#book-adaptation — Public Fediverse posts

I read the book Love Hypothesis earlier this year - can't remember why, but I bought the ebook cheap and enjoyed it. It was an easy, fun, read.

Anyhue it's since been turned into an original Amazon Movie and after having seen the trailer I think I'll just skip it.

Which is weird, because I usually enjoy comparing a book to it's media adaptations. 🤷🏿‍♀️

https://youtu.be/xwdamnfS6IM?is=Mu2fL6eDlIgDqxV9

#Amazon #BookAdaptation #RomCom

I read the book Love Hypothesis earlier this year - can't remember why, but I bought the ebook cheap and enjoyed it. It was an easy, fun, read.

Anyhue it's since been turned into an original Amazon Movie and after having seen the trailer I think I'll just skip it.

Which is weird, because I usually enjoy comparing a book to it's media adaptations. 🤷🏿‍♀️

https://youtu.be/xwdamnfS6IM?is=Mu2fL6eDlIgDqxV9

#Amazon #BookAdaptation #RomCom

I read the book Love Hypothesis earlier this year - can't remember why, but I bought the ebook cheap and enjoyed it. It was an easy, fun, read.

Anyhue it's since been turned into an original Amazon Movie and after having seen the trailer I think I'll just skip it.

Which is weird, because I usually enjoy comparing a book to it's media adaptations. 🤷🏿‍♀️

https://youtu.be/xwdamnfS6IM?is=Mu2fL6eDlIgDqxV9

#Amazon #BookAdaptation #RomCom

I read the book Love Hypothesis earlier this year - can't remember why, but I bought the ebook cheap and enjoyed it. It was an easy, fun, read.

Anyhue it's since been turned into an original Amazon Movie and after having seen the trailer I think I'll just skip it.

Which is weird, because I usually enjoy comparing a book to it's media adaptations. 🤷🏿‍♀️

https://youtu.be/xwdamnfS6IM?is=Mu2fL6eDlIgDqxV9

#Amazon #BookAdaptation #RomCom

Movie Review: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (1953)

Title: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Release Date: June 4, 1953
Director:  Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Main Cast:

• Marlon Brando as Mark Antony
• James Mason as Brutus
• John Gielgud as Cassius
• Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar
• Edmond O’Brien as Casca
• Greer Garson as Calpurnia
• Deborah Kerr as Portia
• George Macready as Marullus
• Michael Pate as Flavius
• Richard Hale as a Soothsayer
• Alan Napier as Cicero
• John Hoyt as Decius Brutus
• Tom Powers as Metellus Cimber
• William Cottrell as Cinna
• Jack Raine as Trebonius
• Ian Wolfe as Ligarius
• Morgan Farley as Artemidorus
• Bill Phipps as Servant to Antony
• Douglas Watson as Octavius Caesar
• Douglass Dumbrille as Lepidus
• Rhys Williams as Lucilius
• Michael Ansara as Pindarus
• Dayton Lummis as Messala
• Edmund Purdom as Strato
• Paul Guilfoyle as First Citizen
• John Doucette as Second Citizen
• Lawrence Dobkin as Third Citizen
• Jo Gilbert as Fourth Citizen

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but both have sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

My Thoughts:

Julius Caesar receives the full MGM classic era treatment: big sets, big crowds, and big stars!  And it’s mostly effective.  For it’s cast of thousands, the success of this movie is down to the talents of its three lead actors.  Marlo Brando breaks from the mumbler typecast he had at the time to be an inspirational Mark Antony while John Gielgud is imperious as the conspiracy leader Cassius.  I have to admit that I usually find James Mason to be very creepy, but his creepiness is toned down here allowing him to play a sympathetic antihero in Brutus.  Producer John Houseman decided to break the tradition of an all-British cast in Shakespeare productions and it pays off in performances such as Edmond O’Brien’s very Brooklyn approach to Casca.  Joseph L. Mankiewicz is known for being a dialogue director which feels like it should be right for a Shakespeare, but his approach is too faithful in presenting it as a historical drama.  For a movie released just after the end of World War II, I had hoped that the crisis of dictators with ambitions would feel more present. While the monologues are strong, the movie lacks an overall sense of urgency and intrigue.

Rating: ***1/2

Movie Review: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (1953)

Title: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Release Date: June 4, 1953
Director:  Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Main Cast:

• Marlon Brando as Mark Antony
• James Mason as Brutus
• John Gielgud as Cassius
• Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar
• Edmond O’Brien as Casca
• Greer Garson as Calpurnia
• Deborah Kerr as Portia
• George Macready as Marullus
• Michael Pate as Flavius
• Richard Hale as a Soothsayer
• Alan Napier as Cicero
• John Hoyt as Decius Brutus
• Tom Powers as Metellus Cimber
• William Cottrell as Cinna
• Jack Raine as Trebonius
• Ian Wolfe as Ligarius
• Morgan Farley as Artemidorus
• Bill Phipps as Servant to Antony
• Douglas Watson as Octavius Caesar
• Douglass Dumbrille as Lepidus
• Rhys Williams as Lucilius
• Michael Ansara as Pindarus
• Dayton Lummis as Messala
• Edmund Purdom as Strato
• Paul Guilfoyle as First Citizen
• John Doucette as Second Citizen
• Lawrence Dobkin as Third Citizen
• Jo Gilbert as Fourth Citizen

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but both have sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

My Thoughts:

Julius Caesar receives the full MGM classic era treatment: big sets, big crowds, and big stars!  And it’s mostly effective.  For it’s cast of thousands, the success of this movie is down to the talents of its three lead actors.  Marlo Brando breaks from the mumbler typecast he had at the time to be an inspirational Mark Antony while John Gielgud is imperious as the conspiracy leader Cassius.  I have to admit that I usually find James Mason to be very creepy, but his creepiness is toned down here allowing him to play a sympathetic antihero in Brutus.  Producer John Houseman decided to break the tradition of an all-British cast in Shakespeare productions and it pays off in performances such as Edmond O’Brien’s very Brooklyn approach to Casca.  Joseph L. Mankiewicz is known for being a dialogue director which feels like it should be right for a Shakespeare, but his approach is too faithful in presenting it as a historical drama.  For a movie released just after the end of World War II, I had hoped that the crisis of dictators with ambitions would feel more present. While the monologues are strong, the movie lacks an overall sense of urgency and intrigue.

Rating: ***1/2

Movie Review: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (1953)

Title: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Release Date: June 4, 1953
Director:  Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Main Cast:

• Marlon Brando as Mark Antony
• James Mason as Brutus
• John Gielgud as Cassius
• Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar
• Edmond O’Brien as Casca
• Greer Garson as Calpurnia
• Deborah Kerr as Portia
• George Macready as Marullus
• Michael Pate as Flavius
• Richard Hale as a Soothsayer
• Alan Napier as Cicero
• John Hoyt as Decius Brutus
• Tom Powers as Metellus Cimber
• William Cottrell as Cinna
• Jack Raine as Trebonius
• Ian Wolfe as Ligarius
• Morgan Farley as Artemidorus
• Bill Phipps as Servant to Antony
• Douglas Watson as Octavius Caesar
• Douglass Dumbrille as Lepidus
• Rhys Williams as Lucilius
• Michael Ansara as Pindarus
• Dayton Lummis as Messala
• Edmund Purdom as Strato
• Paul Guilfoyle as First Citizen
• John Doucette as Second Citizen
• Lawrence Dobkin as Third Citizen
• Jo Gilbert as Fourth Citizen

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but both have sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

My Thoughts:

Julius Caesar receives the full MGM classic era treatment: big sets, big crowds, and big stars!  And it’s mostly effective.  For it’s cast of thousands, the success of this movie is down to the talents of its three lead actors.  Marlo Brando breaks from the mumbler typecast he had at the time to be an inspirational Mark Antony while John Gielgud is imperious as the conspiracy leader Cassius.  I have to admit that I usually find James Mason to be very creepy, but his creepiness is toned down here allowing him to play a sympathetic antihero in Brutus.  Producer John Houseman decided to break the tradition of an all-British cast in Shakespeare productions and it pays off in performances such as Edmond O’Brien’s very Brooklyn approach to Casca.  Joseph L. Mankiewicz is known for being a dialogue director which feels like it should be right for a Shakespeare, but his approach is too faithful in presenting it as a historical drama.  For a movie released just after the end of World War II, I had hoped that the crisis of dictators with ambitions would feel more present. While the monologues are strong, the movie lacks an overall sense of urgency and intrigue.

