Book Post: Clarissa: martyrdom in period England. Cecilia: or passionate aristocrats make me hot

I finally caved in and bought the BBC adaptation of Clarissa, Samuel Richardson's famous 18th century novel about a virtuous woman from a horrible family who ends up at the mercy of the rake Lovelace. Nothing good comes out of it, of course. This is the kind of novel where you count corpses by the end.

I must admit, a huge reason for buying this is because Sean Bean plays Lovelace. Lovelace is my favorite character in the book. Not in the sense of finding him good or likeable (he gets his just comeuppance, and he is a truly awful person), but because of the mix of fascinating qualities that a villain of a melodrama usually never has: he truly falls in love with Clarissa, but not enough to overcome his character, his pride, or his cruel streak. He is horrible, but he is fascinating, and I think Sean Bean can portay this duality wonderfully. Clarissa has to be both repelled and attracted. And, I know it's an unfashionable admission, but I rather like Clarissa. True, she is a bit too saintly and preachy for my liking, but she gets such a raw deal, you keep rooting for her to end up happy and just end up doing a mental equivalent of peeking through fingers to see what horrible thing will happen next.

And I love the irony of Clarissa/Lovelace. Because she could have loved him if he didn't ruin it all.

Now all I want is an adaptation of my favorite 18th century novel, Cecilia by Fanny Burney. I adore Cecilia and have a crush on Delville. Cecilia is smart, strong and full of common sense. Delville is a dutiful young aristocrat who finally has enough and defies his psycho Mom for the love of Cecilia (in my favorite scene in the book. I think Austen got a bit of inspiration there for the whole Lady Catherine thing). The book is chockful of funny scenes, passionate declarations of love, misunderstandings, jealousy, elopment, and every other good thing. I never understood why Burney's Evelina, with the really annoying secondary characters, insipid heroine and patterncard of perfection hero, is better known.

Book Post: Clarissa: martyrdom in period England. Cecilia: or passionate aristocrats make me hot

I finally caved in and bought the BBC adaptation of Clarissa, Samuel Richardson's famous 18th century novel about a virtuous woman from a horrible family who ends up at the mercy of the rake Lovelace. Nothing good comes out of it, of course. This is the kind of novel where you count corpses by the end.

I must admit, a huge reason for buying this is because Sean Bean plays Lovelace. Lovelace is my favorite character in the book. Not in the sense of finding him good or likeable (he gets his just comeuppance, and he is a truly awful person), but because of the mix of fascinating qualities that a villain of a melodrama usually never has: he truly falls in love with Clarissa, but not enough to overcome his character, his pride, or his cruel streak. He is horrible, but he is fascinating, and I think Sean Bean can portay this duality wonderfully. Clarissa has to be both repelled and attracted. And, I know it's an unfashionable admission, but I rather like Clarissa. True, she is a bit too saintly and preachy for my liking, but she gets such a raw deal, you keep rooting for her to end up happy and just end up doing a mental equivalent of peeking through fingers to see what horrible thing will happen next.

And I love the irony of Clarissa/Lovelace. Because she could have loved him if he didn't ruin it all.

Now all I want is an adaptation of my favorite 18th century novel, Cecilia by Fanny Burney. I adore Cecilia and have a crush on Delville. Cecilia is smart, strong and full of common sense. Delville is a dutiful young aristocrat who finally has enough and defies his psycho Mom for the love of Cecilia (in my favorite scene in the book. I think Austen got a bit of inspiration there for the whole Lady Catherine thing). The book is chockful of funny scenes, passionate declarations of love, misunderstandings, jealousy, elopment, and every other good thing. I never understood why Burney's Evelina, with the really annoying secondary characters, insipid heroine and patterncard of perfection hero, is better known.

Book Post: Clarissa: martyrdom in period England. Cecilia: or passionate aristocrats make me hot

I finally caved in and bought the BBC adaptation of Clarissa, Samuel Richardson's famous 18th century novel about a virtuous woman from a horrible family who ends up at the mercy of the rake Lovelace. Nothing good comes out of it, of course. This is the kind of novel where you count corpses by the end.

