Book's Crumbs

"I am a reader not because I don't have a life but because I choose to have many"

Visualizzazione post con etichetta Classic. Mostra tutti i post
Visualizzazione post con etichetta Classic. Mostra tutti i post
maggio 29, 2017

Dracula by Bram Stoker - Review

by , in

Dracula 

by Bram Stoker


If you thought that vampires were sexy creatures, hunting only at night, sparkling under the sun ray, with a kind human heart; you should stop reading Stephenie Meyer and get your hands on Bram Stoker Dracula!

Reading this classic for my English literature class, I was quite surprised how much I ended up liking it and about how ignorant I was about the original plot. After Interview With the Vampire by Anna Rice, the way we perceive these nightly creatures was totally changed from the one that Bram Stoker's contemporaries had. She made being a vampire a lifestyle, something cool, that everyone would like to experience. But we couldn't be any farther away with Dracula. He is a mean villain, ready to conquer the whole world, starting from London to create a vampire's pandemonium.

The whole book is framed within letters, diaries and journal's entries, telegraph's text. In the begging of the novel, we are introduced with Johnathan Haker, a young lawyer who is traveling from England to Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase an estate in London. Dracula wants to immigrate to England and would like Johnathan to help him with all the legal matters. Once he arrives in Dracula's castle everything turns out to be very peculiar...
And the rest is legend!

What I loved most about this book, was Dracula description. Contrary to popular understanding, Stoker has his Draculsportingng a large, bushy Victorian mustache and having a profuse head of dense, curly hair, massive eyebrows, and peculiarly sharp white teeth, especially the canine teeth. The first time that Johnathan sees him, he notices the overgrowing hair on Dracula's hands. He is often described with features that belong to animals; moreover, he is a shapeshifter: he can transform into a wolf, a bat, mist/vapor. He doesn't appeal like a sexy character in the book; instead, people are constantly disgusted and scared in his presence.
Finally, a vampire that looks and behaves like a vampire, a real monster inside out!
The writing style is good but antiquated and redundant making the novel a heavy read. I took me a lot to finish the book - two weeks - while I'm usually a quick reader, but the story is worth the pain, so push on until the end!

4.5/5 STARS

 Dracula 1931 movie trailer:








4
Continue Reading
alle 4 commenti:
Etichette:
marzo 08, 2017

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert L. Stevenson - Review

by , in

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
by Robert L. Stevenson



 It's quite weird how the story came to be: according to Osbourne's account, Stevenson wrote the first draft of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with remarkable speed. The main details of the story were given to him in a dream, and in three days the first draft of the novel was complete. But after reading it to his wife he set fire to it and started again (quite drastic, I would say). He then spent some months to polish the work we still read and enjoy nowadays.

Are we good because we want to be, or are we good because we just don't want to be punished?

Surely Stevenson did ask himself the same question while writing this iconic novel. The theme of the dual personality was a novelty in the 19th century, but still feels contemporary nowadays. He was able to portrait in Hyde, Jekyll's alter ego, the dark side of man which civilization has striven to submerge. In fact, as you probably already known, Jekyll and Hyde are the same person and the two entity can not be separated. From my reading, Hyde is just a mask that Jekyll puts on to dissociate himself from the terrible acts he commits, it's his way of freeing himself of the restrictions dictated by the society. With Hyde's identity he can vent all is violent and dark instinct, but Jekyll doesn't disappear he is always there. The problem comes when Jekyll becomes slowly more addicted to his other self. Neither can survive with or without the other, there is only one solution....

It's an exquisite novel, in contrast with most of the Gothic Romances of the time, here there is no love and frilly romance, just friendship and male partnership. I was glad of that, since the classic love-tales tend to be a bit boring after a while. 
I founded the writing style quite peculiar, at time convulsive as probably is character psychology, but at the same time simple and quick to read - less than 100 pages. As in the majority of the novels of the time the characters are still a bit empty shells, that stand more for a moral ideal than a complex individual. Still the story is pleasant and engaging.

4/5 STARS


0
Continue Reading
alle Nessun commento:
Etichette: ,
gennaio 26, 2017

THE TEMPEST (2010) starring Helen Mirren and Felicity Jones, Directed by Julie Taymor - BOOK vs MOVIE

by , in

THE TEMPEST
 directed by Julie Taymor 



"We are such stuff that dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded in a sleep"
-Prospero in the Tempest-

When you read a play you can never imagine its full potential until you watch a stage or movie adaptation of it. I read The Tempest (-->REVIEW HERE) by William Shakespeare and wanting to see the characters brought to life I found this movie adaptation of it, directed by Julie Taymor mind and makers behind the theatrical representation of The Lion King. Acting in Prospero/a's role nothing less than Helen Mirren and starring in the role of Miranda the new star of the Star Wars' universe Felicity Jones. 


