Reading/Watching Log
Christmas is coming! I can’t say I’m fully in the mood just yet (I haven’t bothered to decorate the house this year) and I’ve only done a squigim of Christmas shopping.
However, there is a line-up of films, books, shows and other assorted media on its way, which makes for a very exciting Christmas list. Be warned: below the cut is a ton of pictures and trailers, so apologizes to your browser.
First off - did you hear that the BBC are adapting a six-part miniseries of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell?
I just found out today! I adore this book and though I read it too late in life to consider it any sort of “formative” fiction, it still had a huge influence on me and my own writing. Susanna Clarke is the absolute master of “show, don’t tell.” With mysterious and delicate prose, she lays out the pieces of any given situation and lets the reader figure out for themselves what precisely is going on. It results in a totally fascinating and immersive reading experience, in which nothing is spelt out in excessive detail, but where what is not said lends the entire story a sense of mystery and suspense.
It's a huge tome of a book, delving deeply into a range of characters’ lives over the course of several years - I’ve read it twice from cover-to-cover and was enraptured both times. Now and again I flick through it just to read my favourite chapters. It’s certainly not for everyone as the pace is meandering and there is plenty of extraneous stuff, but for me, the melding of a period piece and its typical array of characters (lords, ladies, merchants, servants, scoundrels and the occasional historical figure) with the strangeness of the spirit world imposing itself on ordinary lives - often to devastating effect - was utterly engrossing, as was the intertwined nature of several of the storylines.
Even with six hours to spare, they’ll be hard-pressed to feature every single element of Clarke’s story. I suspect they’ll cut much of the backstories of certain characters, though hopefully not some of the side-stories that enrich the main events. I’m thinking specifically of Mr Honeyfoot and Segundus, Mr Lascelles and Drawlight, Vinculus and Childermass, all of whom weave in and out of the main events, sometimes as participants, sometimes just as witnesses to the weird and wonderful.
But I’m sure the focus will be on Jonathan and Mr Norrell (obviously), Arabella and Lady Pole, Stephen Black and the Man with the Thistledown Hair, who are the closest things this book has to protagonists.
They are already cries for Benedict Cumberbatch as Jonathan Strange. Please no. Between Sherlock and Star Trek and The Hobbit I’m officially sick to death of this guy and the fandom hysteria that follows him wherever he goes. Find someone else; preferably a newbie. Apart from that, I’m really not to fazed on who plays who, though I’m most interested in the casting of Arabella and Stephen, who I found to be the most compelling characters. It’ll probably never happen, but I think I would dance with glee should Adetomiwa Edun be cast as Stephen Black.
Perhaps he’s a little too young - but honestly: wouldn’t he be fantastic?
It may have been as early as the airing of The Castle of Fyrien that I linked him with Stephen Black, and now I can’t picture anyone else in the role. Think of the voice, the gravitas, the handsomeness and tell me he wouldn’t be perfect in the role. And it’s such a crucial role as well. Please BBC - make this happen.
Any other casting thoughts? Do share.
Speaking of miniseries, there are also brand new promotional pictures floating around for Labyrinth, namely of Katie McGrath and Jessica Findlay Brown as Oriane and Alais. Feast your eyes:
*Sigh*. How so beautiful?
Really starting to look forward to this one, though there’s no telling when I’ll be able to access it. The book is beginning to burn a hole in my bookshelf - I was initially going to watch the series before reading the book, but I may have to bump it up my TBR list. So much to read, so little time.
There’s also rather a lot to watch at the movies as well. After what feels like a dearth of decent films this year, suddenly a whole bunch pop up that the internet is collectively raving about.
Skyfall
I never got around to seeing Quantum of Solace (apparently it wasn’t that good anyway) and it’s taken a long time for the third Daniel Craig instalment to reach New Zealand shores. My interest was particularly piqued when I heard that the emotional centre of the film was the relationship between M and Bond. I’ll admit, when I heard that a) the series was being rebooted with Daniel Craig and b) they were keeping Judi Dench on as M, my brow furrowed. Surely if it was a reboot they should get an entirely new cast, right?
Well, I don’t know what I was thinking with that. If you have Judi Dench, YOU KEEP JUDI DENCH. The idea of a film - any film, but particularly a Bond film - with a young(ish) man/his much older female boss as its key relationship? Hell yes. That’s such a unique dynamic, and I can’t immediately bring to mind anything else like it. (Though I’ve no doubt the fandom is completely fixated on Bond/Q instead).
But hopefully I’ll get to see it soon, especially as it’s got bonus Naomie Harris.
The Hobbit
I think I’ve posted the first trailer, but not this one. I mentioned last time that it felt a lot more whimsical in tone compared to The Lord of the Rings, though I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing (I’m more leery about the fact there’s three movies). But I’ve heard little bits and pieces about it and am looking increasingly forward to seeing it.
