From: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org (stillpt-digest) To: stillpt-digest@smoe.org Subject: stillpt-digest V3 #110 Reply-To: stillpt@smoe.org Sender: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk stillpt-digest Friday, June 29 2001 Volume 03 : Number 110 Today's Subjects: ----------------- o/gormenghast1 ["Donald G. Keller" ] Re: o/gormenghast1 ["Susan Kroupa" ] Re: o/gormenghast1 ["David S. Bratman" ] Re: o/gormenghast1 [meredith ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 08:46:59 -0400 (EDT) From: "Donald G. Keller" Subject: o/gormenghast1 Wow, that was swell. (Speaking of Part I of =Gormenghast= only.) David is correct that in the books Steerpike emerges only slowly as a major character. The storytelling is tidier, and everything brighter and more colorful, than I remember from the books (which seem somberer in my memory; but it's been a quarter century since I read them, I think). But these are differences, not flaws. Peake's trilogy is the sort of book you read, try to imagine dramatized, and throw up your hands in despair. But it's been done, and splendidly. Everything =looks= right, from the (obviously computerized, but well) views of the roof of the vast castle to the many dusty labyrinthine interiors... ...and especially the characters. By canny casting and wonderful costuming/makeup, they've brought a gallery of grotesques to life, with amazing results. Christopher Lee is really good, as usual, but he doesn't stand out among the rest, which is a compliment to all. =Most= amazing, as David pointed out, are the twins. I don't remember them as being as major characters in the book (certainly not as much as Irma Prunesquallor, who has little to do so far), but as characters onscreen, well, I was cracking up every time they showed up. (They're kind of the twin Anyas of the story, if you will.) Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to the second half (another 2 hours) tonight. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 09:00:45 -0700 From: "Susan Kroupa" Subject: Re: o/gormenghast1 Arrrg. When I checked my local listings for this the other night, part 2 had just ended! If anyone sees that it's being run again, please let me know. Sue - ----------- "Harden Times" now out in the April 2001 REALMS OF FANTASY - ----- Original Message ----- From: Donald G. Keller To: Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 5:46 AM Subject: o/gormenghast1 > Wow, that was swell. > > (Speaking of Part I of =Gormenghast= only.) > > David is correct that in the books Steerpike emerges only slowly as a > major character. The storytelling is tidier, and everything brighter and > more colorful, than I remember from the books (which seem somberer in my > memory; but it's been a quarter century since I read them, I think). > > But these are differences, not flaws. Peake's trilogy is the sort of book > you read, try to imagine dramatized, and throw up your hands in despair. > But it's been done, and splendidly. Everything =looks= right, from the > (obviously computerized, but well) views of the roof of the vast castle to > the many dusty labyrinthine interiors... > > ...and especially the characters. By canny casting and wonderful > costuming/makeup, they've brought a gallery of grotesques to life, with > amazing results. Christopher Lee is really good, as usual, but he doesn't > stand out among the rest, which is a compliment to all. > > =Most= amazing, as David pointed out, are the twins. I don't remember them > as being as major characters in the book (certainly not as much as Irma > Prunesquallor, who has little to do so far), but as characters onscreen, > well, I was cracking up every time they showed up. (They're kind of > the twin Anyas of the story, if you will.) > > Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to the second half (another 2 > hours) tonight. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 09:28:07 -0700 From: "David S. Bratman" Subject: Re: o/gormenghast1 At 05:46 AM 6/28/2001 , DGK wrote: >David is correct that in the books Steerpike emerges only slowly as a >major character. The storytelling is tidier, and everything brighter and >more colorful, than I remember from the books (which seem somberer in my >memory; but it's been a quarter century since I read them, I think). By "tidier" I guess you mean that the various plotlines (not just Steerpike's) separate out and stand out much more. And that's true. Whether the books are less bright and colorful than the film will have to remain a difference in perception, I think: the tone and style of the books are very somber, to be sure, but I always pictured the visuals as a bit of a riot. But, as you note, dusty. I think the moment when I realized this was done right was when Fuchsia is having a tantrum in her rooms, throwing pillows around, and visible clouds of dust arise from them. (Did you notice that in her storybook that Steerpike looks through, the illustrations are by Peake?) >...and especially the characters. By canny casting and wonderful >costuming/makeup, they've brought a gallery of grotesques to life, with >amazing results. Christopher Lee is really good, as usual, but he doesn't >stand out among the rest, which is a compliment to all. I suppose it is. I was mostly thinking that, while he does a good job, the suave Lee was miscast as the gruff, monosyllabic Flay. Lord Sepulchrave would have been his part, 30 years ago: he's way too old for it now, alas. (So is Ian Richardson, actually, but he does a very good job regardless.) The one part of the LOTR film I am really looking forward to is the Saruman/Gandalf scenes with Lee and McKellen: if the Saruman-of-Many-Colors dialogue isn't great, I'll give up. >=Most= amazing, as David pointed out, are the twins. I don't remember them >as being as major characters in the book (certainly not as much as Irma >Prunesquallor, who has little to do so far), but as characters onscreen, >well, I was cracking up every time they showed up. (They're kind of >the twin Anyas of the story, if you will.) The twins (far creepier than Anya, even Bad Anya) are fairly important in the later part of volume 1, though perhaps a bit overemphasized here. Irma doesn't really emerge as a character until the courting scenes of volume 2, which get a very fair representation tonight: the one part of the film I thought was actually _better_ than the books. I always found the professors tiresome to read about, but led by Stephen Fry as Bellgrove they are here a delight. (The final climax, I regret to say, falls short: the BBC has never done epic or grandiose very well. I'd hate to see their production of Gotterdammerung: an orchestra of kazoos, probably, with something on the scale of Spinal Tap's 11-inch Stonehenge falling over in the background.) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 18:32:19 -0400 From: meredith Subject: Re: o/gormenghast1 Hi, Don noted: >Wow, that was swell. > >(Speaking of Part I of =Gormenghast= only.) Wow, that was confusing. I've never read the books, and as a result I was just sitting there the whole time going "Huh? What the hell is going on?!" I'd have to say that if they were intending to make it decipherable to someone who doesn't already know the story, they didn't do a very good job. However, it was still fun to *watch*. The visuals are stunning, I love the sets and graphics and costumes, and the twins are a creepy riot. I'll be out this evening, but I'm setting up a tape so I can catch the second half. Then I'll add the books onto my huge "to-read" pile ... though I gather they're a bit of a chore? ======================================= Meredith Tarr New Haven, CT USA mailto:meth@smoe.org http://www.smoe.org/meth "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille ======================================= Live At The House O'Muzak House Concert Series http://www.smoe.org/meth/muzak.html ------------------------------ End of stillpt-digest V3 #110 *****************************