I must admit, a huge reason for buying this is because Sean Bean plays Lovelace. Lovelace is my favorite character in the book. Not in the sense of finding him good or likeable (he gets his just comeuppance, and he is a truly awful person), but because of the mix of fascinating qualities that a villain of a melodrama usually never has: he truly falls in love with Clarissa, but not enough to overcome his character, his pride, or his cruel streak. He is horrible, but he is fascinating, and I think Sean Bean can portay this duality wonderfully. Clarissa has to be both repelled and attracted. And, I know it's an unfashionable admission, but I rather like Clarissa. True, she is a bit too saintly and preachy for my liking, but she gets such a raw deal, you keep rooting for her to end up happy and just end up doing a mental equivalent of peeking through fingers to see what horrible thing will happen next.

And I love the irony of Clarissa/Lovelace. Because she could have loved him if he didn't ruin it all.

Now all I want is an adaptation of my favorite 18th century novel, Cecilia by Fanny Burney. I adore Cecilia and have a crush on Delville. Cecilia is smart, strong and full of common sense. Delville is a dutiful young aristocrat who finally has enough and defies his psycho Mom for the love of Cecilia (in my favorite scene in the book. I think Austen got a bit of inspiration there for the whole Lady Catherine thing). The book is chockful of funny scenes, passionate declarations of love, misunderstandings, jealousy, elopment, and every other good thing. I never understood why Burney's Evelina, with the really annoying secondary characters, insipid heroine and patterncard of perfection hero, is better known.

Roswell random sexiness

I found a good way to wake up and drag myself out of the house today. Just watched the teaser part of Roswell's "Sexual Healing" (Max. Liz. Kitchen Counter. Strawberries). Wakes me right up. :D I especially crack up at Liz trying to button the top button of her uniform while simultaneously trying to serve customers and assure Maria that she's not carried away. Heeee. Just keep telling yourself that. It's certainly fun to see Max lose all of his vaunted control :D

Sexiness aside, it's actually rather emblematic, because for all the alien, sci-fi, or soap weirdness that is the premise of Roswell (reincarnated alien rulers, shapeshifters, getting the wrong girl pregnant through one night of sex etc etc), the reason I love it is because the emotions of it feel real. I certainly remember what it felt like to be that young and crazy in love and desperate for each other. So urgent and earnest and life-and-death. And it's rather neat to see a show convey that.

Roswell random sexiness

I found a good way to wake up and drag myself out of the house today. Just watched the teaser part of Roswell's "Sexual Healing" (Max. Liz. Kitchen Counter. Strawberries). Wakes me right up. :D I especially crack up at Liz trying to button the top button of her uniform while simultaneously trying to serve customers and assure Maria that she's not carried away. Heeee. Just keep telling yourself that. It's certainly fun to see Max lose all of his vaunted control :D

Sexiness aside, it's actually rather emblematic, because for all the alien, sci-fi, or soap weirdness that is the premise of Roswell (reincarnated alien rulers, shapeshifters, getting the wrong girl pregnant through one night of sex etc etc), the reason I love it is because the emotions of it feel real. I certainly remember what it felt like to be that young and crazy in love and desperate for each other. So urgent and earnest and life-and-death. And it's rather neat to see a show convey that.

Roswell random sexiness

I found a good way to wake up and drag myself out of the house today. Just watched the teaser part of Roswell's "Sexual Healing" (Max. Liz. Kitchen Counter. Strawberries). Wakes me right up. :D I especially crack up at Liz trying to button the top button of her uniform while simultaneously trying to serve customers and assure Maria that she's not carried away. Heeee. Just keep telling yourself that. It's certainly fun to see Max lose all of his vaunted control :D

Sexiness aside, it's actually rather emblematic, because for all the alien, sci-fi, or soap weirdness that is the premise of Roswell (reincarnated alien rulers, shapeshifters, getting the wrong girl pregnant through one night of sex etc etc), the reason I love it is because the emotions of it feel real. I certainly remember what it felt like to be that young and crazy in love and desperate for each other. So urgent and earnest and life-and-death. And it's rather neat to see a show convey that.

