Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
http://homepage.mac.com/evanbaumgardner/iMovieTheater6.html

The above is evil. But I had to include it. Sorry. It's Leonard Nimoy
singing the Bilbo song. The video of a very young Leonard Nimoy singing
the Bilbo song. Flower power. Yay. 
  

    
I just lost a several-paragraph post because something didn't open in
a separate window as it usually does, so I closed the window and then
went *AAAAAAAGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*  It had to do
with movies and books and actor voices, and I'm not about to type it
again.


But who cares!?  Holley's back!  Squeeeeeee!!!
  

    
Yeah. I couldn't stand it any more. 
  

    
What's "clotildes"?  A breed of rose?
  

    
Ah, yes. Do you know. I have used Clotilde Soupert for years in
various forums and you are the very first person to recognize that. Ha!
Yes. It's an antique rose. Comes in bush and climbing form. Has a
light pink interior and darker pink exterior puffy kind of half-dollar
sized very heavily scented flower. Alas, it is highly subject to mildew
so does not grow well in this area. I have always, however, liked the
name. Hence...
  

    
Actually, I'm rather a big fan of Awfully Big Adventure, although I
wish they'd bring out a DVD of it so I could watch it with subtitles,
as the lead actresses' accent still leaves me a bit bewildered even
though I've seen the thing several times. It's an unusually mumbled
movie.
Still, I love the leisurely pace, the somewhat cruel depiction of
regional theatre, and the looping exploration of the Peter Pan mythos.
It's like a particularly complicated puzzle box for me.

It's also one of the few times we get to see Hugh Grant actually play
an honest to god character!
  

    
How is he at it?
  

    
(Ooh, I just realized I got Post #1602!  That is awfully cool.

As if it weren't amazing enough that I was right about the roses.)
  

    

Hey, welcome back HOLLEY!
  

    
Hi there, Holley. Wellcome home, m'dear.
  

    
You can probably guess whose copy of NYRSF arrived Thursday night, and
which pages I was reading over lunch yesterday. Neil, that's a lovely
conversational interview, with the questions nearly as interesting as
the answers.

(For the lurkers, that's _The New York Review of Science Fiction_,
#186 (February 2004), Neil interviews Gene Wolfe about _The Knight_.
Individual issues are usually available, but you ought to just
subscribe, it's worth it, really you should. www.nyrsf.com)

  And oh, eep, I read your journal entry of this afternoon: Whatever
you do, DON'T TOUCH FRED AND YOUR LAPTOP AT THE SAME TIME! I don't care
what manufacturer's reps say about impervious casings, just don't.
(And I hope they got all of Fred's tumor out, and it's benign. It's
been over five years since I had to have Teal put to sleep and I still
miss him.)

The antibiotics seem to finally be having some effect, as I'm not
coughing nearly as often or as lengthily or as severely, and I can
stand outside waiting for my bus and inhale without feeling that I'm
straining to draw cold vacuum into my lungs. Having snow fall twice
this week helped, too; it's still cold enough that any moisture in the
air is noticeable.

Dan: Yay for a successful staged reading! Down to the minor-tweaking
phase is excellent ('cause that never really stops, does it?).
  I note your list of, er, "positions" for the F-word, and was
reminded of the old George Carlin "seven words you can never say on
television" routine, except that hardly any of his seven are still
taboo.

Um, I like all of the Rickman performances I've seen, and almost every
Branagh film, but I don't collect the way y'all do... Will, I adore
Branagh's _Much Ado_, but you've gotta see his _Henry V_. Better than
the _Hamlet_, even.

Dodge, it's good to see you in your own name again.

Chip and I saw _The Triplets of Belleville_ last night. Surreal,
satirical but with a warm gooey center, marvelous storytelling. Has
anybody else seen this? (Or was it discussed ages ago and I'm just
behind the fair again?)
  

    
My favourite Rickman film is still An Awfully Big Adventure, I think
mostly because he's a good enough actor to play a Hook you want to
watch, while also playing the actor. And it's the last film Hugh Grant
got to play anyone who wasn't a variant on himself-playing-Dick-Curtis,
and he's a good enough actor that the film doesn't overbalance. 

And I don't have any problems understanding the accents. <g>

Last time I spoke to Tim Roth, it was to tell him that Kathy Acker was
dead.

