1980s movies request, Becoming Jane, Moliere and a Russian telenovela. Scatterbrained as usual

[dangermousie]

I have a sudden craving for a cheesy 80s movie. Recommend me? I don't mind if I've seen it before. Just no fantasy please, because 80s fantasy gives me hives.

This week I saw two rather different movies based on the same idea: imagining a literary figure's life as if it was one of his/her works. The movies? Becoming Jane (Jane Austen) and Moliere (self-evident). BJ was a fun trifle which I didn't mind paying $10 for, even if it wasn't the most awesome movie ever. It had about as much in common with life of Austen as it did with JRR Tolkien but it was enjoyable. Anne Hathaway was gorgeous and James McAvoy incredibly charming as Tom Lefroy. It was a very luid movie and, even if not overly clever, did sweep me into the romance. You could feel the chemistry and the desperation.





















As to Moliere? Oh. OH. I loved it incredibly much. It was the movie BJ was trying to be: funny and clever and oh-so-brilliantly incorporating bits not just from the plays but the spirit of them itself. In comparison, BJ was a glorified Austen fanfic, and a florid one at that. Moliere was about so many things: exuberance, and facades (when to keep them and to lose them) and clever people doing stupid things, and stupid people doing clever things, and just...all the performances. And love and pragmatism and loss and laughter. So, so GOOD.

I adored it to bits because I love Moliere (I first came across him as a third-grader, when I watched a filmed theatrical performance of Tartuffe on TV. Shortly after I got my hands on our family's two volume Moliere edition and devoured them. I've rearead them fairly regularly since) but Mr. Mousie hasn't read him and still loved it.

And to end ona random note, here is a MV for Poor Nastya (Bednaya Nastya), a Russian telenovela. I stumbled on it by accident and am SO curious now. Period clothes and kissing and angst. YES. Plus, hey, I won't need subs for once :)

Secondary couple:

Mmmm, the lead is a hottie. I wonder where I can find this.

ETA: OMG, I just looked up the plot. The heroine is a talented young actress who could climb the pinnacle of success (professionally or be a mistress of someone important). Except? She is a serf. (Gotta love 19th century Russia). To make it all better? Her OTP is a nobleman. Heeee. There are 17 other otps. Maybe not 17, but seems so. Oh MAN. I just bought it :)

Comments

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

200 Cigarettes. Sadly, though, it's not an 80's movie. It's just about the 80's. Although it is, truly, awesome. (if you're me)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

What is it about?

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

New Year's Eve, 1979.

Kevin and Ellie broke up, and his best friend Lucy is dragging him to a party. A party given by Monica, who is sure she's going to have an awesome night. Little does Monica know her cousin Val is dragging her friend Stephie into the city with her to go to the party. Monica's ex-boyfriend Eric is trying to drag his current girlfriend and her best friend there. And then there's Jack, who's taking Cindy out on a date full of her breaking things, since she's accident prone. Oh. And the Cabbie. Because he's just AWESOME.

It's... actually, it's rude and crude and hilarious in turns, and it's probably not that great a movie. But I do have this disturbing fondness for it.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Sounds interesting, thanks!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

aaaawww...Few things make me giddy like 80s fantasy, but then, I grew up on it. (Though, even without the mention, the only ones I'd ever dream of reccing to you are Princess Bride and Ladyhawke...though the OTP in Willow owns a special place in my heart and has dictated about 50% of my adult shipping tendencies...)

*wracks brain*

Hrm...shoot...my parents about a hundred of these and I used to watch them all the time, but now I can't think of any...Not sure if they're 80s or early 90s, but if you don't mind Goldie Hawn, Bird on A Wire, Overboard and Protocal are all a blast. I am suddenly utterly ashamed of myself for not having more(though if you ask me next weekend when I'm catsitting, I can likely read off a lit to you...)

