Prince of Denmark

So, I know I have been negligent in writing for this blog. You would agree, eh? Well what better time to write again that after watching a sad Korean drama and discovering that Jude Law is in a Broadway production of Hamlet. Thought I would say, "Hi" and share this bit of news with you.

The "to be or not to be" speech & "how is't with you?" mum scene.

Here are a few reviews:

Overall good review from LA Times, with use of the phrase across the pond, which I love.

Wish Branaugh would've been involved.

Comments on the very angry Hamlet in this (three hour) production and critiques the other actors. Interesting that Polonius evesdrops on Hamlet and mum in this one. Mixed messages about the clothing though- this one says in cool duds and another said pajamas. :)


Another interesting take on the characterization... says lacks humor but intelligent/noble/powerful on stage (but one reviewer says it's funny- we'll just have to see it ourselves, won't we?) Not sure how I would like it myself because I like the humor in the lines; it balances the tragic for me and makes me love Hamlet. (I also loved Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead but that's a comedy.)

Anyway. Feel free to leave thoughts on this or other productions of Hamlet.

Other random updates for friends across the pond/ state:

Work at the rink is going well.

Still love my 2 film classes. I register for winter courses next week...officially at 12:01 am on Oct 20th...I will be staying up to do it then because I want my first choices: 4 film classes (American Independent Films, Sound Cinema- 1958?, Sci-Fi film, film/culture or the rise of media smthg like that). Also because I still haven't heard back about my general ed transfer credits. duh duh duh!!!

Going to see Bright Star this weekend- the film about Keats. Should be interesting. I hope I don't find him wimpish like the guy in Becoming Jane.

Finished Mill on the Floss- dissapointed with ending ( afterword mentioned that some critics think the author ran out of time and had to hurry the ending) lol I somewhat agree...so much development about youth and then at the end Maggie falls in love with a bore. I didn't like him. I don't want to spoil the ending but not complete for me. I did love reading it though... the 1st 3/4. :)

One last side note. I've been reading a film theoriest- Eisenstein and it made me so happy that he was comparing D.W. Griffith (Birth of a Nation, Intolerance) to Charles Dickens. He said that Dickens' style originated a certain editing technique (cutting back and forth between time/place) and I just happened to watch a version of Little Dorrit (Part 1 and 2) before reading this review. It made me feel like a Brit Lit geek. :D :D :D

Now, that's all.
xoxo
Emelia

Ode to 1939

The hurricane / war path that frequents my room has vanished for the present moment. Last weekend, I not only cleaned my room but rearranged it as well. Now, this may not sound like much but it was quite an undertaking, enough to take up my whole day. I even used those mover-plastic disk things under my dressers so I could move them heavy things by myself. So I am very happy with my room now, but isn’t it strange- even when I make space on my desk, I prefer to work on my computer in bed?
Currently listening to Boston and remembering alphabetizing my mum’s CD’s in the basement. Yes, I love alphabetizing! It was also a great way to improve my iTunes selection. But, the Boston’s CD insert was really funny. Here’s an excerpt:

“If you’re looking for something to tell you that the band in question is composed of nearly notable former members of various bands, or how many jam sessions the drummer sat in on with rock superstars who are now dead or disabled or retired, forget it. Unless the names Mother’s Milk, Middle Earth, or the Revolting Tones Revue ring any particular bells, where the people who make up this band Boston came from is irrelevant to who and where they are now.
Listen to the record!
As to how the band came together, we’ll let lead singer Bradley Delp tell the story: ‘Fran knew Barry, and I knew Fran, and Fran had played with Sib, and Sib had played with Tom, and Barry knew Tom, and Tom knew me, but Fran didn’t know that I knew that he knew Barry too, so what happened was…’
Listen to the record!”

And then they go on to talk about their music technology and I really know nothing about that. But apparently it is very important as my mum gave me a briefing on it when she called me from my room where I was happily listening to Pink Floyd the other day. She said that she found it odd to be listening to Pink Floyd from my laptop’s speakers. It sounded BAD?!? Yes because I have Bose speakers and never plug them in. (should get on that) I guess that without a good stereo system I will miss out on whole sections of the songs because in the mixing room the band played around with the front, back, and side speakers to give the impression that the music was coming from places when you play it with proper sound equipment. (hehe mummy, did I get it right?) I will try to listen to it properly but I also know that I am content now to play it on the laptop. I’ll let you know when I finally cave in the better stereo quality. :)

News:
One more day until school begins again. I received an interesting e-mail from my college’s vp of student affairs stating that some professors may be on strike tomorrow. We shall see how that turns out. Finished shopping for my grandma’s birthday presents… she’s turning 70. Part of the present is a basket full of 1939 things: coffee percolator, Rudolph ornament, and many movies!!! However, most of the classics are not stocked because the 70th anniversary editions are coming out in November. Doesn’t really help for a September baby, eh? But, I was able to get Stagecoach, Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Little Princess, and The Women. (alas, no Victor Fleming representation: Gone With the Wind or Wizard of Oz)

I saw a TCM documentary on the studio system in 1939 and it was just amazing to realize how many incredible films came from that year: (it’s known as the “greatest year in film history”) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Babes in Arms, Gone With the Wind, Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Love Affair, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Ninotchka, Of Mice and Men, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, The Rules of the Game, Son of Frankenstein, Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz, The Women, Wuthering Heights, and Young Mr. Lincoln just to name a few.

Books on the roster: Mill & Flesh
I’m in book 2 of The Mill on the Floss. Mae, you would be outraged (and I know others would be too) to read what the clergyman/tutor says about women and education: “They’ve a great deal of superficial cleverness, but they couldn’t go far into anything. They’re quick and shallow” (Eliot 170). However, in the following scene, Tom, the scholar, is sad when his sister, Maggie, must return home, so I don't mind that he shares his teacher's thinking, at the moment, he is just a boy. I really am enjoying the book because it just portrays the prejudice belief system and hilarious (in its seriousness) social conduct of the day (in 1860). Yet I also love much of the charm of that era and wish that we could retain some of that today. I guess that no matter what society as a whole does, my friends and I continue share elements of that time in our writings, movie watching, and often, speech. :)

Not Your Average Blood and Swash

Well, this is my first post. I plan to use this form of communication to keep in touch with friends and to prompt myself to write about my experiences more often. The 'year-apart' entries in my numerous half-filled journals are not sufficient.

I named my blog Blanket and Book because I want to use this blog as a hearth: a place to find comfort, to share thoughts, and to just relax. While movies are a passion of mine, (and I do intend to mention them quite often) I have to admit that I love nothing better than curling up with a book.

News: Best friends leaving or already arrived at their study abroad locale. Other friends scattered across the States. I will be starting at a new university with a new major later this week.

Books on the roster: The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot and The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler. Interesting to me that they both have a bit of that Jane Austen humor. I know that they are packed full of social commentary but even the writing style is similar. While I am already very fond of The Mill's Maggie, The Way's zingers are much more common and keep a faster pace (with less scenic description- my preference is clearly dialog). My mum and I love the film A Room With a View and we first heard about The Way from the character Mr. Beebe looking through the Emersons' books (and continuously reading the titles and pronouncing, "Never heard of it!" ...one of my fav. parts). If you've never seen it, you should!!!

That's all for now I guess. Sleep sweet all.