because i am on a jag ~
i'm about 160 pages into the next book of the Rougon-Macquart series (the blandly titled and sonorously paced His Excellency Eugene Rougon). it's kind of trying my patience and i keep thinking about the previous book, which i thought was so mind-blowing by comparison. the critics often comment on Zola's inconsistency and i agree (though many say book number 5 is among the weakest ~ if not the weakest ~ whereas i contend it's been the best so far!).
i was surprised, however, to find that there has only ever been one attempt to make a film of it (a film which i cannot find, sadly, not even through innerliberry loan or on amazon france, which probably tells you something). reading the synopsis on various sites, it would seem badly adapted (and missing the point, perhaps). someone ought to take a fresh stab at this one. with all the special effects technology available today, it would be awesome.
the few film stills i found make it look like a pretty flat melodrama. the guy cast as Serge (Francis Huster) has a good face, though his scowl is uncharacteristic ~ in the book Serge is completely nonplussed by the vulgarity of the people around him; a total innocent. though i suppose it's possible that the scene in the carriage below takes place after he meets Albine, in which case the scowl is warranted.
the other picture of Serge and Albine in La Paradou is interesting, but again, looks sort of flat compared to how the moment is depicted in the book. guess it's not fair to critique a film i've never seen, but like i said, the description of the synopsis leads me to think the director may have taken a wrong turn with this. i'm all for honoring Zola's usual naturalism, but La Faute de L'abbe Mouret is not a naturalistic book and it would be very cool to see it treated with the appropriate overblown allegory that makes it so wildly interesting on the page.
oh well. all the more tempting to think of adapting it myself.
right. like i have nothing else to do.
: D
i was surprised, however, to find that there has only ever been one attempt to make a film of it (a film which i cannot find, sadly, not even through innerliberry loan or on amazon france, which probably tells you something). reading the synopsis on various sites, it would seem badly adapted (and missing the point, perhaps). someone ought to take a fresh stab at this one. with all the special effects technology available today, it would be awesome.
the few film stills i found make it look like a pretty flat melodrama. the guy cast as Serge (Francis Huster) has a good face, though his scowl is uncharacteristic ~ in the book Serge is completely nonplussed by the vulgarity of the people around him; a total innocent. though i suppose it's possible that the scene in the carriage below takes place after he meets Albine, in which case the scowl is warranted.
the other picture of Serge and Albine in La Paradou is interesting, but again, looks sort of flat compared to how the moment is depicted in the book. guess it's not fair to critique a film i've never seen, but like i said, the description of the synopsis leads me to think the director may have taken a wrong turn with this. i'm all for honoring Zola's usual naturalism, but La Faute de L'abbe Mouret is not a naturalistic book and it would be very cool to see it treated with the appropriate overblown allegory that makes it so wildly interesting on the page.
oh well. all the more tempting to think of adapting it myself.
right. like i have nothing else to do.
: D