Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 591845 times)

Babi · « **Reply #1840 on:** July 26, 2011, 08:50:50 AM »

So many movies – how do you choose what to watch?
Reviews? Recommendations? Actors? Availability?
Do you choose a movie the same way you choose a book?

And where do you like to watch most of your movies?
Do you stream movies from Netflix and other places?
Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever watched a film?

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Join us in an ongoing discussion of your favorite movies right now.
Pull up a chair, take off your shoes, pour yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and join in!

Your Discussion Leader: pedln

If I 'must' do all those things, then I might as well give up right now. No way on God's green
earth could I even make a dent. I'll just continue to take things as they come and enjoy what
I find,...or not.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1841 on:** July 26, 2011, 01:37:17 PM »

I have a favorite PERSUASION, but would have to be at home in Annapolis looking at my Jane Austen shelf and at the actors' faces as they appear on the outside of the film in order to tell you which I liked best. Right now, I am in Chestertown working (?) in my son-in-law's office, which I do 3 days per week. Will try to remember to tell you later.

I like the really long versions; i.e., the mini-series the BBC made are more enjoyable than the quickie Masterpiece Theatre offerings, because they give you more time with the characters. On the other hand, I adored Gwyneth Paltrow's EMMA, though it was a shorter one. That is, I thought she was a very REAL Emma. And Emma is my favorite of the six books Austen wrote.

All of Austen is so great that you hate any film to end. Except Northanger Abbey; I was never fond of that one.

Gumtree · « **Reply #1842 on:** July 26, 2011, 02:10:19 PM »

PatH - I think the Colin Firth P&P and the Ciaran Hinds Persuasion are the best versions of JA's novels for screen - probably followed by Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant's S&S (possibly due to the contribution of Alan Rickman)
I haven't seen the more recent Rupert Penry-Jones version of Persuasion though friends tell me not to bother - how do you feel about that one?

marcie · « **Reply #1843 on:** July 26, 2011, 04:57:58 PM »

Gumtree, I agree with your top picks for Austen-inspired films. I think Emma is a "tie" for me between the one with Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong and with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam. The PBS version with Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller is good too.

We talked about some of the PBS versions of Austen last year in our PBS Masterpiece Classic discussion. See the archive at http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=1023.msg60046#msg60046

The 1970s and 80s BBC series of all six Austen books are good also.

I found the Pride and Prejudice with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier to be melodramatic in the style of some films made in the 1930s and 40s.

PatH · « **Reply #1844 on:** July 26, 2011, 09:34:29 PM »

Gumtree, I agree exactly with your opinion.

Is the Rupert Penry-Jones version of Persuasion the PBS one we discussed last year? If so, I wasn't all that impressed. They smoothed things over too much so everyone seemed the same. Captain Wentworth and William Eliot were almost indistinguishable, with no clear showing of what different types they really were. Admiral Croft was bland, no notion of what a bluff, colorful character he really was.

I've had mixed feelings about the versions of Emma I've seen. I should watch some again to remind myself what I thought was good and bad.

Gumtree · « **Reply #1845 on:** July 27, 2011, 02:53:06 PM »

Marcie and PatH So glad you agree - we seem tohave a consensus at least among ourselves.

I agree that the Greer Garson P&P was overly melodramatic but it was a child of its time so we can't expect anything else. The worst thing about it was the Gone With the Wind costuming - it just didn't sit well with JA to me even though I was pretty young when I first saw it.

I think I prefer the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma - possibly because of Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightly. And Miss Bates - the portrayal was beyond words.
I thought the spin off Clueless was an absolute hoot.

Persuasion is my favourite JA novel - I think because she got the male characterisations perfectly. Croft and Wentworth were perfectly delineated - as was Sir Whatsisname Elliot - Anne's father (senior moment here) and the other sailors had a realism about them too. I know I'll be taking it down from the shelf just to read a few pages...

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1846 on:** July 27, 2011, 04:01:18 PM »

Last night Madeleine and I re-watched "Stand By Me" - what a great film that is. I remembered the pie-eating competition, the train on the bridge, and the scene with the leeches, but I had forgotten so much else. I also hadn't realised that the film was set in Oregon, which looks beautiful. What a great shame that River Phoenix died so young.

Rosemary

JoanK · « **Reply #1847 on:** July 27, 2011, 06:50:04 PM »

Me four! And I like the Colin Firth version of Pride and Predudice. What am I not seeing?

(And I like all the Austen imitations: maybe I'll read anything to have more Austen. from Bridget Jones Diary to mystery stories with Elizabeth and Darcy as the detectives. We addicts will take anything to feed our addictions).

JoanK · « **Reply #1848 on:** July 27, 2011, 06:53:57 PM »

And for GUM, have you read "Jane Austen in Australia"? More about early Australian history than about Jane, and not well written, but you might find it interesting.