I want to see Becoming Jane, but have no expectations of historical accuracy(for her life, not the setting/standards)

And the Russian thing...does it HAVE subs? For, you know, those of us who only know English and can recognize bits in Latin-based languages...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I adore Ladyhawke and Princess Bride :)

Overboard is so fun and I haven't seen it for ages. The others I'll check it out.

BJ is cute, if you just treat it as utter fiction.

Re subs for the Russian drama. I never look because I don't need them, but I assume so as it was (according to wiki) shown in a bazillion countries (it was apparently a huge hit). I googled and they seem to exist. If you want them. I can dig around further.

Btw, re: Legend of Hero. I haven't seen it, so no idea if it's good, but spcnet has a thread on it, with pics.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I knew you liked Princess Bride and was actually pondering a big post on Ladyhawke as I couldn't imagine you NOT wanting to see Ladyhawke once you knew what it was about(and part of the appeal of both is that there are actually minimal fantasy elements in them)

Bird on A Wire has Goldie Hawn and Mel Gibson as childhood sweethearts...he and his friend saw the wrong thing on a trip and he was put into witness protection and she's thought he was dead ever since until she sees him at a gas station, and after a series of misadventures they end up on the run from the guys who've been looking for them all these years.

I don't recall Protocol as well, but she saves a govt official or something from a bullet and is made a diplomat or something as a publicity stunt and ends up bargained off to a sheikh or some such as part of a peace treaty. And her OTP is Prince Humperdink.

There's also Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile, and Clue...don't know if you're familiar with any of those.

PS

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I should rewatch Overboard when I go to the parents since Fantasy Couple is based on it, except I think she's only engaged, not married.

I guess the Legend of Hero thread is buried or I missed it...regardless, that fate is world's better than what happens to her in Chinese Paladin, and sounds better than Outsiders(as far as getting to be happy goes)

And yes, google google google!

Re: PS

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heeee. To make the Russian thing even more dramaish, her OTP is the guy she grew up with, because she is sort of a 'pet' (not in a sick way) of the elderly nobleman whose serf she is, and he is all resentful because she got his father's love and she didn't (or similar) and does the whole 'I despise you' but of course he falls madly for her and then...:P

He is also scary hot:



and likes weapons :)

Hmmm. I can find Arabic, Rumanian and Finnish. No English so far. But if you are interested, I always wanted to dabble my hand in translating, so I can definitely do that once I get the DVDs if it's good (and if no subs are out there) as long as I find someone to be a timer as I have no clue how to do that.
(Reply to this)(Parent)

Re: PS

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

heeee....that does sound good. The question is, is he super overprotective? (Despite his stupidity in many regards, Chengzhi in SSWRB left me with VERY high expectations in this regard for the time being.)

And if you end up liking it, I am most definately interested.

Re: PS

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heee. He is protective. He beats up people in the snow for her :)

I am about to post a scene from youtube whichis awesome. I translated it separately so you can see if my translating is up to snuff...

Re: PS

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...As good as sending tables flying for shooting at her, but I'm not sure it matches taking out dozens of soldiers for hurting her and then hunting down their fellows who were attacking the bandits who attacked you earlier because you were still pissed about it.

I shall look forward to the post(in the morning...gotta be on the other side of town in 8 hours...)

Re: PS

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am afraid that being but a poor nobleman, he can't match a wuxia hero :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I adore Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile. So fun and so otpish.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. A lot of people say they're like a romance novel as a movie, but what they make me think of is Elizabeth Peters's standalone books...just a rollicking romantic adventure with a side of mystery and/or suspense.

BTW, have you read those? If not, you should. Esp. Camelot Caper...it has a young John Smythe (granted, as a would-be OTP-interferer, but hey, it's only because he hadn't met Vicky yet...)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup, they remind me of EP too, and I did read and like Camelot Caper :)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I actually read the standalones before reading any of the series (I love all three of her series) I actually didn't realize it was the same John the first few VB books...