Rating: ***1/2

Movie Review: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (1953)

Title: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Release Date: June 4, 1953
Director:  Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Main Cast:

• Marlon Brando as Mark Antony
• James Mason as Brutus
• John Gielgud as Cassius
• Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar
• Edmond O’Brien as Casca
• Greer Garson as Calpurnia
• Deborah Kerr as Portia
• George Macready as Marullus
• Michael Pate as Flavius
• Richard Hale as a Soothsayer
• Alan Napier as Cicero
• John Hoyt as Decius Brutus
• Tom Powers as Metellus Cimber
• William Cottrell as Cinna
• Jack Raine as Trebonius
• Ian Wolfe as Ligarius
• Morgan Farley as Artemidorus
• Bill Phipps as Servant to Antony
• Douglas Watson as Octavius Caesar
• Douglass Dumbrille as Lepidus
• Rhys Williams as Lucilius
• Michael Ansara as Pindarus
• Dayton Lummis as Messala
• Edmund Purdom as Strato
• Paul Guilfoyle as First Citizen
• John Doucette as Second Citizen
• Lawrence Dobkin as Third Citizen
• Jo Gilbert as Fourth Citizen

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but both have sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

My Thoughts:

Julius Caesar receives the full MGM classic era treatment: big sets, big crowds, and big stars!  And it’s mostly effective.  For it’s cast of thousands, the success of this movie is down to the talents of its three lead actors.  Marlo Brando breaks from the mumbler typecast he had at the time to be an inspirational Mark Antony while John Gielgud is imperious as the conspiracy leader Cassius.  I have to admit that I usually find James Mason to be very creepy, but his creepiness is toned down here allowing him to play a sympathetic antihero in Brutus.  Producer John Houseman decided to break the tradition of an all-British cast in Shakespeare productions and it pays off in performances such as Edmond O’Brien’s very Brooklyn approach to Casca.  Joseph L. Mankiewicz is known for being a dialogue director which feels like it should be right for a Shakespeare, but his approach is too faithful in presenting it as a historical drama.  For a movie released just after the end of World War II, I had hoped that the crisis of dictators with ambitions would feel more present. While the monologues are strong, the movie lacks an overall sense of urgency and intrigue.

Rating: ***1/2

Movie Review: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (1953)

Title: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Release Date: June 4, 1953
Director:  Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Main Cast:

• Marlon Brando as Mark Antony
• James Mason as Brutus
• John Gielgud as Cassius
• Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar
• Edmond O’Brien as Casca
• Greer Garson as Calpurnia
• Deborah Kerr as Portia
• George Macready as Marullus
• Michael Pate as Flavius
• Richard Hale as a Soothsayer
• Alan Napier as Cicero
• John Hoyt as Decius Brutus
• Tom Powers as Metellus Cimber
• William Cottrell as Cinna
• Jack Raine as Trebonius
• Ian Wolfe as Ligarius
• Morgan Farley as Artemidorus
• Bill Phipps as Servant to Antony
• Douglas Watson as Octavius Caesar
• Douglass Dumbrille as Lepidus
• Rhys Williams as Lucilius
• Michael Ansara as Pindarus
• Dayton Lummis as Messala
• Edmund Purdom as Strato
• Paul Guilfoyle as First Citizen
• John Doucette as Second Citizen
• Lawrence Dobkin as Third Citizen
• Jo Gilbert as Fourth Citizen

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but both have sorely underestimated Mark Antony.

My Thoughts:

Julius Caesar receives the full MGM classic era treatment: big sets, big crowds, and big stars!  And it’s mostly effective.  For it’s cast of thousands, the success of this movie is down to the talents of its three lead actors.  Marlo Brando breaks from the mumbler typecast he had at the time to be an inspirational Mark Antony while John Gielgud is imperious as the conspiracy leader Cassius.  I have to admit that I usually find James Mason to be very creepy, but his creepiness is toned down here allowing him to play a sympathetic antihero in Brutus.  Producer John Houseman decided to break the tradition of an all-British cast in Shakespeare productions and it pays off in performances such as Edmond O’Brien’s very Brooklyn approach to Casca.  Joseph L. Mankiewicz is known for being a dialogue director which feels like it should be right for a Shakespeare, but his approach is too faithful in presenting it as a historical drama.  For a movie released just after the end of World War II, I had hoped that the crisis of dictators with ambitions would feel more present. While the monologues are strong, the movie lacks an overall sense of urgency and intrigue.

Rating: ***1/2

Bookstores & Love Stories: My Trip to Scotland Inspired by ‘One Day’

At the top of the year, my eldest niece aka Niece invited me to join her on a trip to Scotland.

Dear Reader, I was just as perplexed as you are that my first-generation Haitian-American niece (like me) a) wanted to visit Scotland and b) visit during early Spring, whilst still chilly and rainy. The tropical Caribbean—where her mother was born—is right there! A shorter flight, no less!

Well, the trip was centered around the musical adaptation of the bestselling novel One Day by David Nicholls. Turns out I had watched the Netflix series a couple of years prior. It wasn’t until the credits were rolling that I learned it was based on a book. Had I known, I would’ve read the novel, then jumped into the series to do what we readers do: compare and contrast. Niece also watched the movie starring Anne Hathaway.

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, One Day revolves around Emma and Dexter (Em and Dex), who meet at a “uni” (university) graduation party in 1988. What’s supposed to be a one-night-stand expands into a decades-long friendship fraught with unspoken, secret feelings.

It’s frustrating and endearing because the feelings are reciprocated. This isn’t a story of unrequited love. Somehow, through his immaturity and womanizing, Emma loves Dexter, and despite his sometimes selfish behavior towards her, she really is the only woman he’s ever loved .

For years, they’re not in the same place in life—geographically, career, relationships, maturity, financially. He’s white; her family is of Indian descent, though in the play she’s depicted by a Black woman. Em and Dex go on vacations together, call, and write letters, a crucial one is never delivered nor read. There’s a feeling of FINALLY! when they become a couple.

Then you realize there’s too much left in the book. Clearly, the coupling is not the typical happily ever after ending. I screamed at the TV watching the series, talked out loud to myself while reading the book, and was grabbed by Niece on my left and Sister on my right in the theater during the musical.

Niece and I knew what was coming. Sister did not.

The play was our second-to-last night in Scotland. It was a wonderful evening. We snapped photos and bought souvenirs in the downstairs lobby of The Royal Lyceum. Niece surprised us with a VIP experience in the theater’s upper room. A reserved bar table awaited us. The bartender served us chilled champagne until it was time to claim our seats—first row of the mezzanine.

Niece, ever the researcher, planner, and fellow book lover, found several bookstores for us to visit while in Scotland. I’m an over-packer and had to be mindful of suitcase space. I still had to buy a bag. In addition to the ONLY FOUR books I bought, I purchased lovely-smelling body butters, a vase from a museum gift shop, funky overalls for The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May, mini bottles of whisky for myself and brother, and whatever else escapes me at the moment.