PatH · « **Reply #1849 on:** July 27, 2011, 10:58:44 PM »

We've had Jane Austen movie discussions before, and one thing is constant: people feel strongly, but they don't feel alike.

But one thing is clear to me this time: I haven't seen either the Greer Garson or the Kiera Knightly version of P & P, and I've got to, because, for each one, I know a number of people who love it and a number who hate it. Time for me to figure out what I think.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1850 on:** July 28, 2011, 08:35:59 AM »

I still adore the Greer Garson version of P&P. AND I love the Knightly, which put a whole different look and feel and sound to it. I own them both and frequently show them to friends or kin.

Edmund Gwenn was my first ever Father Bennett, and he remains the perfect one no one else has been able to come close to.

PatH · « **Reply #1851 on:** July 28, 2011, 11:07:25 AM »

OK, I'll talk more after I've seen them. Which was the Persuasion you liked?

MaryPage · « **Reply #1852 on:** July 28, 2011, 06:46:26 PM »

I am home now, and since you asked I ran and got a footstool and stood so as to see up on my Jane Austen shelf. Apparently it was made in 1971 and stars Ann firbank and Bryan Marshall. 225 minutes long. I felt it the most true to the book.

Am also very fond of the Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds version, but not particular enamoured of the Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones. Actually though, I enjoy ANY version whatsoever as vastly superior movie-watching.

JoanK · « **Reply #1853 on:** July 29, 2011, 08:04:16 PM »

And Catherine Hepburn did a truly AWFUL version (and I'm a Katherine hepburn fan).

PatH · « **Reply #1854 on:** July 29, 2011, 09:20:29 PM »

Roshanarose, my library system doesn't seem to have "Miss Pettigrew" for some reason, but Amazon has the Persephone Press paperback, so I've ordered it.

roshanarose · « **Reply #1855 on:** July 30, 2011, 01:36:35 AM »

Quote from: PatH on July 29, 2011, 09:20:29 PM

Roshanarose, my library system doesn't seem to have "Miss Pettigrew" for some reason, but Amazon has the Persephone Press paperback, so I've ordered it.

Hi Pat - I think this message is meant for Rosemary, not me.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1856 on:** July 30, 2011, 02:55:56 AM »

PatH - what a shame, I have at least 2 copies and could have sent you one of them. Never mind, I do hope you enjoy it.

Our library didn't stock any Persephone press for ages - I think they only order from certain publishers - but in the end a few things did start to trickle through, including this, and Monica Dickens' "Mariana".

Rosemary

MaryPage · « **Reply #1857 on:** July 30, 2011, 08:37:15 AM »

Katharine Hepburn (our beloved Kate) never played in Persuasion. You must be thinking of some other film of hers.

http://www.destinationhollywood.com/celebrities/katharinehepburn/careerbasics_content.shtml

PatH · « **Reply #1858 on:** July 30, 2011, 11:24:55 AM »

Oops, roshanarose, I did mean it for Rosemary, and was thinking of her as I typed; I don't know how I managed to type your name instead. I was sleepy, and probably typing by reflex.

Rosemary, you would probably have paid as much in postage as the book cost me, but thanks for the thought.

JoanK · « **Reply #1859 on:** July 30, 2011, 06:11:45 PM »

"Katharine Hepburn (our beloved Kate) never played in Persuasion. You must be thinking of some other film of hers."

Sorry my post was unclear. I meant "Pride and Prejudice". I think it was the director and costumers fault the movie was poor. She was dressed in outlandish costumes with sleeves so wide she had to go through doors sideways -- nothing at all like the clothes worn in Austen's day. The women looked so bizarre, it was hard to concentrate on what they were saying. And all nuances got lost between that and the distant photography.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1860 on:** July 30, 2011, 07:09:33 PM »

Was that on stage? Pride & Prejudice is not on Hepburn's movie list, and she was definitely not in the one I love so much: the 1940 Greer Garson, Laurence Olivier film.

http://www.destinationhollywood.com/celebrities/katharinehepburn/careerbasics_content.shtml

roshanarose · « **Reply #1861 on:** July 31, 2011, 12:10:52 AM »

PatH - No problem, sweet. The names are similar. Roesmary is just a lot younger and more beautiful than I.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1862 on:** July 31, 2011, 02:57:57 AM »

Oh ha-ha

Babi · « **Reply #1863 on:** July 31, 2011, 08:40:34 AM »

Have you noticed? The movie version of "Help" is out, and the trailers look like
a lot of fun in spite of the more serious themes. I definitely want to see this one.

JoanK · « **Reply #1864 on:** July 31, 2011, 07:16:57 PM »

Am I making P&P up? Senior memory? Maybe I dreamed it!

pedln · « **Reply #1865 on:** July 31, 2011, 08:10:42 PM »

Well, JoanK, you sent me searching, but I could find nothing to back you up. Sorry.

