(Untitled)

[rishikanta]

I saw this movie tonight... how shall I describe it

Comments

[atalanta]

Fingerpost is fantastic. I'm almost ready to reread it by now (though I should really finish the Stephenson trilogy first).

[rishikanta]

I just adore Pears. The Art History Mysteries are my favorite "fluff" books of all time, and I'm about to crack open Dream of Scipio.

[atalanta]

I haven't read any of his other stuff - have to put it on the the long, long list of unread books ...
So it's all good then?

[rishikanta]

The Art History Mysteries are wonderfully erudite and witty, and provide wonderful commentary on the social differences between the various EU member countries.
And they read super fast.

[psycholibrarian]

Funny, I quite liked it. I found it a nicely done meditation on the consequences of nihilism.

[rishikanta]

I found it much more a traditional morality tale than anything really nihilistic. There was way too much romanticism and sentimentality (on Rochester's part, as well as everyone else) not to mention the Punishment and Redemption themes.
Perhaps if there was no emotion at Ratcliffe's(?) death in the street brawl, or the appreciation of Charles and the Parliament, or Elizabeth Malet's saintly constancy, or Johnny's wish-fulfillment with baby Elizabeth...
all that just speaks way to much of an established moral and ethical structure, whether it be one of his time, or one of our movie going expectations.
If the production was meant to show what a unique spirit John Wilmot was, it shouldn't have resorted to such overused constructions.

I'd actually be interested to read or see the play that the movie was based on to see if that too was so unfocused. Maybe it was just the Direction of the movie (this being the Director's first film).
To me it seemed to aspire to too much, and accomplish very little.