I know that Tyrion's upcoming trial by combat is not the only pressing matter on Game of Thrones this week but it is a very serious plot thread that can not be ignored.
In trying his luck at this gambit again,Tyrion has more difficulty in choice of champion since Jaime is still unable to fight well enough with one hand and his old buddy Bronn was offered a rather cushy deal by way of marriage to decline(he and Tyrion at least parted on reasonably good terms).
A most unexpected ally declared his intention,Oberyn Martell,who is looking forward to battling Gregor Clegane aka The Mountain. His motive is revenge against the man who carried out the brutal orders to kill his sister and her children, a worthy goal but one that may be hard to achieve no matter the intensity of his desire. Then again, Tyrion has had luck before with unusual acquaintances, so we shall see(not for a couple of weeks,due to the show taking a mini break for the holiday weekend):
Meanwhile, things are not going well for Sansa as her hideout in the Eyrie is far from safe. Her Aunt Lysa caught Littlefinger attempting to kiss her niece and like so many jealous women before her, blamed Sansa for that action.
Her fury nearly cost Sansa her life as Lysa came close to tossing Sansa out the Moon Door but she wound up taking that last flight instead, thanks to her faithless husband(but not before mentioning her part in poisoning certain people). Poor Sansa, this girl is beyond jinxed but you have to give her kudos for slapping that creepy little cousin of hers. Arya may be the smartest Stark gal of them all by strictly dealing with men at the point of her sword:
We're close to the end of this half of the final season on Mad Men and there are a lot of balls in the air,as the partners are scheming against one another. However, let's just focus on Peggy and Don, who were still at loggerheads with the Burgerchef account as well as each other.
Don is more concerned with playing his own game of ball than realizing Peggy's increasing frustrations at work, which she takes out on others in typical Don Draper fashion. Eventually, the two of them manage to find a quiet moment where they can simply take a break from the office tensions and just be themselves. It lead to a nice reconciliation between them and a lovely dance number to boot. The love between them is not romantic but it is all the more touching for that:
A special treat for fans of daytime TV courtroom shows was Judge Judy Primetime that aired this past Tuesday night. The formidable lady of the lace collar did her regular show,along with clips of her well known catchphrases and a replay of both 60 Minutes profiles on her career.
Granted, Judge Judy was not the first person to have a syndicated civil court series( I believe that honor goes to The People's Court, which is still on the air with it's fourth judge Marilyn Milian presiding) but it's definitely the one that comes to mind when anyone mentions this genre. Why is this series so successful, some may still wonder but it is clear that when it comes to tough talking justice, Judge Judy is the mother of dragons here.
Yes, I am a huge JJ fan-confident women who are verbal straight shooters with a firm base of knowledge to back them up are my idols in life and obviously for many others as well. You may not always agree with her verdicts but the lady is fair in her rulings(even to people she out and out dislikes). This primetime special was fun and while I would've liked to have had an interview with Officer Bird(her right hand man who takes no guff either) included, this was a good time had by all, except for some of the litigants, of course:
RANDOM NOTES:
TRUE BLOOD: The final season is set to air by the end of June and it looks like a gruesome winner take all situation for the folks in Bon Temps. Don't know how this will wrap things up but I'm willing to watch until the very last drop of gory drama is poured at Merlotte's:
When it comes to DC Comics and their vast array of superheroes, the top three most well known names that quickly come to mind for most people are Batman,Superman and Wonder Woman.
The last on this list is the subject of comic book historian/blogger Tim Hanley's new book, Wonder Woman Unbound, which gets into the interesting social history behind this Maiden of Might. The subtitle,"The Curious History of the World's Most Famous Heroine" aptly describes the dubious fame of Wonder Woman.
Unlike her male counterparts(in Marvel as well as DC), she has the least number of film and TV adaptations and is often shoved into a supporting role when she is included. From the early years of her original conception in the 1940s by William Moulton Marston, she has been misunderstood and set up to channel certain ideals that some of her fans would be rather surprised to discover.
For example, that magic lasso that compels the captured person to tell the truth? Many took that weapon of Wonder Woman's as a version of the lie detector machine that Moulton invented but that's not what he had in mind( it could be considered a Georgia O'Keefe reference, let's just say). Marston intended for Wonder Woman to be the vehicle that would introduce the notion of female superiority to men, complete with bondage imagery that did raise a few eyebrows, yet unknowingly gave women of that time period a champion of their own:
During the comic book culture clash of the fifties, Wonder Woman had to be made over in a more "family friendly" tone that highlighted the tortured romance between her and Steve Trevor to degrees that gave the book a soap opera flair.