In preparation for the prequel, I ended up watching the original trilogy (well, not watching exactly, I had it on whilst doing other things around the house over the course of a few days) but I think I’ll make a post in the near future as to my opinions on it. Seems strange to think it was released a decade ago. However, there was one scene that really tickled me: whilst travelling through the Mines of Moria, Gandalf mentions to the company that Bilbo had a chainmail shirt of mithril which was given to him by Thorin Oakenshield. It suddenly occurred to me that we’re going to see that very moment in these films!
And having seen the trailers, I have to say that Richard Armitage was the perfect choice for Thorin.
Le Miserables
Is anyone else amused at the thought of people trying to buy tickets for this and having no idea how to pronounce it? Tee hee.
I saw Le Mis on stage a few years ago and it was such an emotional experience that I'm almost a little afraid to see the film. On watching the first trailer, my skin burst into goosebumps the moment Anne Hathaway’s voice began to sing over the images. This one was even more affecting, and in light of that, I’d almost certainly weep my way through the entire film if I saw it in theatres. And yet, how could you not take the opportunity to see it on the big screen? It wouldn’t be the same experience if I waited for DVD. So I may as well gather up my courage, let go of my dignity and take plenty of tissues.
On thinking it over, it occurred to me that the real strength and resonance of Le Mis (to me, anyway) comes from the clarity of the characters. That is, all of them seem to embody an emotion in its purest form, one that everyone feels at some point during their lifetime (albeit altered in some way): Fatine’s despair, Javert’s obsession, Valjean’s guilt, Cosette’s innocence, Marius’s idealism, Eponine’s unrequited love... All of their roles are so quintessential, it’s impossible not to get caught up.
Now I’m gushing. I’ll refrain from further comment till I’ve seen the film. Some of the casting seemed a bit questionable at first, but having watched the Behind the Scenes featurette, I was certainly intrigued by the notion that all the actors did their singing live, complete with earpieces that filtered the music into their ears. As Eddie Remayne said, if you pre-record the score, then all of your acting choices have to have been done months before actual shooting - this new technique can’t help but lend a more genuine and visceral feeling to the performances.
And this made me laugh:
And finally, the first Star Trek trailer:
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the first film, as I was never much of a Star Trek fan. It was mainly through my father that I used to watch Voyager and a few of the Next Generation films, but not a whole lot more, and certainly none of the original series. So I’m looking forward to this one - even though I’m sick of Benedict Cumberbatch. Did I mention that? Because I am.
Oh, did anyone else laugh when JJ Abrams’s name came complete with a lens flare?
So it looks as though I’ll be in and out of the movie theatres for a few months to come.
***
Behemoth and Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
I read the first book in this trilogy years ago, and for some reason it’s taken me an inordinate amount of time to get my hands on the final two. I’m not sure why, as Leviathan was a riveting read, almost solely down to Westerfeld’s alternative-world steampunk vision of World War I in which the Germans (or “Clankers”) wage war on the British (or “Darwinists”) in a conflict of technologies and their requisite ideologies. Whilst the Clankers design and build giant mechanized robots, the Darwinists have perfected the science of genetically-engineering a range of different animals to perform almost any task imaginable.
It sounds bizarre, but the strangest thing is that it actually works. There is internal consistency and historical basis to all the weird and wonderful creations and proceedings that feature throughout the trilogy, and half the joy is exploring Westerfeld’s imaginative world-building alongside the protagonists.
The protagonists being the son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (yes, that Archduke Franz Ferdinand), Prince Aleksander von Hohenburg and Midshipman Deryn Sharp, a crewman on board the Leviathan, an organic airship that contains its own self-supporting ecosystem. The former is a prince disguised as a commoner, and the latter is a girl disguised as a boy. They meet when the Leviathan crash-lands in the Alps, near to where Aleksander and his men are hiding out in a specially prepared fortress (Alek is wanted by the Germans), and join forces - as well as technologies - in order to escape the incoming Germans. Now the ship is filled with Darwinists and Clankers, heading toward the Ottoman Empire so that Doctor Nora Barlow can complete her peace mission to the Turkish Sultan.
Got all that?
Westerfeld’s gift is combining the intricacies of warfare and politics with action sequences that rely heavily on the inventions of his elaborate alternate world. Along with the usual mechas, steam-engines and goggles that you’d expect from steampunk, he really goes to town with his ideas concerning “fabrication”, in which Darwinists can design a biological arsenal from various animals: flechette bats that drop metal projectiles, messenger lizards that mimic human voices, and of course the Leviathan itself: a living airship that is essentially a giant space whale.
One of my favourite tropes is Sweet Polly Oliver, in which a girl disguises herself in boy’s clothes, fooling everyone around her into thinking that she’s male. Some of my favourite characters partake in this pursuit to one end or another (Eowyn! Mulan! Alanna! Viola! Portia! Djaq!) and Deryn Sharp is a worthy addition to that list of names. She’s fantastically proactive and quick-thinking, yet there’s the constant threat of discovery looming over her every moment - all the more so when she realizes that the exposure of her true gender could well be used as propaganda by the Germans.
*minor spoiler*
Westerfeld (somewhat disappointingly) draws back from this particular plotline, concentrating instead on Alek’s determination to protect his friend's secret no matter what the cost. I was actually looking forward to Deryn dealing with the fallout of people learning her true identity, but the trilogy ends with her secret intact.
