From Apartheid to Democracy

South Africa became a dominion in 1910. After the African National Party won the elections in 1948, it established Apartheid in South Africa, I mean a system of racial control and separation between blacks and whites. Blacks were exploited and lived in poor conditions, mixed marriages were banned, and the regime became oppressive. It was only in 1994, when Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa, that the country’s Constitution became fully democratic.

The years of Apartheid marked a lot of South Africans writers, who used themes as the relationship between races, the confrontation with violence and violations or the rights of whites writers to speak about the blacks rights. In this category we have a lot of writers : John M. Coetzee, Lewis Nkosi, Zakes Mda, Nadine Gordimer, André Brink and many more.

Jérémy Schneider

Jéremy Schneider is a french illustrator who draw realistic works of art all in black and white. He use black chalk on Canson to obtain more shades of black (he said « a darker black »). He like to do very precise works with a lot of detail as in his sketch named « bear »:

He collaborate with Commune De Paris, a clothing store, on a serie of pattern shirt dealing with the revolt of the 19th century. He drawn the face of few bourgeois horified by the view of the workers’s movement. They all have an exaggerated expression that make them look ridiculous :

Jérémy Schneider, Bourgeois

He likes philosophy and readind and inspire himself of Nietsche, or Willialm Shakespear, especially in his work named « king lear » ( not hidden reference…at all…)

 

One day – David Nicholls

File:One day - david nicholls.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:One_day_-_david_nicholls.jpg

A wonderful, wonderful book : wise, funny, perceptive, compassionate and often unbearably sad…” THE TIMES

“ It’s rare to find a novel which ranges over the recent past with such authority, a nd even rarer to find one in which the two leading characters are drawn with such solidity, such painful fidelity, to real life.” Jonathan Coe, Guardian book of the year 2009.

If you like love stories, you will really enjoy One day, written by David Nicholls and published in 2009. Personally, I found it really gripping, wonderful, and absorbing. You passed from laughter to tears.

All the stories begin by a meeting. One day is the story of the meeting of Dexter and Emma who are almost opposite person. We can observe along the years, their stories: the two people are going to love, lose, hate and meet each other again.

I advice you to read it. In addition to this gripping story, I think it’s also interesting because I think that this book could be a good illustration for the thematic: Meeting people, love and friendship because because the 2 mains characters are going to love each other, separate each other and become friends.

And you, have you read this book ? Did you like it ? Maybe you have seen the film adaptation because David Nicholls is not a simply writer, he also wrote for film and TV. Then he adapted One Day into a screenplay. The film was released in 2011. Personally, I didn’t want to see this film because I think that it couldn’t be as good as the book.

“You can live your whole life not realizing that what you’re looking for is right in front of you.” David Nicholls, One day. 

The Brontë Sisters.

I would like talking about Emily, Charlotte and Anne Brontë. These women are great novelists of the 19th above all Emily and Charlotte. I’ll focus, in particular, on Emily and Charlotte whose I read the most of works.

So, they grew up in an isolated place, in the West Riding of the Yorkshire. In spite of this « imprisonment », all of the Brontë family display a huge creativity with a lot of imagination. This place where they live, is a wild place, so we can guess why it’s often the same atmosphere which reigns in their differents books.

So, I read Jane Eyre and, one of my favorite books, Wuthering Heights. This last deals with a « strange » love story, accompagnied by wild characters and unheathly atmosphere. I’d rather avoid to give too details! As of Jane Eyre, the story distinguish herself by the feminism in advance for this time. Now, I would like reading one of the book of Anne Brontë.

Unfortunetly, the destiny of the Brontë family is tragic. The most of died of tuberculosis, often young.

So, you should read the Brontë’s books, and watch the film adaptions which accompany the novels like the version of Jane Eyre directed by Zefirelli, with Charlotte Gainsbourg, or even, Jane Eyre according to Fukunaga which is more recent. 

Pride and Prejudice, directed by Joe Wright.

This film is one of the two film adaptations of the novel by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice. This adaptation stays faithful next to the film. What’s more, he’s less boring than the another adaption made by BBC.

Keira Knightley is very beautiful in the version of Joe Wright even if the actress ( Jennifer Ehle) as Elizabeth in the film of BBC corresponds better in this role, for me. Whereas, I find the two actors as Mr Darcy are perfect both : Matthew Macfadyen is very handsome, and Colin Firth is very charming!

The advantage with the Joe Wright’s vision of Pride and Prejudice is that the film isn’t long, and that the aesthetic of the film is greatly good implemented.

So, I let you discover the one or another of this two adaptations and tell me, according to you, which is the better.

Jon Cozart is back

Lien

Thanks to Emma P, we have discover this American artist. To the sequel to his video, I saw other videos of this teen. I would like to you make uncover this new video.

Like the Harry Potter’s video, this one is about « The Lord Of The Rings ». It is formed on the soundtracks of the three films.

I hopes, you enjoy this new video as much as the first. [youtube]http://youtu.be/3FPxYDGfniM[/youtube]

V for Vendetta (the film)

V for Vendetta is a political thriller film directed by James McTeigue, and released in 2006. The famous Wachowski brothers made the screenplay, with Hugo Weaving as V, and Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond. The film is based of the Vertigo/DC Comics comics V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd.

We are in 2038, in London. The founder of « The Norsefire » facist party, Adam Suttler control the United Kingdom. The society is heavily oppressed : citizens are muzzled, because they are afraid of the secret police of the party called the « Fingermen » ,medias are censored, , political opponents, immigrants, muslims, homosexuals and other « undesirables » are imprisoned in concentration camps, tortured, and killed. During the night of the fourth of november , Evey Hammond is saved of a rape by a mysterious man wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, and presenting himself as V. He will teach her a life without fear, and will offer her the opportunity to create a new world, whereas he will accomplish is Vendetta, a revenge for everything he has suffered in the past.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7k0sXeIBu8[/youtube]

You must say « But what is the link with English literature ? ». If you have seen the film, you must know why. V is a quite cultivated character, and throughout the film, he speaks using Shakespeare plays quotes (McBeth, Hamlet, Richard III, Twelfth Night). He also has a great cinematographic and musical culture.

I just loved this film, because, first, in my opinion, it conveys a great idea (of liberty, revolution..I can not mention them all!), the screenplay is really good (for a blockbuster), V’s home is amazing, and I really loved the actors play ! Even behind a mask, Hugo Weaving gives life to an expressionless face, just with his voice, the way he moves, for me he does a great job ! And Natalie Portman interprets really well Evey’s character, with emotions (especially at the end). And as I always say : I love the soundtrack ! Very simple, but very nice ! So I suggest you to watch the movie, and discover the reason of V’s Vendetta.

« Reunion » by Fred Uhlman

This book is written by Fred Uhlman was published in 1971. In this novel there are many details very similar to the real life of the writer. As a matter of fact,  the parents of the main character were Jewish and German. In this novel the hero, Hans Schwarz studied in the most renowned school on Stuttgart.

We follow the evolution of Nazism through the storry of Hans, and his friendship with Conrad, son of a family completly devoted to Hitler’s culte

I will not tell you the story of this novel, but I urge you to read this novel! This book is very interresting and story is beautifull. I love it and I’ll read it a second time.

The Green Mile by Stephen King

It is a novel, written by Stephen King in 1996 before to be a huge film three years later in 1999. It tells us the story of Paul Edgecombe, who is the head of a death row in a prison, and his meeting with John Coffey who is a death row inmate after having been accused of murdering two little girls, but Coffey isn’t like the other criminals he is very generous but the most important thing about him is  that he disposes extraordinary healing powers.

I have put the trailer of the movie below the article for these who have never seen it.

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctRK-4Vt7dA[/youtube]

Into the wild

I saw a big part of that film at school last year, it is an adaptation of the  non fiction book of the same name written by jon Krakauer in 1996. The plot is about a young american  student named Christopher McCandless who has obtained his degree and is destined for a great future but he will blow it all away, because he rejects the society, so he abandones the american dream for an adventurous life. The scene i remember the most, is the scene when he is in the restaurant with his family after having his degree. When his father proposes to buy him a new car, Christopher refuses and says « what’s wrong with my old car, i don’t want a new car » this scene really presents the character of Christopher who don’t want to be a part of the society.

Sorry i have not found the restaurant scene so i picked the firs scene of the movie, i hope you wiil enjoy!

 

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i80VmofNXW4[/youtube]

 

As you like it

William Shakespeare was born on April 1564 in Stratford -upon- Avon and died on 23 April 1616 in the same town. He is considered one of the greatest poets , playwrights and writers of English culture and wrote many tragedies like « Hamlet », « Romeo & Juliette », « Othello » … but also a lot of comedy like « As you like it ».

 » As you like it  » is a comedy written around 1599, just before Hamlet ( 1600-1601 ) .

We have seen in class three extracts of this comedy, our  teacher showed us the three extracts with specific way: the oldest to the most modern.

I prefer the third extract because it’s more modern ( the actress smokes on stage ), she is very expressive ( she cries , she laughs … ) , else, I enjoyed the crazy character.

In the first two extracts , It’s the makeup that turns girls into boys while in this extract, the girl naturally looks like a boy.

It’s for the choice of the actress that I preferred the third extract.

Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone

« Harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone » is the first episode of the Harry Potter saga to be relesead on the cinema. The books have been written by J.K  Rowling,  the first book isn’t entitled « Harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone » but « Harry Potter and the pilosopher’s stone ». This is one of the only differences between the movie and the book in this one because in the other one’s the story is not as much respected as in the first one, that’s why i only talk about the first film and not about the others. Every sceen is meticulously respected for exemple, the scene with the sorting hat who locates the first year students is totaly respected, when the hat takes his time to choose Harry’s house, he hesitated to locate him into slytherin but finally after Harry’s request the sorting hat sends him to Gryffindor.

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA3dbvRCui0[/youtube]

Invictus

It was a film released in 2009, produced by Clint Estwood. The movie was starring Morgan freeman, Matt Damon and many other well known actors. It’s a drama film but also an history film.

This film shows us, that the sport unites everyone, that there is no differences between black and white people, that their live with the same hopes and dreams

I hope, you will like the video because i did!

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXRqGm0h-X0[/youtube]

W.H Auden, nice words..

« Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good. »

I absolutely love poems, and all of kind of texts.. Philosophy, Essay etcetera. So, when Ms.Charlette gave us the poem of W.H.Auden , i was happy. I find this poem really affecting and touching. In fact, When you read this text, you understand that you can be important for some people. But, you’re just a grain of sand, on a beach. You’re really little. Reading this text; made me understand that I’m not nothing, but someone. We are all important, even if we are very little.Tell me if you like it or not.