It was late March. We braved chilly winds and rain. I wore leggings under my clothes every day and still never got too hot as we walked around, especially when we bookstore-hopped.

One of the first days, if not the first, we visited Waterstones, a chain bookstore. I purchased Before We Hit the Ground by Selali Fiamanya and a leather bookmark branded with the store name. On a separate day, Aunt-Niece Day, (my sister stayed at the hotel), we visited the combo McNauhtan’s Bookshop & Gallery and Typewronger, where I snagged Redwood Court by DeLana R.A. Dameron. The store owner stamped the inside of my book and gave me an elephant origami.

A short, brisk walk brought us to Topping & Company Booksellers, where I continued my purchases of Black-authored books with Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh and Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I also witnessed a real-life love story in real time.

While browsing on the lower level, I watched an elderly couple enter. They were both stooped over and took small steps. They were also snazzy dressers. The wife declared she’d wait for him downstairs, to which he replied, “You’re not going to come with me?”

The combination of the raspiness of his weathered voice, the longing in his voice, him reaching out to place his hand on hers, her quick and simple “ok,” and them shuffling off together towards the elevator left me teary-eyed with a lump in my throat.

I bet they didn’t squander years like Emma and Dexter did.

I want that elderly couple’s relationship one day.

Subscribe so you can read more about my trip to Scotland and other book musings.

Bookstores & Love Stories: My Trip to Scotland Inspired by ‘One Day’

At the top of the year, my eldest niece aka Niece invited me to join her on a trip to Scotland.

Dear Reader, I was just as perplexed as you are that my first-generation Haitian-American niece (like me) a) wanted to visit Scotland and b) visit during early Spring, whilst still chilly and rainy. The tropical Caribbean—where her mother was born—is right there! A shorter flight, no less!

Well, the trip was centered around the musical adaptation of the bestselling novel One Day by David Nicholls. Turns out I had watched the Netflix series a couple of years prior. It wasn’t until the credits were rolling that I learned it was based on a book. Had I known, I would’ve read the novel, then jumped into the series to do what we readers do: compare and contrast. Niece also watched the movie starring Anne Hathaway.

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, One Day revolves around Emma and Dexter (Em and Dex), who meet at a “uni” (university) graduation party in 1988. What’s supposed to be a one-night-stand expands into a decades-long friendship fraught with unspoken, secret feelings.

It’s frustrating and endearing because the feelings are reciprocated. This isn’t a story of unrequited love. Somehow, through his immaturity and womanizing, Emma loves Dexter, and despite his sometimes selfish behavior towards her, she really is the only woman he’s ever loved .

For years, they’re not in the same place in life—geographically, career, relationships, maturity, financially. He’s white; her family is of Indian descent, though in the play she’s depicted by a Black woman. Em and Dex go on vacations together, call, and write letters, a crucial one is never delivered nor read. There’s a feeling of FINALLY! when they become a couple.

Then you realize there’s too much left in the book. Clearly, the coupling is not the typical happily ever after ending. I screamed at the TV watching the series, talked out loud to myself while reading the book, and was grabbed by Niece on my left and Sister on my right in the theater during the musical.

Niece and I knew what was coming. Sister did not.

The play was our second-to-last night in Scotland. It was a wonderful evening. We snapped photos and bought souvenirs in the downstairs lobby of The Royal Lyceum. Niece surprised us with a VIP experience in the theater’s upper room. A reserved bar table awaited us. The bartender served us chilled champagne until it was time to claim our seats—first row of the mezzanine.

Niece, ever the researcher, planner, and fellow book lover, found several bookstores for us to visit while in Scotland. I’m an over-packer and had to be mindful of suitcase space. I still had to buy a bag. In addition to the ONLY FOUR books I bought, I purchased lovely-smelling body butters, a vase from a museum gift shop, funky overalls for The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May, mini bottles of whisky for myself and brother, and whatever else escapes me at the moment.

It was late March. We braved chilly winds and rain. I wore leggings under my clothes every day and still never got too hot as we walked around, especially when we bookstore-hopped.

One of the first days, if not the first, we visited Waterstones, a chain bookstore. I purchased Before We Hit the Ground by Selali Fiamanya and a leather bookmark branded with the store name. On a separate day, Aunt-Niece Day, (my sister stayed at the hotel), we visited the combo McNauhtan’s Bookshop & Gallery and Typewronger, where I snagged Redwood Court by DeLana R.A. Dameron. The store owner stamped the inside of my book and gave me an elephant origami.

A short, brisk walk brought us to Topping & Company Booksellers, where I continued my purchases of Black-authored books with Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh and Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I also witnessed a real-life love story in real time.

While browsing on the lower level, I watched an elderly couple enter. They were both stooped over and took small steps. They were also snazzy dressers. The wife declared she’d wait for him downstairs, to which he replied, “You’re not going to come with me?”

The combination of the raspiness of his weathered voice, the longing in his voice, him reaching out to place his hand on hers, her quick and simple “ok,” and them shuffling off together towards the elevator left me teary-eyed with a lump in my throat.

I bet they didn’t squander years like Emma and Dexter did.

I want that elderly couple’s relationship one day.

Subscribe so you can read more about my trip to Scotland and other book musings.

Bookstores & Love Stories: My Trip to Scotland Inspired by ‘One Day’

At the top of the year, my eldest niece aka Niece invited me to join her on a trip to Scotland.

Dear Reader, I was just as perplexed as you are that my first-generation Haitian-American niece (like me) a) wanted to visit Scotland and b) visit during early Spring, whilst still chilly and rainy. The tropical Caribbean—where her mother was born—is right there! A shorter flight, no less!

Well, the trip was centered around the musical adaptation of the bestselling novel One Day by David Nicholls. Turns out I had watched the Netflix series a couple of years prior. It wasn’t until the credits were rolling that I learned it was based on a book. Had I known, I would’ve read the novel, then jumped into the series to do what we readers do: compare and contrast. Niece also watched the movie starring Anne Hathaway.

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, One Day revolves around Emma and Dexter (Em and Dex), who meet at a “uni” (university) graduation party in 1988. What’s supposed to be a one-night-stand expands into a decades-long friendship fraught with unspoken, secret feelings.

It’s frustrating and endearing because the feelings are reciprocated. This isn’t a story of unrequited love. Somehow, through his immaturity and womanizing, Emma loves Dexter, and despite his sometimes selfish behavior towards her, she really is the only woman he’s ever loved .

For years, they’re not in the same place in life—geographically, career, relationships, maturity, financially. He’s white; her family is of Indian descent, though in the play she’s depicted by a Black woman. Em and Dex go on vacations together, call, and write letters, a crucial one is never delivered nor read. There’s a feeling of FINALLY! when they become a couple.

Then you realize there’s too much left in the book. Clearly, the coupling is not the typical happily ever after ending. I screamed at the TV watching the series, talked out loud to myself while reading the book, and was grabbed by Niece on my left and Sister on my right in the theater during the musical.

Niece and I knew what was coming. Sister did not.

The play was our second-to-last night in Scotland. It was a wonderful evening. We snapped photos and bought souvenirs in the downstairs lobby of The Royal Lyceum. Niece surprised us with a VIP experience in the theater’s upper room. A reserved bar table awaited us. The bartender served us chilled champagne until it was time to claim our seats—first row of the mezzanine.

Niece, ever the researcher, planner, and fellow book lover, found several bookstores for us to visit while in Scotland. I’m an over-packer and had to be mindful of suitcase space. I still had to buy a bag. In addition to the ONLY FOUR books I bought, I purchased lovely-smelling body butters, a vase from a museum gift shop, funky overalls for The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May, mini bottles of whisky for myself and brother, and whatever else escapes me at the moment.