Davey -- I was impressed that Patrick N-H managed to edit our e-mail
burble into the interview that ran at
http://www.bordersstores.com/features/feature.jsp?file=gaimanwolfe
but was delighted when David Hartwell wanted to run the whole
correspondence.

People keep asking me for photos of Fred. Every other cat in the house
immediately decides to be photogenic -- they pose like cats in
commercials. Fred becomes nothing more than a paw or or whisker. I plan
to keep the camera by the bed and get him when he's exhausted...


There will be a Harper-Collins edition of GOLDFISH later this year.
It'll have a recording of me reading the book, and if I can find one, a
live CBLDF recording as well.
  

    
Davey,  I saw Triplets twice. I liked it very much, and laughed at the
way the mafia men walked as much the second time I saw it as the
first. But what I really want to know is, did they play Destino before
Triplets where you saw it?

I dreamed of Destino for a week after I saw it, and seeing it the
second time didn't make it go away. It's just lovely. I really would
like a copy of the ballad. I'll wait for the DVD -- I've heard it's
being released sometime sooner or later.

Both Destino and Triplets have been nominated for Oscars (animated
short and animated feature, respectively). Throw those in with Elfman's
nomination for the Big Fish score, and I find myself actually wanting
to watch the ceremony for the first time in a while.
  

    
Will--if you liked Branagh's Hamlet, see Jacobi's.  He says in his
autobiography that he saw it live at a young age, and Jacobi was a huge
influence. And you get Dame Lalla Ward (the second Romana on Dr. Who)
as Ophelia, and Patrick Stewart as Claudius.  Also, soon, you should
rent A Midwinter's Tale, a lovely comedy with the guy who plays
whatshishead--Hamlet's best friend--playing an actor directing and
starring in the unluckiest production of Hamlet ever.  Branagh directs,
but isn't in it.  Contrast it with the Hamlet he directs a few years
later.  Also there's a documentary out of Jacobi directing Branagh as
The Gloomy One.  It gets pretty incestuous, but it's fascinating to
watch those 2 guys shape ideas and influence each other.

Also, I liked Dead Again, which has both Jacobi and Branagh, and is a
lovely little noiry detective flick.

Neil--you know Tim Roth.  Gagh.  You know *all* the cool people.  

I liked Awfully Big Adventure, too.

May I suggest the Swapped package contain a book, a CD, and 2
goldfish?  ;-)

Dodge--good to have you back!  Clotilde is a saint, too, but I don't
know a thing about her (him?)

Mary (reading the new Eoin Whatshishead--the guy who wrote Artemis
Fowl--it's OK, but not as much fun as the Fowl books)

(and who just realized that she should not post when she is supposed
to be writing lesson plans, because her distracted state leads to
excessive use of the word whatshishead)
  

    
Obviously Harper-Collins needs to make a deal with Pepperidge Farms to
include a bag of goldfish. http://www.trygve.com/goldfish.html
  

    
...so here I am, popping in again--having overcome the inevitable
account snafus that happen when you change jobs, emails, and bank
accounts simultaneously.

Davey: I've been thinking, and I'm sure there must be some sort of law
against Barbie-doll pink Vespas *anywhere* in *Boston.*  I'm sure of
it.

Rickman as Tybalt?!?!  Where can I see this?  Where?

Will: Branagh scares me.  He just does.  But I thought Winslet's
Ophelia was brilliant.  And Brian Blessed as a ghost is worth $8 any
day.

Congratulations to Holley on a successful move, and Squeaks on an
almost-successful stove installation.  (Who bakes in California,
anyway?)

And hellos and hugs to everyone.

Ciao... on a pink Vespa. ;-)
  

    
<looks backward and points> Ciao!
Pam's the coolest!  She's on a hairdryer with wheels!
I <heart> Pam.

The Rickman Tybalt performance was an old television miniseries
production.  Gielgud as the chorus, too!

I've been meaning to check out Branagh's *Henry*.  Of course, what I
really want to see is his *Macbeth*.  Rock.
  

    
I freakin love that Henry V.  I have to admit, though, I haven't seen
it since high school.  Hmm...must go find it on GreenCine...

-Adriana, arisen from dead
  

    
(Well, really, I could hardly pass *that* up.)

Will: smooches!

And I have to admit I loved Branagh's HENRY V.  There's something
about that role.  But the *best* bit is the tiny little comedy scene
with Emma at the end, turning "d'elbow" into an entendre.