*end spoiler*
But both Alek and Deryn get great character development over the course of the trilogy, with Alek going from lonely, pampered prince to an assertive planner and revolutionary, whilst Deryn gradually comes to terms with her gender and her feelings for Alek. In a nice twist, Alek is never a Spoiled Brat who needs to learn to respect others - he’s a thoughtful, quiet boy who is ostracized by the aristocracy because of his mother’s low status (which was very much the case with the real Sophie Chotek who - among other things - was not allowed to ride in the royal carriage or sit in the royal box, or even appear in public beside her husband) and though Deryn gets frustrated with the restrictions that her gender enforces upon her, she’s never self-loathing or dismissive of femininity. There is one occasion in which jealousy rears its head when Alek joins forces with a beautiful Turkish revolutionary, but Westerfeld handles the would-be love triangle with a humourous twist.
There’s also another great female character in the form of Doctor Nora Barlow, an arrogant and implacable “boffin” who carries with her three fabricated eggs: their contents a mystery until the night they hatch...
Why You Should Read This: Because Westerfeld ticks (what I think) are the three boxes of Speculative Fiction: plot, characterization and world-building. All the best fantasy/sci-fi stories have these three elements in abundance, and the Leviathan trilogy is right up there with the best of them. As it happens, I watched a fantasy cult classic recently that only ticked one of these boxes, and the difference in quality is clear (see below).
Trollbridge by Jane Yolen and Adam Steeple
This was an odd little book. An amalgamation of The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Twelve Dancing Princesses, it involves a music protégée and a boy band being whisked from an old stone bridge and into (what is presumably) Fairyland where they must battle a family of trolls to free the Dairy Princesses. The what princesses, you say? Well, it’s apparently a Minnesota tradition to annually choose a Dairy Princess for their State Fair (or something) and for her likeness to be carved into a butter sculpture. Yolen incorporates this into her plot by having the sculptures be part of a much older tradition started by the Scandinavian settlers hundreds of years ago, in which they leave the butter sculptures on an old bridge in order to appease the trolls in the area. But when the new mayor deems them an environmental hazard and prevents them from being laid out, the troll decides to take the princesses - who were present on the bridge for a photo-shoot - instead.
Helped along by a talking fox called Fossegrim (who has ambiguous goals of his own) harpist Moira and singer Jakob attempt to rescue their friends and brothers respectively. It reads very much like an updated folktale, in which music and trickery is used to outwit the trolls, but with a few modern twists thrown in for good measure.
The book was a collaborative effort between Jane Yolen and her son Adam Stemple, a musician who includes the lyrics to several of the original songs that the protagonists sing during the course of the story in the text (though sadly not the music itself - I couldn’t help but feel that this story would have worked better as an audiobook in which the songs could have been audibly incorporated into the plot). Since the music is such a fundamental part of the story, you can’t help but feel that you’re missing out on something by never getting to hear it.
Why You Should Read This Book: Well... to be honest, I can’t exactly muster up a huge amount of enthusiasm for Trollbridge. It wasn’t like it was bad by any means; it was just a quick, fun, slightly grisly, but ultimately frivolous read. But sometimes that’s all a book has to be.
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
This is one of those books that catch you completely off-guard. I nabbed it along with several other fairytale-ish books at the library, attracted mainly by the cover: a vintage pram with an array of sharp objects dangling over it. It looks like a poster for a Tim Burton film, and having read it, wouldn’t be surprised if he adapts it one day.
There is a sort-of “whimsical macabre” feel to the entire book, which takes place in the industrial town of Gentry: a quintessential Town With a Dark Secret. But what this secret is, no one is prepared to say, and the strength of the book is that things go unsaid for so long. The reader is acutely aware - right from the first page - that something is terribly wrong with the place, that something creepy and alien is lurking beneath its ordinary veneer, and that something must be done to fix it - yet it’s a long time before any light is shed on the situation.
That’s where the second unique aspect of the book comes in. It’s told in first-person narrative by protagonist Malcolm “Mackie” Doyle, who begins his tale with the assumption that the reader is already aware of who (and what) he is. He recounts his first disturbing memory. He has a bad reaction to the blood drive taking place at school and desperately tries to hide the effects it has. He recalls a story told to him by his father of a man who was dragged from home by a mob and strung up from a tree bough. He returns to his locker to find someone has scrawled “freak” on its surface. And that’s just in the first chapter.
Gradually all the disparate pieces of his narrative begin to add up, and though it doesn’t take a genius to realize what’s really going on, the slow trickle of information is what keeps you gripped. In other words, it’s not so much the story, but the way in which the story is told that makes the book so memorable. I could almost feel myself getting sucked in with each page.
Mackie’s inability to socialize properly and his deep longing to fit in is vividly realized, as his constant battle to appear normal no matter what. You wince whenever he slips up because you’re acutely aware of just how high the cost would be should his true nature be exposed.
