Suffice it to say, Persepolis is quite a work. It’s a testament to the power of the graphic novel. The art’s simple linework helps the story feel unpretentious and direct. Persepolis was adapted as a 2007 French animated film, written and directed by Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. Among other honors, it was nominated for an Academy Award. Why would someone want to ban such a book?
posted by Artw
on Mar 16, 2013 -
33 comments
The secret allure of the spoiler. Think you don’t want to know the ending? Think again "Is there a greater cultural sin than a good story spoiled? The accepted modern posture is that knowing too much beforehand about the plot of a novel, a play, a movie, even a TV series, ruins the magic of experiencing it for the first time — renders it damaged goods, not worth one’s time or money.[..]
It’s a given: Everyone hates spoilers. Except when they don’t. Two researchers in the psychology department of the University of California at San Diego recently decided to test whether we really hate spoilers, or just like to say we do. What they found surprised them: The majority of people apparently like having a story spoiled for them. In fact, we may enjoy spoiled stories even more than the unspoiled versions. Is it true? Do we secretly crave predigested plots the way some foodies sneak Big Macs when no one’s looking?"
Pdf link to study. [more inside]
posted by nooneyouknow
on Aug 29, 2012 -
171 comments
How well do you really know old Arty? It all began with the Welsh: The The Annales Cabriae (inside) and parts of the Welsh oral tradition (later collected into
the Mabinogion) give a very different picture of the popular King Arthur than contemporary readers are familiar with: no Lancelot, three or four different Guens, no love triangles or Holy Grails. A look at the vast scope of the Arthurian legend.
[more inside]
posted by kittenmarlowe
on Dec 19, 2011 -
30 comments
Malpertuis (Belgium, 1971, aka ‘The Legend of Doom House’) is a
movie that has been described as ‘bizarre, lurid and baffling;’ ‘a mysterious curiosity;’ and ‘exquisitely bonkers.’ An international cast led by Mathieu Carrière and Susan Hampshire (playing
five rôles) also included Orson
Welles. Its director, Harry
Kümel, is otherwise best known for his stylish
lesbian vampire
flick Les Lèvres Rouges (aka ‘
Daughters of
Darkness’). The
movie was adapted from an
unusual gothic
novel, first published in wartime Brussels—the
work of Jean
Ray (aka Raymond Jean-Marie de Kremer): a convicted embezzler & prolific
hack, who was, nevertheless, one of the foremost
exponents of the
fantastique in French-language fiction. Please note that some of the links above are
NSFW (some nudity) & several contain
SPOILERS.
[more inside]
posted by misteraitch
on Nov 14, 2011 -
7 comments
Matt Helm is a fictional character created by author Donald Hamilton. He is a U.S. government counter-agent—a man whose primary job is to kill or nullify enemy agents—not a spy or secret agent in the ordinary sense of the term as used in spy thrillers. ... The character appeared in 27 books over a 33-year period beginning in 1960... A movie series was made in the mid-to-late 1960s starring Dean Martin... the series bore no resemblance at all to the character, atmosphere, or themes of Hamilton's original books, nor to the hard-edged action of Bond. One reason was the attitude of the filmmakers that the only way to compete with the Bond films was to parody them. -
Wikipedia (links may be mildly NSFW) [more inside]
posted by Joe Beese
on Oct 14, 2009 -
17 comments
Stephen King has described The Dark Tower as his
"Jupiter." The epic series, inspired in part by Robert Browning's poem,
"Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came", has spanned 22 years, 7 books and nearly 4000 pages. The first book in the series,
The Gunslinger, begins with a simple, memorable declaration, "The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed."
[more inside]
posted by kbanas
on Apr 18, 2008 -
160 comments
Starbucks saved his life , and now Tom Hanks is saving his bank account. A
story of a middle-aged man with a successful career in
advertising, was fired from his high-paying job, was divorced by his wife, and was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and found himself getting
back to basics working for $10.50/hour at Starbucks, finding himself, and
loving it. How does he manage to deal with such a huge downgrade from his previously life? Well, turns out it doesn't matter too much, as it's soon
to be a movie starring Tom Hanks.
posted by Tommy Gnosis
on Sep 27, 2007 -
77 comments
FBI 101 -- "Essentials for Writers," an "exciting and informative" interactive workshop for writers being offered to members of my union -- the Writers Guild of America, East - by the FBI Office of Public Affairs and FBI New York. ... -- Very interesting account of a workshop the FBI puts on for writers in NY.
What's in it for the FBI?
...The only question we have for you is 'Will it show us in a good light?'" ...
posted by amberglow
on Jun 9, 2007 -
13 comments
The
His Dark Materials movie is taking shape. The
award-winning children's series,
considered the "anti-Narnia", is due on the screen in 2007,
starring a actress found in open casting, along with Nicole Kidman (as Mrs. Coulter, for those who know the books). Unfortunately, the
screenplay by Tom Stoppard has been dumped, though the new one
appears to be to the author's liking. There is no official trailer yet, but there are several
more or
less painful fan-made ones. The series has also been made into a
successful play, and
a radio program. For those who haven't read it, an excerpt is
here; and for those that have, try the interactive
alethiometer or
find out your daemon's name. Previous discussion on the debate with the Archbishop of Canterbury was
here.
posted by blahblahblah
on Jul 31, 2006 -
52 comments
On The Road... coming to a theater near you (scroll down in link). Francis Ford Coppola is working on a film adaptation of Kerouac's classic (?), starring Brad Pitt. Genius? Heresy? I can see the Barnes & Noble tie-ins now...
posted by serafinapekkala
on Aug 29, 2002 -
54 comments
Alexandre Dumas on film This AP/CNN article says Dumas’ books make good movies, but aren’t being read as much as they used to be. Do the changes the movies make improve the books, or would more faithful adaptations be better?
posted by kirkaracha
on Feb 2, 2002 -
15 comments
When
The Lord of the Rings series rolls around to Xmas 2002, will they have to change the name of the second episode from
The Two Towers?
Will Hollywood have settled down by then? Maybe it won't be a sensitive problem anymore. But what would be a good alternate title?
posted by crunchburger
on Oct 26, 2001 -
37 comments
Don't make Hunter mad. Hunter S. Thompson doesn't think the production company that optioned
The Rum Diaries is doing a very good job. And he tells them. Man, does he tell them.
posted by cfj
on Mar 10, 2001 -
14 comments