Water: starring Lisa Ray and John Abraham

My most anticipated Indian movie of the year (and one of my most anticipated movies of the year, period) is Deepa Mehta's Water. It is the last part of her trilogy about India (the first was Fire which was a lesbian love story, and the second was Earth, which dealt with the trauma of Partition). Water deals with the plight of widows. It is premiering at the Toronto Film Festival in November (even though that is now a bit iffy because there is a lawsuit in India to prevent that from happening. Something to do with copyright, I think).

It stars Lisa Ray as the widow who rebels against the rules and John Abraham as a man who falls in love with her. Seema Biswas and Waheeda Rehman are also in it.

I bring you pictures:

Lisa Ray as Kalyani, the widow who breaks tradition:


Lisa Ray as widow Kalyani and John Abraham as Gandhian idealist Narayan:


( More and Bigger pictures. Including the yummiest ever pic of John Abraham. )

Water: starring Lisa Ray and John Abraham

My most anticipated Indian movie of the year (and one of my most anticipated movies of the year, period) is Deepa Mehta's Water. It is the last part of her trilogy about India (the first was Fire which was a lesbian love story, and the second was Earth, which dealt with the trauma of Partition). Water deals with the plight of widows. It is premiering at the Toronto Film Festival in November (even though that is now a bit iffy because there is a lawsuit in India to prevent that from happening. Something to do with copyright, I think).

It stars Lisa Ray as the widow who rebels against the rules and John Abraham as a man who falls in love with her. Seema Biswas and Waheeda Rehman are also in it.

I bring you pictures:

Lisa Ray as Kalyani, the widow who breaks tradition:


Lisa Ray as widow Kalyani and John Abraham as Gandhian idealist Narayan:


( More and Bigger pictures. Including the yummiest ever pic of John Abraham. )

Water: starring Lisa Ray and John Abraham

My most anticipated Indian movie of the year (and one of my most anticipated movies of the year, period) is Deepa Mehta's Water. It is the last part of her trilogy about India (the first was Fire which was a lesbian love story, and the second was Earth, which dealt with the trauma of Partition). Water deals with the plight of widows. It is premiering at the Toronto Film Festival in November (even though that is now a bit iffy because there is a lawsuit in India to prevent that from happening. Something to do with copyright, I think).

It stars Lisa Ray as the widow who rebels against the rules and John Abraham as a man who falls in love with her. Seema Biswas and Waheeda Rehman are also in it.

I bring you pictures:

Lisa Ray as Kalyani, the widow who breaks tradition:


Lisa Ray as widow Kalyani and John Abraham as Gandhian idealist Narayan:


( More and Bigger pictures. Including the yummiest ever pic of John Abraham. )

Eeeek!

Bored and in need of an angst fix.

Crichton being prodded with sporks story, anyone? The crew of Firefly awash in a sea of angst? Tortured Lee fic? Tortured Max fic? Tortured anyone fic?

I need a hit of the angst drug.

Eeeek!

Bored and in need of an angst fix.

Crichton being prodded with sporks story, anyone? The crew of Firefly awash in a sea of angst? Tortured Lee fic? Tortured Max fic? Tortured anyone fic?

I need a hit of the angst drug.

Eeeek!

Bored and in need of an angst fix.

Crichton being prodded with sporks story, anyone? The crew of Firefly awash in a sea of angst? Tortured Lee fic? Tortured Max fic? Tortured anyone fic?

I need a hit of the angst drug.

Bollywood Rant

Warning: this started out normal but turned into a rant :)

I have finally gotten my hands on Black, months and months after everyone's raves. I will be watching it this week...yum. I wish I saw it in the theater though.

Also, when are Parineeta, Maine Pyar Kyun Kya? and Virrudh coming out on DVD? It's been ages since Parineeta opened. I am glad it's such a hit but I must own the DVD right now. I need my angsty Shekhar/Lolita fix. I want to rewatch the consummation of marriage scene, and the train song, and Lolita baking a cake in the dark, and Shekhar having a nervous breakdown over and over and over again. I want to watch him realize the truth at the end and stand up to his father. And I want to watch Lolita try to wobble on her high heels, or Rekha's cabaret number. Or Koel do just anything, because I loved Raima Sen. Where is my precioussssssss? I need it. Dammit. I guess I can rewatch Saif's angsty scenes in Hum Tum but there aren't many and it's not the same. Argh.

