Showing posts with label Up to the Screen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Up to the Screen. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 June 2012

Up to the Screen - The Night Circus


Before you start wondering - the film isn't made yet. But since I just read the book - I decided that I could write about it just as well right now..


THE NIGHT CIRCUS (2011) by Erin Morgenstern

In a nut-shell:

1873-1902: Celia and Marco are fighting in a magical duel - set in the mysterious Cirque de RĆŖves (=Circus of Dreams). It's a circus completely in Black and White which opens only at night. The combatants  fight by "designing" magical contents for the several tents - like a garden made of ice or a tree with countless candles which shall fulfill wishes.. What they do not know: Only one of them can survive this duel - but there is a tiny problem: they fall in love with each other..

~ German cover - same titel.. just German.. ~

To be honest: I am no fan of circus - mostly because of those horrible animal acts - and because of the clowns.. When I was a little girl I befriended a girl from the circus and whenever I visited her at home I saw things that really disturbed me.. Still I did like this Night Circus.. The ideas for the tents were really nice. And I am for sure looking forward for the film which shall be released in 2013 because I can imagine that this will look very spectacular on the big screen.. 

~ The Dutch cover.. - looks like Magritte did work on that one.. ~ 

Frankly I had troubles with the book - the story is jumping from 1891 to 1902 to 1901 and back and forth and you really need some concentration for that. I thought it was a pity that there wasn't too much to be noticed of the historical background - this book could have been taken place at each and every time.. Well.. That could also be a plus - couldn't it? It's just that I love historical settings.. 

Besides it wasn't very exciting at all - the duel was really unspectacular.. After the first half I got the feeling the book was growing thicker while I read it - also a sort of magic I think and by that very fitting to the novel's theme.. There was one little sex scene which appeared quite kitschy to me - but all of that may be based in the fact that I read the German translation.. Actually I am thinking about just reading books in their original language - for I fear that so much is getting lost by translation.. So many books that were that beloved lately in USA just did not work for me.. and left me with this "uhm.. ok.. what is all the fuss about??"

~ The Slovakian cover.. ~
After I read THE NIGHT CIRCUS I almost immediately had the feeling I forgot most of the plot.. Still: In case Ms. Morgenstern writes another book I will read it - because though this review might sound a bit negative I do not at all have the feeling this book ruined my life or something - I think it really was ok. Besides: I love the name Morgenstern (which is the German word for "morning star" - and one of my favourite words in my language.. yes.. I have those..) - and I think I would love to see this face more often:

~ Don't you think this author looks enchanting??
- source: goodreads.com  ~

Have a look: 


(Yes.. actually a trailer for a book.. - and a beautiful trailer, too..)

 


About the film which is yet to come: 

I could imagine the scenes in the circus might look a bit like the black and white ball in AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951):




Or maybe (I do not know whether you are familiar with those..) the films by German artist Lotte Reiniger.. (about her I will post more soon.. - yes.. you got me.. I am advertising my blog posts..): 



And for sure I would like the film to have a little "Tim-Burton-esque" feeling.. 

Thank you very much for listening!


Irene

Tuesday, 5 June 2012

Up to the screen - The Help

Finally - the second issue of this new series on this blog featuring books that became films.



Today I will present a more recent book (and film): 


THE HELP (2009) by Kathryn Stockett.

In an nut-shell

Jackson, Mississippi - 1962: Skeeter is a 22 year old woman - and she is very much aware that she isn't born to be a beauty queen: her hair is too unmanageable and she is way too tall.. Besides: unlike the other females of her age (and all of her friends of course) she does want to write instead of becoming a mother and housewife. It's not like she is all against it - it's just not the way she wants to be and that much to the chagrin of her mother.. Oh - and Skeeter is going to write: She will write the real stories of the black House maids who are working for her friends and other families. Those who take care of so many little white babies while their own are taken of care by others. Those who shall be invisible as possible - and for sure it would be better when they'll have their own lavatories.. (...) 

Two of those maids are Aibileen who's son died early and who by now takes care of the 17th little white child (a cutie called Mae Mobley..) - and Minnie who's big mouth just led to her losing her last job. Of course all interviews have to stay a secret just like their identities - because at this point in history they could not only cost them their reputation but way more..

~ The Italian Cover  ~


The author - also just in a nut-shell:

~ Kathryn Stockett - source: NY Times ~
  • Kathryn Stockett was born and grew up in Jackson, Mississippi. 
  • She studied English Literatur and moved to New York (you might see a parallel to Skeeter in the book..)
  • For nine years she worked at magazines. 
  • By now she lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and daughter.
  • THE HELP is her first novel. In 2011 it was made into a film.
  • According to Goodreads.com she is working on her next novel.
  • Here is the link to her page: KathrynStockett.com


~ The German title is a euphemism for servants. It means:  Good ghosts... ~


My thoughts about the book... ...and film:

I enjoyed both though I have to admit that especially the book (I watched the film some months after reading the book - so I was already biased there..) is at parts quite foreseeable and it's filled with clichĆ©es. It is really an easy read and that Aibileen, Minnie and Skeeter are telling from their point of view by turns so that you'll have three "narrators" adds an interesting twist. It is a really enjoyable book which won't give you a headache - and it is at parts really exciting. Not of the heartattack kind of exciting though - but .. well.. it's nice.. 

~ The Dutch cover - the title says: "A scullery-maid"

I think it's one of those simple summer reads filled with likeable characters - well.. almost all are.. but to be true: the meanie is a bit unidemensional..

About that famous "chocolate-pie episode": I can see why Ms. Stockett needed it here for the story - but I just wished it would have been something less silly and more elegant as a solution.. I've been told that some of my friends wouldn't eat a chocolate pie after reading this book - I can't say anything about that for I never was too fond of chocolate - so it did not mean a thing to me..