It was late March. We braved chilly winds and rain. I wore leggings under my clothes every day and still never got too hot as we walked around, especially when we bookstore-hopped.

One of the first days, if not the first, we visited Waterstones, a chain bookstore. I purchased Before We Hit the Ground by Selali Fiamanya and a leather bookmark branded with the store name. On a separate day, Aunt-Niece Day, (my sister stayed at the hotel), we visited the combo McNauhtan’s Bookshop & Gallery and Typewronger, where I snagged Redwood Court by DeLana R.A. Dameron. The store owner stamped the inside of my book and gave me an elephant origami.

A short, brisk walk brought us to Topping & Company Booksellers, where I continued my purchases of Black-authored books with Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh and Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I also witnessed a real-life love story in real time.

While browsing on the lower level, I watched an elderly couple enter. They were both stooped over and took small steps. They were also snazzy dressers. The wife declared she’d wait for him downstairs, to which he replied, “You’re not going to come with me?”

The combination of the raspiness of his weathered voice, the longing in his voice, him reaching out to place his hand on hers, her quick and simple “ok,” and them shuffling off together towards the elevator left me teary-eyed with a lump in my throat.

I bet they didn’t squander years like Emma and Dexter did.

I want that elderly couple’s relationship one day.

Subscribe so you can read more about my trip to Scotland and other book musings.

Bookstores & Love Stories: My Trip to Scotland Inspired by ‘One Day’

At the top of the year, my eldest niece aka Niece invited me to join her on a trip to Scotland.

Dear Reader, I was just as perplexed as you are that my first-generation Haitian-American niece (like me) a) wanted to visit Scotland and b) visit during early Spring, whilst still chilly and rainy. The tropical Caribbean—where her mother was born—is right there! A shorter flight, no less!

Well, the trip was centered around the musical adaptation of the bestselling novel One Day by David Nicholls. Turns out I had watched the Netflix series a couple of years prior. It wasn’t until the credits were rolling that I learned it was based on a book. Had I known, I would’ve read the novel, then jumped into the series to do what we readers do: compare and contrast. Niece also watched the movie starring Anne Hathaway.

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, One Day revolves around Emma and Dexter (Em and Dex), who meet at a “uni” (university) graduation party in 1988. What’s supposed to be a one-night-stand expands into a decades-long friendship fraught with unspoken, secret feelings.

It’s frustrating and endearing because the feelings are reciprocated. This isn’t a story of unrequited love. Somehow, through his immaturity and womanizing, Emma loves Dexter, and despite his sometimes selfish behavior towards her, she really is the only woman he’s ever loved .

For years, they’re not in the same place in life—geographically, career, relationships, maturity, financially. He’s white; her family is of Indian descent, though in the play she’s depicted by a Black woman. Em and Dex go on vacations together, call, and write letters, a crucial one is never delivered nor read. There’s a feeling of FINALLY! when they become a couple.

Then you realize there’s too much left in the book. Clearly, the coupling is not the typical happily ever after ending. I screamed at the TV watching the series, talked out loud to myself while reading the book, and was grabbed by Niece on my left and Sister on my right in the theater during the musical.

Niece and I knew what was coming. Sister did not.

The play was our second-to-last night in Scotland. It was a wonderful evening. We snapped photos and bought souvenirs in the downstairs lobby of The Royal Lyceum. Niece surprised us with a VIP experience in the theater’s upper room. A reserved bar table awaited us. The bartender served us chilled champagne until it was time to claim our seats—first row of the mezzanine.

Niece, ever the researcher, planner, and fellow book lover, found several bookstores for us to visit while in Scotland. I’m an over-packer and had to be mindful of suitcase space. I still had to buy a bag. In addition to the ONLY FOUR books I bought, I purchased lovely-smelling body butters, a vase from a museum gift shop, funky overalls for The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May, mini bottles of whisky for myself and brother, and whatever else escapes me at the moment.

It was late March. We braved chilly winds and rain. I wore leggings under my clothes every day and still never got too hot as we walked around, especially when we bookstore-hopped.

One of the first days, if not the first, we visited Waterstones, a chain bookstore. I purchased Before We Hit the Ground by Selali Fiamanya and a leather bookmark branded with the store name. On a separate day, Aunt-Niece Day, (my sister stayed at the hotel), we visited the combo McNauhtan’s Bookshop & Gallery and Typewronger, where I snagged Redwood Court by DeLana R.A. Dameron. The store owner stamped the inside of my book and gave me an elephant origami.

A short, brisk walk brought us to Topping & Company Booksellers, where I continued my purchases of Black-authored books with Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh and Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I also witnessed a real-life love story in real time.

While browsing on the lower level, I watched an elderly couple enter. They were both stooped over and took small steps. They were also snazzy dressers. The wife declared she’d wait for him downstairs, to which he replied, “You’re not going to come with me?”

The combination of the raspiness of his weathered voice, the longing in his voice, him reaching out to place his hand on hers, her quick and simple “ok,” and them shuffling off together towards the elevator left me teary-eyed with a lump in my throat.

I bet they didn’t squander years like Emma and Dexter did.

I want that elderly couple’s relationship one day.

Subscribe so you can read more about my trip to Scotland and other book musings.

Bookstores & Love Stories: My Trip to Scotland Inspired by ‘One Day’

At the top of the year, my eldest niece aka Niece invited me to join her on a trip to Scotland.

Dear Reader, I was just as perplexed as you are that my first-generation Haitian-American niece (like me) a) wanted to visit Scotland and b) visit during early Spring, whilst still chilly and rainy. The tropical Caribbean—where her mother was born—is right there! A shorter flight, no less!

Well, the trip was centered around the musical adaptation of the bestselling novel One Day by David Nicholls. Turns out I had watched the Netflix series a couple of years prior. It wasn’t until the credits were rolling that I learned it was based on a book. Had I known, I would’ve read the novel, then jumped into the series to do what we readers do: compare and contrast. Niece also watched the movie starring Anne Hathaway.

Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, One Day revolves around Emma and Dexter (Em and Dex), who meet at a “uni” (university) graduation party in 1988. What’s supposed to be a one-night-stand expands into a decades-long friendship fraught with unspoken, secret feelings.

It’s frustrating and endearing because the feelings are reciprocated. This isn’t a story of unrequited love. Somehow, through his immaturity and womanizing, Emma loves Dexter, and despite his sometimes selfish behavior towards her, she really is the only woman he’s ever loved .

For years, they’re not in the same place in life—geographically, career, relationships, maturity, financially. He’s white; her family is of Indian descent, though in the play she’s depicted by a Black woman. Em and Dex go on vacations together, call, and write letters, a crucial one is never delivered nor read. There’s a feeling of FINALLY! when they become a couple.

Then you realize there’s too much left in the book. Clearly, the coupling is not the typical happily ever after ending. I screamed at the TV watching the series, talked out loud to myself while reading the book, and was grabbed by Niece on my left and Sister on my right in the theater during the musical.

Niece and I knew what was coming. Sister did not.

The play was our second-to-last night in Scotland. It was a wonderful evening. We snapped photos and bought souvenirs in the downstairs lobby of The Royal Lyceum. Niece surprised us with a VIP experience in the theater’s upper room. A reserved bar table awaited us. The bartender served us chilled champagne until it was time to claim our seats—first row of the mezzanine.

Niece, ever the researcher, planner, and fellow book lover, found several bookstores for us to visit while in Scotland. I’m an over-packer and had to be mindful of suitcase space. I still had to buy a bag. In addition to the ONLY FOUR books I bought, I purchased lovely-smelling body butters, a vase from a museum gift shop, funky overalls for The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May, mini bottles of whisky for myself and brother, and whatever else escapes me at the moment.