Storywise, the meaning gets a little murky as it draws to a close: I got the sense that The Power of Love played a part in the way things worked out, but I have no idea how. And although there are some truly heart-warming moments that Mackie shares with his sister, best friend and love interest, these relationships all vie for space on the page and are never given the time they deserve (though the fact that they result in bonafide tearjerkers is testimony to how powerful they are - my complaint isn’t that they don’t have depth, but that there isn’t enough room to enjoy that depth).
Why You Should Read This: Because it’s a Changeling Tale with a difference. Modern and yet Gothic, filled with the familiar tropes and patterns of folklore yet told by an unlikely POV character, its strength lies in the manner in which its told - by assuming that the reader knows everything and yet nothing at the same time.
There are some disturbing images throughout, but also genuine warmth and humanity. Will now sit back and wait for Tim Burton to film it...
The Dark Crystal
Remember how I said that Speculative Fiction needs three key elements: plot, characterization and world building? Well, The Dark Crystal is what happens when you have one but not the others.
First a short disclaimer: I like The Dark Crystal. It’s a beautiful film. I can easily see why it’s a cult classic. I can appreciate what the makers were attempting to do with it. When I discovered that my DVD was scratched, I went out and bought a second copy.
But I don’t think The Dark Crystal is a good movie.
For those who were born after the eighties, the story takes place in a mythical world that was once fair and beautiful until the Crystal of Truth was shattered a millennia ago and a shard was lost. From the chaos that followed emerged two races: the sinister, raucous, bird-like Skeksis and the gentle, peaceful, camel-faced Mystics. Also changed was the crystal itself, now purple in colour and known as the Dark Crystal. Since that time the land has been blighted and the two races have dwindled until only ten of each remain. Among the Mystics lives a young Gelfing, an elf-like creature called Jen who is the last of his kind. From his dying master he is given the task to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal and reunite it with the whole, thus healing the land.
As you can see, the plot is made up of the most basic fantasy archetypes: a Chosen One, a lost McGuffin, a Quest, a Prophesy. But there is no depth to these tropes, no complexity or twists. Okay, I tell a lie: there is one plot-thread that hints at a mysterious link between the Skeksis and the Mystics. Their leaders both die of old age at the beginning of the film; later, when a Skeksis injures its claw, a corresponding wound appears on the hand of a Mystic. But the rest of the plot is paper thin.
As protagonists go, Jen is as bland as ... something really bland. His internal narration constantly reiterates that he has no idea what to do or how to do it. He stumbles blindly into one situation after another, either narrowly escaping or being rescued by someone else. By my reckoning, he only does two useful things over the course of the entire film, neither of them particularly impressive.
Instead it is his companion Kira, a female Gelfing that Jen meets along the way, who galvanizes most of the plot - either by rescuing Jen or providing transportation, sometimes both at the same time. Neither character is three-dimensional (or even two-dimensional), and though one of the Skeksis wanders through the film making a “hmmm...” noise, suggesting that it’s thinking something interesting, nothing occurs on-screen to justify this subplot. A number of Skeksis scenes involving their politics and interactions drag on forever and add nothing to the storyline.
HOWEVER...
The reason you should watch is - I suspect - the very reason the film has such weak plot and characterization: the world itself. At the time, The Dark Crystal was billed as the first film to feature no human actors whatsoever and the technical skill involved in bringing the world to life (namely the puppetry and animatronics) was unmatched. It’s not hard to imagine that the creators got so wrapped up in the artistry of the film that they ended up neglecting the script.
But can stunning visuals make up for a weak storyline? In this case, I think so. Thanks to the conceptual art of Brian Froud and the wizardry of the Jim Henson Company, The Dark Crystal is a feast for the eyes. Some of my favourite scenes: a Mystic using coloured sand to create patterns on the ground, Jen wandering along a rocky plateau covered in anemone-like plants that bounce away at his approach, a panning shot that involves a line of dandelion-esque flowers pin-wheeling straight up into the air, and the spinning, insect-like legs of the Garthim, making them appear both robotic and organic in nature.
And the two most appealing characters: Aughra, the bull-faced, ram-horned, purple-skinned Battle Axe of a woman who can detach her single eyeball, and Fizzgig, a strange creature which appears to be half-terrier, half-piranha. Everyone loves Fizzgig.
There are little character moments as well: Aughra automatically ducking in order to avoid an incoming branch of her revolving planetarium, the Chamberlain panting and clinging to the wall after the other Skeksis have torn his regalia from him, and of course the scene that everyone remembers: when Kira suddenly reveals that she has wings and floating to the bottom of a gorge. On hearing a stunned Jen wondering why he doesn’t have any, she simply remarks: “Well of course not, you’re a boy.”
Why You Should Watch: Because it’s unashamed eye candy; one only wishes that it had a more imaginative story and stronger characterization to go with its stunning visuals. Apparently there’s a ton of supplementary material to go with the film that expand on the history of the world and the background of the characters. One of these days I'll have to track it all down, especially considering Brian Froud contributed heavily to the world-building.