« Four Weddings and a Funeral » by Mike Newell in 1994

After started studying the poem « Funeral Blues » by WH Auden, I would like to talk about « Four Weddings and a Funeral » where the poem is recited by one of the characters in the film at his lover’s funeral.
This film is a massively successful British romantic comedy. It staged the misadventures of a group of friends seen through the eyes of Hugh Grant, who is obsessed by Carrie (Andie MacDowell). So this film is between weddings and funerals. This is for me the romantic comedy bringing all those that followed.. There are very good actors, humor and tenderness. To see!

To see the trailer : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHyCtw6BB20

1984

In English class we have seen an extract from Animals Farm, a novel written by Georges Orwell. So I wanted to look into the autor’s bibliography and I saw 1984. I already knew this novel, obviously (as a lot of people I think !) but I never read it.

I think I will because this novel looks really interesting. I will write a little summary for you and it maybe will convince you to read this book.

The story takes place in London in 1984 (obvious ahah). The world, since the nuclear wars of the 1950s, is divided into three « blocks » : Oceania (Americas, the Atlantic islands, Oceania and Southern Africa), Eurasia (Europe and URSS) and Eastasia (China and its southern regions, islands of Japan, and a little but variable portion of Mongolia, Manchuria and Tibet) that are in perpetual war against each other. These three great powers are directed by different totalitarian regimes required as such, and based on different ideologies but almost similar : Angsoc (or  » English Socialism « ) for Oceania , the « neo- Bolshevism  » for Eurasia and the  » cult of death  » (or  » obliteration of me ») to Eastasia . All these parties are presented as Communists before their rise to power, until they become totalitarian regimes and relegate the workers they claimed to defend the bottom of the social pyramid

The concepts and characters invented by Georges Orwell (Big Brother, Doublethink, Newspeak, O’Brien …) became archetypes, which are almost part now of the nomenclature of political science jargon.

And you ? Have you read this book ? What is your opinion ?

Ray

Hello !

Have you ever seen Ray, this movie which focusing on 30 years of the life of Ray Charles? this film was directed by Taylor Hackford, and I personally loved it ! 

Ray Charles was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s. he was a musician and a composer. In this film, we can see the dark times of his life.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1rJvSF3l6k[/youtube]

 

The Notebook

Looking into this blog, I have read an article about The Vow, a movie with Rachel McAdams, an actress who I particularly appreciate.

Consequently, now,  I would like to talk about an other movie starring her and Ryan Gosling. This movie is entitled The Notebook, (« N’oublie Jamais » in french) and it was released in 2004.

It is the story of a woman who have the Alzheimer’s disease and who live in a retirement home. Each day, Noah reads her the same book. This is the book where Allie has recorded its own story when she learned her illness. Not to forget her feelings, she wrote, and Noah reads to her her own words.

Behind them, we will discover Allie (the old woman) in the thirties, madly in love with a young man, Noah (the reader). Her mother will do anything to keep her, her situation is not considered good enough.
After years of separation, at the end of the Second World War, Allie is ready to marry a rich lawyer. When she reads the newspaper, she learns the return of Noah, the mood takes him again. Escaping a life of convenience, the two young people meet and discover that their love remained intact. They spend the rest of their lives together, until Allie lost memory..

I must say that the end of this movie is not really cheerfull and I could cry each time I see it ahah. But, for people who like drama and romance, I really recommend you to watch it !

And you ? Have you seen this film ? what is your opinion ?

« Pride And Prejudice » by Jane Austen

I would talk about this book because I watched the 2005 film adaptation by Joe Wright , with Keira Knightley and it gave me desire to read this book.

Pride and Prejudice is a love story written by Jane Austen between 1796 and 1797 but the book was edited in 1813. The Main Character is Elisabeth Bennet , the second daughter of an familly of five girls. Their Mother wants to marry them. And one day , to a bal Jane the eldest daughter encount Mr.Bingley a charming young man. He has an great friend Mr.Darcy , very rich but not very talkative and proud. At first impression , Elisabeth and Mr.Darcy haven’t appreciated each other.

But with time and knowledge of each other they fell in love. But still the problem of social gap separated them. Mr.Darcy’s aunt Lady Catherine is clearly opposed to this union because he has to marry with her daughter. But Darcy has overcome people’s opinions and has to married with Elisabeth because he loved her. The same day that Jane and Mr.Bingley.

It was a short summary . But clearly I think it is an very good book what wrote Jane Austen.

 

 

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

In class, we studied an extract from the book, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

I read this book in french personally and I enjoyed it. At the beginning it’s difficult to understand who are the character and their feelings but step by step I better knew the characters and their own personalities.

It’s a really good story who illustrate the condition and the differents behaviors of the characters.

Funeral Blues, by Wystan Hugh Auden

In class, we study a poem, Funeral Blues,written by Wystan Hugh Auden who is an Anglo-American poet, born in York on 21 February 1907 and died in Austria on 29 September 1973.

In my opinion, I love the poem because he used simple word to express what he feels and we understand quickly what he talks about.

There is an expression of grief because he used the past to express his feelings and everythings stops around him, he feels nothing more.                                                            We have the impression that he lost everything.

I like the way he express his feelings despite of there are sad.

Doctor who

Few month after the end of the 7th season, I would like to share my favorite series with you.

Doctor Who is a british sci-fi serie beggining on november 1963. It tell the storie of an alien who look like a human. He is a time traveler and save humanity of alien’s attack. It’s actually the oldest series in world: 26 season were distributed between October 1963 and 1996before the BBC stopped it because of a lack of audience. Fox takes the concept in 2005 and continue the storie of this strange character.

It is named Doctor Who because one of the most important plot of the serie is the name of the doctor: only two characters know it (the doctor and his wife) and this question regulary come back « doctor ? but, doctor who ? »

The doctor survived 33 season (26 before 1996 and 7 after 2005) because of one of the particuliarity of the characters is his ability to resurect in an other body twelve times, so there is twelve actors playing the same role but with little differences of characters. My favorite one his the one of the season 5,6 and 7 : Matt Smith. He is complitely neurotic,has a strange sence of humour (second degree, black humour, uses the literal sense of the words…) and always wear a bow tie, wich makes him the most charismatic doctor of doctor who !

Unfortunatly, the next season (that beggin in september) is about an other doctor ( normaly the last one: Matt Smith was the 11th). It will be hard to mourn Matt Smith, but I swear, I try hard!

God hates me by Hollis Seamon

There are books that one hesitates to open. Because they make a little scared. The subject of this book is too serious. The American Hollis Seamon had to find the right tone : funny, vivid, terribly human.
The book tells the story of a teenager who has 17 years old. He is daredevil. And he lives in a palliative care service. Richard will soon die, it is an incurable disease and it is not a secret. Neither his mother nor his nurse, or especially for himself. That’s why he needs to enjoy life despite the pain. His luck is to be loved by his family. But he also likes his neighbor of room, they will love in spite of the disease, despite the adults who do not understand. Richard will have to fight.
They have a lot of courage, and these characters remind me Romeo and Juliet
This novel offers us a life lesson and a beautiful real lesson in optimism too.

Hannibal.

You know certainly the famous Hannibal Lecter who is a character in Thomas Harris’s Novels or you know the adaptation of these novels to the cinema.

 Since a moment i look the series developed by Brian Fuller in 2013.  The story is based on novels. The character Hannibal is played by Mads Mikkelsen. In the series Hannibal is a psychiatrist.  Will Graham has the capacity to think as a killer and he is recruited by the FBI. But his gift is very hard to support for him.  So the FBI decided that Will would be followed by doctor Hannibal Lecter.

It is a very beautiful police series who is very surprising. There is a very good casting. Mads Mikkels is a perfect Hannibal. A very strange atmosphere with many suspense. A very good  realisation with an exceptional esthetic. But some scenes are violent.

 

 

Virgin Suicides by Sofia Coppola

I would like to talk about a film that marked me : This film is Virgin Suicides directed by Sofia Coppola in 1999.

This story takes place in a quiet American city of seventy years. Cecilia Lisbon, thirteen tries to commit suicide. She has four sisters, pretty teenage girls. This incident lights some new day the lifestyle of the whole family. The story is told by the intermediate vision of neighborhood boys obsessed by the mysterious sisters, portrayed with cynicism teenage life. Gradually, the family confines itself to itself. And , quickly, the girls are forbidden to leave from their home. But, the boys want to wear secour at these mysterious girls.

Virgin Suicides is for me a film that you feel more than we understand. Because these girls are so mysterious and this film affects us in what is more tragic, more pathetic but also more tender. Morroever, Sofia Coppola films very well the pain of living which has no explication.
The original soundtrack (made by Air) goes very well with the film.
For me, it is a masterpiece.
I know it’s not an easy film but you should watch it, it is a very good film.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8LCLCUJYd8[/youtube]

Dead Man.

I would like to share with you my new treasure.

I discovered a film by Jim Jarmusch was directed in 1995. It is a exceptional western. The soundtrack composed by Neil Young who is great musician. In this movie Young improvised the music. This film is  in black and whrite and the shots are wonderful.  The story takes place in 1870,William Blake (Johnny Depp) a naive young man goes in the lost city who is very strange  for work in Mr Dickinson’s compagny. But when he arrives the job is alrealdy took. He meets an old prostitute and the problems  begin. He becomes a rebel, he is pursued and he is hurt. So he meets Nobody an indian who is rejected by his tribe. This man thinks that William Blake is the poet and he decides to save his soul. 

The director in his film we show an interpretation of the death. It is  special.

The landscape is beautiful. The music is rock’n’roll. This film is very original.

 

An anecdote about Shakespeare

Shakespeare often went to London to go in his native place: Stratford-upon-Avon. In this city he met Mrs Davenant of the Oxford Crown. She had a son who is the godson of Shakespeare.

One day, Shakespeare was going to visit the family  but the child was in school. A teacher asked the boy why he wanted to go home with haste. The boy said, « To my godfather, Shakespeare ». « Fie, child, says the old gentleman, « why are you so superfluous? Have not you learned yet that you should not use the name of God in vain? ».

We see that in the sixteenth century, people were already admiring of Shakespeare.

