkirk following the character through the devastation and misery in one incredibly long tracking shot. The camera never stops and, it’s an amazing scene. And it’s not just Dunkirk, it’s also the arrival of the wounded from France into Britain which explores the nurses’ role in war, which I have never seen portrayed in a movie before (my flatmate tells me Pearl Harbour did, but you’d have to pay me to get me to watch Pearl Harbour).

Comments

[frenchroast.livejournal.com]

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Atonement (if my theatre ever gets it...). Have you read the book?

[meddow.livejournal.com]

No I hadn't read the book (it's number one priority too read now though). Have you? Is it good? I'm quite glad I didn't since I'm quite glad I didn't know the ending in advance.

[rosedemon.livejournal.com]

Have you read Lovely Bones? If you have what was your opinion on it. I sort of want to read it and sort of don't. I have so little time for reading these days I want to make sure that whatever it is that I pick up is worth it.

[meddow.livejournal.com]

I haven't, I keep on meaning too but never get around to it. Mostly my interest in the movie is that I'm a Peter Jackson fan. I'm quite the same, I don't find much time for reading (I really wish I did).

[fishity.livejournal.com]

Read it! I recently bought it and read it in two days straight. The book is heartbreaking and, in my opinion, well written, if sometimes hard to stomach (very drastic descriptions of violence in the beginning).

I had originally feared that the very plot premise would drive the book into the kitsch corner, but that absolutely wasn't the case. So go for it! *pushes*

[artic-fox.livejournal.com]

I've heard so much about the tracking scene, and I really can't wait to see it, and the film as a whole. I've been to Redcar - the place in the north of England that they used for Dunkirk, so that will be interesting to me too. Plus I've read the book and always love to see how these things measure up (but I haven't read a bad review yet so I'm sure I won't be disappointed).

[meddow.livejournal.com]

Oh, the tracking scene is really something. I can't believe they pulled it off, or even attempted it in the first place - the amount of time you'd have to spend planning and rehearsing...the mind boggles.