A revamp during the 1960s rendered Wonder Woman powerless and had her Diana Prince persona become a violence prone avenger,breaking away from the more peaceful solution heroine she had been since her beginnings. That change turned off readers and encouraged the growing feminist movement of the 70s to adopt her as their icon and demand a return to her original Amazon roots(while ignoring the questionable images and ideals of her creator).
Her story lines waxed and waned in the comic books over the years but the character seemed to be best served(not without flaws,of course) by the late seventies TV show version of Wonder Woman played by Lynda Carter. To this day, it's the best known source of the general public's knowledge of the character and has yet to be equaled:
What is great about Tim Hanley's approach to Wonder Woman is that he expands the focus on the character in context, with looks at the philosophy of her creator, the social changes that influenced the direction she was taken in during certain times and a compare and contrast with other females in comic book history.
From how Lois Lane was treated poorly by Superman during most of the Golden and Silver Ages(and not just him,plenty of super bad boyfriends out there) to the rise of Bat Girl in the modern era who had the edgy flair that Wonder Woman should have received, Hanley engages the reader with his smartly written take on the subject matter that's backed up with facts and figures that enhances his views as well as gives the material the respect it deserves:
I first learned about this book at Smart Bitches,Trashy Books, thanks to a great review by Carrie Sessarego( who also did an excellent interview with the author at her own blog, Geek Girl in Love) and I hope my two cents added in here encourages more people to check out this amazing book.
As a fan of Wonder Woman since the Lynda Carter/Super Friends days, it pains me that there is still not a viable film version of her out there.
Even with the promise of WW being part of the upcoming Superman/Batman movie in the works right now, she ought to be much more celebrated than she is in the wider media realm. Perhaps this book will be one of the pivotal stepping stones that brings this Amazon princess closer to the cinematic throne that awaits her:
Quite a bit of negotiation went on for many of the folks on Game of Thrones this week,with the main focus being on Tyrion's regicide trial. No one was expecting true justice in this case but seeing how truly high the deck was stacked against his brother, it was good of Jaime to at least try and convince Tywin not to go for the death penalty here.
It wasn't too surprising the number of witnesses against him or their dubious version of the facts(particularly that creepy old Maester) and perhaps Tyrion might have taken the deal his father and Jaime had worked out there if not for the appearance of Shae on the stand:
Having Shae twist his words and their relationship in public like that was too much of a blow to bear(Cersei is such a vindictive bitch) and while Tywin may have thought that this extra dollop of humiliation would be enough to bend Tyrion to his will, he vastly underestimated his son on this.
I remember reading this section in the book(A Storm of Swords) and actually cheering Tyrion on as he spoke truth to power when he declared that his "real" crime according to all the world was in being a dwarf. Yes, Peter Dinklage is getting plenty of Emmy talk based on this speech and rightly so, but trust me when I tell you that he and this character have more of a rough row to hoe before all is said and done:
While Don made some strides towards getting his mojo back on Mad Men (and not picking up on the desperate attention needing signals from his wife as usual), Peggy had to handle some frightening fall out from the new computer at work.
Michael Ginsburg has been a troubled character from Day One of his time here on the show and as things went on, you did hope that his occasionally chaotic mental state wouldn't get the best of him.
However, that computer tapped into the darkest parts of his inner turmoil and at first, Peggy thought he was having one of his regular freak outs but when he walked in to her office and handed her that gift box, she knew right then and there that this was a completely different deal. Poor Ginsburg, this is truly sad yet not wholly unexpected:
The Season One finale of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was excellant in so many ways, it is hard to count. However that will not stop me from making a brief rundown of what I felt worked the best and the least so here goes nothing:
ALL GOOD
Coulson taking charge and by the end, put in charge of rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D.
Ward not being redeemed by love of Skye(who is so over him) and receiving a serious stomping from Melinda May(nice touch with the nail gun to the foot there!)
Tripplett becoming a new member of the team-the guy is smart,funny and not bad on the eyes either:)
Fitz using his scientific genius to save Simmons with a little self sacrifice thrown in for extra good guy credit(get well soon there,buddy!)
Every second of Nick Fury on screen
NOT SO BAD
Garrett going totally over the top psycho wacky after his injection of that super healing juice( did enjoy that teaser bit when he appeared to be coming back from the dead only to have Coulson zap him into oblivion)
Deathlok having a shot at redemption,along with some payback(J. August Richards is a great actor and I hope this character shows up in the next round of Marvel movies as well as on this show)
Regina the flower girl having quite a hidden agenda that seems to be a big part of next season(like her subtly sly style and interested in the possible Inhumans plot line that may be unraveling for S2)
COULD DO WITHOUT:
Patton Oswalt's return to the series(it was nicely done but not really essential to the state of things in my humble opinion)
In the fall MAOS will return along with another Marvel based series called Agent Carter, which takes a character from the first Captain America movie(who was also briefly seen in The Winter Soldier) and continues her adventures during WWII.
