| Chen 的个人资料The Wind from Salzburg照片日志列表 |  工具  帮助 |
|
10月19日 考古发现貌似这是上学期帮Lizzy糊的作业。（好好的德语系要写英语诗，北外的老师果然狠。）
发现我也很会酸的。。。
If Only
If only, if only, I had not caught your sight If only, if only, my fancy had not taken flight If only, if only, you had not turned and smiled If only, if only, your eyes were not so mild If only, if only, you had not looked at me If only, if only, my heart had not danced with glee If only, if only, you had not walked away If only, if only, I had not sighed with dismay If only, if only, it was not love at first glance If only, if only, you had not put me in a trance If only, if only, love was not madness none might cure If only, if only, passion was not torture none can endure If only, if only, I would forget you in a few days If only, if only, you might remember my fervent gaze If only, if only, we would meet again If only, if only, I loved not in vain 10月11日 What You WILLMuch Ado About Nothing (1995)
Director: Kenneth Branagh  Possibly the most successful and popular adaptation of a Shakespearean play ever, Kenneth Branagh’s version of Much Ado About Nothing captures the bubbling, sizzling humor and merriment in Shakespeare’s original script. The scene where Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into falling in love with one another is as delightful as it can get. Wonderful music. Excellent casting. Beautiful landscape.
Some has criticized this version of being too “bright and happy”, that it deliberately overlooks the dark undertone in Shakespeare’s original. Maybe. It’s true that one does not feel so settled after reading the play. But who cares! We mediocre film watchers love green fields and clear fountains, dashing men in regimentals, witty ladies in white muslin. We love melodious melodies, villainous villains, foolish fools, and happy happy endings. Call me vulgar. As You Like It (2007)
Director: Kenneth Branagh  This film sadly demonstrates the fact that even geniuses do not-so-very-ingenious things once in a while.
The setting is extremely unexpected to start with: 19th century Japan. Not that I am against innovation of ideas or Japan in any way, but the idea of connecting As You Like It (one of my very favorite Shakespeare plays) with Japan is just…weird. OK, I know that Rosalind is still Rosalind even when she wears a kimono and Orlando is still Orland though he turns into a way-too-skinny sumo wrestler, but hanging katakana on the trees? Man, give me a break. (I rewatched the film in my Shakespeare class at ICU again. Judging from the continuing giggling from the students around me—even at the most serious moments—the “Japanese” culture presented here is not so very Japanese after all.) Also, it would be more desirable if Orlando could be white. I am not a racist in any way. It is just that somehow I got into my head that Orlando is one of the handsomest of all Shakespeare heroes, whereas the actor playing Orlando in this film definitely has no chance of ever being called handsome (God bless him). In fact, the only really handsome man in the film is the actor playing Silvius (who, though is a genuine Brit, looks very Asian in Japanese costumes). But he only has a few scenes. But those problems can be overlooked if the play is nicely adapted. But it is not. Large chunks of important lines are cut, leaving only the main plot. But the problem is, As You Like It does not have a very exciting and clear story line like Much Ado About Nothing. Also, somehow the whole movie makes you feel very heavy. Our professor explained that in the heart of every good comedy, there is a very serious story. The play builds on this story, adding small incidences and witty language to make it a comedy. If you strip all these away, then of course you are left with only a heavy story. Also, because of the excessive cutting of the lines, the character of Rosalind is seriously damaged. Most experts claim that Rosalind is the greatest of all Shakespearean heroines. But in this version, she most certainly is not. She’s sentimental, hysterical, overly feminine, and not at all in control of the love game she herself devised. The acting also leaves much to be desired. The actress playing Rosalind makes no effort to act like a man when Rosalind turns into Ganymede. Celia is just a silly sidekick of Rosalind’s. Phoebe is too exaggerated. Silvius…well, one does not want to say anything against a handsome young man…but his tone and body language are almost the same throughout the play (perhaps this is what Shakespeare intended? Silvius is but a secondary character, desperately in love and that’s all.) On the other hand, the portray of the melancholy Jaques and the court jester Touchstone respectively is masterly. But it is still Branagh. And since there is not yet a better film version of As You Like It (pity, pity, pity), it’ll have to do for the moment.  Twelfth Night (or What You Will) (1996)
 Director: Trevor Nunn
One word: Bravo.
All star performance (though indeed with Britain, you almost always get all-star performance, think of the size of the that country). Imogen Stubbs (who played Lucy Steel in Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility, imagine my surprise…), Helena Bonham Carter (A Room with a View), Sir Ben Kingsley (Gandhi), Imelda Staunton (Sense and Sensibility, Much Ado About Nothing), Toby Stephens (Jane Eyre, Possession, I don’t really like him though, I don’t know why.)
Amazing casting: Amazingly, Viola and Sebastian actually do look broadly alike. Excellent setting: Edwardian Wonderful landscape: Cornwall Beautiful costume: Viola’s regimental is so…there is no other word for it…attractive. Olivia’s pre-Raphaelic gown makes her looks like a moving masterpiece. Wonderful acting: Just look at Imogen Stubbs. When Viola turns into Cessario, you are really convinced that this is a boy. (I perfectly understand how Olivia falls in love with “him”. I would, had it been me.) Ben Kingsley’s portray of Feste is sophisticated. And Mel Smith’s Malvolio is masterly. (I’d like to see how Laurence Olivier acts Malvolio though, that must be a treat for the eye.)  Perfect adaptation: The original flavor of the play is not lost a bit in the film. The whole film you feel sweet and bitter (not bitter sweet), happy and disappointed. The ending, with the disturbing and pathetic reappearance of poor Malvolio is a bit sad and dark, but that is the same feeling you get with reading the play. I am running out of positive adjectives here. But I’ve watched it for four nights straight. They say action speaks louder than words. |
|
|