Everything was suggesting a Beautiful movie. What we got was clearly beautiful, but more than a movie we watch is a theatrical performance. I really liked though, not only but I think that was a good and wise choice from the Traymor. Apparently not everyone thought the same since on IMDb it gets only 5.4/10 and didn't do as good at the box office either.
Otherwise I think that Helen Mirren was amazing in the role of Prospero/a, and I found it quite interesting for the role to be played by a women. As in the play the presence of Miranda's mother is almost completely deleted, I felt as if in Prospera the two figure were finally reunited. 
Apart from the concrete performance of  Helen Mirren, also Felicity Jones is perfect in the role of the pure, wondrous Miranda. She is able to bring to screen the naiveness and wonder of the character without trivialize it. While as in the book I still couldn't appreciate Ferdinand's role, not to discredit Reeve Carney that did his best in this hopeless role.
To mention are also Russell Brand and Alfred Molina as Trinculo and Stephano, they simply made the laugh of the movie.


Costumes and scenery are beautiful and perfect for each part. I have a small grumble on Ariel graphics and appearance that are part of the old generation in term of special effect.
In contrast with the opinion of the mass I liked this movie and I think it is worth to see and useful to reread the play from another perspective. Since this plays are made to be performed on a stage or as in this case on a screen, THE MOVIE WINS.

Movie Trailer:




0
Continue Reading
alle Nessun commento:
Etichette: ,
gennaio 23, 2017

The Tempest by William Shakespeare - Review

by , in

The Tempest 
by William Shakespeare 


Shakespeare again! This one was also a reading for my english literature course and I've got to say that I liked all the books I've read for it so far, I'm also loving theater more and more.

The Tempest is one of Shakespeare's four romances, so in contrast with Hamlet this is not a tragedy but it has a happy ending. It is also considered his last work, a sort of testament and revindication of his ideals. As usual since it's a classic I will try to be brief with the plot since it's generally well known.
Alonso, the king of Naples, is returning from his daughter's wedding in Tunis with his son, Ferdinand, his brother, Sebastian, and Antonio, the Duke of Milan. The ship is wrecked in a storm and the passengers and crew are thrown into the furious sea.
Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda are watching the shipwreck from the island. Twelve years before, he was the Duke of Milan, but his brother, Antonio had usurped him. Now all the enemies, thanks to fate and Prospero's magic, had washed up on the shore of the island and they will have to pay and amend for their crime.
This is the starting point from which the comedy starts to unfold itself, making the characters go through a purgatorial experience to reach at the end a general forgiveness that coincides with the marriage of the young, Miranda and Ferdinand.

I was fascinated by Prospero, that like a stage director controls and move the others characters on the island. His relationship with his two servants is disagreeable, when with Ariel he shows affections and care instead he is cruel to Caliban, the island's native, that born a devil has no escape from his earthy miserable condition. Clearly we see the  remembrance of the English colonialism in the relationship between Prospero and Caliban.
The love story between Ferdinand and Miranda leaves its time, the  shakespearean ista-love that I can't stand but I have to accept for the play to go through.

Overall I liked the play and I'm giving it 4/5 STARS. Reading it is totally no sufficient, if you want to see a good adaptation I recommend seeing the 2010's movie The Tempest directed by Julie Taymor starring in the role of Prospero the amazing Helen Mirren, and as Miranda the newborn Star Wars' star Felicity Jonas. Down below the Trailer:



0
Continue Reading
alle Nessun commento:
Etichette: ,
gennaio 21, 2017

HAMLET by William Shakespeare - Review

by , in

TO BE OR NOT TO BE



Another book I finally got to read and analyse for my english literature course, and what an amazing surprise. I've always  found Shakespeare boring and sentimental but this time having taken my time in reading this amazing tragedy I was able to enjoy it fully.

Since it's a classic the story should be known to everybody so I'll be brief in my summery. Prince Hamlet just got back from Germany to assist at his father's funeral, while his mother Gertrude has already remerried. The Queen has wed the Hamlet's uncle Claudius the dead King's brother. To Hamlet this is a "foul incest" and already he suspect that some "foul play" is behind the death of his father. One night his father ghost visits the  castle and Hamlet's suspicions are confirmed. His Uncle poisoned King Hamlet in his sleep, and now young Hamlet must revenge him. From this moment on Hamlet's soul will be divided on how to revenge his father and "taint not thy mind".