How that series will impact the second season of S.H.I.E.L.D. is uncertain but I for one am willing to check it out and happy to make mine Marvel on Tuesdays to come, especially if Melinda May gets to kick more ass:
RANDOM NOTES:
EXTANT: Not much is being said about this upcoming summer series starring Halle Berry as an astronaut that returns from a year long solo mission in space pregnant. Could be interestingly fun or an interesting flop-either way, it might be worth a look see at least once here:
Now, I don't watch the TV series Louie(although I am very familiar with it's star Louis C.K. and his style of comedy) but have heard great things about it. I mainly haven't seen it because there is usually another show that I'm already into up against it in that time slot.
However,one of the more recent episodes has created quite a stir at the pop culture water cooler today and since it has to do with a subject that I have personal experience with, my two cents on the matter feels warranted on this occasion.
As some of you may know, I'm a plus size woman( or fat, if you prefer) and have commented before here on how large ladies are depicted in society.
This episode of Louie,entitled "So Did the Fat Lady", hits upon the whole social stigma of guys dating fat women, in particular with an excellent speech by actress Sarah Baker(playing a waitress that Louie has a reluctant relationship with) where she asks him the question that many of us big girls would like guys to answer-"Why do you hate us so much?"
It's a fair question, given the trope of the Sexually Easy Fat Girl that pervades both film and TV. Before any of you fellas start complaining that "Hey, it's hard for big guys,too!", let me ask you this: have you ever heard a woman on either a TV show or in a movie talk/joke about hooking up with a fat man at the end of the night and how not difficult it was to get him into bed? No, you can't think of one time? Well, that's because it doesn't happen,ever!
I can recall the first time that I learned of this particular notion,courtesy of Andrew Dice Clay back in his heyday. Yes, he was an equal opportunity slinger of crud but believe me, his bit about luring a fat girl into the sack with a box of Twinkies made quite an impression on me at a young age and I'm dead certain that I'm not alone in that.
Art in any format is a reflection of social attitudes and I was taught by the media early on that sexuality and fat women go together like unsalted peanut butter and sewage. Two questionable tastes that definitely don't taste great together.
That may sound harsh but it's one of the big reasons that I have never attempted to have a romantic relationship-I did not want to be the Slutty Fat Girl. Don't worry, I'm not about to get all auto bio here, but it needs to be said that a lot of this negative perception of an overweight woman's sex appeal has been strongly reenforced by pop culture.
At best, sex with a fat girl is seen as a joke, mainly an embarrassing moment in a guy's life that he would rather not talk about too much and never meant to lead to anything more than a cheap one night stand:
I'm also not letting women off the hook either. We are our own worst enemy at times and even with all the strides women have made in the media, one of the most prevalent nightmare images for females is being fat.
Part of this ridiculousness comes from insisting that even normal sized actresses like Mindy Kaling are grossly overweight and the constant focus on body size determining a woman's worth. Granted, women can be a little more subtle about it but one weapon that always seems to be in their arsenal whether it's a fictional or a reality show is that being fat is a woman's worst fault:
So, I want to give credit to Louis C. K. and Sarah Baker for getting the ball rolling again on this topic. It would be nice to have an open and honest conversation about why fat women are still bearing the brunt of pop culture fury and how we could change all of that in both the real as well as the imaginary world we all live in.
I may be naive but I would like to think that there may come a time in our society where such ideas are only seen as antiquated customs of the distant past, like some of the things we see on a series like Mad Men. I long for a world where a women's worth in any aspect of her life is not measured in pounds and her personal happiness is not limited to numbers on a scale. Pop culture can't change everything bad in our world but it can nudge us towards a better tomorrow:
Recently in my reading, I finally caught up with Gone Girl, the hugely popular thriller by Gillian Flynn that's due to hit the big screen this fall with Ben Affleck as the troubled leading man and David Fincher as director.
Without revealing anything too spoilery, the basic plot has seemingly happily married couple Nick and Amy Dunne ready to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary when suddenly, Amy goes missing and Nick is the prime suspect. The story is framed in a "he said/she said" format, with both of them taking turns as the unreliable narrator along the way.