The Help by Tate Taylor

The Help is an America drama film starring Emma Stone, written and directed by Tate Taylor in 2011. It’s the film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s novel.
This story happens in 60’s  in a town in Mississippi. There is a white woman called Skeeter, she just finishes her studies of journalism and she would like to become writer. She is interested in black housemaid’s living conditions. She looks for positive or negative testimonies concerning them. At the time, these black women look after children’s education and housework. Subsequently, Skeeter meets Aibileen and Minny who are two black housemaids, one is insolent and the other obedient. She asks them to tell their story to make a book. But it’s choking to ask that because black people aren’t allowed to tell their experience, it’s a taboo subject. Then a friendship grows between these three women. Skeeter is totally different of the others, black and white can’t see.
Thanks to this story, the audience can feel what black people have undergone at this period of America. This film includes emotion, nonsense and caricatural points but also humor.
I saw this film some time ago and I find that it’s an interested story to show the state of mind of America concerning black people, even if nowadays there is still racism. Moreover, I find that this movie is pleasant to watch and the actors play well!

Shakespeare’s major plays

I think that it could be interesting to see diffenrents plays of Shakespeare ! You can choose several play of him in this selection :

  • TRAGEDIES : In 1595 Shakespeare written « Romeo and Juliet ». After, he did « Julius Caesar » in 1599 and from 1600 to 1601 he created « Hamlet ». In 1606, he written two plays : « Macbeth » and « Anthony and Cleopatra ».
  • COMEDIES : Shakespeare did two plays from 1590 to 1591 : « The two Gentlemen of Verona » and « THe Taming of the Shrew ». In 1595 he written « A Midsummer Night’s Dream » and three years later it was « Much Ado About Nothing ». Afterwards, he created « As you Like It » in 1599-1600 and from 1604 to 1605 « All’s Well that Ends Well ».
  • ROMANCES : He written « Pericles » in 1607. In 1610 Shakespeare created « Cymbeline » and one years later he did « The tempest ».

I didn’t wrote all parts of Shakespeare but I hope that these items can help you !

Tattoos in museum

Since may 6, the Quai Branly museum presents a retrospective aubout tattoos and their history. Named « Tatoueurs, Tatouées », it is the first exhibition showing the tatto as an artistic movement. The aim is to show the evolution of tattooing over time from the first civilisation that uses it to express their belonging to a religion or mystic movement, to our civilisation where, after being a sign of social or cultural difference, it is now consider as a banal thing.
Composed of more than 300 work of art, you can find different kind of works: sketches on paper or kakémone, photo series, books criminologists, tattoued members of silicone body and… true human skins!
It also represented all continents thanks to their history ( japanese yakuza, french prisonners,etc…)
It ends the october 18 so you have all the summer to jump on a train and go to the Quai Branly museum! Don’t miss it!

a small bonus for lovers of tattoos:

Brave New World

The original title Brave New World from The tempest of William Shakespeare (Act 5 – scene 1). There is also reference to French literature, to Voltaire’s Candide.

One of main characters include this phrase with irony. This novel is written in 1931 by Adlous Huxley. The novel anticipates psychological the manipualtion and classical conditioning for profoundly change society.

The story takes place in London at « 632 Year of our Ford », after a War who touched the world who is known as « The Nine years’ War ». At the sequel the most humans live in State, only a number of « wild » are spread in reserves. The society is based on social castes.

There are : The Alphas (Ruling Elite), The Bêtas (Intelligent Workers), The Gammas ( Middle/Lower class) and The Deltas and  The Espilons (The Lower caste). Everyone is pleased on its caste and its condition, because at the birth, the population is conditionned during sleep.

The natural birth, married life no exist, it are considered like vulgar and obscene. The population is drug « Soma » for be happy everytime. Additional at the conditioning, this society hasn’t free will, contrubing to the ultimate objective of the sociel system; Stability. Sexuality is a entretainment, for to be only recreational so there isn’t tension like jealousy and possessiveness.

I recommend this book everyone, no just for this story but to have another vision of the world . Is that living happily is better than to live free ?

Sherlock Holmes

The films Sherlock holmes and A Game of Shadows by Guy Ritchie, with Robert Downey Jr (Sherlock Holmes) and Jude Law (Dr Watson) are the last films today with the character of Arthur Conan Doyle.

The first release tell how Sherlock Holmes and his friend, Dr Watson succeed in the arrest of Lord Blackwood after a serie of muders. But Lord Blackwood say that he will come back to life, after his hanging, to revenge him. So after his resurrection unexplained, the city of London panic.

In the second release, Sherlock holmes faces professor Moriarty. This man want death and destruction. Across France, Swiss and Germany Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson unlock the mysteries of Pr Moriarty.

I find the facias expressions of Robert Downey Jr present an excentric Sherlock holmes with his fads. It make humours with his behaviour. I prefer the first than the second release but this last is very interesting for his set and his costumes.

And you what do you think about this two films?

Nosferatu by Murnau

Nosferatu is an adaptation of the gothic novel Dracula, written by Bram Stoker. The silent film was directed by Murnau (a German director) in 1921, and released in 1922, starring Max Schreck as (the vampire) Count Orlok.

Because it was an unauthorized adaptation of the Bram Stoker’s novel, Murnau decided to change characters names and some details of the story, so we can say that Dracula’s story inspired the director.

Thomas Hutter and the Count Orlok

Nosferatu ; The Bird of Death

The story takes place in 1938, Thomas Hutter, a young man, was sent in Transylvania to sell an house to the Count Orlok. During the journey, people, who heard him say the name of the Count, were totally scared and discouraged him to do the travel to the castle during the night, because of the werewolf. When Hutter arrived at Count Orlok castle, he noticed a strange atmosphere. And, when he met the Count, the young man suspected him to be Nosferatu the vampire (because of his strange behaviour). One evening, when the two men signed the agreement to buy the house, Orlok discovered the portrait of Hutter’s wife, Ellen. And, during the night, Hutter discovered Count Orlok true nature (his suspicions were true) : he was Nosferatu, the Bird of Death.

But what happened next ? I let you discovered !

Nosferatu, the film

As You Like It by William Shakespeare

We have watched three videos at school about the act 3, scene 2 from As You Like It, adaptations of the pastoral comedy written by Shakespeare, the famous english poet, playwright and actor.

I’ve selected two videos and I want to compare them.

In my opinion, this play is my favourite because the play of the actors is good.

The second play is good too but it’s more in a modern life – for example, she smokes.

Even if the costume – we clearly see that it is artificial (the mustache for example) in the first play while the woman who is disguised hasn’t a costume : it is natural in the second play – and the landscape is better in the second play – there are many colors and it’s realistic, I prefer the first one for its adaptation.

And you, what play do you prefer?

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)

 

In class, we watched the movie Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and I want to talk about this movie. The movie directed by Kenneth Branagh and released in 1994. The Main actors are Robert De Niro (Dr Frankenstein) and Kenneth Branagh (the creature).

I think that this movie is a great interpretation of the book. Because we feel  the dramatic side and the despair of Dr Frankenstein. Admittedly the direction and the special effects are of low quality and certain parts of the story aren’t respected but the version was produced in 1994 and the director communicated the morality of the story.

Bilbo The Hobbit

Althought we did’nt see this movie in class,I really like this film.

I saw it at the cinema and I have read the book. It’s one of my favourite film because I found the sets very beautiful as well as the creature and all the spectacular special effects. Another the stories are always differents as The Lord of the Rings, which I also recommend.

So, if you don’t know what to see, or if you want to watch a film, why don’t you see Bilbo?

Frankenstein: A Popular Myth

Frankenstein is a character invented  by Marry Shelley in her novel « Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus » published in 1818. Frankenstein is not only a fantastic tale, it also represents the birth of science fiction. For the first time, there is a myth that is based on scientific speculation and not only supernatural elements, contrary to other monsters, like vampires or werewolves, the monster is made by a scientist called Victor Frankenstein, in a laboratory . The author refers  to scientific experiments of her time on electricity. Mary Shelley’s novel, has achieved success quickly. This led other artists and writers working for the entertainment industry to adapt the novel with more or less fidelity. Hundreds of plays, dozens of movies, comics, cartoons, video games, novels, etc.. continues to the perpetuation of the myth of Frankenstein in the common imagination.

Here we have a video which shows, some scenes of the Frankenstein play.

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApxzTChNWr0[/youtube]

Carrie Horror or Drama

It is the third film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1974 novel of the same name. The movie contrary to the novel is not circled around the religious aspect but it circles around what can happen if you push someone to an extreme. And that’s what happens at the end of the movie when everyone is laughting at her at the ball, she cannot control her power anymore because she has accumulated too much hatred and is consumed by it so that she can’t control herself anymore.

 

The Hobbit Magic Effects

The Hobbit, is a film co written fantasy saga, produced and directed by Peter Jackson, inspired by the british novel The Hobbit written by J.R.R Tolkien. This project is the continuation of the adaptation from the trilogy « The Lord of the Ring » also produced by Peter Jackson.

The video bellow the scene shows how the animation supervisors worked on the animation of the fantastic characters in this case we are talking about the troll’s, the system used is the motion capture stage. So that when they are framing the shot they can see each other because their motions are translated into the camera. This shows us that the team has experience, because they work with each other for a long time now. I think that this saga will dazzle us in the years to come.

 

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQcgX108xw[/youtube]

 

 

 

The Help

The Help is a novel by Kathryn Stockett and was published on 2009. The story takes place in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. The story is about Abileen and Minny who are both African-American maids in houses of white families and Skeeter who is the daughter of a prominent white family. When Sketter comes back to university she talks with Abileen to know were Constantine – the maid of his house – is gone. After that, she talks with Abileen and she wants to write a book about the story of different maids in Jackson. With the help of Abileen, Minny and many other maids Sketter wrote his book, but is not without danger because there are conflicts between black and white, it’s why they write this book in secret.

The film adapted by Tate Taylor on 2011 is not a very good adaptation to my part because in the book we know about what Skeeter, Abileen and Minny thinking, but in the movie the actors played very well and it’s why I like this movie.

If you have the opportunity to read the book or watch the movie, do it, it’s very interesting.

Weep No More, My Lady by Mary Higgins Clark

I’ve read Weep No More, My Lady published in 1988 and written by Mary Higgins Clark who was born in 1927. She is an American author of suspense novels.

Psychological thrillers incorporate mystery, drama and horror with often death and themes which identity, reality, mind, perception, existence,…

To sum up, Leila was a beautiful actress who was found dead a few days before is first one of her play. Elizabeth will have to discover who is the murderer, friends’s real faces and  their feelings.

This book is difficult to read because of difficult and special words. Moreover, this genre of novel isn’t my favourite genre. But I’ve like suspense and Mary Higgins Clark is a good author. To my mind, she is one of the best author of suspense genre because she includes love, betrayal, murder, jealousy and especially suspense!

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XWUbQN32vQ[/youtube]

 » Shakespeare in Love « 

 » Shakespeare in love  » is a movie realised by John Madden in 1998. The scenario of Tom Stoppard, is inspired of an episode in the life of Shakespeare dating in 1593.