Babi, yes, I'm looking forward to the movie Help. Glad to hear it's out. I wonder how long before the DVD is available. My Seattle daughter is reading it now, and I noticed yesterday when at the beach at Wenatchee Lake, that one of the women sitting near us was resding it also.

Babi · « **Reply #1866 on:** August 01, 2011, 08:46:36 AM »

I went ahead and put it on my Netflix queue, PEDLN. So, whenever it's available
I'll eventually get it.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1867 on:** August 02, 2011, 04:49:01 PM »

When you see THE HELP in the moving pictures, be sure to look for the 7-layer caramel cake featured.

I don't know the whole story of how Caroline's cake got in that movie, but in it is!

http://www.carolinescakes.com/

Also look on, I think it is page 448, of the book THE HELP.

I have been buying cakes from Caroline for years now. She is located here in Annapolis, but is originally from South Carolina. I agree her 7-layer caramel cake is died and gone to Heaven; so is her coconut cake. But my favorite is called Montana Gold. Chocolate cake with caramel icing. Now THAT is a case of landing right on your feet in Heaven and spending a few hours there. I buy these cakes for all of the family birthdays. She has some of the MOST amazing decorations available.

So look for her cake in the book and the movie.

pedln · « **Reply #1868 on:** August 03, 2011, 10:48:57 PM »

You betcha, Mary Page. Don't they look good -- and they ship. Very tempting. That Lemon Raspberry looked absolutely scrumptous. When you first mentioned cake, I was thinking about that chocolate pie in the book. Not quite the same.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1869 on:** August 04, 2011, 12:44:46 PM »

Love Carolines cakes. I was just looking at her folder yesterday and thinking about asking for one for my birthday.

Jean

pedln · « **Reply #1870 on:** August 05, 2011, 12:01:51 PM »

Have you all seen the documentary Babies, about the first year of four babies from different parts of the world? In Seattle last week, our 4 year old was wanting to peek at the grown-up show on TV and I was trying to lure her into the dining room to watch streams on my laptop. She kept running from one screen to the other until I finally tried Babies, which I'd seen before, and she was hooked. Me too. I think they've added more to it, or perhaps the stream had more than the DVD.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1871 on:** August 05, 2011, 06:24:49 PM »

I own the DVD of Babies, which I simply adore, and yes, they did add a lot to it that did not appear in the movie, to my joy.

PatH · « **Reply #1872 on:** August 05, 2011, 09:13:55 PM »

Rosemarykaye, I have now read the book "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day". I think if I had read the book first, I would agree with your reaction to the movie, but coming to it the other way around, I liked them both very much. If your copy predates 2000, you may not have the introduction in mine; "Miss Pettigrew" was an important part of the introducing writer's upbringing, and when asked to write an introduction, she tracked down the then 93 year old Watson and interviewed her. Like Edith Piaf, Watson has no regrets.

pedln · « **Reply #1873 on:** August 06, 2011, 02:13:05 PM »

One of my daughters told me she really liked Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. I have not read it, but just now finished watching the movie of the same title. I doubt very much I will ever read the book. That movie was soooo bad, such a bunch of nothing. I don't know why I stuck with it for two days -- maybe just waiting for something to happen. The scenery, however, was great.

It's not my intent to offend anyone who really liked it. Maybe if I'd read the book first it would have made a difference. Usually my oldest daughter and I like the same books, although she liked Room and I did not.

Rosemary, I've put Stand by Me in my Amazon cart -- for someday when the price is right. I saw it years ago, but don't remember much about it, except that I liked it.

salan · « **Reply #1874 on:** August 06, 2011, 07:00:45 PM »

I read and didn't care for Eat, Pray, Love. I thought the movie was boring, yet I stuck with it...I also read Room and did not like it at all; yet I finished it. Go figure.... I usually quit reading/watching if the book or movie isn't holding my interest.
Sally

Babi · « **Reply #1875 on:** August 07, 2011, 08:40:46 AM »

I imagine you two were expecting a plot and were exasperated when none developed.
"Eat, Pray, Love" is simply a narrative of a woman's search for the things that matter, and a
healing of her own wounds. No great climax...just a sense of a healing accomlished. It might
have helped to know in advance what to expect. I did enjoy both the book and the movie.

pedln · « **Reply #1876 on:** August 07, 2011, 12:30:53 PM »

Babi, no doubt reading the book as well makes a difference. I can't wait to see The Help -- wonder how long it will take for the DVD to come out.

Does anyone know of any other books that will soon be movies?

Babi · « **Reply #1877 on:** August 08, 2011, 08:08:35 AM »

Not that I'm aware of, PEDLN. But then, I tend to stumble acoss that sort of
information by accident, in passing, so to speak.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #1878 on:** August 10, 2011, 07:51:24 AM »

"The Help" opens today. I hope to be able to get in for the first showing at 12:30!

Babi · « **Reply #1879 on:** August 10, 2011, 08:27:31 AM »

Wow! You are on the ball, TOME! Let us know what you think of it.

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Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 591845 times)