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HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?
Jun. 22nd, 2007 12:54 pmOn Tuesday afternoon, I watched The Libertine. TWICE.
Wednesday night, watched it again ( yay! Comcast OnDemand! ).
Last night, went out and bought the DVD. Stayed up all night watching it again and again and again.
The movie is amazing, although I do take exception to the premise. As an English major, I'd had some exposure to Rochester's writings and I developed an impression of the man completely at odds with the way he was presented in the movie.
This was a man who loved no one, least of all himself, and yet the plot revolves around the creation of Elizabeth Barry, one of Rochester's many lovers, as some great love of his life.
His relatively open bisexuality is given short shrift, only in hints and heated glances, a defect in the film that would have left me wondering as to the nature of the relationship if I did not already know the historical record. As it was, William Downs is dropped in and out of scenes as if he were little more than an extra, making the ending, when he helps Rochester escape the King's wrath and goes into hiding with him, seem unreliable. Not enough of a friendship is shown developing between them to account for this sort of dedication.
And when Downs is accidentally killed and lies on the cobblestones, bleeding out his life and crying for "Johnny," it makes even less sense.
Unless, of course, one interprets their relationship as one of lovers, rather than the peripheral sort of alliance shown in the film.
And, okay, granted . . . I admit it, the prurient part of me was hoping to see Rochester and Downs making out, because damn! Rupert Friend is a very pretty man. ( An aside: can you imagine, as a young, completely unknown actor, getting your very first role and learning you'll be snogging JOHNNY DEPP?!?!?!?!?! Holy cow! )
I don't think the scene ever made it to film, because I haven't been able to find it anywhere, and you know that someone, somewhere would have posted a clip of something juicy like that.
So I ordered the play on which the movie was based, and a couple of other books that seemed promising.
And, of course, I'm rewriting the story from Billy Downs' POV. As slash.
That thumping noise you hear? Yeah, that would be my forehead, meeting my desk. REPEATEDLY.
( Here, have a taste. )
I was inspired by this poem, which I read in undergrad but rediscovered while on a hunt for something slightly less scurrilous and satirical than Rochester's commonly known works.
( The Platonic Lady )
And some tasty quotes to round out the post.
( Quotes from the movie: )
Wednesday night, watched it again ( yay! Comcast OnDemand! ).
Last night, went out and bought the DVD. Stayed up all night watching it again and again and again.
The movie is amazing, although I do take exception to the premise. As an English major, I'd had some exposure to Rochester's writings and I developed an impression of the man completely at odds with the way he was presented in the movie.
This was a man who loved no one, least of all himself, and yet the plot revolves around the creation of Elizabeth Barry, one of Rochester's many lovers, as some great love of his life.
His relatively open bisexuality is given short shrift, only in hints and heated glances, a defect in the film that would have left me wondering as to the nature of the relationship if I did not already know the historical record. As it was, William Downs is dropped in and out of scenes as if he were little more than an extra, making the ending, when he helps Rochester escape the King's wrath and goes into hiding with him, seem unreliable. Not enough of a friendship is shown developing between them to account for this sort of dedication.
And when Downs is accidentally killed and lies on the cobblestones, bleeding out his life and crying for "Johnny," it makes even less sense.
Unless, of course, one interprets their relationship as one of lovers, rather than the peripheral sort of alliance shown in the film.
And, okay, granted . . . I admit it, the prurient part of me was hoping to see Rochester and Downs making out, because damn! Rupert Friend is a very pretty man. ( An aside: can you imagine, as a young, completely unknown actor, getting your very first role and learning you'll be snogging JOHNNY DEPP?!?!?!?!?! Holy cow! )
I don't think the scene ever made it to film, because I haven't been able to find it anywhere, and you know that someone, somewhere would have posted a clip of something juicy like that.
So I ordered the play on which the movie was based, and a couple of other books that seemed promising.
And, of course, I'm rewriting the story from Billy Downs' POV. As slash.
That thumping noise you hear? Yeah, that would be my forehead, meeting my desk. REPEATEDLY.
( Here, have a taste. )
I was inspired by this poem, which I read in undergrad but rediscovered while on a hunt for something slightly less scurrilous and satirical than Rochester's commonly known works.
( The Platonic Lady )
And some tasty quotes to round out the post.
( Quotes from the movie: )