It was late March. We braved chilly winds and rain. I wore leggings under my clothes every day and still never got too hot as we walked around, especially when we bookstore-hopped.

One of the first days, if not the first, we visited Waterstones, a chain bookstore. I purchased Before We Hit the Ground by Selali Fiamanya and a leather bookmark branded with the store name. On a separate day, Aunt-Niece Day, (my sister stayed at the hotel), we visited the combo McNauhtan’s Bookshop & Gallery and Typewronger, where I snagged Redwood Court by DeLana R.A. Dameron. The store owner stamped the inside of my book and gave me an elephant origami.

A short, brisk walk brought us to Topping & Company Booksellers, where I continued my purchases of Black-authored books with Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh and Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah. I also witnessed a real-life love story in real time.

While browsing on the lower level, I watched an elderly couple enter. They were both stooped over and took small steps. They were also snazzy dressers. The wife declared she’d wait for him downstairs, to which he replied, “You’re not going to come with me?”

The combination of the raspiness of his weathered voice, the longing in his voice, him reaching out to place his hand on hers, her quick and simple “ok,” and them shuffling off together towards the elevator left me teary-eyed with a lump in my throat.

I bet they didn’t squander years like Emma and Dexter did.

I want that elderly couple’s relationship one day.

Subscribe so you can read more about my trip to Scotland and other book musings.

Movie Review: Chimes at Midnight (1965)

Title: Chimes at Midnight
Release Date: December 22, 1965
Director: Orson Welles
Production Company: Internacional Films Española | Alpine Productions
Main Cast:

• Orson Welles as Sir John Falstaff
• Keith Baxter as Prince Hal
• John Gielgud as King Henry IV
• Margaret Rutherford as Mistress Quickly
• Jeanne Moreau as Doll Tearshee
• Alan Webb as Justice Shallow
• Walter Chiari as Justice Silence
• Michael Aldridge as Pistol
• Tony Beckley as Ned Poins
• Charles Farrell as Bardolph
• Patrick Bedford as Nym
• José Nieto as Earl of Northumberland
• Keith Pyott as the Lord Chief Justice
• Fernando Rey as Earl of Worcester
• Norman Rodway as Henry Percy
• Marina Vlady as Kate Percy
• Andrew Faulds as Earl of Westmorland
• Jeremy Rowe as Prince John
• Beatrice Welles and Bruno Yasoni as Falstaff’s Page (Yasoni took over the role when Beatrice could not finish filming)
• Ralph Richardson as the voice of the narrator
• Ingrid Pitt as a courtesan

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Henry IV usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion Hotspur. Henry’s heir, Prince Hal, is a ne’er-do-well carouser who drinks and causes mischief with his low-class friends, especially his rotund father figure, John Falstaff. To redeem his title, Hal may have to choose between allegiance to his real father and loyalty to his friend.

My Thoughts:

The Henry IV plays are not my favorites, but there’s a big difference between reading a play and seeing an adaptation.  Chimes at Midnight wisely condenses the two plays into one and centers it on Falstaff.  I can’t imagine any human who can embody Falstaff more than Orson Welles.  Not only does he look the part but he portrays Falstaff as a liar, carouser, and swindler who is nonetheless empathetic.  All the acting is wonderful with Keith Baxter showing Prince Hal’s sense of betrayal overhearing  Falstaff speak ill of him, paired with Falstaff’s heartbreak when the now King Henry V turns his back on him at the end. And this movie is just beautiful, with a crisp black & white film that highlights the shadow and light.  I wonder if Welles was influenced at all by Akira Kurosawa, especially during the battle scene which is magnificent.  So there we have it: a couple of Shakespeare plays I found to be so-so become one of my all-time favorite movies.

Rating: ****1/2

Movie Review: Chimes at Midnight (1965)

Title: Chimes at Midnight
Release Date: December 22, 1965
Director: Orson Welles
Production Company: Internacional Films Española | Alpine Productions
Main Cast:

• Orson Welles as Sir John Falstaff
• Keith Baxter as Prince Hal
• John Gielgud as King Henry IV
• Margaret Rutherford as Mistress Quickly
• Jeanne Moreau as Doll Tearshee
• Alan Webb as Justice Shallow
• Walter Chiari as Justice Silence
• Michael Aldridge as Pistol
• Tony Beckley as Ned Poins
• Charles Farrell as Bardolph
• Patrick Bedford as Nym
• José Nieto as Earl of Northumberland
• Keith Pyott as the Lord Chief Justice
• Fernando Rey as Earl of Worcester
• Norman Rodway as Henry Percy
• Marina Vlady as Kate Percy
• Andrew Faulds as Earl of Westmorland
• Jeremy Rowe as Prince John
• Beatrice Welles and Bruno Yasoni as Falstaff’s Page (Yasoni took over the role when Beatrice could not finish filming)
• Ralph Richardson as the voice of the narrator
• Ingrid Pitt as a courtesan

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Henry IV usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion Hotspur. Henry’s heir, Prince Hal, is a ne’er-do-well carouser who drinks and causes mischief with his low-class friends, especially his rotund father figure, John Falstaff. To redeem his title, Hal may have to choose between allegiance to his real father and loyalty to his friend.

My Thoughts:

The Henry IV plays are not my favorites, but there’s a big difference between reading a play and seeing an adaptation.  Chimes at Midnight wisely condenses the two plays into one and centers it on Falstaff.  I can’t imagine any human who can embody Falstaff more than Orson Welles.  Not only does he look the part but he portrays Falstaff as a liar, carouser, and swindler who is nonetheless empathetic.  All the acting is wonderful with Keith Baxter showing Prince Hal’s sense of betrayal overhearing  Falstaff speak ill of him, paired with Falstaff’s heartbreak when the now King Henry V turns his back on him at the end. And this movie is just beautiful, with a crisp black & white film that highlights the shadow and light.  I wonder if Welles was influenced at all by Akira Kurosawa, especially during the battle scene which is magnificent.  So there we have it: a couple of Shakespeare plays I found to be so-so become one of my all-time favorite movies.

Rating: ****1/2

Movie Review: Chimes at Midnight (1965)

Title: Chimes at Midnight
Release Date: December 22, 1965
Director: Orson Welles
Production Company: Internacional Films Española | Alpine Productions
Main Cast:

• Orson Welles as Sir John Falstaff
• Keith Baxter as Prince Hal
• John Gielgud as King Henry IV
• Margaret Rutherford as Mistress Quickly
• Jeanne Moreau as Doll Tearshee
• Alan Webb as Justice Shallow
• Walter Chiari as Justice Silence
• Michael Aldridge as Pistol
• Tony Beckley as Ned Poins
• Charles Farrell as Bardolph
• Patrick Bedford as Nym
• José Nieto as Earl of Northumberland
• Keith Pyott as the Lord Chief Justice
• Fernando Rey as Earl of Worcester
• Norman Rodway as Henry Percy
• Marina Vlady as Kate Percy
• Andrew Faulds as Earl of Westmorland
• Jeremy Rowe as Prince John
• Beatrice Welles and Bruno Yasoni as Falstaff’s Page (Yasoni took over the role when Beatrice could not finish filming)
• Ralph Richardson as the voice of the narrator
• Ingrid Pitt as a courtesan

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Henry IV usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion Hotspur. Henry’s heir, Prince Hal, is a ne’er-do-well carouser who drinks and causes mischief with his low-class friends, especially his rotund father figure, John Falstaff. To redeem his title, Hal may have to choose between allegiance to his real father and loyalty to his friend.

My Thoughts:

The Henry IV plays are not my favorites, but there’s a big difference between reading a play and seeing an adaptation.  Chimes at Midnight wisely condenses the two plays into one and centers it on Falstaff.  I can’t imagine any human who can embody Falstaff more than Orson Welles.  Not only does he look the part but he portrays Falstaff as a liar, carouser, and swindler who is nonetheless empathetic.  All the acting is wonderful with Keith Baxter showing Prince Hal’s sense of betrayal overhearing  Falstaff speak ill of him, paired with Falstaff’s heartbreak when the now King Henry V turns his back on him at the end. And this movie is just beautiful, with a crisp black & white film that highlights the shadow and light.  I wonder if Welles was influenced at all by Akira Kurosawa, especially during the battle scene which is magnificent.  So there we have it: a couple of Shakespeare plays I found to be so-so become one of my all-time favorite movies.

Rating: ****1/2

Movie Review: Chimes at Midnight (1965)

Title: Chimes at Midnight
Release Date: December 22, 1965
Director: Orson Welles
Production Company: Internacional Films Española | Alpine Productions
Main Cast:

• Orson Welles as Sir John Falstaff
• Keith Baxter as Prince Hal
• John Gielgud as King Henry IV
• Margaret Rutherford as Mistress Quickly
• Jeanne Moreau as Doll Tearshee
• Alan Webb as Justice Shallow
• Walter Chiari as Justice Silence
• Michael Aldridge as Pistol
• Tony Beckley as Ned Poins
• Charles Farrell as Bardolph
• Patrick Bedford as Nym
• José Nieto as Earl of Northumberland
• Keith Pyott as the Lord Chief Justice
• Fernando Rey as Earl of Worcester
• Norman Rodway as Henry Percy
• Marina Vlady as Kate Percy
• Andrew Faulds as Earl of Westmorland
• Jeremy Rowe as Prince John
• Beatrice Welles and Bruno Yasoni as Falstaff’s Page (Yasoni took over the role when Beatrice could not finish filming)
• Ralph Richardson as the voice of the narrator
• Ingrid Pitt as a courtesan

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Henry IV usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion Hotspur. Henry’s heir, Prince Hal, is a ne’er-do-well carouser who drinks and causes mischief with his low-class friends, especially his rotund father figure, John Falstaff. To redeem his title, Hal may have to choose between allegiance to his real father and loyalty to his friend.

My Thoughts:

The Henry IV plays are not my favorites, but there’s a big difference between reading a play and seeing an adaptation.  Chimes at Midnight wisely condenses the two plays into one and centers it on Falstaff.  I can’t imagine any human who can embody Falstaff more than Orson Welles.  Not only does he look the part but he portrays Falstaff as a liar, carouser, and swindler who is nonetheless empathetic.  All the acting is wonderful with Keith Baxter showing Prince Hal’s sense of betrayal overhearing  Falstaff speak ill of him, paired with Falstaff’s heartbreak when the now King Henry V turns his back on him at the end. And this movie is just beautiful, with a crisp black & white film that highlights the shadow and light.  I wonder if Welles was influenced at all by Akira Kurosawa, especially during the battle scene which is magnificent.  So there we have it: a couple of Shakespeare plays I found to be so-so become one of my all-time favorite movies.

Rating: ****1/2

Movie Review: Chimes at Midnight (1965)

Title: Chimes at Midnight
Release Date: December 22, 1965
Director: Orson Welles
Production Company: Internacional Films Española | Alpine Productions
Main Cast:

• Orson Welles as Sir John Falstaff
• Keith Baxter as Prince Hal
• John Gielgud as King Henry IV
• Margaret Rutherford as Mistress Quickly
• Jeanne Moreau as Doll Tearshee
• Alan Webb as Justice Shallow
• Walter Chiari as Justice Silence
• Michael Aldridge as Pistol
• Tony Beckley as Ned Poins
• Charles Farrell as Bardolph
• Patrick Bedford as Nym
• José Nieto as Earl of Northumberland
• Keith Pyott as the Lord Chief Justice
• Fernando Rey as Earl of Worcester
• Norman Rodway as Henry Percy
• Marina Vlady as Kate Percy
• Andrew Faulds as Earl of Westmorland
• Jeremy Rowe as Prince John
• Beatrice Welles and Bruno Yasoni as Falstaff’s Page (Yasoni took over the role when Beatrice could not finish filming)
• Ralph Richardson as the voice of the narrator
• Ingrid Pitt as a courtesan

Synopsis (via Letterboxd):

Henry IV usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion Hotspur. Henry’s heir, Prince Hal, is a ne’er-do-well carouser who drinks and causes mischief with his low-class friends, especially his rotund father figure, John Falstaff. To redeem his title, Hal may have to choose between allegiance to his real father and loyalty to his friend.

My Thoughts:

The Henry IV plays are not my favorites, but there’s a big difference between reading a play and seeing an adaptation.  Chimes at Midnight wisely condenses the two plays into one and centers it on Falstaff.  I can’t imagine any human who can embody Falstaff more than Orson Welles.  Not only does he look the part but he portrays Falstaff as a liar, carouser, and swindler who is nonetheless empathetic.  All the acting is wonderful with Keith Baxter showing Prince Hal’s sense of betrayal overhearing  Falstaff speak ill of him, paired with Falstaff’s heartbreak when the now King Henry V turns his back on him at the end. And this movie is just beautiful, with a crisp black & white film that highlights the shadow and light.  I wonder if Welles was influenced at all by Akira Kurosawa, especially during the battle scene which is magnificent.  So there we have it: a couple of Shakespeare plays I found to be so-so become one of my all-time favorite movies.

Rating: ****1/2

1. [FILM] “The Marked Woman” based on the book “L’Inconnue du port” (Rosa Montero & Olivier Truc) published in 2023 by Voir de près

Available on : Netflix

2. [TV] “Cape Fear” based on the book “Cape Fear” (John D. MacDonald) published in 1957 by Fawcett Publications

Available on : Apple TV+

3. [TV] “The Vampire Lestat” based on the book “The Vampire Chronicles #2 : The Vampire Lestat” (Anne Rice) published in 1985 by Alfred A. Knopf

Available on : AMC+

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #film

1. [FILM] “The Marked Woman” based on the book “L’Inconnue du port” (Rosa Montero & Olivier Truc) published in 2023 by Voir de près

Available on : Netflix

2. [TV] “Cape Fear” based on the book “Cape Fear” (John D. MacDonald) published in 1957 by Fawcett Publications

Available on : Apple TV+

3. [TV] “The Vampire Lestat” based on the book “The Vampire Chronicles #2 : The Vampire Lestat” (Anne Rice) published in 1985 by Alfred A. Knopf

Available on : AMC+

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #film

1. [FILM] “The Marked Woman” based on the book “L’Inconnue du port” (Rosa Montero & Olivier Truc) published in 2023 by Voir de près

Available on : Netflix

2. [TV] “Cape Fear” based on the book “Cape Fear” (John D. MacDonald) published in 1957 by Fawcett Publications

Available on : Apple TV+

3. [TV] “The Vampire Lestat” based on the book “The Vampire Chronicles #2 : The Vampire Lestat” (Anne Rice) published in 1985 by Alfred A. Knopf

Available on : AMC+

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #film

1. [FILM] “The Marked Woman” based on the book “L’Inconnue du port” (Rosa Montero & Olivier Truc) published in 2023 by Voir de près

Available on : Netflix

2. [TV] “Cape Fear” based on the book “Cape Fear” (John D. MacDonald) published in 1957 by Fawcett Publications

Available on : Apple TV+

3. [TV] “The Vampire Lestat” based on the book “The Vampire Chronicles #2 : The Vampire Lestat” (Anne Rice) published in 1985 by Alfred A. Knopf

Available on : AMC+

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #film

1. [FILM] “The Marked Woman” based on the book “L’Inconnue du port” (Rosa Montero & Olivier Truc) published in 2023 by Voir de près

Available on : Netflix

2. [TV] “Cape Fear” based on the book “Cape Fear” (John D. MacDonald) published in 1957 by Fawcett Publications

Available on : Apple TV+

3. [TV] “The Vampire Lestat” based on the book “The Vampire Chronicles #2 : The Vampire Lestat” (Anne Rice) published in 1985 by Alfred A. Knopf

Available on : AMC+

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #film

#AnimatedApril Retrospective: The 75th Anniversary of Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland”

By Joan Amenn

If you have never seen this Disney feature length animated film, be warned. It takes visual imagery and cranks it up to eleven on the surreal Weird-o-Meter.  It also features one of the most annoying earworms ever composed for Disney but set in one of the most charming scenes ever adapted from a book to the big screen.