P.S.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Btw, if you are interested in the Russian thing you might like the below vid because it has duels :)



Seriously, I am so glad I bought my set! There are executions by the firing squad, and best friends fighting to the death over the same girl (and OMG, the main guy points the gun to himself rather than shoot his friend. *swoon*)

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

Anne Hathaway was gorgeous and James McAvoy incredibly charming as Tom Lefroy.

They were terribly charming, weren't they? (Even if Hathaway's English accent was... not.) I was willing to put up with silliness to watch them be cute and in love together.

I just wish so many Austen-based (whether her life or works) movies post the BBC 1996 P&P production felt like a response to that film. This one had elements of that recalled it, so did Rai's Bride and Prejudice, and even the Knightly P&P felt like it was deliberately trying to contradict that movie. I mean, I know it's a classic, but I wish people would move ON, already.

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

4 PM @ Eastern Market tomorrow, right?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I agree, I'd love something fresh!

And yeah, 4 pm it is. I so should go to bed, instead of looking for every Poor Nastya vid on youtube (there are over 600!)

[bodea.livejournal.com]

Hmm.80's Recs huh? Say Anything is cheesy romance,Adventures in baysitting (is that 80's or 90's?), Mischief (one of my faves),-- thats all I can think of at the moment.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I love SA but never heard of the other ones. Will check them out though, thanks!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Adventures in Babysitting is great fun.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heeee. Netflix it is :)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Come to think of it, I'm not sure you can get to be more 80s fun than that one...teen getting caught up in madcap series of events including being chased through town and into bars by drug dealers with kids in tow. And she picks up a cute college boy along the way, of course.

[thelana.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I LOVE the look of secondary OTP. And that scene on the bed it hot.

She reminds me of some American (or at least HW) actress, at least in profile or slight profile.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

If I looked it up correctly, the guy is actually supposed to be a Royal Prince and she is a lady in waiting to the empress. So of course he can't marry her, but they end up together (sans marriage) anyway...So much crack.

[yavannie77.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's Alexandr, the future Tsar of All Russias (the one who is going to end serfdom in Russia) and one of his love interests, Natalia Repnina (there have been more, but Natasha seems to be most to his real liking). Their story begins as a plan to mislead the Tsar, who is very much interested in having Natalia in his bed.

The young heir to the throne comes up with the idea that his father will leave Natalia alone if they pretend to be lovers instead. (Of course, by this time, Alexandr already loves her for real, thanks to a mixup in certain letters, shown in the vid also). But honestly, by far the hottest scene in this series has been when Alexandr takes his uniform coat off and basically nothing else happens because Natalia won't allow it. There were a few bits of it in the vid (the scene on the bed), but the whole scene was so loaded with chemistry it was intoxicating! *guuh* I posted about it in June, I think.

Anyhow, what follows is a few swoon-worthy kneelings, lots of haughty denials from Natalia (who is engaged to be married to a nobleman who in fact is a very good friend of Vladimir's and Mihail's - the wedding episode was on here just last week) and loooots of angst. I'm looking forward to seeing what is going to happen next. ;)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

but the whole scene was so loaded with chemistry it was intoxicating! *guuh* I posted about it in June, I think.


Now I remember it! You know, I love my flist, there is always someone who knows/seen anything I get interested in! Alexandr is also good at the angsty stare that all the male leads in this seem to have perfected.

[yavannie77.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's why it's called a friends list, I suppose. Like minds, you know... ;) Although I haven't (at least not yet) been bitten by the drama bug. And that's also why I suddenly comment after being quiet on your lj for such a long time.

Alexandr also does an adorable hurt puppy look, which is a tad less intensive but no less angsty version of the angsty stare. :P

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heeee, can't wait to check more of this out...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_kirsty/]

Tequila Sunrise is a cheesy 80s movie that I LOVE. Michelle Pfeiffer, Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell -- I'm sure you've seen it. It's a lot of fun.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Oddly, never heard of it but now want it!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Poked back in out of curiosity and...Yes, another very good one. There's alsi The Big Easy w/ Dennis Quaid(I forget the actress's name but I've liked her every time I've seen her)