Everything under the Sun...

[dangermousie]

I promise to reply to everyone tomorrow. Last couple of days have been a bit crazy.

This is a bit unconnected :)

I. Movies

Saw Across the Universe tonight. It was a flawed (if fun) movie but the creators of it were both incredibly talented and on drugs, to be able to fit all the Beatles songs the way they did. (it's worth seeing if for nothing

Comments

[alexandral]

There is also, apparently, a 2000 British mini with Kevin McKidd as Vronsky

OMPH! Ypu reminded me! I watched this! It wasn't anything really interesting , though

I am so with you on Andrey Bolkonsky and Natasha! I find "War and Peace" much more satisfying in a shippy sense then "Anna Karenina". I also loved Andrey's sister! I love Anna Karenina to bits but I am very angry with Vronsky. I think Anna was prepared to be ostracized as long as their love endured. What i think she wasn't ready for was Vronsky's doubts. But here is where I contradict myself - I also very much on Anna's husband's site. Oh yea, he is a boring middle-aged man. But! He wasn't a monster or anything of the kind to deserve all he had to endure. He is the father of Anna's boy and he also has paternal rights.

Altogether I think "Anna Karenina"-the-book is much more complex then many of it's adaptations which usually just go for "sweeping love" story.. For example, in my interpretation Anna's death was as much accident as anything - she became terrified by her own decision but got dragged under wheels : "And exactly at the
moment when the space between the wheels came opposite her, she
dropped the red bag, and drawing her head back into her
shoulders, fell on her hands under the carriage, and lightly, as
though she would rise again at once, dropped on to her knees.
And at the same instant she was terror-stricken at what she was
doing. "Where am I? What am I doing? What for?" She tried to
get up, to drop backwards; but something huge and merciless
struck her on the head and rolled her on her back.".

[alexandral]

I agree- among all of "Anna Karenina" adaptations I really liked the old Russian one (http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0061359/) with gorgeous Vasiliy Lanovoy as Vronsky (oh, he was the last of "classical" Russian actors):



But even more, this adaptation was very kind to Levin's story. And I agree - the book itself is as much about Levin, his soul-searching and his relationship with Kitty and his brother as about Anna and Vronsky.

[dangermousie]

I like that Anna's husband wasn't some sort of monster, but just rather a dull man.

Re: accident. I agree she might have changed her mind, but she did jump.

I am afraid I am more on Vronsky's side of the argument than Anna's. Anyone would have doubts and Anna is rather high maintenance. I prefer Levin and Kitty though.