The book is as well written as promised, with a real gotta-stay-up-all-night urgency that keeps those pages turning. Gillian Flynn is on board with the film,adapting her own story for the screen, a very good sign indeed. However, reports are saying that the ending of the book(which some found fault with) is going to be very different for the movie:
With the author being behind this change, this is not another case of Hollywood placating the audience with a rewrite designed mainly to make them happy(and keep buying tickets)...or is it?
This situation reminds me of how the original ending for Fatal Attraction was trimmed away, due to negative reactions from preview audiences.
Granted, FA was not based on previously published material(although a stage play version of it was recently performed in London) and it is tricky to adapt a book for another medium without making it too predictable, this does feel like a secretly worked out compromise.
I could be wrong,of course and I don't blame the author or the director for wanting to shake things up a bit here. Yet, I still have a lingering doubt and that is mainly due to the target audience for both the book and film being very similar to Fatal Attraction,people of a certain age who are either married or been through the relationship wringer a few times in their life(not doing the stereotype dance,folks, just thinking like a marketing exec).
We also have sitting in the seats, fans of true crime sagas and the media that crops up around such cases(which are shown with a sarcastic eye in GG), plus those who enjoy police procedural mysteries like Criminal Minds(a show I watch regularly) or CSI and one of the main drawing points of such genre fare is seeing the villain brought to justice, one way or the other.
When early audiences saw Fatal Attraction, they felt cheated by that first ending and like the crowds that later watched the movie during it's initial release in 1987, cheering by the end for the evil Alex to get hers(I know,since I saw it a couple of times myself back then). That was fine but the tone from the first half of the film was clearly changed by the time this slash happy sequence was added in and many noticed the sizable shift there. The movie made money but some questioned at what cost:
Before you say "Hey, wait-are you saying the Big Bad in Gone Girl gets away with it?"-no, I'm not(exactly), this story is a bit more complicated that Fatal Attraction was but they do share a similar viewpoint on gender roles in relationships and I have noticed that many of the readers either want a follow-up book or some sort of rewrite for the finale.
Part of the dissatisfaction, even with those who are fans of the book, comes from the all-too familiar complaint that none of the main characters are "likable." *sigh* Why is it that fictional people are held to higher standards than real life ones? Being likable is actually a flaw for both of the leads in Gone Girl and at times, used as a weapon against one another which is more interesting than a simple "good guy/bad guy" arrangement. Even comic book characters are given more nuance than that these days!
Of course, this isn't the first time harsh depictions of supposedly everyday folk have been tamed for mass audiences. For example, Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley adaptation in 1999 did offer some sympathy for it's twisted protagonist,unlike the book which had you coldly rooting for him(it helps that his victims are real jerks). However, the film was actually made better for such character enhancement and I do hope that is the case here with GG,which does bear comparison with Highsmith's work:
We'll know by this fall whether or not Gone Girl will be as successful a story in film as it is in print and I'm firmly keeping my fingers crossed in it's favor. Flynn is a talented writer and her other two novels(one of which is also currently in production for the big screen, Dark Places) are on my Booksfree list for future reading.
With any luck, this altered ending might work out well for all concerned but I just wish that people would be willing to appreciate a finale that doesn't wrap everything up in a neat little bow.
It may not be as exciting or as fulfilling as a drag down knockout fight to the finish but sometimes, it might be more satisfying that you realized at first. Think of it as that vegetable your mom insisted that you at least try once and when you finally do, it turns out to be the best thing you've ever tasted, even if it has a bitter flavor that lingers for days:
Today marks the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and many of it's readers still have much to say about after all of these years. For such a mild heroine, Fanny Price does attract quite a bit of diverse opinion regarding her merits and flaws yet to me she is one of the more relatable leading ladies in Austen's literary line-up.
Yes,she's not as lively as Elizabeth Bennet (but very few of us are) or even as emotionally available as Elinor Dashwood or Anne Eliot yet Fanny does prove that slow and steady can win the race to love there.
There will be several discussions taking place online, particularly at Sarah Emley's Invitation To Mansfield Park section of her blog with numerous guest posts from Austen folk such as Laurel Ann Nattress, Syrie James and Deborah Yaffe. I highly recommend checking it out this month long rap session, which should provide plenty of festive food for thought that even Mrs. Norris can not complain about:
Meanwhile, in honor of May being the month of Mansfield Park, I'm holding a very special giveaway(linked right here) of two copies of my Mansfield monster mash-up, Fanny Price: Slayer of Vampires.
