Have you read David Nicholls's One Day yet? I raved about it last fall, and so as always I approach the release of a film based on the novel with both suspicion and excitement. Perhaps a titch more excitement given Nicholls penned the script, but then a titch more suspicion when I hear Anne Hathaway's British accent. (Even if hers is better than my attempts to sound like Eliza Doolittle-meets Cher Lloyd-meets a Dickensian-era newspaper boy.)
Anyway, if you don't want to have anything about the story of Dexter and Emma ruined for you (and you've missed the trailer, which reveals much -- though not all -- of the tale), then don't follow these links.
If, however, you have read the book, or have already seen the trailer and have long lost any faith in Hollywood's ability to produce two minutes of film clips without simply compressing the storyline, then I urge you to read this snarky, perfect review of the trailer. That's right. Review of the trailer. It's what we've come to in a society obsessed with brevity.
And then, if you're leaning more towards excitement than suspicion for this movie, and again you're not too worried about spoilers, check out this featurette with still more clips.
2011-07-28
2011-07-19
"famous for the wrong book"?
I love this discussion of how authors are often famous for the wrong book -- Guardian writer John Self points to such classics as Remains of the Day or Catch-22 as not-bests.
What would you add to his list?
I'm hesitant. I feel like often enough, the famous books are most famous for their ability to transcend elitist or snobby particularities. For example, my favourite Atwood novels are The Edible Woman or Cat's Eye, but I'm well aware their experimental feminism and blending of the unrealistic with the everyday appeal to a certain narrow crowd. The Handmaid's Tale or Oryx and Crake would generally have wider appeal.
On the other hand, this sort of brings to mind a book club discussion once had in Edmonton, where one member pointed out that, failing to get his points across in books like Down and Out in Paris and London, George Orwell essentially parades a bunch of farm animals before the reader in Animal Farm, finally entertaining a wider crowd and allowing the political messages he wished to get across to shine through....
What would you add to his list?
I'm hesitant. I feel like often enough, the famous books are most famous for their ability to transcend elitist or snobby particularities. For example, my favourite Atwood novels are The Edible Woman or Cat's Eye, but I'm well aware their experimental feminism and blending of the unrealistic with the everyday appeal to a certain narrow crowd. The Handmaid's Tale or Oryx and Crake would generally have wider appeal.
On the other hand, this sort of brings to mind a book club discussion once had in Edmonton, where one member pointed out that, failing to get his points across in books like Down and Out in Paris and London, George Orwell essentially parades a bunch of farm animals before the reader in Animal Farm, finally entertaining a wider crowd and allowing the political messages he wished to get across to shine through....
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