tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post7960164707298109655..comments2024-03-10T07:42:17.071-04:00Comments on The Film Doctor: Bright Star, An Education, and the cult of the bookThe Film Doctor http://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-37478063630072686652010-02-09T18:20:23.544-05:002010-02-09T18:20:23.544-05:00Good points, Movieman. I could always just walk a...Good points, Movieman. I could always just walk away from my computer more often. The T. S. Eliot line comes to mind "Distracted from distraction by distraction...." I wonder when people will be as nostalgic for movies as they are now for book culture.The Film Doctor https://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-36246579913839384492010-02-09T10:09:12.027-05:002010-02-09T10:09:12.027-05:00Yes, I think you're on to something. I wonder ...Yes, I think you're on to something. I wonder too if some of the guilt isn't economic at the time of a downturn. Heck, I know hard times have made me look at my cable bill differently.<br /><br />Of course there's definitely something aesthetic going on too. Look at the current cult of the polaroid!Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-56591955333595201072010-02-08T09:58:18.012-05:002010-02-08T09:58:18.012-05:00Thanks, Hokahey. I will look at your post concerni...Thanks, Hokahey. I will look at your post concerning Bright Star. I still wonder if all of this book veneration business in cinema is the result of fewer people reading them very well. Books and letters gradually become quaint nostalgic props like horse-drawn carriages and parasols. I've also been questioning how new media like Twitter affect how one uses words. All of this ready availability of mass amounts of data can lead to glib breezy communication.The Film Doctor https://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-25883650097490365722010-02-08T08:38:19.708-05:002010-02-08T08:38:19.708-05:00This is superb. You certainly point out a wonderfu...This is superb. You certainly point out a wonderful trend - the veneration of books. And this trend continues with <i>The Book of Eli</i>. <br /><br />As for letters, the recent <i>Dear John</i> venerates old-fashioned letter writing in a time of e-mailing and texting. As a soldier separated from his true love, at a time when most soldiers were e-mailing, John (Tatum Channing) writes scads of real letters to Savannah (Amanda Seyfried)and he accumulates a whole ammo-box-full from her. This is one of the best aspects of the film - one of the few good aspects.<br /><br />I really enjoyed <i>Bright Star</i> for its cinematography, for the performances, and for the portrayal of Fanny and John's innocent courtship. As for their letter-writing - I loved the things they did with paper: folding it in a certain way to reveal the message. That made me want to go out and buy some nice heavy stationery. In fact, inspired by the film, all the many prop letters in my stage production of <i>Les Miserables</i> were folded over as in the film - with one side sealed and the other side bearing the address. When you have time, check out my post on <i>Bright Star</i> back in September.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-40685852817813261272010-02-07T20:31:38.596-05:002010-02-07T20:31:38.596-05:00Thanks for the correction. Yes, I meant David. In...Thanks for the correction. Yes, I meant David. In general, I was impressed by Peter Sarsgaard's performance. He has the right smarmy smile for the role, and his phony British accent seems appropriate. <br /><br /><i>An Education</i> is enjoyable, but I was struck by its traditional morality tale ending. The film seems to entertain and then retreat from Jenny's more radical critiques of "boring" 1961 British society.The Film Doctor https://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-90323624113910659712010-02-07T20:21:22.825-05:002010-02-07T20:21:22.825-05:00"Perhaps the first sign of John's problem..."Perhaps the first sign of John's problem was when he falsely signed a book by C. S. Lewis." You mean David right? But I'm chuckling, why (of all names) John. <br /><br />Lovely writeup (how have I never come across this lovely blog?). An Education is a favourite of mine, and having just seen Bright Star it is lovely. The atmosphere is lovely in both, but I wonder if that's because I'm a sucker for British (especially British period).Andrew K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01104647944747041277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-22985910784827360882010-02-07T19:31:49.596-05:002010-02-07T19:31:49.596-05:00I agree. I found it amusing to think of the crew ...I agree. I found it amusing to think of the crew of <i>Bright Star</i> checking their cell phones behind the scenes as Campion so skillfully conveyed a period when there was nothing to distract her characters at all. And the carefully wrapped hard bound books get treated with so much respect. <br /><br />When in comes to <i>An Education</i>, I was also struck by the way Helen, the ditsy blonde, prefers magazines to books. Perhaps the first sign of John's problem was when he falsely signed a book by C. S. Lewis. I guess the thing to do now is read Lynn Barber's memoir that the film was adapted from.The Film Doctor https://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-18873481770880802892010-02-07T19:16:14.989-05:002010-02-07T19:16:14.989-05:00I, too, am a reader though I just started a movie ...I, too, am a reader though I just started a movie blog with a friend of mine as I am also a fan of movies. I saw An Education today and truly enjoyed it. Also enjoyed Julie and Julia. I generally try to read the book first when a movie is adapted. But, more to your point, yes we are more distracted by technology. I believe this is something that we allow to happen. Technology is there for our use, not for it to use us.Jane- 2 of 7https://www.blogger.com/profile/08687675489648006638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-22930260225422842032010-02-07T18:59:13.554-05:002010-02-07T18:59:13.554-05:00Thanks, Sam. I'm glad that we largely agree o...Thanks, Sam. I'm glad that we largely agree on this one. I plan on posting a more complete review of the film soon.The Film Doctor https://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-91747550079272591362010-02-07T17:33:19.751-05:002010-02-07T17:33:19.751-05:00Thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to hear your judgemen...Thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to hear your judgement on BRIGHT STAR, Film Doctor!!! It's my #1 film of 2009 in fact, and a recent DVD viewing just cemented that sentiment. I do think Mr. Schneider was as supberb and Ms. Cornish, but there are so many other ravishing components and aspects here.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.com