The theme of this contest is Pick your Mansfield Man or in other words, are you Team Edmund or Team Henry? I know that Henry Crawford has his defenders while there's a long queue waiting to slap Edmund a good one for his neglect of Fanny during a good long portion of the story but surely, we can agree that the ultimate choice is handed to Fanny herself,a rather emboldening notion that gives this presumed creepmouse quite the upper hand here.
This is a month long contest(deadline is May 31st) so take your time in deciding whether you're truly hot for Henry or eager for Edmund:
To round things off, I thought that with Mother's Day on the horizon this weekend, a salute to Mrs. Bennet would be fitting.
For better or worse, she is the most memorable mom in Jane Austen's work and whether or not you love or loathe her, it's fair to say that in her way, she is looking out for her girls.
First up is a tribute to Alison Steadman's portrayal of Mrs. B in the now classic 1995 miniseries version of Pride and Prejudice that captures all of her charm and warmth:
Our next Mrs. Bennet comes from the 1940 Hollywood adaptation of P&P, where this determined lady resorted to a literal horse race in order to get her daughters a decided advantage in making Mr. Bingley's acquaintance.
Mary Boland's high pitched and over the top tones in her performance perfectly matched this stylish straight from the stage play version of the story, not to mention getting extra credit for the overly lavish costumes she(and the rest of the women in the cast) had to wear:
Last yet far from least, is the Lizzie Bennet Diaries impersonation of Mrs. Bennet by leading lady Ashley Clements.
While the actual Mrs. B didn't make an onscreen appearance until the very last episode, the entertaining reenactments that her dear daughter gave us during her vlog journey successfully made her come alive for the online audience.
One wonders what this Mrs. B would think of how she's been showcased into Lizzie's narrative and hopefully not get too peeved, as some of this is clearly laced with love as well as frustration:
So, Happy Mother's Day to all and what ever Jane Austen themed plans you make this weekend or the rest of this month, I do hope that you get the chance to share your joy with as many friends as possible-how else can you have a proper Jane Austen party this season?:
At this point on Game of Thrones, a lot of rearranging of chairs is being done in order to see who needs to stand with who to keep the wheels in motion there.
Cersei acting very cordial towards Margery during Tommen's coronation was all part of the long con in keeping the Lannisters on the throne,particularly since Daddy Tywin dropped the proverbial penny about the true state of the family finances(owning big coin to the Iron Bank of Braavos is not a great position to be in).
Margery was,of course, role playing herself as she knows full well that her desire to be queen is rather obvious. You have to admit that Margery is a bit of a jinx as far as future kings are concerned, so maybe Tommen would be better served with another potential bride:
Out of all the current team-ups here,the most honest one to me is The Hound and Arya, who make no bones about their mutual disrespect for each other.
Circumstances have thrown them together for the time being and while Sandor has little respect for Arya's water dancing skills(which are becoming quite impressive), he does seem to be a tad nervous at her willingness to fight. She still has a long way to go before turning into a major threat but make no mistake, Arya has the deep down warrior spirit that just longs for a true mentor to fashion into formidable fighting gear:
Don's return to work on Mad Men mainly requires him to eat crow as his demoted status is being hammered hard by those currently in charge. Having Peggy be his boss on a new account really riles him up and makes Don pull a stubborn act,which thankfully at the right moment, Freddy Rumsen calls him on.
It's tough for a take charge guy like Don to accept the fact that he's no longer considered the top dog in the yard(most of the partners see him as a mangy mutt that they would be happy to see run off with his tail between his legs) but getting into a drunken sulk is not going to fix things. Hopefully, Don will really wise up and rebuild his empire because regardless of his faults, Don Draper in full gear is a man you want to see win:
The season finale of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is next week and I sincerely hope that we're getting a season two because it would be so wrong to leave Fitzsimmons on the bottom of the ocean like that!
During most of the action this episode, we were given a glimpse into Ward's past and how he was recruited by Garrett for what he thought were the secret good guys(who turned out to be the secret bad guys). He's clearly conflicted in his loyalties here but despite what Fitz wants to believe, there may be no turning back from the path of evil that his twisted mentor has put him on:
On the other hand, it was nice to have a touch of comedy relief as Coulson and May channeled Fitz and Simmons(before they were trapped in that box and dumped into the sea by Ward-I know they'll be alright in the end but that was damn cold of Ward,seriously) in an attempt to get some info from Cybertek.
