Things done happened

[katranna]

I went up to NY this weekend to attend An's (mizo_no_oto) autumnal party, and it was very nice. Saw Gina a_priori there as well, and Anna a_literati. An had declared that everybody ought to dress in autumn colors for the party, and both Anna and I ended up going shopping for it. I just want to say that I am awesome, because I said that vests were really gonna be big in

Comments

[electricwitch]

Haha, oh man, the Scary Socialist Fairytales post amused me so much. When I was little I used to read the original versions of all the Grimm and Anderson stories, and strange Dutch folk tales, because I loved the torture and the misery. I was a bit weird. It´s why I hated Disney from a very early age, I was like BUT WHERE´S ALL THE BLOOD AND DYING???!

The philosophical discussions that seem to be the norm for the Russian ones seem incredibly boring, though. Is the Fanny the seamstress story an allegory of Nazi Germany?

[katranna]

I didn't know there were such things as NOT the "original" versions of Anderson stories till I came to the US. Though I think the Russian editions may have edited for religious content a little. In any case, no matter how bad the little mermaid's slashed up feet, and the mute swan princesses's burning fingers-plus-forever-deformed-brother were, they had nothing on that book. Am glad it amused you!

I'm pretty sure the stories were written in the 19th century, so no allegories to Nazi anything--just your usual socialist argument.

[electricwitch]

Ah, ok. Yeah, I didn´t know either, until I went to friends´ houses and they had Disney stuff. It took me ages to figure out they were even the same stories.

God, at least none of the stuff I read had any philosophical crap in it, despite a lot of Victorian moralism that seemed to be based on cutting bits off people and a lot of stories about zombie pirates and drowning and being lost at sea or in a swamp.

[katranna]

I was totally traumatized by that book, but on the other hand, it stuck with me, you know?

All the stories I remember best are the sad stories that made me sit and worry for hours about the unfairness of the world, etc. I don't remember the happy stories so well.

[electricwitch]

PS: you´re right about the nonpretty factor of Bleak House. I guess they wanted realism or something (silly tits). The only one I found attractive was the slimy Steerpikean character, can´t remember his name now, but that´s mainly because I always fancy the slimy Steerpikean character.

[katranna]

Plus those characters don't HAVE to be pretty.

The stupid thing here is that the three young people are supposed to be very attractive. But I find Ada bland at best, and Esther... er... in the book, everyone compliments her on how pretty she is, and yet she's made up so plainly in the adaptation that I have a nagging suspicion that the casting director overdosed on Jane Eyre and has decided that all governesses must be physically unappealing. I LIKE that the governess is pretty in the book! Since Jane Eyre created such a cult of the homely governess, it is refreshing that the Poor Orphan is not much less conventionally attractive than the Beautiful Blonde Maiden

[glamourcorpse]

P.S. But why is everyone in the BBC adaptation of Bleak House so very unattractive?

Are we talking about the same BBC version?

I mean Charles Dance, Burn Gorman, Nathaniel Parker and Gillian Anderson?

[katranna]

Gillian Anderson makes a very beautiful Lady Dredlock, I forgot.

I... have never even considered being attracted to Charles Dance's character. Um. I mean, Mr. Tulkinghorn?! Burn Gorman's all right. I'm sure many of the lesser characters and oh, background actors are attractive, but I was talking about the main leads...

[glamourcorpse]

Gotcha. Charles Dance is OOOOOLLLLDD. He used to be lovely. ;)

Burn's funny looking. I used to think he looked not unlike a monkey. But he's grown on me. Heh.

[katranna]

He's still lovely, but his character really isn't one I'd consider being all that attracted to!

[many_others_yet]

>>so far Bleak House is actually really really good.

Now you said that to make me feel silly. :-(

[katranna]

Why, darling? You said you liked it!

[many_others_yet]

Ah, good. I thought my sarky comments might’ve given the opposite impression, saying that the truly good parts of the novel could be reduced to a single sentence. That wasn’t what I meant at all!

[katranna]

I know. :-) You are a pet! Heh.

[trickseybird]

oooh man, history is hilarious. My mum said that when she was in high school they taught the Russian revolution that way - evil Rasputin and poor princess Anastasia, and the lower classes could sod off.

Also, whenever anyone mentions Rasputin, my mind goes to amusing Alan Rickman porn I am a simple creature.

ha, modern fairytales are gutless. O! the socialist story post is so depressing. Everyone dies! lool.

[katranna]

Did they really? That's hilarious.

But the important bit--did they teach her that Rasputin was an Alan Rickman zombie??

[trickseybird]

*giggles* you've been so lulzy lately