The movie’s story takes place in London. Shakespeare is still a young playwright collapsing under debt. Harassed by his patron, Shakespeare promises to give him a new play entitled   » Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate Girl « . But he has no inspiration to write this play. However Lady Viola, a young noble woman, worshiping Shakespeare for his sonnets, dream to meet him and become an actress, but the theater is forbidden to women at this time. So, she disguises as a boy and wins the role of Romeo. But W.Shakespeare will quickly discover the indentity of this young girl and falls in love with her. Thanks to this love, the inspiration of Shakespeare will return, and he will finally find the plot and the new title of the play  » Romeo and Juliet « .

The story has many characters who really existed, but it is largely fictitious. In fact, we‘re not really sure of the reality of the fact evoked in this movie, because the story of William Shakespeare still has this day not totally full for the historians.

Under the Dome by Stephen King

          Under the Dome is a science fiction short story written by Stephen King in 2009. This story is set in Chester’s Mill Maine, in the Extreme North East of the United States. At 11:44 AM on Saturday October 21, Chester’s Mill is suddenly cut off from the outside world by an impassable, invisible barrier, a Dome of an unknown origin. The Story is tell by a multi-characters point-of-view. The main character is a traps former Army Captain Dale « Barbie » Barbara, who is trying to leave Chester’s Mill because of a local dispute. As far as the story goes, we follow the adventures of the citizen and how the react at the fact to being separate of the world. Under the Dome is a partial rewrite of a novel King attempted to write first in 1972 under the same title and then a second time in 1982 as The Cannibals.

Shortly after the release of the book, it was announced that Steven Spielberg’s and DreamWorks would be developing a cable miniseries based on the novel on CBS and M6. 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Y5YeYrqUk[/youtube]

Invictus by Clint Eatswood

In English class, we saw Invictus by Clint Eastwood realised in 2009. The story happened in 1995, South Africa organised the World Cup Rugby. At this period Mandela began to be president of country. He staid 27 years in jail and he spent his life to struggle against apartheid. He thinks that thank to sport black and white people could be a national union. There is a team called Springboks, it’s a symbol for a long time of white people of South Africa ; “one team, one country”. White people govern apartheid. Mandela would change mentalities to make live the Rainbow nation.

As you like it

We saw in class 3 versions of the play As you like it by Shakespeare. The first version was filmed by somebody in the andience so it was very « natural » and we could hear the laughter of people. The second version seems to be more recent and it was filmed differently. Besides, it was like if the actors played to nobody, the audience was silent. The last version was very modern, and it looked like a movie. The play of the actors was very different from the other and it shocked me because I found it wasn’t faithful to the original play. Consequently I prefer the first and the second version than the third, but it was interesting to see the differences between them.

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by W. Shakespeare

We studied in class an extract from Romeo and Juliet and As you like it by William Shakespeare. But I would like to talk about an other famous tragedy by W. Shakespeare : Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. This tragedy dating back to an uncertain date between 1599 and 1602.

The Denmark’s King, father of Hamlet, is assassinated by his brother Claudius. He take his place on the throne and he marry with Gertrude, widow of his brother. The ghost of the King appears to Hamlet, and reveals his murderer, he must avenge his father. Hamlet feigns madness to expose his uncle. We put this insanity on account of his love for Ophelia, daughter of Polonius, the king’s counselor.

If you want to know the rest of the story I suggest you either read the play or watch the theatrical adaptation of Patrice Chéreau (link with « La Fausse suivante » studied in French) or the movies Hamlet (1948) by Laurence Olivier.

Three meters above the sky

I’d like to introduce a film that I love, called « Three meters above the sky » given it is a Spanish film here his title in Spanish « Tres metros sobre el cielo » its French title is « Twilight Love ». The film was directed by Fernando Gonzalez Molina in 2010 with major players Mario Casas and Maria Valverde.
This is the story of an impossible love between Babi, a girl of 17 years, from the high society and Hugo (nicknamed « H »), a rebellious young man, carefree, ill at ease, Which used to date only girls who not respect themselves and participate in illegal races … So are complete opposites, they fall in love. And follows a story like no other.
I found the movie very sad and at the same time so exciting.

As you like it, Shakespeare

In class, we read an extract of Shakespeare’s play As you like it. It’s a comedy written around 1598-1600, during the last years of Elizabeth’s reign. In our extract, there are two characters : Rosalind and Orlando. Rosalind is the daughter of Duke Senior, she disguises herself as a young man named Ganimede. As to Orlando, he is a younger brother of Oliver and we know that he falls in love with Rosalind. Into the passage, they are alone together in the forest.
Last Monday, we saw three video clips of this play. These three clips were totally different. The first extract was the oldest, the setting was very simple as the character’s costume. Moreover, the actors were away from each other during all the extract. Personally, I found that this adaptation theatrical was nothing special! Concerning to the second extract, the staging was better as the setting, the actors played well and their costume were really not bad! And to finish, the third extract was the most modern, the characters smock on stage and their costume are both well, the setting is more realistic. Among these three different representations, I preferred the second.

Romeo and Juliet by William.S

Having start a course on Shakespeare, the urge came to me to read the play Romeo and Juliet in English and it turns out that it is quite difficult to read Shakespeare. I’ve also watched Romeo + Juliet Baz Luhrmann film released in 1996, even if it is a modern even very modern, it traces well the play by William Shakespeare. Whether in the book or the film, I still have the same expectation of the famous replica of Juliette who is: « O Romeo, Romeo! Why art thou Romeo!
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if you do not want, let me simply vow of love
I cease to be a Capulet.  »
Rare are those who do not know the balcony scene.

« I hold this world for what it is: a theater where everyone has to play its role. « William Shakespeare.

Birdy

Birdy is an american movie made by Alan Parker in 1984.

The main characters are Birdy played by Matthew Modine, and his friend, Al, played by the famous Nicolas Cage.

In fact, I watched this movie one hour ago and I want to write an article about it because it was a real slap for me.

It’s the story of two young friends, Al and Birdy. Birdy is mad about birds and he dreams of the possibility of flying : it’s the only thing he likes. However, the two men have to go to the Vietnam war and they come back totally differents : Al is disfigured and Birdy stays in a hospital, alone, looking at the window without speaking and dreaming, he wants to run away and fly. Al is very sad when he sees his friend like that, and he wants to help him.

This movie is very touching, we can see the relationship of these two characters who are very close. It is also tortured and destabilizing, I think it’s a real masterpiece.

You should watch it, I know it’s not an easy movie, and it’s not the kind of movie we can watch during an evening with our family but it is a very good film.

William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet

William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a movie of Bad Luhrmann made in 1996.

Romeo is played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Juliet by Claire Danes. In fact, it’s the story of Romeo and Juliet but it takes place in the 90’s…

It’s exactly the same story written by Shakespeare : the Capulet and the Montaigu can’t stand each other, Romeo and Juliet can’t live their passionate love etc. I think the original story is very good, very romantic and interesting, but the movie totally destroys this universe and the film director made something so boring and bad !

I can’t bear this movie ! Do you ever watched it ? What is your opinion ?

Yeats

It’s obvious that the one name of English poets is William, isn’t it? William Shakespeare, William Blake…William Butler Yeats is especially an Irish poet and dramatist ( like Shakespeare ). He was born in the end of the nineteenth century (1865) and died in the wake of the Second World War (in 1939).He’s the founder of the Abbey Theatre.
At the beggining of his works, he wrote quite a romantic poetry. In 1893, he wrote « The Celtic Twilight ». It’s a blend of mysticism and romantical subjects.
This is an extract from this book: a poem who is entitled « The clothes of Heaven »

« He wishes for the cloths of heaven
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams. »

It’s really a famous poem of Yeats that we can translate in modern language

« (He would have) the clothes of heaven (clothes can be a synonym of voile, sail or curtain)
(If I had) the embroidered clothes (of heaven)
(With their) golden and silver light
The blue, and the (white) and the dark clothes
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would (put) the clothes under your feet
(But I am poor and I have only my dreams)
I (put) my dreams under your feet
(Walk with sweetness because you walk on my dreams) »

It was the poem we all should know, I think.

Jane Austen and the BBC

Jane Austen is always a literary phenomenon and her work cannot be overlooked thanks to the themes she talks about in her novels (criticism of the 19th century english society) .

However, she also found spectators at television thanks to very close adaptations of her novels by the BBC. We can note: Pride and Prejudice in 1995 which played a big role in Colin Firth‘s career, Emma in 1996 with Kate Beckinsale, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park and Persuasion in 2007, and Sense and Sensibility in 2008.

The creation of these adaptations relaunched the interest for Austen’s novels in United Kingdom like in other countries. A new form of tourism was created thanks to them: the Austenian tourism, which consists in visiting locations to follow in heroes’ footsteps.

Andrew Davis is the scriptwriter who adapted the largest number of novels for the BBC.

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Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle in Pride and Prejudice (Simon Langton, 1995)

John Lennon and nonsense !

If you love literature and John Lennon I advise you, his first book « In His Own Wright » which you can read in French and English. In this small paperback, there are poems, short stories and drawings by Lennon. It contains a lot of humor and some nonsense, (that’s why I’m talking about this book). The title is a pun on the English expression « in his own right » and « in his own write ».

http://www.google.fr/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/da/In_His_Own_Write.jpg&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_His_Own_Write&h=240&w=240&tbnid=Yl8OQLFlbiayXM:&zoom=1&tbnh=98&tbnw=98&usg=__X4A38R6PIuMkH87cbo0ZVdOV_KY=&docid=68cEZ9mkD_c48M&sa=X&ei=-7drU92vL8Kc0AWptYGgDw&sqi=2&ved=0CDYQ9QEwAA&dur=325

Impossible love…

Impossible love… It speaks to everyone and, if love is a recurring theme, the impossible love is equally. That’s why a lot of writers use this Gimick in their books, here is a few examples:

  • how not to speak about Shakespeare and his too  famous Romeo and Juliet. It’s a classic for good, an incontestable reference. i think it’s impossible to find more universal than Romeo and Juliet.
  • A great novel which gave a place to one of the most amazing film ever directed, Gone with the Wind ( written by Margaret Mitchell and published in 1936) tells the impossible loves between Scarlett and Ashley then between Scarlett and Reth ,who will never be happy together even if they were madly in love with each other.
  • It’s one of my favorite short stories. Brokeback Mountain (written by Annie Proulx in 1997) tels the love between two cowboys who will separeted during their entire lifes. It’s gorgeous but also totally devastating.

Of course, there are many other examples  in the french literature or outside the literature in general. If you see another examples, don’t hesitate to leave a com’.