Having Coulson run his crew without any hassle from higher-ups is great fun,especially with that kit of old school tech items from the Howling Commandos,courtesy of Triplett(I have a feeling he and Ward are going to have more than words regarding Fitzsimmons there). Even if this is a one time run, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been a great ride to roll on:
RANDOM NOTES:
PENNY DREADFUL: The series premiere is this Sunday, making for a rather chilling Mother's Day indeed(along with NBC showing a miniseries version of Rosemary's Baby on the same night-what gives there?). However, the show does look promising and as there are only a few episodes of Mad Men left this year, I intend to walk on the weird side with this one:
While 2014 is the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, the main month of celebration is May when the first edition was published.
Many Austen groups and websites will be holding quite a bit of lively debate and appreciation of the book this month and my humble contribution to this outing will be a very special giveaway of my current e-book, Fanny Price:Slayer of Vampires, to two people who can convince me of their preference for either of the leading men in the story. In other words, are you Team Edmund or Team Henry?
While I most assuredly understand the need that some MP readers have to "Slap Edmund Bertram Upside The Head" for his neglect of Fanny in favor of the dubious charms of Mary Crawford and will concede that he is not the most engaging of Austen's male love interests, I do believe that his heart is in the right place at the end but can easily see how a first time reader would find him repellant:
Upon reconsideration, you do have to give Edmund his due;yes, he does fall under the spell of Mary Crawford and her sassy big city ways and confiding all of his romantic doubts and desires regarding her to Fanny(who quietly but clearly adores him) is not one of his stellar moves here.
However, he has seen Fanny in the light of a little sister for most of their lives and in many ways as a best friend,so much more than his own older brother. In fact, Edmund often times has had to be the voice of reason in his family,which makes him seem to be a nag but in truth,he is only doing what Tom should in certain matters and like any follow-the-rules type of person, is guilty of adjusting those standards when it comes to certain people(yes,Mary again!).
Edmund is flawed,much like many of Austen's heroes but he does see the error of his ways in time and learns to appreciate the true virtues of Fanny both as a friend and a romantic counterpart. No, he is not as perfect as he would wish to be but that's one of the things we love about many of Jane Austen's characters, their ability to grow and move beyond their preconceived notions, especially when it comes to love:
Now, I know that Henry Crawford has a lot of fans and many feel that the story would have been better served if he and Fanny had gotten married.
I,however, feel that Henry's sudden love for Fanny is really a rebound effort on his part to get over Maria. Henry and Maria are very much alike in that neither one of them wants to be the first one to admit in public how they really feel about each other and Maria mainly marries Mr. Rushworth out of spite due to Henry's non declaration of love.
For me, it is hard to reconcile with Henry's gleeful boast to his sister about "making a hole " in Fanny's heart at first,yet I am willing to give him credit for having some good intentions towards her as their awkward courtship goes on. However, his impatience with winning Fanny's true affections only confirms that she was quite right in seeing Henry's true nature all along:
Yet I do allow that he is quite the charmer,which is the main reason I made him a vampire in my monster mash version. After all, the two Bertram sisters claim not to find him attractive upon their first acquaintance,declaring him "plain" and yet all too soon, they're close to cat fighting over Henry,particularly during the casting sessions of Lovers' Vows.
When it comes to the swoon factor,Henry Crawford has it in abundance and is one of Austen's most memorably lovable rogues. Henry is definitely the bad boy type that every girl wants to party with at least once and it is a sign of Fanny's great resolve that she does not give into his persistent passion:
So, if you would like to win a copy of my Mansfield Park monster mash-up,Fanny Price, Slayer of Vampires. this month,all you have to do is let me know me which Mansfield Park Man is your decided choice of suitor. I would so very much like to award a copy to a Team Edmund and a Team Henry fan, so don't be shy with your opinions!
You can make your pick either in the comments section of this blog post or at the link to this contest on Facebook at The Austenite Adventures page,where I talk about both of my Jane Austen themed e-books as well as share fun JA related videos.
The contest starts today and ends on May 31st-if you'd like to link a blog post that favors your argument or a video in your response, please feel free to do so. I look forward to hearing from both sides of this delightful debate, which reminds me of such discussions in vampire fandom as well-I've had my fair share of Angel vs. Spike chats( I'm a Spike supporter in BTVS circles) and willing to chime on which Salvatore brother is best for Elena on The Vampire Diaries,too(my heart belongs to Damon, what can I say?):
UPDATE: So far, we've had a most agreeable response from Team Henry but are still awaiting for Team Edmund to rally for their man,so do make haste!
YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Due to this being a busy time of year, I am extending the deadline for the Pick Your Mansfield Man contest to July 6(well after the next big holiday weekend), so please stake your claim for either Team Edmund or Team Henry by then.
It might feel too soon for some to even consider summer reading but in my opinion, if Hollywood can jump start their big movie going season in May, I can certainly set aside a few books for warm weather perusal. My list is a brief one,to be sure,but it's quality not quantity as they say,right?