I also need a silly Salman fix and MPKK would do just nicely. As to Virrudh, I shouldn't complain because I already have a meaty Amitabh movie in my hands (i.e. Black) but I really want to watch it and see John, and my other option for an unseen John is Lakeer and that movie has the square-headed Sunny Deol and hideous Sohail Khan, both of whom annoy the heck out of me.

Also, I want to see Dus, which is already out, because cool action and Abhi and Zayed in leather pants, and Shilpa, and Sunil getting to romance someone, but I don't want to buy it all by itself so I have to wait for the other ones. Damn.

And there are no Bolly movies I want to see until Salaam Namaste, and that's not till the second week of September. Also, I want to know when Yagna is hitting the theaters, because I need to see another Saif/Vidya movie after Parineeta pretty much right away, because they are so a new favorite movie pairing.

Also, Kajol and Aamir aren't starting Fanaa until November. Before that, Aamir will appear in Rang De Basanti which sounds patriotic and really dull. Good for you, like spinach.

There won't be any more Shahrukh movies this year, and the way his schedule goes, with Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna seemingly to be the first before he can start on the others, there probably won't be any in the first half of 2006 either. Which annoys me. Not that Don which is an actiony remake or Happy New Year will necessarily rock my world either, since I like him better as intense.

Salman's and Shilpa's flick about marriage with a really long name keeps getting delayed. I have my doubts about it ever being released. And I really hope that this time the November date for Humko Tumse Pyar Hai is set (thank you, SRK!), but I am still cranky about it as the flick should have released a year ago.

Water, a movie I've been dying to see might get held up and not premiere at the Toronto festival because of some stupid, useless lawsuit in India. That merits another primal scream.

Bhansali is being quiet about his next film, if anything, but it's going to be a cold day in hell before it will be Bajirao Mastani which he announced years ago, which I was dying for, and which then fell apart. Come on, star-crossed lovers one of whom is a warrior ruler, and who are historical? Salman swinging a sword? Would have been good.

Also, why does Esha Deol keep getting roles? I have to look at her annoying face and lack of talent regularly now. She is starring with people like Abhi now, so I am forced to watch her. Same goes for Uday. Next they will be trying to sell Tusshar, Shahid and Aftab as the "it" boys I'll have to watch.

Ram Gopal Varma lost the little bit of his brain he had left and is remaking Sholay, the ultimate Bollywood classic. Why not, earlier he bastardized Godfather. Why does he have a reputation for artistry and unusualness? Making gangster-flavored remakes has less originality than dancing in Switzerland. I have yet to see one of his movies since Rangeela which came out in 1995, which appealed to me in the least, despite his "I am the cinema savior" attitude.

Hrithik is annoying me too, lately. His two next movies are Dhoom 2 where he plays the villain, and where I'd be forced to look at Uday Chopra's blank stare and ugly face in order to enjoy Hrithik and an action sequel to Koi Mil Gaya by his daddy, entitled Krrish. Which just sounds dull and annoying and he should really make more movies. Jodha-Akbar which is the first of his movies that interests me is unlikely to be out before 2007. And even there, the idiot boy will have a mustache. Are they trying to uglify him? 'Cause it's working.

Also, what is Abhi up to? The only upcoming of his I know of is Dhoom 2 (blech, yuck!) and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna which is unlikely to come out before the end of next year.

whine, whine, whine... I am Bolly-cranky now.

Bollywood Rant

Warning: this started out normal but turned into a rant :)

I have finally gotten my hands on Black, months and months after everyone's raves. I will be watching it this week...yum. I wish I saw it in the theater though.