This is the starting point for the tragedy, I loved how the play starts right of in darkness and ends in it there is no salvation the whole state of Denmark is rotten. Even the pure Hamlet is in the end corrupted by the society he lives in. It might be a play more than 400 years old but it still bring modern theme as alienation, relativism and life struggle. We might not have to face a murderous uncle but we are put everyday in front of hard decisions, we might struggle to choose and in the end we to has Hamlet have to make a compromise with the society we live in.
If from one side this play reflects upon how little and insignificant a life is to the other side it makes u look at how big and full of possibilities the universe is, how everything is relative and our way of thinking and looking at things makes them what they are .

-"I could be bonded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space"-

It's a wonderful, modern play and having read a few others Shakespeare's play I can say that this is my favorite above all. 
I also felt like it was necessary to see it play out and I found a stunning performance at the National Theater Live by Benedict Cumberbatch, that deserve a look. My eyes were in love with the costumes, the scenery and Benedict. Here are some pics, get a look!!!




National Theater Live Trailer:


0
Continue Reading
alle Nessun commento:
Etichette: ,
gennaio 15, 2017

Victor Frankenstein (2015) with Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy - BOOK vs MOVIE

by , in

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN 
by Paul McGuigan 



I don't even know where to start with this movie! I was hoping to finally get a well done movie adaptation of Frankenstein, but as usual what we got was  a bad mash up full of monstrous creatures, big explosions and a weird catholic Sherlock Holmes alike.

James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe star in this twist of the legendary tale, and it's mostly thanks to their performance that we are able to push through the whole movie.
Radical scientist Victor Frankenstein (McAvoy) and his brilliant protégé Igor Strausman (Radcliffe), rescued from a miserable life as the circus' hunchback, they both share a noble vision of aiding humanity through their groundbreaking research into the secrets of life. But Victor's experiment go too far, and he ends creating something wicked that put at risk everyone's life. Only Igor seems to be able to bring his friend back from the brink of madness and save him from the monster he has created.



Ok, it was better than I, Frankenstein (2014) at least they avoided the vampire, but still they transformed Mary Shelley's emotional and profound story, into a bad comic book deprived of intelligence and soul. We still see, as in every movie, the secret process that brought the "monster" to life, when the not knowing made the novel mysterious and put light on the dangerous knowledge that must not be revealed.
The graphic and customs are still really good and spectacular in some points but what is lacking in this movie is a good story line. The whole movie is pushed forward by the good performance of Radcliffe na McAvoy and that's the only positive impression I'm left with.

Clearly if I had to choose between reading the book of watching the movie I will go for the book straight and if I had to choose a Frankenstein movie adaptation Mel Brooks will still be my favorite, at least you get a good laugh out of it!

BOOK WINS!!!!

 Movie trailer:



0
Continue Reading
alle Nessun commento:
Etichette: ,
gennaio 14, 2017

FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley - Book Review

by , in

FRANKENSTEIN

by Mary Shelley



I finally got to read the whole version of this classic since it was in my english literature course TBR, and what an amazing surprise!
"You are my creator,
 but I am your 
master- Obey!"

The story is well known to everybody so I'll be brief. Victor Frankenstein is a brilliant young man whose ambition and intelligence push him toward the discovery of the "secret of life", secret which we are not revealed. But once his creation is completed he refuse and repulse his own creature. The rejection from his creator and afterwards from society, will lead the the being to become a "monster", whose only goal in life is the destruction of his maker.
It clearly not an horror, scary story as we are often pushed to think, but is a story that revolves about real and relatable sentiments. The "monster", as it called, it more human than his creator. Made as a scientific experiment by an overly ambitious man, he was born pure but been alone and rejected on sight by his maker and the others he gradually turns to evil.

"Even that enemy 
of God and man 
had friends associates
 in his desolation; 
I am  ALONE."

Through the whole novel I kept thinking at how different the story could have gone if Frankenstein showed love and understanding to his son, instead by rejected him he sealed his own misfortune.

The book is beautifully written and the english is quite modern. Apart from some too long, repetitive and boring description of nature, I did find this book most pleasurable and entertaining.

 4.5/5 STARS

 The 2015 movie inspired by the book with Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy.

0
Continue Reading
alle Nessun commento:
Etichette: ,