Sherlock, THE adaptation!

It’s not a secret, Sherlock Holmes is the most famous private detective of the world and also the most adapted on screen. A lot of films and series refered to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels and short stories (like Guy Ritchie’s movies with Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law or the series Elementary). But I would like to talk about my favorite adaptation wich is incredibly well written by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat and diffused on TV since 2010.

The famous detective is incarnated by Benedict Cumberbatch and Watson by the most famous Hobbit of the world: Martin Freeman. Their performance are perfectly well done and pretty original. The screenplay is ingeniously transposed on the 21th century and we find some Holmes’ famous case (like The Study in pink or The Hounds of Baskerville)

We can see on screen a police series who seems finally be original, ambitious, and full of irony.

Absolute Shakespeare

hello !

I want to tell you about a website exclusively about Shakespeare: its name is « Absolute Shakespeare ». In addition to read Shakespeare’s biography, we can read Comedies, (17, including As you like it) , Histories, or Tragedies. Each time, there is an explanation, it’s very interesting ! there are also Shakespeare’s sonnets, Poems, Quotes (like « To be, or not to be: that is the question » Hamlet  (Act III, Scene I), « O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? ». Romeo and Juliet (Act II, Scene II) etc)

this website is also useful because you can read summary and commentary about many famous plays; Hamlet, Julius CaesarOthello, the Moor of VeniceRomeo and Juliet or The Tempest for example! And if you are reading a Shakespeare’s play, a glossary can help you to understand !

The website here -> absoluteshakespeare.com

Simba like Hamlet ?

[youtube]http://youtu.be/FYheFyrahng[/youtube]

In the Disney « The Lion King« , the viewer sees the relationship between Simba, the young lion and Mufasa, his father. So, the two stories are similar: Scar (Claudius =), the wicked uncle, trap Mufasa (= Hamlet’s father / Polonius) who dies. Scar can then reign on the lion’s earth. After the murder of his father, Simba (= Hamlet) ran away because his uncle accused him of being responsible for the death of his father. He finds refuge with Timon (= Rosencrantz ?) and Pumbaa (=Guildenstern ?), a meerkat and a warthog, which makes this story comic. The same cowardice found at Simba as in Hamlet.. Another common point : thinking about death ; very present in Shakespeare, is also found in the words of Mufasa when he explains to his son the « cycle of life » (the body that turn into grass and the ancestors watching us from the stars).

So I don’t know if we can say that « The Lion King » is a kind of addaptation Hamlet, but in any case, I think there a few similarities with the play.

Romeo + Juliette – Baz Luhrmann (1996)

[youtube]http://youtu.be/5ZqxOb2tJIo[/youtube]

The story of the most famous love of all times, transported in the 20th century in Los Angeles. The gang members Montagues and Capulets fight in the streets and there are a lot of murders. Led by his friend Mercutio and his cousins, Romeo, son Montague, went to a party given by Capulet and falls in love of their only daughter, Juliet. In the center of the war between their two families, Romeo and Juliet swear an indestructible love, which will end tragically.

You had to be very bold to transpose the story of Romeo and Juliet in the world today. The bet has been very successful. Actors, especially Leonardo DiCaprio, playing very well. Of course, Claire Danes changes a little Juliet’s personality in the play, but it still has a very charming side, and makes the film most modern. The scenes are very well filmed. The decorations are beautiful (the beach to the streets of the city). The film may appears very kitsch and tacky today because it tells the lifestyle of the 90s but it succeeds in translating the Shakespeare’s texts  in the twentieth century. And this makes a timeless story.

Masterpiece.

A play by Shakespeare : Macbeth

 » Macbeth  » is a tragedy by William Shakespeare written in 1606. The story is inspired of the famous character : Macbeth, King of Scotland. However the tragedy has many supernaturals elements, which makes the play more interresant for the spectators.

In this play, Macbeth and lady Macbeths ( is wife ) are the main characters because the essential of the tragedy shows how they gradually sink into madness. The plot take place around a battle where Macbeth, the King’s cousin and the general of the army, was noted for his courage, intelligence and loyalty. After winning the battle, he meets three witches who gives to Macbeth three differents titles, including the future king. Then they disappear. Later Macbeth is named  » Thane of Cawdor  » reward for his victory. He tells the new to his wife , but devoured by ambition and the desire to see the prophecy witches realised, she pushes him to murder Duncan, the King of Scotland . The son of Duncan (Malcolm and Donalbain) run away for fear of being murdered as their turn and they  leaving the free space to Macbeth. This is the beginning of a deadly cycle where Macbeth begins to assassinate anyone he thinks they can steal his throne. At the end of the play, Macbeth and his wife are plagued by guilty, and they become completely mad.

Macbeth is one of the many masterpiece of William Shakespeare,  it is a dark play, showing the criminal passion of an individual whose conscience is subject to evil.

 

The Valley of Fear

During the weekend, I read: « The valley of fear », by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which is an adventure of Sherlock Holmes, narrated by his friend Dr. Watson … I found the story very interesting and well written, with two stories in one. There is suspense, humor and surprises. I advice you to read this book !

William Shakespeare!

Hey people! We’re actually work on William shakespeare! Is this part of the theme pleases you? Personally, I think that he is a pillar of the English literature, as well as in poetry, even if we often know more him for his books, especially in theater (Romeo and Juliette for example) than about his poems! So successful in the art of the comedy and the tragedy, his talent is undeniable! But, in spite of this recognized talent, do you like his works? I have only read a little of his works but I didn’t have been passionate! But perhaps could you have some other Shakespeare’s works to propose?

A lesson before dying – Ernest J. Gaines

File:A Lesson Before Dying novel.jpg

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« A myth is an old lie that people believe in. White people believe that they’re better than anyone else on earth – and that’s a myth. The last thing they ever want is to see a black man stand, and think and show that common humanity that is in us all. It would destroy their myth. » quotation of Grant, the teacher.

I would like to introduce you the book A lesson before dying written by Ernest J. Gaines in 1993 because I really enjoyed to read it. Moreover, I think it could be intersting for you because I found that it’s easy-reading even if you don’t have the habit of reading in english and so gripping.

The story takes place at the time of the racial segregation, in the US. It’s the story of a black man who has been sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit. This man is completely dehumanized. However, a teacher is going to try to restore his esteem and teach him that he is not a « hog » as people want him to believe but a human.

It’s a really good lesson of life. And it’s really philosophical because we can see the reaction of a man who is obbligated to cope with the death. It’s an interesting book, beacause in addition to this gripping story we can discover the condition at this time. It makes us question ourselves.

And you have you already read this book ? If you have not, I hope I make you feel like reading it.

 

« This is a fine and decent book that lives in memory for its elegance and sadness… like the best country songs, straight and true, unafraid of sentiment and written for people it depicts, not simply about them. » The Independent.

Invictus

      INVICTUS

 « I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul »
 (extract from William Ernest Henley’s poem « Invictus », 1888)

The film Invictus was directed by Clint Eastwood, in 2009. We can find two well-known actors who play the main characters : Matt Damon (the Springbok’s captain called François Pienaar), and Morgan Freeman (the South African President, Nelson Mandela).

South Africa host the Rugby World Cup, in 1995. At the beginning of his term as president, Nelson Mandela see in this sporting event, the opportunity to unite his contry. In fact, the Springbok’s team (the national rugby team) was a symbol of the white rule in South Africa and also a symbol of the apartheid regime (that is the segregation between the Whites and the Blacks in South Africa). The two leaders, Mandela and Pienaar, aim to unite the « rainbow nation » (with racial groups) behind a common goal : the championship.

I think the project of unite this country behind the Rugby World Cup was one of the biggest challenges for South Africa. This film is very interesting and the two main actors have a lot of talent. They are credible and very moving. I think that Morgan Freeman is admirable in the part of Nelson Mandela and this film is very realistic because of the amazing ressemblance Morgan Freeman with Nelson Mandela.

I really like this film and I would advise you to see it !

The Little Prince : the film adaptation

It’s official ! Paramount Pictures advertised the release on the big screen « The Little Prince« , adapted from the novel by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

The director Mark Osborne (who directed also « Kung Fu Panda », « Spongebob ») provided the release in France, in late 2015. This film adaptation of the book by Saint-Exupéry is the first, seventy years after his publication. The Little Prince will be the voices of James Franco, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams and Jeff Bridges.

In my opinion, I have some doubts about the result but I think it’s a very interesting project. This film, like the book, will probably rich and full of fantastic adventures !

Much Ado About Nothing by Josh Whedon

Much Ado About Nothing is an American film directed by Josh Whedon in 2012. It’s a new adaptation of the play written by William Shakespeare after Kenneth Brannagh in 1993. In Messina, Leonato, the Governor, learns that Don Pedro intends to visit his house. The Duke’s party arrives with Count Claudio, who had before the war been attracted by Leonato’s only daughter, Hero. Another of the visitors is Benedick, a bachelor, who enjoys speaking his mind in witty argument with Hero’s cousin and companion, the Lady Beatrice.

In this adaptation, the plot is the same but many modern elements are added. It’s a black and white film but there are, from time to time, a few strokes of colour. If the trailer is very rythmic, the film is a little tedious in parts because there are many cues, and sometimes any movement. However, all the cast is excellent, the music is just wonderful, and the situations are very interesting.

A vampire story very different from the others!

Only Lovers Left Alive is a recent film directed by Jim Jarmusch. The director revisits the myth of Adam and Eve and also the story of Dracula.

The scene takes place between Detroit and Tanger. Here, the two main characters are vampires. Adam is an underground musician who is depressed by humans activities. He meets again Eve, his wife, who is an enigmatic woman. Their love story been going on for many centuries. But their existence will be disturbed by the arrival of Eve’s sister, an undisciplined teenager.
Adam and Eve don’t know if they can survive in this modern world that fall around them…

This film is romantic and also gothic. In fact the story is a review of our society.
The main actors play very good and the sound track is very lively. More over, films techniques and the atmosphere are very interesting.
Only Lovers Left Alive is a real success!

Pride and prejudice, the movie

Hi ! I would like to talk about the movie Pride and Prejudice directed by Joe Wright and starring by Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen and Talulah Riley.

In a small English village in the reign of George III, Mrs.. Bennet wants to marry her daughters to provide them with a peaceful future. The arrival of new neighbours, Mr. Bingley and his friend Mr. Darcy will result Jane and Elizabeth in tumultuous love affairs. Elizabeth will discover love by meeting the beautiful and aristocratic man, M Darcy.

However, both will ignore their pride that ensue before falling into the arms of the other.