Also, when are Parineeta, Maine Pyar Kyun Kya? and Virrudh coming out on DVD? It's been ages since Parineeta opened. I am glad it's such a hit but I must own the DVD right now. I need my angsty Shekhar/Lolita fix. I want to rewatch the consummation of marriage scene, and the train song, and Lolita baking a cake in the dark, and Shekhar having a nervous breakdown over and over and over again. I want to watch him realize the truth at the end and stand up to his father. And I want to watch Lolita try to wobble on her high heels, or Rekha's cabaret number. Or Koel do just anything, because I loved Raima Sen. Where is my precioussssssss? I need it. Dammit. I guess I can rewatch Saif's angsty scenes in Hum Tum but there aren't many and it's not the same. Argh.

I also need a silly Salman fix and MPKK would do just nicely. As to Virrudh, I shouldn't complain because I already have a meaty Amitabh movie in my hands (i.e. Black) but I really want to watch it and see John, and my other option for an unseen John is Lakeer and that movie has the square-headed Sunny Deol and hideous Sohail Khan, both of whom annoy the heck out of me.

Also, I want to see Dus, which is already out, because cool action and Abhi and Zayed in leather pants, and Shilpa, and Sunil getting to romance someone, but I don't want to buy it all by itself so I have to wait for the other ones. Damn.

And there are no Bolly movies I want to see until Salaam Namaste, and that's not till the second week of September. Also, I want to know when Yagna is hitting the theaters, because I need to see another Saif/Vidya movie after Parineeta pretty much right away, because they are so a new favorite movie pairing.

Also, Kajol and Aamir aren't starting Fanaa until November. Before that, Aamir will appear in Rang De Basanti which sounds patriotic and really dull. Good for you, like spinach.

There won't be any more Shahrukh movies this year, and the way his schedule goes, with Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna seemingly to be the first before he can start on the others, there probably won't be any in the first half of 2006 either. Which annoys me. Not that Don which is an actiony remake or Happy New Year will necessarily rock my world either, since I like him better as intense.

Salman's and Shilpa's flick about marriage with a really long name keeps getting delayed. I have my doubts about it ever being released. And I really hope that this time the November date for Humko Tumse Pyar Hai is set (thank you, SRK!), but I am still cranky about it as the flick should have released a year ago.

Water, a movie I've been dying to see might get held up and not premiere at the Toronto festival because of some stupid, useless lawsuit in India. That merits another primal scream.

Bhansali is being quiet about his next film, if anything, but it's going to be a cold day in hell before it will be Bajirao Mastani which he announced years ago, which I was dying for, and which then fell apart. Come on, star-crossed lovers one of whom is a warrior ruler, and who are historical? Salman swinging a sword? Would have been good.

Also, why does Esha Deol keep getting roles? I have to look at her annoying face and lack of talent regularly now. She is starring with people like Abhi now, so I am forced to watch her. Same goes for Uday. Next they will be trying to sell Tusshar, Shahid and Aftab as the "it" boys I'll have to watch.

Ram Gopal Varma lost the little bit of his brain he had left and is remaking Sholay, the ultimate Bollywood classic. Why not, earlier he bastardized Godfather. Why does he have a reputation for artistry and unusualness? Making gangster-flavored remakes has less originality than dancing in Switzerland. I have yet to see one of his movies since Rangeela which came out in 1995, which appealed to me in the least, despite his "I am the cinema savior" attitude.

Hrithik is annoying me too, lately. His two next movies are Dhoom 2 where he plays the villain, and where I'd be forced to look at Uday Chopra's blank stare and ugly face in order to enjoy Hrithik and an action sequel to Koi Mil Gaya by his daddy, entitled Krrish. Which just sounds dull and annoying and he should really make more movies. Jodha-Akbar which is the first of his movies that interests me is unlikely to be out before 2007. And even there, the idiot boy will have a mustache. Are they trying to uglify him? 'Cause it's working.

Also, what is Abhi up to? The only upcoming of his I know of is Dhoom 2 (blech, yuck!) and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna which is unlikely to come out before the end of next year.

whine, whine, whine... I am Bolly-cranky now.

Bollywood Rant

Warning: this started out normal but turned into a rant :)

I have finally gotten my hands on Black, months and months after everyone's raves. I will be watching it this week...yum. I wish I saw it in the theater though.

