Bridesmaids
(2011) (Paul Feig) A long, slow-motion descent into the maelstrom for Kristen Wiig, a selfish, damaged, pretty, self-pitying gal with a drinking problem, and jealousy issues. It is a bit of a plod, saved by her romance with Chris O’Dowd and three deathless scenes: the bridal fitting after lunch at a very dodgy eatery; the plane trip to Vegas, and the bridal shower. It’s where America is now, unfortunately: resilient but mad, mad with self-love.
Continue Reading →Victim
(Dir. Basil Dearden) (1961) In 1961, in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere, if a man put his pee-pee into another man, it was not only abnormal; it was a criminal offence, punishable by imprisonment. And without knowing much about that, we are confident that such imprisonment was not only qua punishment, but for punishment. So for film-industry insider Basil Dearden, and various stars, to make this rather didactic thriller constituted an act of courage. Boy Barrett (Peter McEnery) is being blackmailed and desperately wants to protect his object of desire, Neville Farr (Dirk Bogarde, in a superb performance, arch and feisty). Farr…
Continue Reading →Otello
Set for the 1895 Paris Otello (photo Gallico)
(Verdi) (1887) (Metropolitan Opera, November 2015) (Dir. Bartlett Sher) (Film Dir. Gary Halvarson) How can you go wrong with Shakespeare, Verdi and a Drinking Song? A great source (though suffering from some tinkering), seamless music with some outstanding features, and tight structure, yet it lacks the charm of, for example, the less synoptically impressive Il Trovatore. And it needs top-notch musical control, lest it blurs into mere noise. Othello by W.S. is a difficult beast because it is the most subtle hence most delicate of dramatic flowers. Iago is perhaps the most baffling and ingenious villain (who, by the way, cops…
Continue Reading →Life of Herod
Massacre of the Innocents (1565/7 by Pieter Bruegel the Elder)
(By Josephus) (c. 79-93AD) A Jewish scholar who fell in with the Romans was well-placed to write an account of the fairly wicked and opportunistic King of Judea (37-4BC). Herod was a survivor in every sense, swinging between supplicant and psycho, and he knew how to pick a winner. Most of the losers, meanwhile, comprised members of his extended family, leading to the saying that it was ‘better to be Herod’s pig than Herod’s son’. This intriguing work has the nuance and factual matrix absent from the biblical references, suggesting that the Massacre of the Innocents was really an inspired…
Continue Reading →Harmony Bag For?
The Harmony Bag is almost, kinda finished. Here it is —- TA DA! But my question is, what is it for? It is far too delicate for me to throw my usual houseload of things into and drop onto nasty floors. I will glue in some gems in to replace the ones which are missing from the leafy green vintage brooch, when I have some glue, but I am still not sure about the brooch there. What do you think? Now, you may ask, why doesn’t this woman have any glue. Is it just because she can’t find anything in…
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