***
So that’s what’s been keeping me busy entertainment-wise these past few weeks. I suppose it’s now time to brave the malls and get some Christmas shopping done...
However, there is a line-up of films, books, shows and other assorted media on its way, which makes for a very exciting Christmas list. Be warned: below the cut is a ton of pictures and trailers, so apologizes to your browser.
First off - did you hear that the BBC are adapting a six-part miniseries of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell?
I just found out today! I adore this book and though I read it too late in life to consider it any sort of “formative” fiction, it still had a huge influence on me and my own writing. Susanna Clarke is the absolute master of “show, don’t tell.” With mysterious and delicate prose, she lays out the pieces of any given situation and lets the reader figure out for themselves what precisely is going on. It results in a totally fascinating and immersive reading experience, in which nothing is spelt out in excessive detail, but where what is not said lends the entire story a sense of mystery and suspense.
It's a huge tome of a book, delving deeply into a range of characters’ lives over the course of several years - I’ve read it twice from cover-to-cover and was enraptured both times. Now and again I flick through it just to read my favourite chapters. It’s certainly not for everyone as the pace is meandering and there is plenty of extraneous stuff, but for me, the melding of a period piece and its typical array of characters (lords, ladies, merchants, servants, scoundrels and the occasional historical figure) with the strangeness of the spirit world imposing itself on ordinary lives - often to devastating effect - was utterly engrossing, as was the intertwined nature of several of the storylines.
Even with six hours to spare, they’ll be hard-pressed to feature every single element of Clarke’s story. I suspect they’ll cut much of the backstories of certain characters, though hopefully not some of the side-stories that enrich the main events. I’m thinking specifically of Mr Honeyfoot and Segundus, Mr Lascelles and Drawlight, Vinculus and Childermass, all of whom weave in and out of the main events, sometimes as participants, sometimes just as witnesses to the weird and wonderful.
But I’m sure the focus will be on Jonathan and Mr Norrell (obviously), Arabella and Lady Pole, Stephen Black and the Man with the Thistledown Hair, who are the closest things this book has to protagonists.
They are already cries for Benedict Cumberbatch as Jonathan Strange. Please no. Between Sherlock and Star Trek and The Hobbit I’m officially sick to death of this guy and the fandom hysteria that follows him wherever he goes. Find someone else; preferably a newbie. Apart from that, I’m really not to fazed on who plays who, though I’m most interested in the casting of Arabella and Stephen, who I found to be the most compelling characters. It’ll probably never happen, but I think I would dance with glee should Adetomiwa Edun be cast as Stephen Black.
Perhaps he’s a little too young - but honestly: wouldn’t he be fantastic?
It may have been as early as the airing of The Castle of Fyrien that I linked him with Stephen Black, and now I can’t picture anyone else in the role. Think of the voice, the gravitas, the handsomeness and tell me he wouldn’t be perfect in the role. And it’s such a crucial role as well. Please BBC - make this happen.
Any other casting thoughts? Do share.
Speaking of miniseries, there are also brand new promotional pictures floating around for Labyrinth, namely of Katie McGrath and Jessica Findlay Brown as Oriane and Alais. Feast your eyes:
*Sigh*. How so beautiful?
Really starting to look forward to this one, though there’s no telling when I’ll be able to access it. The book is beginning to burn a hole in my bookshelf - I was initially going to watch the series before reading the book, but I may have to bump it up my TBR list. So much to read, so little time.
There’s also rather a lot to watch at the movies as well. After what feels like a dearth of decent films this year, suddenly a whole bunch pop up that the internet is collectively raving about.
Skyfall
Click to viewI never got around to seeing Quantum of Solace (apparently it wasn’t that good anyway) and it’s taken a long time for the third Daniel Craig instalment to reach New Zealand shores. My interest was particularly piqued when I heard that the emotional centre of the film was the relationship between M and Bond. I’ll admit, when I heard that a) the series was being rebooted with Daniel Craig and b) they were keeping Judi Dench on as M, my brow furrowed. Surely if it was a reboot they should get an entirely new cast, right?
Well, I don’t know what I was thinking with that. If you have Judi Dench, YOU KEEP JUDI DENCH. The idea of a film - any film, but particularly a Bond film - with a young(ish) man/his much older female boss as its key relationship? Hell yes. That’s such a unique dynamic, and I can’t immediately bring to mind anything else like it. (Though I’ve no doubt the fandom is completely fixated on Bond/Q instead).
But hopefully I’ll get to see it soon, especially as it’s got bonus Naomie Harris.
The Hobbit
I think I’ve posted the first trailer, but not this one. I mentioned last time that it felt a lot more whimsical in tone compared to The Lord of the Rings, though I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing (I’m more leery about the fact there’s three movies). But I’ve heard little bits and pieces about it and am looking increasingly forward to seeing it.
In preparation for the prequel, I ended up watching the original trilogy (well, not watching exactly, I had it on whilst doing other things around the house over the course of a few days) but I think I’ll make a post in the near future as to my opinions on it. Seems strange to think it was released a decade ago. However, there was one scene that really tickled me: whilst travelling through the Mines of Moria, Gandalf mentions to the company that Bilbo had a chainmail shirt of mithril which was given to him by Thorin Oakenshield. It suddenly occurred to me that we’re going to see that very moment in these films!