I have seen this movie and I enjoy it ! I could see it numerous times and I particularly enjoy Keira Knightley in the role of Elizabeth !

And you, have you ever seen this movie ?

« Pride and Prejudice », the movie

I’ve seen Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 movie. This romance film is directed by Joe Wright and is based on Jane Austen‘s novel which has the same name (published in 1813).

This movie is very pleasant. The actor play very well and moreover the landscape and the costums are what I especially liked. It is realistic, romantic and it is about familly.

I recommend you this film.

Have you ever watch this film? And the 1995 movie? Which one do you prefer?

Trailer : [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJA27Jujzq4[/youtube]

Divergente by Neil Burger

Yesterday I went to the cinema and I watched Divergente directed by Neil Burger. It’s an adaptation from the teen’s saga Divergent written by Veronica Roth.

The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic Chicago. After a devastating war, the Government divided the society in five factions: Abnegation (Altruistes) for the selfless; Amity (Fraternels) for the peaceful; Candor (Sincères) for the honest; Dauntless (Audacieux) for the brave and Erudites (Érudits) for the intelligent. Each years, all the teenagers who’s got sixteen have an aptitude test which determined the faction which they are best suited. After that, they decide to stay in their family’s faction or to transfer to anoter faction. This choice is definitive.

Beatrice Prior, a sixteen-year-old Abnegation has her test, it reveals that Beatrice is indicated for three factions: Abnegation, Erudites and Dauntless. In fact, she is a rare person called Divergent. Unfortunatelly this kind of people are pursued by the Government because they are uncontrollables. Beatrice chose Dauntless and changed her name for Tris. How will she do to hide her secret and moreover, to stay in life ?

The movie is amazing. It fits greatly with the novel, every characters are respected and every actors plays perfectly. There are a lots of enlighted shots and a beautiful atmosphere based on lights and shadows. Moreover, it is a good critic of the tomorrow society.

I advise you to watch it realy fast !!

« Pride and Prejudice »

I watched the film of « Pride and Prejudice » by Joe Wright and it’s a good adaptaption of the book. I haven’t read the novel who revolve about the importance for young women of find a husband. This story deals with five girls who should be married and around the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
I find that Jane Austen portrayed with humor the behaviour of middle-class and upper-middle families and we can see that in the film this humor is present. So, the film a good adaptation of the novel. Moreover, the actors plays very well and they are in their character. Keira Knightley in the role of Elizabeth is good actress ! Also, the musics in this film are beautilful  as « Dawn ».

 

Trailer : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dYv5u6v55Y
« Dawn » by Dario Marianelli : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wGzDFbjFko

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, a famous poet, writer and playwright, is born in April 1563 at Stratford Upon Avon and dead the April 1616 in the same town.                                           He was one of the few playwrights who praticed comedy than tragedy as well.                   He is mainly famed for writing the most famous works like Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet.

During my school trip in England 2 years ago, I visited the Globe Theatre and the Shakespeare’s house, it was a great experience for me because it’s like to live like Shakespeare, it’s a good memory.                                                                                       During the visit, I saw his bedroom, dining room and his kitchen, this is a different house compared to our also I can imagine how he live a that time.

Politically Correct

I want to speak about the « politically correct » because I think it’s very interesting to show you new special tales.

The Politically Correct avoids language that offences on social minorities. In the 70’s, there were feminist movements in the US. The terms « politically correct » and « politically correctness » became part of the language.

But the previous meaning was « in line with prevailing political thought or policy » : the politically correct is used for the political language it doesn’t refer to illiberal or discrimination.

Toni Cade, a writer, had helped to understand the politically correct. In 1970, he said in Black Woman : « A man cannot be politically correct and a chauvinist too. »

That means that politically correct is used by someone who whants to give another political point of view.

Towards 1980, the politically correct is used to speak about common opinions.

Now, it is an acceptable expression. The language control is used by this new concept.

James Finn Garner is an American xriter and a satirist based in Chicago. He is the author of Politically Correct Holiday stories, Apocalypse wow, and Politically Correct Bedtimes Stories – I’ll speak about it – published in 1994.

The author was inspired by Charles Perrault and the Grimm brothers that is why he rewrites these tales like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White.

He imposes his points of out to his readers and implicit prejudice and discrimination found in children’s tales.

Magic and wonder don’t appear in these rewritings. Original tales are written for children and are about wonder unlike James Finn Garner’s tales which are modern rewritings. Indeed, the first title was Fairy Stories for a Modern world but it was abandonned.

To sum up, politically correct is a realistic language which allows to be aware of the present world.

To compare with the original tales of Charles Perrault, here is an extract of Little Red Riding Hood written by James Finn Garner in Politically Correct Bedtime Stories :

« On the way to Grandma’s house, Red Riding Hood was accosted by a wolf, who asked her what was in her basket. She replied, ‘Some healthful snacks for my grandmother, who is certainly capable of taking care of herself as a mature adult.’

The wolf said, ‘You know, my dear, it isn’t safe for a little girl to walk through these woods alone.’

Red Riding Hood said, ‘I find your sexist remark offensive in the extreme, but I will ignore it because of your traditional status as an outcast from society, the stress of which has caused you to develop your own, entirely valid, worldview. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be on my way’. »

 

Hope you will like it! In my opinion, it’s tales on different way with modern stories and comic.

 

Work by Sarahl1 and MathildeC.

The Place Beyond The Pines

I have seen this film few weeks ago but I have to admit that it really affected me. The Place beyond the pines is different in the way that it was realized. The plot is devided is 3 parts.

 

The story’s beginning is about Luke, a gifted motorcycle stunt who work in a funfair and who decided to find his ex girlfriend, Romina, that he left few months ago. They finally meet but he discovers that Romina has remade her life with another man and that he have a son but Romina never wanted to tell him. Beyond the fact that Luke still loving her, he decides to change his life to earn money, to bring a brighter future to his family, especially his son. One day he meets Robin, a garage owner, who tells him how to find the money that Lukes needs : he has to rob banks. Robin explains him that seeing that he his a really gifted moto rider, he can succeed and help his son. Luke accepts and starts to become a robber. He understands that he can become rich and he starts to looking for more. But one day, after an umpteenth rob, things go wrong. Avery Cross, a novice policeman, is determinated to find Luke and stop him. After a long chase, Avery get hurt but kill Luke.

In the second part, we can follow Avery’s recover. The town consider him as a hero by killing a criminal. But in fact, the policeman feels guilty : he knows that he could have avoid this murder and learns that Luke had a son who was the same age as his son. We starts to follow him in his daily life and he perceives that the whole police station is corrupted. Disgusted, he tries to restore the truth in vain. The time passes and Avery feels more and more oppressed by his relatives and people that he thought they were his friends.

In the last part, that takes place years later, we meet Jason, Luke’s son, and AJ, Avery’s son. Both go at the same school and finally starts to being friends. But one day, Jason and AJ are caught smoking drugs and Avery learns that Jason is Luke’s son. Few months later, Jason discovers his father’s past and how is father get killed…

 

 

This film is really interessant because the 3 parts are perfectly linked and the plot is really well done :  The fact that the murder’s consequences are moved on their sons is really subtle and interesting : it renforces all the feelings toward the characters. I loved the whay that the director has chosen to follow Avery during his mental breakdown, we can feel the regrets, the bitterness in Avery’s mind and his guiltiness. I also liked the corrupted policemen concept ; it improves dramatic tension and in a way, it bring a kind of realtistic feeling. The riding scales are really impressive too ;

By the way, if I have to talk the cast… How can I hate it when I saw that Ryan Gosling played Luke ? How ? I mean this man must be my favourite american actor : he is mysterious and absolutely touching. This role was perfect for him, a man who just wanted to bring the best to his family and who was determined to do everything for that. Ryan (Or Luke I don’t know anymore haha) is a kind of ideal man to me.

Bradley Cooper is also an excellent actor, I think that he was really made for this role ; someone who dreamed of becoming a symbol of truth and peace in the Police but realized that this world was not that nice.

Oh and a word about Dan DeeHan (Jason).. We have to follow this guy, he is really talented. Even now I don’t understand how he can be so fragile and so strong in the same character. I will have to see his other films.

Samuel Beckett

Hello !

Last week we read an extract of a Samuel Beckett’s play, untitled Waiting for Godot.
It’s an absurdist play.

Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) was an Irish novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. Today, he is considered one of the last modernists, and he is also sometimes considered one of the first postmodernists. He wrote in English and French.

In 1956, the BBC asked him to broadcast a radio play: it will be All That Fall (« Tous ceux qui tombent »). He continues to write occasionally for radio, but also for an experimental silent film, Film in 1965 (with Buster Keaton) and television. He started writing in English, without abandoning the French.

During the World War II, he participated to the Resistance.
After the war, he published Molloy (1951); Malone Dies (1958); and The Unnamable, (1960).

It is in French that Beckett wrote his most famous works. In fifteen years, three plays are a great success: Waiting for Godot (1948-1949), Endgame (1955-1957) and Happy Days (1960). The extract of Waiting for Godot in your book is p.125 !

Then he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969, but he sees that as a « disaster » ; His confusion to receive the Nobel Prize is explained by his dislike of socializing and duties.

He dies in 1989 and is buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery.

Samuel Beckett, Pic, 1.jpg

(Beckett in 1977; (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Samuel_Beckett,_Pic,_1.jpg)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shutter Island de Martin Scorsese

Yesterday, I saw Shutter Island, even if it doesn’t correspond to a unit of our lessons, I want to talk about it.

First the story: In 1954, Teddy Daniels, a marshall of Boston, and his new partner, Chuck Aule, travel to Ashecliff Hospital for the criminally insane. They were investigated for the disapearance of a patien, Rachel Solando who had drowning her three children. Teddy and Chuck will be dragged in a strange plot and they will break the law of Ashecliff Hospital. But all along the story, Teddy turns into insane and he loses his partner… I don’t want to tell you the end, it’s so incredible !

Then my opinion: It’s amazing the way Martin Scorsese shake you. Since the begening until the end you are attrated by the atmosphere and above all, the play of Leonardo DiCaprio. All seems to be a secret or a clue. You are trapped into a vicious circle where everything appear as a lie but also as the truth. The end lets you in a feeling of incomprehension, you don’t realy know if the story is real or not.

It’s definitly one of the best thriller I have seen, I advise you to watch it !

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf8XLSYN42g[/youtube]

Animal farm

Animal farm is a novel by George Orwell published in 1945.

It deals with animals who live in a farm and who decided to make a revolution and fight against men who neglect them.

In fact at the beginning, I thought it was a novel for children because I didn’t understand the real meaning of it, but after some chapter, I understood that it’s a fable about Stalinism.