~ The Swedish Cover.. ~

Though the book was a little bit unaspiring in my opinion - I think I will read it again at some point because it really is a nice read. Nothing against some fluff literature at times.. And I think it's a good thing to have an easy read about such an important theme like racism - or the role of females in the early 1960s.. Awareness doesn't have to wear glasses all the time.. - agree?

And to be honest: I loved that the end wasn't too kitschy!

~ The Spanish cover saying: "Maidservants and mistresses" ~

My favourite character was Celia (unsettled - busty - completely unaware of unwritten rules - always just a smithereen next to style..) to whom I really could relate.. In the film she was played by Jessica Chastain - and also in the film she was my favourite character.. Skeeter reminded me a lot of a good friend of me - who is also quite tall and frequently struggling with her hair.. (In case you read this, dear: I LOVE your hair! It's beautiful!)


The film has of course some meanderings - e.g. the problems between Skeeter and her mother are a bit shortened. It has a great cast and I really recommend the film - just by the way: Kathryn Stockett appears in a small part, too.. 

Here you can have a look:




Thank you very much for listening!


Yours very well and truly,

Irene


Friday, 23 March 2012

Up to the Screen – Mr. Skeffington

This new series will feature books which became films. I'd like to read all those old bestsellers which at some point of their "career" became sparkling pictures on the big silver screen.. And maybe one or two of you like also to know a bit more about the persons who delieverd the stories which became classics - or maybe "just" movies ..  




I am going to start with a book which became not only one of my favourite books this year but also one of my favourite films ever – and which perfectly fits into the Mirror, Mirror series at this blog: 


MR. SKEFFINGTON (1939/40) by Elizabeth von Arnim.



In a nut-shell: 

Lady Frances “Fanny” Skeffington is going to be 50 years old in a few days. After a heavy illness she lost all her beauty which she once was so famous for. But what’s even worse: She starts to see her ex-husband Hiob Skeffington everywhere. In the few days until her birthday she will meet some of her old admirers again – but time changed many things not solely her beauty.. 



 The author - also just in a nut-shell



Elizabeth von Arnim was born as Mary Annette Beauchamp August 31, 1866. 

In 1891 she married Henning August von Arnim-Schlagenthin which made her a  German citizen - because her husband was German. They lived for some time in Berlin, Germany - and later moved with their children to a manor in Pomerania (which would by now be an area in East Germany/ West Poland). 

Her first novel was published anonymous in 1898. Later she changed her nom de plume into Elizabeth - and she also liked to be called by that name privately. 1908 the family had financial troubles - and private one, too: Elizabeth divorced her husband and moved with her five children to London. 

~ H. G. Wells ~
She and author H.G. Wells (You might know one or two films based on one of his books: - THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933) or THE TIME MACHINE (1960) or maybe WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005) .. - he will be featured in this series too - that's for sure!) became lovers for some years in which she for some times lived with her cousin - author Katharine Mansfield - until she left H.G. Wells in 1913 for Frank Russell - a British politician. 

When WWI broke out Elizabeth changed her citizenship back into a British one. She and Frank Russell married in 1916 - the same year (in which also died one of her daughters..) she run away from her husband which caused a scandal in London's high society - though she came back to him in 1917 and tried to save their marriage - not with much success though they stayed married until Frank Russell died in 1931. 1939 Elizabeth emigrated to the United States. She died February 9, 1945 in Charleston, South Carolina - her ashes were brought back to England in the autumn of that year.



Elizabeth von Arnim is one of my favourite authors - which is based mainly in her very ironical style..



Wanna see more of Elizabeth von Arnim's works?

Besides MR. SKEFFINGTON which was brought to the big screen in 1945 with Bette Davis and Claude Rains in the leading parts - there is only one other of her novels adapted for film - but that two times: THE ENCHANTED APRIL (1922). In 1935 with Ann Harding and my beloved Frank Morgan (and I really would love to see this film some day.. )

~ isn't he adorable??  She is too - yes.. but he IS Frank Morgan!! ~

and in 1992 with another actor I love: Alfred Molina. Besides him Joan Plowright,  Jim Broadbent and Miranda Richardson were also part of the cast - another one I am yet to see.. - That cast really sounds amazing!  




Besides those films there was a Television play in 1958 based on THE ENCHANTED APRIL.



About the book MR. SKEFFINGTON:

Unlike the film the book is set just on these few days until Fanny’s birthday - and in London, England. The famous end scene is pretty much the same like in the film – and though you know what will happen: It’s amazingly exciting! 

The tone of the book is - as almost always when it comes to Elizabeth von Arnim's books - quite ironical. And I just love that!

~ Any questions left WHY I love this film? ~

Another thing which is in my opinion a bit different from the film: Fanny is a much sweeter and loveable person in the novel – which does not mean that Bette Davis didn’t do a good job in the film – she certainly did. As I said before it's one of my favourite films..

The German title of the book is DIE SIEBEN SPIEGEL DER LADY FRANCES (= The seven mirrors of Lady Frances) – and I had the lucky opportunity to read this book in a 1958 print – and this one issue was even never read before: I actually had to cut some of the pages! That was a bit sad - but somehow pretty marvellous, too. 


~ just a little side note: Fanny Skeffington's birthday is March 12 .. ~

I really can relate to Fanny in the book - and I guess aging and loosing your atractivity was always a problem the female part of the world population had to deal with.. Nevertheless this book left me very positive - and I think I might re-read it some day..

I certainly both recommend the book and the film - no matter how old and/or (un-)attractive you might be..

Yours 

Irene