And having seen the trailers, I have to say that Richard Armitage was the perfect choice for Thorin.
Le Miserables
Is anyone else amused at the thought of people trying to buy tickets for this and having no idea how to pronounce it? Tee hee.
I saw Le Mis on stage a few years ago and it was such an emotional experience that I'm almost a little afraid to see the film. On watching the first trailer, my skin burst into goosebumps the moment Anne Hathaway’s voice began to sing over the images. This one was even more affecting, and in light of that, I’d almost certainly weep my way through the entire film if I saw it in theatres. And yet, how could you not take the opportunity to see it on the big screen? It wouldn’t be the same experience if I waited for DVD. So I may as well gather up my courage, let go of my dignity and take plenty of tissues.
On thinking it over, it occurred to me that the real strength and resonance of Le Mis (to me, anyway) comes from the clarity of the characters. That is, all of them seem to embody an emotion in its purest form, one that everyone feels at some point during their lifetime (albeit altered in some way): Fatine’s despair, Javert’s obsession, Valjean’s guilt, Cosette’s innocence, Marius’s idealism, Eponine’s unrequited love... All of their roles are so quintessential, it’s impossible not to get caught up.
Now I’m gushing. I’ll refrain from further comment till I’ve seen the film. Some of the casting seemed a bit questionable at first, but having watched the Behind the Scenes featurette, I was certainly intrigued by the notion that all the actors did their singing live, complete with earpieces that filtered the music into their ears. As Eddie Remayne said, if you pre-record the score, then all of your acting choices have to have been done months before actual shooting - this new technique can’t help but lend a more genuine and visceral feeling to the performances.
And this made me laugh:
And finally, the first Star Trek trailer:
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the first film, as I was never much of a Star Trek fan. It was mainly through my father that I used to watch Voyager and a few of the Next Generation films, but not a whole lot more, and certainly none of the original series. So I’m looking forward to this one - even though I’m sick of Benedict Cumberbatch. Did I mention that? Because I am.
Oh, did anyone else laugh when JJ Abrams’s name came complete with a lens flare?
So it looks as though I’ll be in and out of the movie theatres for a few months to come.
***
Behemoth and Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
I read the first book in this trilogy years ago, and for some reason it’s taken me an inordinate amount of time to get my hands on the final two. I’m not sure why, as Leviathan was a riveting read, almost solely down to Westerfeld’s alternative-world steampunk vision of World War I in which the Germans (or “Clankers”) wage war on the British (or “Darwinists”) in a conflict of technologies and their requisite ideologies. Whilst the Clankers design and build giant mechanized robots, the Darwinists have perfected the science of genetically-engineering a range of different animals to perform almost any task imaginable.
It sounds bizarre, but the strangest thing is that it actually works. There is internal consistency and historical basis to all the weird and wonderful creations and proceedings that feature throughout the trilogy, and half the joy is exploring Westerfeld’s imaginative world-building alongside the protagonists.
The protagonists being the son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (yes, that Archduke Franz Ferdinand), Prince Aleksander von Hohenburg and Midshipman Deryn Sharp, a crewman on board the Leviathan, an organic airship that contains its own self-supporting ecosystem. The former is a prince disguised as a commoner, and the latter is a girl disguised as a boy. They meet when the Leviathan crash-lands in the Alps, near to where Aleksander and his men are hiding out in a specially prepared fortress (Alek is wanted by the Germans), and join forces - as well as technologies - in order to escape the incoming Germans. Now the ship is filled with Darwinists and Clankers, heading toward the Ottoman Empire so that Doctor Nora Barlow can complete her peace mission to the Turkish Sultan.
Got all that?
Westerfeld’s gift is combining the intricacies of warfare and politics with action sequences that rely heavily on the inventions of his elaborate alternate world. Along with the usual mechas, steam-engines and goggles that you’d expect from steampunk, he really goes to town with his ideas concerning “fabrication”, in which Darwinists can design a biological arsenal from various animals: flechette bats that drop metal projectiles, messenger lizards that mimic human voices, and of course the Leviathan itself: a living airship that is essentially a giant space whale.
One of my favourite tropes is Sweet Polly Oliver, in which a girl disguises herself in boy’s clothes, fooling everyone around her into thinking that she’s male. Some of my favourite characters partake in this pursuit to one end or another (Eowyn! Mulan! Alanna! Viola! Portia! Djaq!) and Deryn Sharp is a worthy addition to that list of names. She’s fantastically proactive and quick-thinking, yet there’s the constant threat of discovery looming over her every moment - all the more so when she realizes that the exposure of her true gender could well be used as propaganda by the Germans.
*minor spoiler*
Westerfeld (somewhat disappointingly) draws back from this particular plotline, concentrating instead on Alek’s determination to protect his friend's secret no matter what the cost. I was actually looking forward to Deryn dealing with the fallout of people learning her true identity, but the trilogy ends with her secret intact.