Also, when are Parineeta, Maine Pyar Kyun Kya? and Virrudh coming out on DVD? It's been ages since Parineeta opened. I am glad it's such a hit but I must own the DVD right now. I need my angsty Shekhar/Lolita fix. I want to rewatch the consummation of marriage scene, and the train song, and Lolita baking a cake in the dark, and Shekhar having a nervous breakdown over and over and over again. I want to watch him realize the truth at the end and stand up to his father. And I want to watch Lolita try to wobble on her high heels, or Rekha's cabaret number. Or Koel do just anything, because I loved Raima Sen. Where is my precioussssssss? I need it. Dammit. I guess I can rewatch Saif's angsty scenes in Hum Tum but there aren't many and it's not the same. Argh.

I also need a silly Salman fix and MPKK would do just nicely. As to Virrudh, I shouldn't complain because I already have a meaty Amitabh movie in my hands (i.e. Black) but I really want to watch it and see John, and my other option for an unseen John is Lakeer and that movie has the square-headed Sunny Deol and hideous Sohail Khan, both of whom annoy the heck out of me.

Also, I want to see Dus, which is already out, because cool action and Abhi and Zayed in leather pants, and Shilpa, and Sunil getting to romance someone, but I don't want to buy it all by itself so I have to wait for the other ones. Damn.

And there are no Bolly movies I want to see until Salaam Namaste, and that's not till the second week of September. Also, I want to know when Yagna is hitting the theaters, because I need to see another Saif/Vidya movie after Parineeta pretty much right away, because they are so a new favorite movie pairing.

Also, Kajol and Aamir aren't starting Fanaa until November. Before that, Aamir will appear in Rang De Basanti which sounds patriotic and really dull. Good for you, like spinach.

There won't be any more Shahrukh movies this year, and the way his schedule goes, with Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna seemingly to be the first before he can start on the others, there probably won't be any in the first half of 2006 either. Which annoys me. Not that Don which is an actiony remake or Happy New Year will necessarily rock my world either, since I like him better as intense.

Salman's and Shilpa's flick about marriage with a really long name keeps getting delayed. I have my doubts about it ever being released. And I really hope that this time the November date for Humko Tumse Pyar Hai is set (thank you, SRK!), but I am still cranky about it as the flick should have released a year ago.

Water, a movie I've been dying to see might get held up and not premiere at the Toronto festival because of some stupid, useless lawsuit in India. That merits another primal scream.

Bhansali is being quiet about his next film, if anything, but it's going to be a cold day in hell before it will be Bajirao Mastani which he announced years ago, which I was dying for, and which then fell apart. Come on, star-crossed lovers one of whom is a warrior ruler, and who are historical? Salman swinging a sword? Would have been good.

Also, why does Esha Deol keep getting roles? I have to look at her annoying face and lack of talent regularly now. She is starring with people like Abhi now, so I am forced to watch her. Same goes for Uday. Next they will be trying to sell Tusshar, Shahid and Aftab as the "it" boys I'll have to watch.

Ram Gopal Varma lost the little bit of his brain he had left and is remaking Sholay, the ultimate Bollywood classic. Why not, earlier he bastardized Godfather. Why does he have a reputation for artistry and unusualness? Making gangster-flavored remakes has less originality than dancing in Switzerland. I have yet to see one of his movies since Rangeela which came out in 1995, which appealed to me in the least, despite his "I am the cinema savior" attitude.

Hrithik is annoying me too, lately. His two next movies are Dhoom 2 where he plays the villain, and where I'd be forced to look at Uday Chopra's blank stare and ugly face in order to enjoy Hrithik and an action sequel to Koi Mil Gaya by his daddy, entitled Krrish. Which just sounds dull and annoying and he should really make more movies. Jodha-Akbar which is the first of his movies that interests me is unlikely to be out before 2007. And even there, the idiot boy will have a mustache. Are they trying to uglify him? 'Cause it's working.

Also, what is Abhi up to? The only upcoming of his I know of is Dhoom 2 (blech, yuck!) and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna which is unlikely to come out before the end of next year.

whine, whine, whine... I am Bolly-cranky now.