Taming of the Shrew

[dangermousie]

Had an awesomely Bollywoody day yesterday, and went to see Om Shanti Om which was fabulous, and about which I'll make a separate entry. And then filmi_girl and I had the best evening, watching Bobby and otherwise Bollywoodly hanging out.

But this isn't about that. This is about my starting to watch the most awesome thing in existence: BBC's Shakespeare Retold series.



Mr. Mousie and I just finished the first of the bunch, Taming of the Shrew, with Shirley Henderson playing Kate, the super-shrewish MP, trying to become opposition leader, and Rufus Sewell (OMG) as this version's Petruccio, a deeply exxcentric, cross-dressing aristocrat. OMG. I am totally in love. It was hysterically funny, sharp, brilliantly updated, and (I never thought I'd say it of any TotS version) deeply romantic. Normally, even as I laugh at TotS, I find Petruccio's methods horrid, and the whole subjugation of women story and ending really not appealing. But this TotS is not about breaking Kate or anything of the sort. It's really about behaving a bit better, in general, and about allowing yourself to love someone despite their flaws, and weirdnesses, and screaming fits (hers) or a penchant for heels(his). I especially love that they both have a reason to be pissed off at each other on their honeymoon, but what really struck me was Henry, telling Kate that she has to realize that RS's character will always be about 6 years old (heh) but he totally loves her. And Kate going (as she sees RS stand there with her suitcase of newly arrived clothes near the pool) 'he is going to tease me with a week's worth of clean knickers and pitch them into the pool, isn't he?' and then RS telling her if she doesn't want him to throw the suitcase in the pool, she has until he counts to 10 to be nice to him, and she lets him count, and he counts extra long (awwwww) and finally tosses them into the pool, and then she walks up to him, and he is all apprehensive, and she is 'I don't wear knickers on vacation, anyway' and kisses him. SWOOOON. Because really, that is the whole point, to be nice to someone because you love them, not for some extraneous reason. God, they are insane. The OTP in this one just ends up fitting, even if no one else sane would want them, and are so off-kilter awesome together. And of course, she is the MP, the public face etc, and he is the house-husband. It's freaking awesome.

Comments

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

...

How did I not know of this series?

*is ever amused by how teeny Shirley Henderson is*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

You should watch, you'll love it.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I keep coming back to the post and staring at the picture...

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I hate you for seeing Om Shanti Om. :)

I drove all the way to the suburbs to see this with 2 other people and it was sold out for both Saturday *and* all Sunday. I am trying again next weekend and booking in advance. Clearly Sharukh Khan's 6 pack is a big attraction out in this neck of the woods.

Also Zip (the Canadian Netflix) refuses to send me the Shakespeare Retold DVDs.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

*comfort*

It seems Canada is committed to keeping you from experiencing both quality viewing and cracky manga.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was crazy booked here, too...seems quite a draw.

[thelana.livejournal.com]

Yay, can't wait for your take on OSO and Saawariya.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Just did one on Saawariya

[hippiebanana132.livejournal.com]

I love the Shakespeare Retold series! I found it on DVD for £4 last year and almost burst my friend's eardrums with squee.

"There's only one word for the weather today, and that word is: very changeable."

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I want a set of my own. This is so perfect.

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I totally have to rewatch this now. *swoons*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It's pretty awesome.

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I just rewatched it. He's so... HOT when he's lounging on that couch, about to pounce on her! And other places too.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, he is. They are so hilarious and yet so hot together. And he is like a billion feet taller.

[wistfulmemory.livejournal.com]

I want this series! I love retellings of Shakespeare (and Rufus Sewell is just hot!).

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It is very very good.

[artic-fox.livejournal.com]

*scrolls past the spoilers*

I wasn't a fan of Taming of the Shrew for the same reasons as you. I always did enjoy the fast paced and mean dialogue, but as you said Petruchio always was never very nice, and it was very outdated towards women. I will look for this version though, because I love Rufus Sewell. He's always crazy in his films.

I know James McAvoy is in the MacBeth retelling, which I really want to see.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

MacBeth is my next one on the list. Yes, this version fixed a lot of problems I had with the original story.

[artic-fox.livejournal.com]

That's good to know :D

[katranna.livejournal.com]

Hahaha this sounds amazing.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

You would love it.

[fivil.livejournal.com]

I'm so sad I missed the other Shakespeare Retold on Finnish TV but this one. This was awesome, though. I too had worries about the story since I'd read the original but it plays out wonderfully and modernly, and Shirley Henderson as always is a treat. I don't know where I've seen Rufus Sewell before, though.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Middlemarch? Tristan and Isolde? Hamlet? Knight's Tale?

[bennet-7.livejournal.com]

Finally an appropriate place to use this icon!

I loveeee the Shakespeare Retold. I wish they'd do more of them. Midsummer isn't so great, but Much Ado is lovely, Shrew is sparky and Macbeth is flat-out phenomenal.

I think my favourite thing about this adaptation (and probably the reason for this icon) is that Rufus Sewell actually plays a nice guy and gets the girl. Shocking! Normally, he plays the villain.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

OMG, icon!

I love Rufus Sewell, and have crushed on him ever since Middlemarch, so it was awesome to see him play a good guy.

[filmi-girl.livejournal.com]

I remember hearing about these when they came out, but I, like you, always hated "The Taming of the Shrew." I'll have to download these. I do like a nice adaptation. ;)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

This really reworked everything I hated about TotS.

[filmi-girl.livejournal.com]

There's a lot to hate about TotS - uppity woman gets put in her place is not a story I enjoy hearing.

[janlake83.livejournal.com]

i wonder if this is in amazon????? and it sound wonderful..... if i can find it i would soooo watch it..

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It's on netflix...

[janlake83.livejournal.com]

thank you sooo much

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

You are welcome :)

[morwen_peredhil]

Eeeee! Yes, this version of TotS is awesome, and the Much Ado with Damian Lewis is even better. I didn't like the other two enough to watch more than the first few minutes.

Isn't it nice to see Rufus Sewell get the girl for once? Sigh.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, Damian Lewis? Yay.