Now that I've achieved one of my reading goals for the year by finishing the first novel in Diana Gabaldon's series of Outlander books before the premiere of the Starz miniseries, next in line is Dragonfly in Amber. With Claire determined to use her advanced knowledge of history to turn the tide of a certain 18th century battle, she and her beloved Jamie may have caused a disruption in fate that affects more than one generation to come.
Since this is such a lovely long book(making it literary catnip to me), I might start it early but in terms of the series, I am far behind those already devoted to the Outlander cause. No doubt the upcoming summer TV saga will bring in new fans and all of us can share in the storytelling glory together(as well as learn to pronounce the Gaelic terms correctly!):
While I know that the big YA book of the summer will be The Fault in Our Stars(due to the upcoming film adaptation), my pick in that department will be Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,which has gotten plenty of press lately but for very different reasons.
A recent banning of the National Award winning novel in Idaho from a tenth grade curriculum(where it was supplemental reading) by a group of parents, who insisted that the novel about a displaced Native American teenager was "racist"(despite being written by a Native American) and "anti-Christian", didn't end with their success at getting the book removed.
A young lady who led a petition drive to keep the book(she had 350 signatures yet the school board went with the naysayers) teamed up with a local bookseller to hand out copies of TATDOPTI in a public park as part of World Book Night, an annual literary event. Even though this was being done far from the school, someone called the cops to insist that some sort of crime was going on! *shaking my head and sighing*
Although the police did show up, they were quick to wonder why they were even called in the first place and left without incident. When the publisher found out about this, they donated another 350 copies to the bookseller to hand out for free to any student who wants it,a classy move there. Granted, Sherman Alexie is no stranger to censorship but this recent uproar did urge me to go out and buy the book as well as encourage all of you out there to do the same. There is also a film version but let's spend our money and time with the book first:
One of the fun activities that I partook of during my birthday over a week ago was some serious book store shopping and thanks to a friend buying me a couple of my already planned upon choices, I was able to treat myself to not only The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt but her earlier novels as well. Yes, I am all Tartted up for the summer!(forgive my sad attempt at punning,please).
When The Secret History came out in 1992, it quickly became a best seller and made Donna Tartt a literary fiction star and frankly, I'm surprised that this didn't become a movie at some point,given the murder mystery plot line of this college student party gone awry tale. Yet, I didn't read it back then since it was almost too trendy to be reading that.
By the time her second novel,The Little Friend, arrived in 2002, I was working in an indie bookstore and still have a promotional bookmark for this book ready to be used in it's proper place at last.
This novel also has dark themes involving murder and secrets but caught a strong case of sophomore slump from the critics,which didn't hamper it's win of the WH Smith Literary award and it was on the short list for the Orange Prize that year as well.
I still was not inclined to tackle Tartt at that point,yet the main theme of the plot that involves a young girl dealing with sudden tragedy in the South does put me in mind of To Kill a Mockingbird(which I read only a couple of years ago),so it may be better than what some of the reviewers said back then. We shall see.
The Goldfinch winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction is not the sole reason that I want to take on Donna Tartt. The bird in the title is also the name of an actual painting that the traumatized young man in the story winds up taking with him after fleeing a museum bombing that kills his mother.
That painting has received a great deal of renewed interest,thanks to the book,and crowds of people have been attending the Frick museum to get a good look at it, doing for the original goldfinch and it's artist Carel Fabritius what the novel The Girl with the Pearl Earring did for Vermeer in 1999.
Both men were Dutch masters, a style of painting that my late father cherished and aspired for in his own work. If he were with us, I do think that he would be thrilled to see this revival of excitement regarding his favorite period of art amongst the general public and probably want to read the book with me(or wait for the movie version). Perhaps he'll be reading over my shoulder as I try to stay cool this summer by turning the pages of this potentially amazing book:
I am also planning to check some of the newer releases for the summer such as Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen. This highly anticipated fantasy novel,intended to be the first in a trilogy, has had the movie rights already sold and talk of Harry Potter star Emma Watson as it's leading lady.
The set-up for the story has an exiled princess named Kelsea leaving her secure home with a band of guards to reclaim the throne of her mother from an evil queen. Sounds like pretty standard for this genre so far, yet there's more than meets the eye here.