I found this novel very good and interesting. Moreover, it helps me to understand the history lesson about Stalinism.

You should read it !

Snow White and the Huntsman

Yesterday evening, I’ve watched Snow White and the Huntsman and I think is a good idea to speak us about it.

So, it’s an American fantastic movie based on the fairy tale Snow White by the brothers Grimm. The film is directed by Rupert Sanders and it’s written by Evan Daugherty, Martin Solibakke, John Lee Hancock and Hossein Amini. This movie has two Oscar nominations : for Best Visual Effets and Best Costume Design at the 85th Academy Awards. 

I recommend you this movie for his special effect, his modernity and moreover the play of the actors. Snow White, plays by Kristen Stewart and the Hutsman, plays by Chris Hemsworth, are the two means characters who play very well. We can see the fury of the Snow White’s evil stepmother, the Queen Ravenna plays by Charlize Theron, the humor of the dwarves, and the love, too.The landscape is magnificent and the adaptation is trusted.

Trailer : [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-UMNSVX7_I[/youtube]

Behind the scene : [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-UMNSVX7_I[/youtube] (I think it is interesting to see the play of the actors and it show us interesting things.)

Enjoy!

YOU WILL KNOW HER NAME : CARRIE

Carrie is an American horror and supernatural movie. It’s an adaptation of the Stephen King’s novel which has the same name. This film is directed by Kimberly Peirce.

Trailer : [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdoVioPv0fs[/youtube]

I recommend you this movie! It’s very interesting. The horror scene is an extra to show nastiness, prejudices, mockery and violence of some people.

Pan’s Labyrinth

The Magic world of Alice in Wonderland reminds me the world of « Pan‘s Labyrinth » wich is a very good fim.

I’m going to tell you the story… Spain , 1944. Under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, a pregnant woman , Carmen, accompanied by his young daughter , Ofelia , left to join her new husband in the mountains. This man , Captain Vidal, is a cruel man acting on behalf of General Franco . Its sole purpose is to rid the mountains last guerrillas eliminating them one after the other . One night , the little Ofelia is guided by a mysterious bug that causes outside his residence. She then discovers a strange labyrinth where she meets a faun named Pan. It reveals the existence of a lost world of which it is the princess and tells her she must overcome three tests in order to gain access. Through these tests , Ofelia must be bold and courageous to protect his little brother and his successful mission. Pan’s Labyrinth was released in 2006 . It was written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film was first made ??its appearance at Cannes where he immediately received very positive reviews. He was subsequently awarded the Hugo Award as best feature film , as well as several film Oscars.

http://www.google.fr/imgres?q=Le%20labyrinthe%20de%20pan&um=1&safe=vss&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla%3Afr%3Aofficial&channel=sb&hl=fr&tbm=isch&tbnid=CGCm5cMwqavFHM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stephenking999.com%2FLe-Labyrinthe-de-Pan.html&docid=oCiyzQH0eR1rDM&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stephenking999.com%2FIMG%2Fjpg%2F3700301013224.jpg&w=400&h=619&ei=g1gpU-3TI9KV0QX07YGgDg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=718&page=1&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=0CGwQrQMwBw

Tell me if you like this film or not!

The Maltese Falcon

We have too talked about The Maltese Falcon.
I have loved the main character and the story which is a quite mysterious and suspensfull. The main character is a detective whose name is Sam Spade. He is desagreable, brooding, scornfull and has a cold character contrary to Iva who is in love affair with him and is sobing all time and want’s him to confort her. Indeed she left her husband but the killer may be Sam.
This novel is a quite suspensfull and today the excesive characterof the two characters are quite funny today and make us laught.

Southern Gothic Genre and Beautiful Creatures

I have read a saga, during 4 years entitled Beautiful Creatures (16 Lunes in french).

This saga belongs to the southern gothic genre. This genre was born in United States of America, more exactly in the south. It’s another genre of fantasy but with some elements of gothic genre. In fact there is a plot all along the novel, punctated by supernatural, oniric or unusual events. Grotesque situations, places or characters are present a lots.

Beautiful Creatures written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl and published in 2010, tell the story of Ethan, a teenager who lives in Gatlin, a little village of South Carolina. One day a new young girl, called Lena, settles in this village and Ethan falls in love with her. But Lena hides a terrible secrets, and her family too, there are Casters (Enchanteresse) and they have special powers. Ethan, Lena and lots of other characters are dragged in a war between Light Casters and Dark Casters, but humans can be hurt too !

I adore this saga and I read all the four books, I advise you to read it if you like fantasy !

But don’t watch the adaptation, there is very bad and doesn’t look like the novel !

Final Fantasy; The novel!

If you know Final Fantasy, the video game created by Square Enix, which is, in my opinion, one of the better role plays than I have ever tried, maybe you could read the written version, « The legend: Final Fantasy VII ».
It is appeared in book in July,2013. This book is a real tribute for the fifteen years of the video game, which was born in 1997. I propose this book, but naturally there are others volumes, all rather voluminous!
All the stories are well detailed, and we really find the fantastic universe of the basic game. It is of approximately 330 pages and for the price, it’s around twenty euros.
I recommend it for all those who having appreciated the video game!

Nonsense

The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, often abbreviated as Alice in Wonderland , by Lewis Carroll, have a sequel entitled Through the Looking-Glass.

Like Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass is a pure dream narrative, at least a fantastic story which has a dreamlike atmosphere.

Others authors before him had mixed in their works the imaginary and the real, but Lewis Carroll has the merit of having created an original mixture of onirism and logic.

In fact, the Nonsense is a genre that Lewis Carroll manipulates with genius. The nonsense pretends to give hope the reader a logical explanation and then treacherously wong habits of throught. Film adaptations, such as Tim Burton for example, often combine elements of both books (Alice in Wonderand and Through the Looking-Glass).

Today, Carroll ‘s book remains popular among both children and adults.

The American writer Martin Gardner published The Annotated Alice (not translated in French), which includes Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, along with Victorian poems that Lewis Carroll parodied.

Tim Burton’s adaptation

Alice in Wonderland is a film directed by Tim Burton and written by Linda Woolverton (from the novel by Lewis Carroll) for Walt Disney Pictures, with Johnny Depp. The film was released in the United States in 2010. After the adaptation in full-length animated Alice in the Wonderland dated 1951, the studio commissioned Tim Burton to direct a new adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s novels, entitled The Adventures of Alice in the Wonderland (1865) and On the other side of the mirror (1871). This is a fantastic animated film.

Alice Kingsley is a girl who is nineteen years old. She has a boundless imagintation which attracts her a lot of trouble. Her father’s death affected her so she became quite cold and sarcastic. An afternoon, Alice is sought in marriage by Hamish Ascot, an arrogant Lord and very little seductive. At this moment, Alice see a strange white rabbit that has a pocket watch. She follows him. Alice runs away. She said that this marriage arrives a little too quickly. She arrives in front of a curious dead trunk tree. Alice falls in a rabbit hole, in darkness. She arrives in a world opposite of his own : the Wonderland. She will meet a cast of strange characters (the famous White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the March Hare, the Dormouse, the twins Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee and in particular, the Mad Hatter whose real name is Tarrant Hightopp) and find themselves confronted the paradox, absurdity and strange… Alice doesn’t know what happened to Wonderland. She learns that the Red Queen with his Valet red, took power by releasing the Jabberwocky, a frightening monster. Alice will have to ally with the crazy Mad Hatter and the White Queen in order to get rid of the tyranny of the Red Queen and restore justice and peace.

In my opinion, this adaption is the better because of her special effetcs for example. This film directed by Tim Burton uses a combinaison of actual shooting and the animation technique. The result is surprising and amazing !

 

 

Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies is an English novel written by William Golding in 1954. This story tells the fragility of the civilization by staging children left to themselves after the crash of a plane. All adults died. Very soon, social models that they try to apply shatter. So, violence and brutality become the watchwords.

It’s a novel very harsh and very bloody but this story is often studied like a children’s book. There is an adaptation of this novel, directed by Peter Brook in 1963. This adaptation is very touching and very faithful: it’s a beautiful and highly disturbing film version. The director won the Golden Palm at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1963…

So disappointed by Tim Burton!

I’m sorry but if you like Tim Burton and if you think that he’s a genius of the cinema, you probably won’t like this article . The thing is I like less and less Burton’s movies. he has his own world and some interesting ideas but we often find  the same elements :the staging,  the music (often made by Danny Elfman),the characters (always alone, marginal and tortured). Johnny Deep is often present (in 8 films) as Helena Bonham Carter (in 7 films). The only movie that seems to be detached from this scheme is Ed Wood output in 1994 ( a black and white movie which chronicles the life of « the worst Hollywood’s directer »). It’s my favorit film of Mr Burton.

  • I am much less admirative for Alice in wonderland ,output in 2010. Despite a quite well done comic, this movie is a perfect copy of his previous films ( except Ed Wood). We feel that Burton doesn’t try to innovate anymore and merely uses his usual visual and his favorits actors.
  • Moreover, in this movie, the main character isn’t really Alice, but the Mad Hatter played by Johnny Deep again (to believe that Burton has a true « Depp-endance »).In fact ,he is the most accentuated character (always in my opinion), more than Alice. We can also find this in Charlie and the chocolate factory where the character of Willy Wonka (also played by Johnny Deep!) is much more important than Charlie.
  • Burton takes some liberty with the original story of « Alice in wonderland », making it darker (representing « underland » rather than « wonderland »), to better match his world ( which is a good thing).

Even if the story is overrall well done and the visuals are remarkable (especially in 3D), I think this movie stay too little innovative and not equal Tim Burton’s first movies (like Edouard Scissorhands or Sleepy Hollow )

Slaves at the Oscars!

« 12 years a slave » is one of the movies who touched me the most in my life. That’s why it was impossible for me to not talk about it.

It’s the third film of Steve McQueen and the consecration’s one. After « Hunger » and « Shame » (which are really great movies), McQueen decided to adapt an autobiography written by Solomon Northup ( the movie’s main character) published in 1853. In his book, Solomon tells how he was captured to be sold as a slave while he was a rich free man from the north of the USA. We can follow his travels and his meetings until his release after 12 years of suffering and silence.

The actors are all wonderful especially Lupita Nyong’o which is incredibly upsetting in her role of a tortured young slave. Michael Fassbender ( i love him!!) incarnate perfectly the master which seems to ignore his slaves’ humanity. But The others plantation masters ( and their wives) are often much more complex, shared between their conscience and their desir of supremacy.

