Tristan + Isolde
lynnoxford and I went to see Tristan + Isolde. The first half was unremarkable; I was disappointed, in fact, because although I was certain they were getting everything wrong, I wasn't familiar enough with the story to know exactly what I could be mocking. Most of the time. There were a few moments I'm pretty sure I was right to mock.
The first half of the second half was irritating, because I don't actually like adultery stories, and because King Mark is great. We know that Isolde wasn't superficial, because she went for Tristan over King Mark. Clearly, if she were just paying attention to general attractiveness, she would have had no problem staying faithful. Though to be fair, she shouldn't have had trouble staying faithful if she were paying attention to personality, either. Note: There is no love potion in this version, so that's no excuse.
The last quarter? Oh Hollywood tropes, how I love you!
Because King Mark was a Nice Guy who loves his wife and his champion/nephew-type, he set Tristan and Isolde free, on the sly. Tristan then (very appropriately, in my opinion) went back to help Mark in his doomed fight against Ireland; clearly, Tristan could turn the tide of battle all by himself. And he could: in the ensuing melee, Tristan fought off half an invading army all by himself. He also appeared to get a sword stuck through his intestines, but no, clearly just a flesh wound, because he immediately got up to go for a little walk; at the end of which, we got to see Mark confront the army that was about to successfully invade him. After a stirring speech, half the invading army changed sides. (Clearly, not everyone is as blind to Mark's attractions as Isolde.) There's a touching love scene, Tristan dies, and the epilogue tells us that Their Love Did Not Bring Down A Kingdom, because Mark successfully fought off Ireland after all.
It was amazingly funny.
Now, I don't actually know how much of that is inaccurate. I'm not familiar with the story, so much. But I have my suspicions.
The first half of the second half was irritating, because I don't actually like adultery stories, and because King Mark is great. We know that Isolde wasn't superficial, because she went for Tristan over King Mark. Clearly, if she were just paying attention to general attractiveness, she would have had no problem staying faithful. Though to be fair, she shouldn't have had trouble staying faithful if she were paying attention to personality, either. Note: There is no love potion in this version, so that's no excuse.
The last quarter? Oh Hollywood tropes, how I love you!
Because King Mark was a Nice Guy who loves his wife and his champion/nephew-type, he set Tristan and Isolde free, on the sly. Tristan then (very appropriately, in my opinion) went back to help Mark in his doomed fight against Ireland; clearly, Tristan could turn the tide of battle all by himself. And he could: in the ensuing melee, Tristan fought off half an invading army all by himself. He also appeared to get a sword stuck through his intestines, but no, clearly just a flesh wound, because he immediately got up to go for a little walk; at the end of which, we got to see Mark confront the army that was about to successfully invade him. After a stirring speech, half the invading army changed sides. (Clearly, not everyone is as blind to Mark's attractions as Isolde.) There's a touching love scene, Tristan dies, and the epilogue tells us that Their Love Did Not Bring Down A Kingdom, because Mark successfully fought off Ireland after all.
It was amazingly funny.
Now, I don't actually know how much of that is inaccurate. I'm not familiar with the story, so much. But I have my suspicions.