For one thing, Kelsea is not your typical pretty princess in distress;instead she's a bookish sort who bears little resemblance to her famed beauty of a mother. Plus, her main weapon is the magic necklace of the title that will call upon more than her royal blood for it's power to work. Nice to have a new fantasy franchise with strong female leads at the helm and it should be fun to embark on this literary road to enchantment:
I hope that my small stack of summer reads gives you a few ideas about your own picks for the summer and maybe even think of a few to recommend to a friend. Just don't get into a spoiler fight with them because that battle is only won when everyone involved finishes the book in question:
Welcome to the latest installment in our Year of Freddy Fear series as the horrifying spotlight falls on Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. This film came out about a year after Dream Warriors(it was a late summer release) and until Freddy Vs. Jason, was considered the most financially successful film in the franchise.
A good deal of that success is due to director Renny Harlin,whose inventive visual sequences for this feature even impressed creator Wes Craven himself. This is a film that was made for the MTV generation(there's even a few MTV promos playing on a TV in the background of an early Freddy kill), not only for the overt visual story telling but the amount of music featured throughout the movie,starting with the opening credits that have a song contributed by newly cast leading lady Tuesday Knight(replacing Patricia Arquette as Kristen):
The main thread of the loosely woven plot has Kristen and the other two surviving Dream Warriors Joey and Kincaid(both played by the original actors from that film) being stirred up by lingering doubts about Freddy's demise and yep,Kristen was right as Kruegar is reborn via the fiery leg lift of Kincaid's dog(named Jason,nice twist of irony there).
Now I know that some NOES fans were less than happy that the remaining Dream Warriors were knocked off here but that is the standard for scare sequels,not to mention that in order to continue with the films, it stands to reason that there would be a finite number of Elm Street kids whose parents torched Freddy and that "fresh meat" would be a necessity.
Plus,at this point in the series,most of the fans were more invested in seeing Freddy in action. I base this on my actual experience in seeing Dream Master when it first came out in theaters and during the sequence where Freddy rises from his newly opened grave, someone in the audience shouted out "Freddy got a new sweater!" To which, one of his friends replied "It's about time!" As much as some of us wanted to root for Kristen and friends, Freddy was the superstar of the show and Renny Harlin knew that all too well.
Harlin has stated that he set up certain Freddy moments(such as the Jaws entrance during Kristen's deadly dream scenes) to showcase him as "James Bond", granted a darkly evil one but still a sinister smooth talker nonetheless.
Freddy's persona in this film does have swagger,particularly as he haunts the new girl on the block Alice(one of my favorite NOES heroines),who is given Kristen's dream walker power and is forced to be Kruegar's conduit towards the new generation. He does get a little more jokey than before but strongly possesses an aura of true menace as the dream stalking becomes more vividly vicious than ever before:
While the creative kills(such as the infamous Debbie morphing into a bug trapped in a Roach Motel bit) are what quickly come to mind when Dream Master is discussed, my instant go-to is Alice, the sweetly shy sister of Kristen's boyfriend Rick whose talent for lucid daydreaming earmarks her as the Chosen One to face down Freddy.
Lisa Wilcox brings a lot of earnest energy to the role(which she continues in the follow-up,Dream Child) and is easily relatable as a reluctant heroine called to action. A nice touch added to her dream powers is that she takes on the positive traits of her friends once Freddy has taken their souls,making her a worthy adversary for the final show down.
Out of all the Elm Street ladies, Alice is the most potent due to the gruesome journey that her character takes in becoming the hero of her own story. If this had been a Joss Whedon tale, you could say that Alice went from Willow Rosenberg(complete with the reddish hair) to Buffy the Dream Slayer in one fell swoop:
While the plot line relied heavily on the visual effects, some of the concepts surrounding the Dream Master can be credited to screenwriter Brian Hegleland and early story contributor William Kotzwinkle(best known for his novelization of the movie E.T.).
However,filming occurred during the writer's strike that year, causing many of the revisions and scenes to be pulled together on the fly. Yet, the Dream Master set-up works out well and certain creative touches(like Alice and her potential boyfriend Dan being caught in a dream time loop) allowed Renny Harlin to stretch his imagination wings out to their fullest for the delight of us all.
One of my favorite sequences in the film is when Alice goes to the movies during her dream and as she sits in the audiences, the images on the big screen change and bring forth a powerful wind that literally draws her into the movie. Seeing that scene while actually being in a movie theater is a pretty damn sweet experience and I'm happy to have that fearsome feather in my cap. It's so damn meta, in such a good way.
Tune in next time,folks, when we babysit The Dream Child and for our last dance with the Dream Master, let us put on Dramarama's "Anything,Anything",which plays in more than one important scene. Yes, The Fat Boys did put out a special song and video for the movie but anyone who knows this film well will be humming this particular tune instead,trust me on that!:
