Hysteria

Hysteria (2011)

Hysteria is a movie about the invention of..ahem ahem ..the Vibrator. That’s a very bold topic to make a period movie on, but you can’t change the facts. The movie is directed by Tanya Wexler and stars Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jonathan Pryce, Rupert Everett and Felicity Jones, among others.

Hugh Dancy as Mortimer Granville,
Hysteria

Maggie Gyllenhaal as
Charlotte Dalrymple,
Hysteria

So, this movie is about a young doctor, Mortimer Granville who is qualified and sympathetic to his patients yet not able to carve a niche for him. Mortimer (played by Hugh Dancy) lives with Edmund St. John-Smythe (played by Rupert Everett) as latter’s family support for him. Edmund is shown to be an inventor of some sorts, playing with gadgets and electricity generators.

The movie starts with ladies telling about their “problems” to Doctor Dalrymple, which he defines as HYSTERIA. Dr. Dalrymple (played by Jonathan Pryce) runs an elite clinic which deals with the ladies problems. What exactly he does to cure his patients, he gives them some “pelvic massage” (which until recently I didn’t know is suppose to be a doctor’s job). He is successful and is the father of two daughters, Charlotte Dalrymple (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Emily Dalrymple (Felicity Jones). While Charlotte is outgoing and all about the reform in women’s life, Emily is everything a good, decent and intelligent British girl ought to be.

Felicity Jones as Emily Dalrymple and Jonathan Pryce as Dr. Dalrymple,
Hysteria

Young Dr. Mortimer is out work, despite of trying at a number of clinics so one day he goes to Dr. Dalrymple’s clinic to work as an assistant. He soon masters the art of “pelvic massage” and clients start to pour in at the clinic. While things are going well at Dr. Dalrymple’s, his elder daughter, Charlotte is fighting for feminine causes and resettlement, and turns short of money. Dr. Dalrymple is shown to be quite against her inferior activities, on the other hand, he thinks very well of his younger daughter, Emily, even Mortimer starts paying a great deal of attention to her.

Busy schedules and burst of clients leaves Mortimer with a stiff hand and as a consequence, clients aren’t satisfied anymore. Dalrymple throws him out on account of an unsatisfied client and now again, Mortimer gets out of work.  Then what happens is the main plot of the movie and I am not going to spoil it for you. Though there are some things I would pen down here.

Rupert Everett as
Edmund St. John-Smythe,
Hysteria

Hysteria works well as a comedy, it’s not too loud, though exaggerated at some places. The opening scene itself sets the tone of the coming one and a half hour of comedy and the theme of the movie. About casting I would like to express my express disappointment, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Charlotte Dalrymple, not happening! She might as well have been Mrs. Dalrymple, I mean, look at her, no offence but she looks really mature and far too old to act as Hugh Dancy’s love interest. On the other hand, Felicity Jones, who looks like she isn’t going to shed her baby suit for years to come, looks like her daughter, not sister.  Hugh Dancy has done a good work, helpless and kind doctor, who finally falls for aunt Charlotte Dalrymple. Also, Maggie Gyllenhaal just, sort of spoils the whole period movie grace of the movie; you can be a social worker without being barbaric. Felicity Jones, didn’t have much to do or act, still she was nice in her tamed role.

Sheridan Smith as Molly the 'Lolly',
Hysteria

Molly the Lolly, was funny and has done her part well but then you have Mrs. Castellari, simply over acted the whole thing, and it was not funny. Another thing, I couldn’t understand why did the threesome, Mortimer, Dalrymple and Edmund put on their goggles before treating Mrs. Castellari with the thing, as if something was about to get spilled.

The movie has more highs than lows and can make a good watch for you and you won’t need to carry your brain. 

World War Movies

Top Period Movies of the War

I thought of making a list of my favourite Period Movies of the War since I am so keen on them. The subject of most of these movies remains to be World War II, because of the obvious brutality and the mass killing all over the world.

Anyway, these are my favourite war time movies which really get you as close to the war scene as you could go within the safety of your home and comfort of your flat screens.

Schindler's List (1993)

#1. Schindler’s List (1993) – I don’t have words to describe this movie, probably the best I ever saw, in all aspects. The movie has been directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes in the lead. It is a long movie and the one which gives you creeps, showing the truest horrors of the Second World War. A must watch for everyone who has the slightest inclination towards cinema or war movies. Mind you, it’s very disturbing.

