Immortality and Heights

Somehow over the course of two English degrees (and four years of high school classes), I never read Wuthering Heights. It is one of those books that has been on my "To-Read" list since high school, but it has never happened. Now, on October 8th, a film adaptation is being released here in the States. I can't see the movie before I read the book. Therefore it has just moved up on my list.

But, since I have a baby at home, and I'm not sure I could convince Beau that our big date night should involve 19th century British romance, I probably won't see it in the theatres. At least that gives me a little more time to read the novel. It is rather lengthy.

The trailer makes it look dark and mysterious. Sultry, too.

 

Apparently, this is the first time that Heathcliff has been portrayed as a black man in a film. From articles and such that I've read, the text supports it. In this day and age, I wonder why that distinction/rationalization even needs to be made. Funny that we--modern 21st century Americans--might be more uptight than 19th century Brits. Imagine that. (And to my non-American readers, feel free to choose to be lumped in that "we" or not. Totally your call.)

 

Here's James Howson as Heathcliff.

 

 

 

(photo from here)

 

Masterpiece Theatre made a miniseries a few years ago. They cast Tom Hardy.

 

 



(photo from Masterpiece)

 

And really, who cares what Bronte said he looked like when you can cast him... (No disrespect to Howson who is handsome as well. Not quite Hardy handsome, but who is, right?)

 

I may have to also watch this version. To, um, compare the versions. Yeah.

 



Before I pick up some Bronte, I need to finish The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

This is another title that has been on my list for some time. It is what my book club is reading this month. My choice! Whoo hoo.

 

I always get a little nervous when it is my choice. I don't want people to hate it and think I have terrible taste in books. I'm hoping this book is well received.

 

I'm about 15% done (Amazon destroyed page numbers for Kindle owners!) and liking it so far. I need to get cracking before Friday. I find, though, that if I read it too early, I forget the good stuff because I've read other books and then I don't participate in the discussion much. Nerd problems, right?

 

What are you reading? Is there anything on your list that has been camped there for ages?

Movie Night

So, since I don't have cable and was feeling too lazy to leave the house this evening, I decided to watch a movie instead of watching the big game. I'm not good at watching movies. I tend to fall asleep. Twice I've fallen asleep to this particular movie.

I'm not very discerning about which movies I'll sleep through. I sleep through Academy Award winning films and Razzie award winning flicks. They're all the same to me when I'm tired.

Tonight, though I decided I'd really like to stay awake for this. In part because the first time I slept through this I was really bummed. I'd really wanted to see it. Also, every time the title comes up in conversation, beau insists that I've seen it. He forgets about my narcolepsy.

So, tonight, five months pregnant (and five months from my last glass of wine) I watched Bottle Shock.

It was very good. It also made me proud to be a California girl. A California girl who drinks California wines. (Um, but not exclusively. I actually will drink wine from anywhere. Did you know Virginia has some very good wineries?)

I must admit, Bottle Shock would have been better with a glass or two of wine, but I guess I'll just have to wait another five months for that pleasure.

Perhaps I'll have to watch it again when I can enjoy a glass.

(Images both from IMDB.)

My favorite quote from the film was this: "'Wine is sunlight, held together by water.' The poetic wisdom of the Italian physicist, philosopher, and stargazer, Galileo Galilei. It all begins with the soil, the vine, the grape. The smell of the vineyard - like inhaling birth. It awakens some ancestral, some primordial... anyway, some deeply imprinted, and probably subconscious place in my soul." - Steven Spurrier Bottle Shock

What's the last good movie you've seen? Anyone else out there get movie induced narcolepsy?