Thank’s to his editing , his sensational music ( made by Hans Zimmer who worked in Gladiator and many other success),and his amazing actors, « 12 years a slave » show to us a reality we would probably forget where freedom is never acquired. McQueen does’nt try to hide the truth, he expresses it explicitly and very violently.This film has already received numerous awards and he won the oscars for the best movie, the best adapted screenplay and for the best supporting actress for Lupita Nyong’o ( I’m so happy!)

If you have to watch a movie it’s this one. Made your own opinion!

the vow

« The vow » it’s a movie directed by Michael Sucsy. This movie resume a realy story of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter. It is a drama romantique movie. The wife find her memory after a car’s accident. Her husband does evrything to help remember their history and their love. I love this movie, it’s very dolorous for the husband and inspired the compation. Their love makes us dreaming.

Edward Scissorhands by Tim Burton

Edward Scissorhands is an American romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton in 1990. Edward (plays by Johnny Depp) is an artificial man who has received a heart to love and a brain to understand, but, because of his creator’s death, he has never received hands, and was obliged to live with scissors as hands.

This is the story of a young man named Edward, who has scissors for hands.One day, Peg Boggs (plays by Dianne Wiest), an cosmetics saleswoman, visits a Gothic manor which seems to be abandoned. But, when she enters in the garden, she sees that all bushes are graven. Intrigued, she comes into the manor and discovers Edward, completely alone. Upon realizing he is harmless, she decides to take him to her home. Edward becomes friend with Peg’s son, Kevin, and her husband Billy, and he falls in love with Peg’s daughter, Kim (plays by Winona Ryder), even she is afraid of him. The innocent and naive Edward discovers gradually the life, and even if he is not loved of all , he trys to make his best to be accepted.
But, Peg’s neighbors are really sincere and nice with the young Edward ? And life is for him a paradise ? What happen next with Kim ? I let you discover by seeing the film !

If you love Tim Burton universe, you will love Edward Scissorhands ! The film is full of emotion and poetry, with a little touch of fun ! Even if at that time, Depp was young, he played perfectly the shy, sweet, tortured and innocent Edward ! It is fun because this film was the first – of a long serie – collaboration of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton Also, the soundtrack made by Danny Elfman is really beautiful ! (Main Title music and Ice Dance music). Burton considers Edward Scissorhands his most personal and favorite work.

I think it is one of the best film directed by Tim Burton, maybe because I it the first Burton film I’ve seen. At the end, I always pour a tear because Edward is so touching and moving ..

Soundtrack of Edward Scissorhands

James Bond

James Bond it’s a fiction character. Initialy it was a novel written by Ian Fleming (former secret agent). This novel it’s directed at the cinema for the first time in 1954 and the last it’s Skyfall. In the movie encountered James in a paradise island, he pretends to be dead. At th end he save M. His childhood home encountered, his name is Skyfall like this name of the movie. The song Skyfall it’s created by Adèle for this movie.

Easy Rider

In the unit 3, we saw an extract of Easy Rider. It’s an american road movie directed by Dennis Hopper in 1969. the two main characters are Wyatt (Peter Fonda) et Billy (Dennis Hopper). this film show the evolution of mentality in the 70′

At the beginning, Wyatt and Billy sell a large amount of drug and buy their motorbikes, they decide to leave Los Angeles to go to New-Orleans at the carnival. Billy puncture his tire and they stop in the farm. Then they continue with a hippie hitchhiker who drive to an hippie town. they stay some days and wyatt helps to plant a cereal and  the hippie tell « a simple food for our simple taste », this crue show a lifestyle of these people.

Later the pair enter in a parade in a small town and they are arrest by racist policemen who send them to the jail. They meet Georges Hanson (Jack Nicholson) a drunk lawyer. George helps them get out of jail and he hits the road with Wyatt and Billy to New-Orleans. One night while they come in the restaurant in the small town in Louisiana, Wyatt, Billy and George attract attention of policeman and an habitant who make fun of trio, make racist and homophobic remarks. The girls ( sixteen years old about) in the restaurant wants meet the riders but the policeman forbidden them. Georges observes that Americans talk a lot about the value of freedom, but are actually afraid of anyone who truly exhibits it. he tell « This used to be a hell of a good country. I can’t understand what’s gone wrong with it » he don’t understand the actual mentality. During the night the men find the trio asleep and hit them with the bat and they kill Georges.

When they arrived in New-Orleans  the bikers meet two prostitutes whom swallow a LSD pill in the cemetery (during the shot they swallow a true LSD pill), this experience is shot with psychedelic approach. It’s the end of his trip but Wyatt want continue to Florida, on the road two rednecks see the riders and when they arrive level with them, the local shoot billy with a fusil and he fall on the side. Wyatt turns around and put his jacket on his hurt friend. the pickup turn around and when they pass near Wyatt, a redneck shoot on the gas tank and he causing it instantly explosion of the bike. This film ends on this scene when wyatt and Billy are apparently dead.

this road movie won the first film award in 1969 at the Cannes film festival. I enjoyed the soundtack of this film and I like to the look bring this film on the hippie and bikers. this morality is that the people are jealous of people who are very free.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuO01-YXPKk[/youtube]

Frankenstein the movie (2014)

Few days ago a new movie was released on the story of Frankenstein. The last film was released in 1995 and today we have a new version in 2014 : I, FRANKENSTEIN  by Stuart Beattie. Apparently this film does not respect the book and is very different from the version of 1995 by Kenneth Branagh with Robert De Niro in the leading part. The story is very modern and inspired by Hollywood films and action movies. Critics are not favorable to this movie because it is not very original and don’t help us to know more about Frankenstein. It is better to go see the film for make his own opinion.

Fantasy list!

The genre of fantasy is very popular around the world but what are the best books? The most popular? The most prominent authors?

This is why I wrote a list which contains the greatest english writers of the genre. This is not a ranking, just a list. Tell me if I forgot some important books and authors.

. Lewis Carroll with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
J.K. Rowling with Harry Potter

. George R.R. Martin with A Song of Ice and Fire (better known under the name of Game Of Trhones)

Each of these authors and these books have known a great popularity and numerous adaptations.

Complete again the list if you wish!

Alice In Wonderland : a beautiful and magic world

I will talk about Alice In Wonderland.
First, i like very much fantasy world. You know, supernatural powers, strange animals or land, mad story or impossible time for exemple. Second, i love Tim Burton’s movies. So, i just can love this movie a lot.

Tim Burton can transport all kind of people, all age with his beautiful work. We can quote Bittlejuice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Frankenweenie, The Nightmare Before Christmas (my favorite) and Dark Shadows.
But for me, Alice In Wonderland is one of his best work. Yes, of course, the actors are just amazing, the basic history wonderful and the settings wondrous.. But this is the music that i love the most ! We can close our eyes, and only with the music, we are in Wonderland, with Alice, and we live what she lives and mainly how she lives the events.
Music made by Danny Elfman are just.. Wonderful.
This one is my favorite : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5VcWD2LI7U

the first adaptation of Alice in Wonderland

It’s a 1903 british silent movie directed by Cecil Hepworth, it’s first adaptation of Lewis Carrol’s book. I enjoyed this movie event if it was damaged, the special effect were realistic for the time. In this movie only recognizes the best time of children’s book. 

when Alice dream who follows the rabbit in many doors, when she come in the garden and play with dog, the height effect with the dog are excellent. We also seen the royal procession where the queen invite Alice. She unintentional offends the queen and in the confusion she wakes up.

the duration of this movie is eight minutes which is short but for the time is exceptional. I crazy about of this old film

Lewis Carroll.

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson better known by his pseudonym Lewis Carroll is a british writer, photographer, and mathematician born January 27, 1832 in Daresbury, Cheshire and died January 14, 1898 in Guildford.

He is famous for writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Trough the Looking-Glass. He also wrote poems like The Hunting of the Snark and Jabberwocky, there are all examples of the genre of literary nonsense. He was also known for his facility at word play.
He began to write poetry and short stories from a young age, he sent them to various magazines, enjoying a moderate success, these works were humorous, sometimes satirical. His first work under the name of Lewis Carroll was a romantic poem called Solitude, this name is a play on his real name Charles Lutwige translated in Latin as « Carolus Ludovicus » and then translate back to english as « Carroll Lewis ».

Charles became a teacher at the Oxford’s Christ Chruch College in 1855, old math students of Lewis Carroll have said that his courses were boring. In 1856 he worked with the magazine The Train for published his photos under the name of Lewis Carroll, he bought his first camera in London March 18, 1856. A few days later, he photographed the Cathedral of the Christ Church College and took for models the three Liddell little girls whose Alice who inspired him for the main character of Alice in Wonderland.

Alice In Wonderland Similarities

While watching Tim Burton’s film in class, some similarities appeared to my mind. I realized that Alice’s real life entourage and particularly their personality traits emerge in her dreams. The Red Queen is the symbol of her pseudo « futur » stepmother because of the red roses which are white. The White Queen remembered me Alice’s aunt Imogene because of her sweetness. Alice’s brother in law remind me of the Red Queen right-and and secret love Ilosovic Stayne because he is dirty-minded and unfair. Tweedledee andTweedledum are representation of Alice’s cousins. 

I also find this 1985’s movie version directed Irwin Allen for television. The animals of Alice’s dreams are simply disguised actors, for example, the Mock Turtle is played by Ringo Starr. In this movie, Alice is really well played by a 8 years old girl Natalie Gregory.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G58KEf0DtOs[/youtube]

Peter Pan – Neverland

Lien

Now in class, we study Alice in Wonderland, but I would like to talk about the origin of Peter Pan. First of all, Peter Pan was reading by James Barrie in 1902. Like Lewis Carroll, he was helps thank to the children’s imagination.

This movie talk about this origin, it’s Neverland by Marc Forster in 2004. With Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman we discovered the nostalgie and the power of imagination.

The summary : « James M.Barrie hasn’t the joy of live, this marriage it wasn’t pleased and the public doesn’t like these plays. A meeting will changes this life, with Ms Llewelyn Davies and these four boys. Thank them, he found this kid’s soul and with her, this imagination… »

Here’s the trailer of this movie : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckeBs6fprZ0

Alice in Wonderland Syndrome

This syndrome come from the eponymous novel of Lewis Carroll. The perception is disturbed spectacularly : people who contracts this sickness see stuff little when they are big (micropsia) and big when they are little (macropsia). A car suddenly become a reduced model, and a cat can transform in a tigre. Subject’s perception of their own body is also distorted as the perception of time. The syndrome can also give rise to more significant hallucinations or touch the other senses. This trouble is sometimes associate to big migraines as Lewis Carroll had suffered, or merely the taking of hallucinogenic drugs.

But oddly this sickness is more contracted by children than adults.