And I spent part of last night discussing Dungeons and Dragons with my
husband, and deciding that it's all probably just as well that I never
played when I was younger, because any world where assassins *must* be
Evil or where your character can't be Lawful-Chaotic is simply not a
world I could function in.  Not without constantly challenging the
rules, anyway.

I did like the fact that Druids have to be True Neutral, though.  For
reasons obvious to some.
  

    
speaking of Emma, she too is to be in the new Harry Potter movie, as
Professor Trelawny, the almost-fradulent Divination teacher.

I think this will be great fun.
  

    
This is the Cuaron one, no?  I've a feeling it's gonna be terrific,
and can't wait to see it.  *Great Expectations* was *so* good (I love
the scene where Ethan Hawke paints Gwyneth Paltrow, and Pulp's "Like a
Friend" plays as the soundtrack.  It was such a great representation of
being in that artistic zone, just losing yourself to it, and the mad,
mad rush of aritstic creation when in that zone [I was recently seeing
a girl, it ended as so many things in life do, but just before it did I
made her a mix-tape.  It was a cross between an "I like you" tape,
with songs like "Crash" and the Oakenfold remix of "When the World
Ends" and "Let Me Blow Ya Mind," but there was also a lot of "This is a
great song you should hear" stuff on it, like "Like a Friend,"
Wainwright's "Hallelujah," and "Goodnight Elizabeth" by the Counting
Crows {her name was Elizabeth.  Well.  Still is, of course.  But she
may be past tense now, if you see what I mean}]).  And Lord knows
Cuaron can direct teenagers, as he proved so well with *Y Tu Mama
Tambien*.
Yeah, I think it's really going to be a good one.  I'm hoping it's
going to capture something that the other two failed to, though not
necessarily through any fault of their own.  <fingers crossed>

I love Emma and Brannagh in *Much Ado*.  And lately I've been reading
the first *Bridget Jones* book, and I love that Fielding mentions Hugh
Grant and Colin Firth at different points and both were cast in the
main roles in the movie.  Fielding mentions Emma at one point, too,
though, and I couldn't help trying to think of how the movie would've
been different with her in the title role rather than Rene Zellwegger
(even if I have a huge crush on Zellwegger).

(I'm also kinda really identifying with Bridget, which, as a guy,
kinda worries me.  I'm the guy who calls *69 three, four times, to see
if the girl I'm talking to has called.  I'm so neurotic.  [I want to
say I need to start being more a guy, and more aloof, when it comes to
romance, but, really what I need to do is stop going after
commitmentphobes, and the kinds of girls who cringe at the word
'boyfriend' or warn me to 'tread lightly.'  But hey, at least I'm
learning.])
  

    
Well. That's a refreshing.  It's usually the guys that are committment
phobes in my world. And don't call often. Or disappear. What am I
saying? I got so tired of the bs I quit dating. It's been years. 
  

    
shhhhhh...don't tell anyone, but i have seen most of Emma's dailies
because i was working in the HP production office a couple of months
ago when they were wrapping up the shoot.  it was sweet.  she is
rocking.  the whole movie just looks so much hipper, more beautiful,
and more magical than the first two.  you will be amazed at how punked
up and cool the kids look.  they really look like they could vacation
in Y Tu Mama, which is so subversive and funny.  Gary Oldman as Sirius
Black = yum yum yum.  Cuaron definitely sees and is exploiting modern
political parallels with the Ministry of Magic and stuff...and I
believe the Dementors and some other creatures are designed with the
help of Mr. Dave McKean.   

Pam, I have only once tried to understand or delve into that
world...it confuses me greatly.  I think I'd have to be a Druid after
all meselfs.  my sister gave me some sort of Lord of the Rings
roleplayingish thing for Christmas and i haven't the slightest idea how
it works.
  

    
Did anybody see Emma in Love, Actually?  She was absolutely amazing. 
I wish Rickman's character had been a little more fleshed out--I never
got a sense of why the guy was cheating-but I love them together.  Even
in the truly awful flick they did a few years back, where they played
cops in New Orleans.  Name escapes me......

And Wit was faboo.  She's a goddess.  I want to be her when I grow up.

Mary (reading Briar Rose by Jane Yolen)
  

    
It was called Judas Kiss, and was apalling.  It was produced by, and
starred, Carla Gugino, who now has a fairly respectable career.

Even Thompson & Rickman's accents were bad.