*end spoiler*
But both Alek and Deryn get great character development over the course of the trilogy, with Alek going from lonely, pampered prince to an assertive planner and revolutionary, whilst Deryn gradually comes to terms with her gender and her feelings for Alek. In a nice twist, Alek is never a Spoiled Brat who needs to learn to respect others - he’s a thoughtful, quiet boy who is ostracized by the aristocracy because of his mother’s low status (which was very much the case with the real Sophie Chotek who - among other things - was not allowed to ride in the royal carriage or sit in the royal box, or even appear in public beside her husband) and though Deryn gets frustrated with the restrictions that her gender enforces upon her, she’s never self-loathing or dismissive of femininity. There is one occasion in which jealousy rears its head when Alek joins forces with a beautiful Turkish revolutionary, but Westerfeld handles the would-be love triangle with a humourous twist.
There’s also another great female character in the form of Doctor Nora Barlow, an arrogant and implacable “boffin” who carries with her three fabricated eggs: their contents a mystery until the night they hatch...
Why You Should Read This: Because Westerfeld ticks (what I think) are the three boxes of Speculative Fiction: plot, characterization and world-building. All the best fantasy/sci-fi stories have these three elements in abundance, and the Leviathan trilogy is right up there with the best of them. As it happens, I watched a fantasy cult classic recently that only ticked one of these boxes, and the difference in quality is clear (see below).
Trollbridge by Jane Yolen and Adam Steeple
This was an odd little book. An amalgamation of The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Twelve Dancing Princesses, it involves a music protégée and a boy band being whisked from an old stone bridge and into (what is presumably) Fairyland where they must battle a family of trolls to free the Dairy Princesses. The what princesses, you say? Well, it’s apparently a Minnesota tradition to annually choose a Dairy Princess for their State Fair (or something) and for her likeness to be carved into a butter sculpture. Yolen incorporates this into her plot by having the sculptures be part of a much older tradition started by the Scandinavian settlers hundreds of years ago, in which they leave the butter sculptures on an old bridge in order to appease the trolls in the area. But when the new mayor deems them an environmental hazard and prevents them from being laid out, the troll decides to take the princesses - who were present on the bridge for a photo-shoot - instead.
Helped along by a talking fox called Fossegrim (who has ambiguous goals of his own) harpist Moira and singer Jakob attempt to rescue their friends and brothers respectively. It reads very much like an updated folktale, in which music and trickery is used to outwit the trolls, but with a few modern twists thrown in for good measure.
The book was a collaborative effort between Jane Yolen and her son Adam Stemple, a musician who includes the lyrics to several of the original songs that the protagonists sing during the course of the story in the text (though sadly not the music itself - I couldn’t help but feel that this story would have worked better as an audiobook in which the songs could have been audibly incorporated into the plot). Since the music is such a fundamental part of the story, you can’t help but feel that you’re missing out on something by never getting to hear it.
Why You Should Read This Book: Well... to be honest, I can’t exactly muster up a huge amount of enthusiasm for Trollbridge. It wasn’t like it was bad by any means; it was just a quick, fun, slightly grisly, but ultimately frivolous read. But sometimes that’s all a book has to be.
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
This is one of those books that catch you completely off-guard. I nabbed it along with several other fairytale-ish books at the library, attracted mainly by the cover: a vintage pram with an array of sharp objects dangling over it. It looks like a poster for a Tim Burton film, and having read it, wouldn’t be surprised if he adapts it one day.
There is a sort-of “whimsical macabre” feel to the entire book, which takes place in the industrial town of Gentry: a quintessential Town With a Dark Secret. But what this secret is, no one is prepared to say, and the strength of the book is that things go unsaid for so long. The reader is acutely aware - right from the first page - that something is terribly wrong with the place, that something creepy and alien is lurking beneath its ordinary veneer, and that something must be done to fix it - yet it’s a long time before any light is shed on the situation.
That’s where the second unique aspect of the book comes in. It’s told in first-person narrative by protagonist Malcolm “Mackie” Doyle, who begins his tale with the assumption that the reader is already aware of who (and what) he is. He recounts his first disturbing memory. He has a bad reaction to the blood drive taking place at school and desperately tries to hide the effects it has. He recalls a story told to him by his father of a man who was dragged from home by a mob and strung up from a tree bough. He returns to his locker to find someone has scrawled “freak” on its surface. And that’s just in the first chapter.
Gradually all the disparate pieces of his narrative begin to add up, and though it doesn’t take a genius to realize what’s really going on, the slow trickle of information is what keeps you gripped. In other words, it’s not so much the story, but the way in which the story is told that makes the book so memorable. I could almost feel myself getting sucked in with each page.
Mackie’s inability to socialize properly and his deep longing to fit in is vividly realized, as his constant battle to appear normal no matter what. You wince whenever he slips up because you’re acutely aware of just how high the cost would be should his true nature be exposed.
