; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'UA-6252405-9'); In the Mommy Trenches: The Truth is Out - I am a Purist.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

The Truth is Out - I am a Purist.

I like to think I am open minded, willing to try new things, explore my options.

When my husband comes home with a new brand of "chicken" nuggets made purely from textured vegetable protein, I let him cook it up for the children and I even took a tentative bite.  Not bad. For fake meat. 

When my dad pours me a glass of wine made by my grandfather and tells me I'm gonna love it, I take a sip.  A small one.  And try to hide my shudder.  My grandfather's wine tastes like crap.  Always has.  I know this but still I'm willing to hope that this time might be different.  That the fermented fruit will have somehow magically have been transformed into an elegant chardonnay instead of ... well extremely volatile fermented fruit.

When a hairdresser tells me she thinks a particular style will look fabulous on me. I trust her.  I let her cut my hair which ends up so short that the only possible way I can style it is to spend half an hour curling it reminiscent of long ago days in high school.  I had to FIND my curling iron.  The hair cut made me look 10 years more mature.  The hairdresser was an older lady.  I should have known what was hip to her was a blue rinse. 

When my husband told me that potatoe chips in sandwiches were delicious.  I tried it even though I thought he was crazy.  Turns out he was right.  It's delicious.  Before you laugh.. try it.  You will be surprised.

However, when it comes to books being converted to movies it is a completely different ball game.  This is where the geek in me really comes out.  I love good dialogue.  You can always tell when you're reading a quality written book from those formula generated books made to please the masses.  When a movie is made from a favourite book, I want to hear every gritty word.  We even turn on the subtitles so we can read what we may miss hearing. I am addicted to subtitles.

I actually refused to watch the Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly because I could tell from the previews that they had completely changed the storyline to fit the movie.  I did not want that version to replace the Jennifer Ehl and Colin Firth  six hour version that plays in my head.   Remember, I like long movies.

When they came out with Lestat, I could have cried.  They completely missed all the best parts of Anne Rice's vampire story, trying to combine two books into one, two hour film.  Queen of the Dammed was an even bigger disappointment.  Where was Maharet and Mekare?  Where was the history and the complex characters?  The makers of the LOTR trilogy challenged movie making by going against the norm in making a film per book.  If they had chosen to do Anne Rice's books after LOTR, I bet they would have done the same thing and it would have been amazing. 

Now they are messing with Sherlock Holmes.  Somehow or other I got hooked on the Adventure with Sherlock Holmes TV series from 1988 to 1994.  The one with Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes.  I so enjoyed the t.v. series that eventually I read all the books and surprisingly these adaptations are astonishingly close to the books.  Apparently Jeremy Brett fought with the big whigs every week to make sure that it stayed on track.  He did the role so well, that for me no other man plays Sherlock Holmes so well.

Okay I am a complete geek.  I think I've already established that. ;)

Still, when I heard that Robert Downey jr. was going to play Sherlock Holmes in a new film, I was excited.  Even my husband was excited for me because he knew I liked Sherlock Holmes.  Apparently my geekness had extended to new heights because my mother bought me the complete encyclopedia of Sherlock Holmes.  Okay that was a bit much.  It's two volumes equal the size of a small country.  How do you read books that big?  I think she was stuck for gift ideas. 

I think Robert Downey jr is an extremely talented actor and that he would make a good Sherlock Holmes. 

However... have you seen the preview?



Okay. While this pushes all the buttons as far as suspense and action goes, Sherlock was never sexy. He was not some kind of thrill seeker, jumping out of a window into the thames, vampire hunting, hygiene lacking sort of hero. His vices did not extend to those of the opposite sex but to tobacco, cocaine and the violin.  He was a methodical thinker and emotionally void man.  He rebuked Dr. Watson numerious times for sensationalizing his cases. So I have the distinct feeling that this movie is not going to be your typical Sherlock Holmes type of film. 

Will I be going to see it?  You betcha.

Zeemaid

11 comments:

  1. Hey from SITS!

    Love your site.

    Ok so a couple things...

    Yes potato chips in sandwiches are delicious. Probably not healthy but soooo good.

    It's clear the Sherlock Holmes movie is nothing like the books or tv series, but I like the look of this edgier Sherlock. I plan to see it.

    I do get how you feel about films remaining true to books though. I'm going to see the Lovely Bones this weekend and I just wonder if I'll be happy with the results. I liked the book and don't want to be disappointed.

    And it's cool you are open to trying new things. Makes like fun. But sorry about the hair cut. That one does stink. I've been there.

    Best to ya,

    -Victoria

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  2. And oh I saw this and thought you'd like it given your recent post.

    Charlie Kaufman On Adapting Novels For The Screen
    http://bit.ly/8metNo

    Enjoy!
    -Victoria D.

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  3. I'm annoying to watch a movie with when I've read the book because I have to point out all the changes.

    I did see Sherlock Holmes and it was not at all what I expected. A lot of action.

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  4. Hope you love it!

    I will have to try the chips on my sandwich next time....

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  5. A friend told me the other day that she is a huge Holmes fan and really liked this movie. If I can recall what she said, the film opens with a lot of what's in the trailer, but then it gets down to business. And the Watson character has been restored to what he was originally, more of a womanizer and action guy. So I hope you find that you like it!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog today, by the way!

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  6. You and I seem to have the same taste in shows. Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth is my hands down favourite show. I am greatly looking forward to the time that my kids are old enough to stay out of my hair long enough for me to watch it again.

    The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes is my favourite adaptation of Holmes as well. I've seen every episode of that series at least twice. I was actually quite interested to see Robert Downey Jr's version of Holmes until I saw the preview. It looks like they are taking all the analytical sleuthing out of Holmes and replacing it with fist-fights and explosions. I'll still watch it. But I doubt it will surpass my love for Jeremy Brett's work.

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  7. I took a literature and film course in college (English major) and it really changed the way I view films made from books. I still prefer the experience of a novel overall, but sometimes allowances have to be made to fit into the movie experience. Sometimes I hate it and sometimes I love experiencing the new version. I love The Time Traveler's Wife, but couldn't bring myself to see the movie after reading the reviews. I'm sincerely hoping they do The Lovely Bones justice.

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  8. Great post!!

    You know, I fell in love with the A&E version of P&P completely backwards. I caught the Keira Knightly version on TV one night, then I read the book and then I watched the A&E. Which I now own and watch once or twice a year because I love it so much. Hearts for Ehl and Firth.

    PS: if you like chips on your sandwich, try doritos on a bagel with cream cheese. Don't knock it until you taste the deliciousness. Oh it's good. Reeeeeal good.

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  9. Exactly!
    I loved Jermey Brett's Sherlock Holmes; I read quite a few of the stories (until I got fed up not being allowed to try and solve them). At first I was excited about the film, until I saw the previews. Then I to paraphrase another person on another director and film, this is Sherlock Holmes interpretted by Guy Ritchie. I think I'll wait for the DVD or HBO.

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  10. Movie adaptations are never as a good as the book.

    I think "they" were trying to make Sherlock Holmes more appealing to teen/tweens or something. I love RD Jr. but I won't be going to see this. I might watch it on dvd.

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  11. Stopping by from SITS

    Great post. Cute blog.

    I myself never having read Sherlock Holmes or having much knowledge about it, I'm pretty pumped to watch this movie. That's just me though.

    ReplyDelete

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