The Best Of... discussion

Yeah. That.

I watched one awhile back, The Invention of Lying.

One of the most fun things about it was recommending it to known rabid Bible-thumpers.

But is was great. Intelligent, witty and funny. And entertaining. And thought provoking.

I liked it too, although I'm not really that fond of Gervais. For some reason, I always feel like he's just mock-acting; as if the whole movie is just a parody on a real movie.

You're right, I think, but that served this particular (peculiar?) film well.

Renee...you mind works in mysterious ways ;) ha! (that's totally a complement). Brings to mind movies based on books that didn't need the book - either because the book wasn't represented clearly in the movie (but didn't need to be), or because the book and/or movie were just lame... Best representation in my mind on all fronts is the Bourne Identity books and movies. Really, what a "job" those are.

LOL! Thanks, Leslie.

You should see the stream of consciousness parts of the novel I'm working on :D

Hah, can't wait!

(No, really, I can't wait. Look forward to reading it!)

Careful, or you will wind up being a beta :D

Do your worst!

It's already at 130,000 words, lol. I'm hoping to bring it in under 250,000.

Can I add Patrick Suskind's "Perfume"? The book reads like an extended treatment for the film. It is wonderful, too.

Philip wrote: "Can I add Patrick Suskind's "Perfume"? The book reads like an extended treatment for the film. It is wonderful, too."

I have that (Perfume) on my desk but haven't read much of it. It's good then? Did you write a review? I didn't realize when I picked it up that it had been adapted.

Leslie wrote: I have that (Perfume) on my desk but haven't read much of it. It's good then? Did you write a review? I didn't realize when I picked it up that it had been adapted.

I watched the film (two or three times) before I read the book. It was uncanny. In fact, it felt like one of those book of the movie books, not the other way round. Both are amazing things. In the film, Dustin Hoffman plays the aging Italian perfume maker (it's set in France in the mid 18th Century) who takes on an apprentice that has miraculous powers of smell. The boy can create perfumes to die for, but he has been brought up as a poor orphan who murders beautiful young women for their natural scent. There is a twist towards the end that will have your hair standing on end.

I haven't reviewed either the book or the film, though I did write a review of Andrew Miller's award winning first novel, "Ingenious Pain" in which I accuse my old university pal of plagiarising Suskind's book.

There was a TV crime drama with that scenario, not so long ago! Criminal MInds, maybe?

Philip wrote: "Leslie wrote: I have that (Perfume) on my desk but haven't read much of it. It's good then? Did you write a review? I didn't realize when I picked it up that it had been adapted.

I watched the fil..."

Sounds like it will be a perfect story for October/Halloween ;) If I ever finish the book I'm reading now, that is... Did you schoolmate ever respond to your "interpretation" of his story?

Leslie wrote: Did you schoolmate ever respond to your "interpretation" of his story?

Well, he admitted as much while writing it. But he's got a very smart agent, and I don't think he'd say so these days. He's in the fame bubble now and we haven't spoken in twenty years. Last I heard on the grapevine was how he'd gone to Japan, running after Etsuko, our Japanese friend. But she was already with Nicky! I've read he's married with a kid since. Good luck to him. He's a fine writer but stuck in pre-French Revolution, where mucho looto can be scooped. "Pure" was serialised on BBC Radio 4.

It's nearly Halloween. I nominate Jim Jarmusch's 'Only Lovers Left Alive' (Tilda Swinton) as an addition to the best vampire film list, along with 'Nosferatu,' Herzog's 'Vampyre' (Klaus Kinski) and 'Shadow of the Vampire' (Willem Dafoe).

Of those three, I think only 'Nosferatu' was based on Stoker (and unlike the others, terrifyingly lacking in irony); so far it's my favorite adaptation of Stoker's 'Dracula,' but I also enjoyed the performances and humor in the others listed here.

Oh, and wasn't there a wonderfully corny but scary one with Christopher Lee? I'll bet my list is missing a few.