Of course, the 1865 children’s book by Lewis Carroll included some rather nightmarish illustrations by John Tenniel which provided inspiration for Disney’s version. Just to ramp up the nonsense still further, the film takes pieces of the book’s sequel, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and incorporates it into the narrative. In its initial release in 1951, “Alice” was an abysmal failure but built a following in the 1960’s when viewing certain kinds of films under the influence of certain substances came into vogue.

So, you know what you’re getting into.

Alice, who always reminded me of a somnambulant factory worker punch drunk from their fifth shift in two days from Tenniel’s illustrations, is much perkier and prettier as portrayed by Katheryn Beaumont. It helps a great deal that the genius of Mary Blair and her flair for color is used to smooth over some of Tenniel’s darker depictions of the characters. Indeed, all of the denizens of Wonderland became much more approachable, and the animated film has influenced future live action depictions.

Sadly, the Sherman Brothers did not compose any of the songs for “Alice,” but it did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Score. Musical highlights include the Chesire Cat (Sterling Holloway) humming verses from the poem, “Jabberwocky” and the song “Golden Afternoon” sung by some of the loveliest flowers ever animated. And then there is “A Very Merry Unbirthday to You” sung in the (in)famous Tea Party scene. You either love it or hate it but if you’re the parent of young children you are probably in the latter camp. It does have a way of working on your last nerve.

“Alice” is a reminder of Disney in its prime when taking chances on unconventional animation styles was still an option despite the risks to commercial success. It may not hang together well narratively but Alice’s adventures are memorable as innovative scenes of striking beauty if not downright oddball. You might find yourself reaching for the books to remember what it was like to first meet the Jabberwocky or paint a rose red before the Red Queen shows up.

#AnimatedApril Retrospective: The 75th Anniversary of Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland”

By Joan Amenn

If you have never seen this Disney feature length animated film, be warned. It takes visual imagery and cranks it up to eleven on the surreal Weird-o-Meter.  It also features one of the most annoying earworms ever composed for Disney but set in one of the most charming scenes ever adapted from a book to the big screen.

Of course, the 1865 children’s book by Lewis Carroll included some rather nightmarish illustrations by John Tenniel which provided inspiration for Disney’s version. Just to ramp up the nonsense still further, the film takes pieces of the book’s sequel, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and incorporates it into the narrative. In its initial release in 1951, “Alice” was an abysmal failure but built a following in the 1960’s when viewing certain kinds of films under the influence of certain substances came into vogue.

So, you know what you’re getting into.

Alice, who always reminded me of a somnambulant factory worker punch drunk from their fifth shift in two days from Tenniel’s illustrations, is much perkier and prettier as portrayed by Katheryn Beaumont. It helps a great deal that the genius of Mary Blair and her flair for color is used to smooth over some of Tenniel’s darker depictions of the characters. Indeed, all of the denizens of Wonderland became much more approachable, and the animated film has influenced future live action depictions.

Sadly, the Sherman Brothers did not compose any of the songs for “Alice,” but it did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Score. Musical highlights include the Chesire Cat (Sterling Holloway) humming verses from the poem, “Jabberwocky” and the song “Golden Afternoon” sung by some of the loveliest flowers ever animated. And then there is “A Very Merry Unbirthday to You” sung in the (in)famous Tea Party scene. You either love it or hate it but if you’re the parent of young children you are probably in the latter camp. It does have a way of working on your last nerve.

“Alice” is a reminder of Disney in its prime when taking chances on unconventional animation styles was still an option despite the risks to commercial success. It may not hang together well narratively but Alice’s adventures are memorable as innovative scenes of striking beauty if not downright oddball. You might find yourself reaching for the books to remember what it was like to first meet the Jabberwocky or paint a rose red before the Red Queen shows up.

#AnimatedApril Retrospective: The 75th Anniversary of Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland”

By Joan Amenn

If you have never seen this Disney feature length animated film, be warned. It takes visual imagery and cranks it up to eleven on the surreal Weird-o-Meter.  It also features one of the most annoying earworms ever composed for Disney but set in one of the most charming scenes ever adapted from a book to the big screen.

Of course, the 1865 children’s book by Lewis Carroll included some rather nightmarish illustrations by John Tenniel which provided inspiration for Disney’s version. Just to ramp up the nonsense still further, the film takes pieces of the book’s sequel, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and incorporates it into the narrative. In its initial release in 1951, “Alice” was an abysmal failure but built a following in the 1960’s when viewing certain kinds of films under the influence of certain substances came into vogue.

So, you know what you’re getting into.

Alice, who always reminded me of a somnambulant factory worker punch drunk from their fifth shift in two days from Tenniel’s illustrations, is much perkier and prettier as portrayed by Katheryn Beaumont. It helps a great deal that the genius of Mary Blair and her flair for color is used to smooth over some of Tenniel’s darker depictions of the characters. Indeed, all of the denizens of Wonderland became much more approachable, and the animated film has influenced future live action depictions.

Sadly, the Sherman Brothers did not compose any of the songs for “Alice,” but it did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Score. Musical highlights include the Chesire Cat (Sterling Holloway) humming verses from the poem, “Jabberwocky” and the song “Golden Afternoon” sung by some of the loveliest flowers ever animated. And then there is “A Very Merry Unbirthday to You” sung in the (in)famous Tea Party scene. You either love it or hate it but if you’re the parent of young children you are probably in the latter camp. It does have a way of working on your last nerve.

“Alice” is a reminder of Disney in its prime when taking chances on unconventional animation styles was still an option despite the risks to commercial success. It may not hang together well narratively but Alice’s adventures are memorable as innovative scenes of striking beauty if not downright oddball. You might find yourself reaching for the books to remember what it was like to first meet the Jabberwocky or paint a rose red before the Red Queen shows up.

#AnimatedApril Retrospective: The 75th Anniversary of Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland”

By Joan Amenn

If you have never seen this Disney feature length animated film, be warned. It takes visual imagery and cranks it up to eleven on the surreal Weird-o-Meter.  It also features one of the most annoying earworms ever composed for Disney but set in one of the most charming scenes ever adapted from a book to the big screen.

Of course, the 1865 children’s book by Lewis Carroll included some rather nightmarish illustrations by John Tenniel which provided inspiration for Disney’s version. Just to ramp up the nonsense still further, the film takes pieces of the book’s sequel, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and incorporates it into the narrative. In its initial release in 1951, “Alice” was an abysmal failure but built a following in the 1960’s when viewing certain kinds of films under the influence of certain substances came into vogue.

So, you know what you’re getting into.

Alice, who always reminded me of a somnambulant factory worker punch drunk from their fifth shift in two days from Tenniel’s illustrations, is much perkier and prettier as portrayed by Katheryn Beaumont. It helps a great deal that the genius of Mary Blair and her flair for color is used to smooth over some of Tenniel’s darker depictions of the characters. Indeed, all of the denizens of Wonderland became much more approachable, and the animated film has influenced future live action depictions.