Storywise, the meaning gets a little murky as it draws to a close: I got the sense that The Power of Love played a part in the way things worked out, but I have no idea how. And although there are some truly heart-warming moments that Mackie shares with his sister, best friend and love interest, these relationships all vie for space on the page and are never given the time they deserve (though the fact that they result in bonafide tearjerkers is testimony to how powerful they are - my complaint isn’t that they don’t have depth, but that there isn’t enough room to enjoy that depth).
Why You Should Read This: Because it’s a Changeling Tale with a difference. Modern and yet Gothic, filled with the familiar tropes and patterns of folklore yet told by an unlikely POV character, its strength lies in the manner in which its told - by assuming that the reader knows everything and yet nothing at the same time.
There are some disturbing images throughout, but also genuine warmth and humanity. Will now sit back and wait for Tim Burton to film it...
The Dark Crystal
Remember how I said that Speculative Fiction needs three key elements: plot, characterization and world building? Well, The Dark Crystal is what happens when you have one but not the others.
First a short disclaimer: I like The Dark Crystal. It’s a beautiful film. I can easily see why it’s a cult classic. I can appreciate what the makers were attempting to do with it. When I discovered that my DVD was scratched, I went out and bought a second copy.
But I don’t think The Dark Crystal is a good movie.
For those who were born after the eighties, the story takes place in a mythical world that was once fair and beautiful until the Crystal of Truth was shattered a millennia ago and a shard was lost. From the chaos that followed emerged two races: the sinister, raucous, bird-like Skeksis and the gentle, peaceful, camel-faced Mystics. Also changed was the crystal itself, now purple in colour and known as the Dark Crystal. Since that time the land has been blighted and the two races have dwindled until only ten of each remain. Among the Mystics lives a young Gelfing, an elf-like creature called Jen who is the last of his kind. From his dying master he is given the task to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal and reunite it with the whole, thus healing the land.
As you can see, the plot is made up of the most basic fantasy archetypes: a Chosen One, a lost McGuffin, a Quest, a Prophesy. But there is no depth to these tropes, no complexity or twists. Okay, I tell a lie: there is one plot-thread that hints at a mysterious link between the Skeksis and the Mystics. Their leaders both die of old age at the beginning of the film; later, when a Skeksis injures its claw, a corresponding wound appears on the hand of a Mystic. But the rest of the plot is paper thin.
As protagonists go, Jen is as bland as ... something really bland. His internal narration constantly reiterates that he has no idea what to do or how to do it. He stumbles blindly into one situation after another, either narrowly escaping or being rescued by someone else. By my reckoning, he only does two useful things over the course of the entire film, neither of them particularly impressive.
Instead it is his companion Kira, a female Gelfing that Jen meets along the way, who galvanizes most of the plot - either by rescuing Jen or providing transportation, sometimes both at the same time. Neither character is three-dimensional (or even two-dimensional), and though one of the Skeksis wanders through the film making a “hmmm...” noise, suggesting that it’s thinking something interesting, nothing occurs on-screen to justify this subplot. A number of Skeksis scenes involving their politics and interactions drag on forever and add nothing to the storyline.
HOWEVER...
The reason you should watch is - I suspect - the very reason the film has such weak plot and characterization: the world itself. At the time, The Dark Crystal was billed as the first film to feature no human actors whatsoever and the technical skill involved in bringing the world to life (namely the puppetry and animatronics) was unmatched. It’s not hard to imagine that the creators got so wrapped up in the artistry of the film that they ended up neglecting the script.
But can stunning visuals make up for a weak storyline? In this case, I think so. Thanks to the conceptual art of Brian Froud and the wizardry of the Jim Henson Company, The Dark Crystal is a feast for the eyes. Some of my favourite scenes: a Mystic using coloured sand to create patterns on the ground, Jen wandering along a rocky plateau covered in anemone-like plants that bounce away at his approach, a panning shot that involves a line of dandelion-esque flowers pin-wheeling straight up into the air, and the spinning, insect-like legs of the Garthim, making them appear both robotic and organic in nature.
And the two most appealing characters: Aughra, the bull-faced, ram-horned, purple-skinned Battle Axe of a woman who can detach her single eyeball, and Fizzgig, a strange creature which appears to be half-terrier, half-piranha. Everyone loves Fizzgig.
There are little character moments as well: Aughra automatically ducking in order to avoid an incoming branch of her revolving planetarium, the Chamberlain panting and clinging to the wall after the other Skeksis have torn his regalia from him, and of course the scene that everyone remembers: when Kira suddenly reveals that she has wings and floating to the bottom of a gorge. On hearing a stunned Jen wondering why he doesn’t have any, she simply remarks: “Well of course not, you’re a boy.”
Why You Should Watch: Because it’s unashamed eye candy; one only wishes that it had a more imaginative story and stronger characterization to go with its stunning visuals. Apparently there’s a ton of supplementary material to go with the film that expand on the history of the world and the background of the characters. One of these days I'll have to track it all down, especially considering Brian Froud contributed heavily to the world-building.
***
So that’s what’s been keeping me busy entertainment-wise these past few weeks. I suppose it’s now time to brave the malls and get some Christmas shopping done...