Remember the episode of Leave it to Beaver when Beaver was supposed to read The Three Musketeers for school, and he saw it at the movies instead? OK, so I was watching television the other day with my son, and I think I may be off the hook (pun intended) about reading Moby Dick this summer because THE MOVIE* is scheduled to be shown on TV Aug 1 and 2!
I’m thinking that if I watch the movie, I can gain insight into the characters, their motivation and goals, and will be inspired to read the book. Wish me luck, and I’ll let you know how it goes.
Hey, how about you, did you ever watch the movie (or Wishbone! Hi Melissa!) instead of reading the book?
Write soon,
Mary
* This version stars Academy award-nominee Ethan Hawke, Academy award-winner William Hurt and Donald Sutherland. That’s how they said their names in the commercial, in that order. Shouldn’t they start small, and then move up the academy award chain? Do you think Donald Sutherland feels kinda left out? Maybe they could have said “ … and father of Emmy award-winner Keifer Sutherland.” Or something like “humanitarian and all-around good guy.” But no, the sentence just seems to end. He needs a title, or some sort of recognition. I’ll Google him and see if there’s anything there. Hold on a minute, I’ll be right back ...
OK, so I typed in his name, and a bunch of sites came up, but this one http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000661/
had a preview that make me think there is a Donald Sutherland conspiracy or something, because this is what it said:
The towering presence of this Canadian character actor is not often noticed, but his contributions are legendary. He has been in almost a hundred and fifty different shows and films. He is also the father of renowned actor Kiefer Sutherland.
Do you think there’s someone out there holding a grudge against Donald Sutherland? Why isn’t he noticed, and why is his work played down on a site devoted to him? Why ISN”T he recognized when he’s been in so many great films? Hmmmmm. Makes you wonder, eh? Couldn’t they have said “legendary actor” in the commercial. That would’ve worked.
I wish they would check with me first.
I prefer to read the book first. Today on TCM, I caught the first half of Lord of the Flies, the 1963 black-and-white version. I once rented the 1990 Balthazar Getty dvd, and fell asleep about 10 minutes in. Now I'm looking forward to the release of The Help.
ReplyDeleteI watched "Billy Budd" (the play) rather than read it. I loved the play, but I might have been bored reading it.
ReplyDelete"The Last of the Mohicans" was a phenomenal movie. The book...I heard it dragged at times, and besides, the book lacks yummy scenes of Daniel Day-Lewis running through the forest with his hair streaming behind him...
I saw the movie version of "The Notebook" before I read the book, and I'm glad.
Have you seen Donald Sutherland in "Eye of the Needle" and Kiefer in "An Eye for an Eye"? In both, they are chilling as villains. Rent them and watch them back to back. Invite some friends and have a Sutherland/Eye marathon...
Thanks, Val and Sioux! I love theme movie nights, what a great idea about the Sutherlands!
ReplyDeleteI read To Kill a Mockingbird before I saw the movie and loved them both.
ReplyDeleteLike Val I am looking forward to the release of The Help.
Donna
My daughter just bought a copy of The Help for school, so I'm looking forward to reading that, too!
ReplyDelete