Sadly, the Sherman Brothers did not compose any of the songs for “Alice,” but it did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Score. Musical highlights include the Chesire Cat (Sterling Holloway) humming verses from the poem, “Jabberwocky” and the song “Golden Afternoon” sung by some of the loveliest flowers ever animated. And then there is “A Very Merry Unbirthday to You” sung in the (in)famous Tea Party scene. You either love it or hate it but if you’re the parent of young children you are probably in the latter camp. It does have a way of working on your last nerve.

“Alice” is a reminder of Disney in its prime when taking chances on unconventional animation styles was still an option despite the risks to commercial success. It may not hang together well narratively but Alice’s adventures are memorable as innovative scenes of striking beauty if not downright oddball. You might find yourself reaching for the books to remember what it was like to first meet the Jabberwocky or paint a rose red before the Red Queen shows up.

would you #read more about your favorite #TV/movie characters?

Paramount smells money, decides to get back into the #books business https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/paramount/paramount-launching-own-book-publishing-wing

#novelization #publishing #bookadaptation

would you #read more about your favorite #TV/movie characters?

Paramount smells money, decides to get back into the #books business https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/paramount/paramount-launching-own-book-publishing-wing

#novelization #publishing #bookadaptation

would you #read more about your favorite #TV/movie characters?

Paramount smells money, decides to get back into the #books business https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/paramount/paramount-launching-own-book-publishing-wing

#novelization #publishing #bookadaptation

would you #read more about your favorite #TV/movie characters?

Paramount smells money, decides to get back into the #books business https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/paramount/paramount-launching-own-book-publishing-wing

#novelization #publishing #bookadaptation

would you #read more about your favorite #TV/movie characters?

Paramount smells money, decides to get back into the #books business https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/paramount/paramount-launching-own-book-publishing-wing

#novelization #publishing #bookadaptation

Tadum! #LayneFargo‘s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 is going from bestselling novel to #Netlix.

Read about it at our link in the comments.
#booknews #bookadaptation 📚 #bookstodon

Tadum! #LayneFargo‘s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 is going from bestselling novel to #Netlix.

Read about it at our link in the comments.
#booknews #bookadaptation 📚 #bookstodon

Tadum! #LayneFargo‘s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 is going from bestselling novel to #Netlix.

Read about it at our link in the comments.
#booknews #bookadaptation 📚 #bookstodon

Tadum! #LayneFargo‘s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 is going from bestselling novel to #Netlix.

Read about it at our link in the comments.
#booknews #bookadaptation 📚 #bookstodon

Tadum! #LayneFargo‘s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 is going from bestselling novel to #Netlix.

Read about it at our link in the comments.
#booknews #bookadaptation 📚 #bookstodon

1. [TV] “The Testaments” based on the book “The Testaments” (Margaret Atwood🇨🇦) published in 2019 by McClelland & Stewart

Available on : Disney+

2. [TV] “Margo's Got Money Troubles” based on the book “Margo's Got Money Troubles” (Rufi Thorpe) published in 2024 by William Morrow

Available on : Apple TV

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv 📚️💙

1. [TV] “The Testaments” based on the book “The Testaments” (Margaret Atwood🇨🇦) published in 2019 by McClelland & Stewart

Available on : Disney+

2. [TV] “Margo's Got Money Troubles” based on the book “Margo's Got Money Troubles” (Rufi Thorpe) published in 2024 by William Morrow

Available on : Apple TV

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv 📚️💙

1. [TV] “The Testaments” based on the book “The Testaments” (Margaret Atwood🇨🇦) published in 2019 by McClelland & Stewart

Available on : Disney+

2. [TV] “Margo's Got Money Troubles” based on the book “Margo's Got Money Troubles” (Rufi Thorpe) published in 2024 by William Morrow

Available on : Apple TV

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv 📚️💙

1. [TV] “The Testaments” based on the book “The Testaments” (Margaret Atwood🇨🇦) published in 2019 by McClelland & Stewart

Available on : Disney+

2. [TV] “Margo's Got Money Troubles” based on the book “Margo's Got Money Troubles” (Rufi Thorpe) published in 2024 by William Morrow

Available on : Apple TV

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv 📚️💙

1. [TV] “The Testaments” based on the book “The Testaments” (Margaret Atwood🇨🇦) published in 2019 by McClelland & Stewart

Available on : Disney+

2. [TV] “Margo's Got Money Troubles” based on the book “Margo's Got Money Troubles” (Rufi Thorpe) published in 2024 by William Morrow

Available on : Apple TV

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv 📚️💙

New series directed by Øystein Karlsen, starring Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman and Pia Tjelta, now available on Netflix 🎥

📚 “Harry Hole” (Jo Nesbø) published in 2012 by Random House

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #detectivehole #netflix
https://youtu.be/QozBsgrEjnE

New series directed by Øystein Karlsen, starring Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman and Pia Tjelta, now available on Netflix 🎥

📚 “Harry Hole” (Jo Nesbø) published in 2012 by Random House

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #detectivehole #netflix
https://youtu.be/QozBsgrEjnE

New series directed by Øystein Karlsen, starring Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman and Pia Tjelta, now available on Netflix 🎥

📚 “Harry Hole” (Jo Nesbø) published in 2012 by Random House

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #detectivehole #netflix
https://youtu.be/QozBsgrEjnE

New series directed by Øystein Karlsen, starring Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman and Pia Tjelta, now available on Netflix 🎥

📚 “Harry Hole” (Jo Nesbø) published in 2012 by Random House

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #detectivehole #netflix
https://youtu.be/QozBsgrEjnE

New series directed by Øystein Karlsen, starring Tobias Santelmann, Joel Kinnaman and Pia Tjelta, now available on Netflix 🎥

📚 “Harry Hole” (Jo Nesbø) published in 2012 by Random House

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #tv #detectivehole #netflix
https://youtu.be/QozBsgrEjnE

New review of the film "Project Hail Mary" 📊

#bookstodon #fedibooks #BookAdaptation #projecthailmary
https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/critiques/2026-03-20/project-hail-mary/ryan-gosling-est-notre-sauveur.php

New review of the film "Project Hail Mary" 📊

#bookstodon #fedibooks #BookAdaptation #projecthailmary
https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/critiques/2026-03-20/project-hail-mary/ryan-gosling-est-notre-sauveur.php

New review of the film "Project Hail Mary" 📊

#bookstodon #fedibooks #BookAdaptation #projecthailmary
https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/critiques/2026-03-20/project-hail-mary/ryan-gosling-est-notre-sauveur.php

New review of the film "Project Hail Mary" 📊

#bookstodon #fedibooks #BookAdaptation #projecthailmary
https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/critiques/2026-03-20/project-hail-mary/ryan-gosling-est-notre-sauveur.php

New review of the film "Project Hail Mary" 📊

#bookstodon #fedibooks #BookAdaptation #projecthailmary
https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/critiques/2026-03-20/project-hail-mary/ryan-gosling-est-notre-sauveur.php

New film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller and Milana Vayntrub, now playing in theaters 🎥

📚 “Project Hail Mary” (Andy Weir) published in 2021 by Ballantine Books

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #projecthailmary
https://youtu.be/m08TxIsFTRI?si=q9A8vQdWURU8e_lW

New film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller and Milana Vayntrub, now playing in theaters 🎥

📚 “Project Hail Mary” (Andy Weir) published in 2021 by Ballantine Books

#bookstodon #bookadaptation #projecthailmary
https://youtu.be/m08TxIsFTRI?si=q9A8vQdWURU8e_lW