Downfall (2004) Downfall (2004)

#2. Downfall (2004) – The movie is about the last days of the devil Adolph Hitler, as seen by his last secretary, Traudl Junge, in his Berlin bunker, at the close of the Second World War. The movie is directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel and stars Bruno Ganz and Alexandria Maria Lara in the lead. It gives an honest picture about the whimsical last days of Adolph Hitler and how he decided to commit suicide alongwith his mistress, Eva Braun. A movie very well directed and worth watching.

The Diary of Anne Frank (2009)

#3. The Diary of Anne Frank (2009) – A classic, one of my most favourites. I have already posted about The Diary of Anne Frank in one of my posts. The story is about a young thirteen years old girl, living in hiding during the Nazis Holland occupation. It stars Ellie Kendrick in the lead, as Anne Frank, although she is not a known name in the industry as yet, she did a great job in this series. The last scene of the series, as I have already mentioned before, is remarkably well directed, without any dialogues, conveys everything. Catch it!

#4. Nuremberg (2000) and The Way Back (2010) – Here’s a tie between Nuremberg and The Way Back, both of which are super good.

Nuremberg (2000)

Nuremberg (2000) is a movie about the war crime trials committed during the World War II, with the Nazi defeat. It is directed by Yves Simoneau and stars Alec Baldwin in the lead. Though nothing brutal has been shown in the movie, but it does give an account on the consequences of the war and the crime committed by the Nazi.

The Way Back (2010)

The Way Back (2010) is a movie about a group of convicts who escape the Russian Gulag during the World War II and walk 4000 miles to find their freedom across the Himalayas. The movie has been directed by Peter Weir and stars Jim Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, in the lead among others.  To tell you the truth, it is quite surprising and inspirational, all along the way. The ensemble of cast has done a great job.

Enemy at the Gates (2001)

#5. Enemy at the Gates (2001) – This movie is about the battle of Stalingrad during the World War II, where two snipers, a German and a Russian indulge in a battle of skills. The movie is directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and stars Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz in the lead. It’s an excellent movie, though a little deviated at times from the central war theme, and more bent upon skills of two people alone, it makes a great watch still.

This was just a brief something about my favorite movies; do tell me about your favorites. As we are on the topic of World War movies, there are some other movies I would like to mention here:

• The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas
• The Courageous Heart of Irena Sandler
• Letters from Iwo Jima
• My Boy Jack
• Defiance
• Saving Private Ryan
• Valkyrie

Again, I love comments so feel free to post some!

Lost in Austen

Lost in Austen (2008) is TV miniseries which is loosely based on Jane Austen’s ever popular novel Pride & Prejudice. The story is written by Guy Andrews and directed by Dan Zeff. It stars Jemima Rooper, Hugh Bonneville, Gemma Arterton,Tom Mison, among others.

Lost in Austen (2008)

The story begins with Penguin Classic PRIDE & PREJUDICE in view along with the famous opening line delivered a bit differently, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that  … we are all longing to escape..”. The protagonist, Amanda Price (Jemima Rooper) is a young woman working and living in London, and of course an ardent Pride and Prejudice fan. She reads the book and suddenly starts imagining Austen’s world, as is the case with most of us, Austen fans. 

Morven Christie (as Jane Bennett)
 and  Jemima Rooper (as Amanda Price),
Lost in Austen

One day, while reading the book, she hears some disturbance in her bathroom and finds out, to her immense surprise that Elizabeth Bennett has somehow entered into her flat. Miss Bennett points out a door and tells her that it was through this door that she found her way. Amanda Price climbs through the door to the other side, which is, Longbourn, Bennett’s place. The door then shuts up and Amanda gets stuck in Pride and Prejudice plot. Everything that follows is a platter served with confusion, characters, chaos and of course sprinkled with lots of comedy. Look out for the one liners because they are funny. Especially, Mr. Bennett’s (Hugh Bonneville) lines are full of sarcastic wit, my favorite.

Hugh Bonneville
(as Mr. Bennett),
Lost in Austen

In the first episode, the plot is set and progresses a bit too. I think of it as the best of all the four episodes. You get the taste of the great confusion coming in the consequent episodes, here itself. The second episode brings along Wickham. He’s cute (and ought to be cute, I wouldn't have liked him any other way) I am sure, but Bingley (Tom Mison) is definitely the cutest of all (at least by my standards), but you’ll find that Wickham is full of GAIETY. The good thing about this miniseries is that, though its four episodes long, the story never loses pace; there is always something up and coming. In the third episode, well, there’s a cut on entertainment, I think. It definitely helps in the progress of the plot but a little dull on entertainment. Don’t think that I am describing the story plainly, there’s a lot to say actually but it would all be spoiler. There are a number of one liners that I would like to quote here and scenes I would like to describe, but it will ruin the story for you, so just keep your patience and read along. The fourth and the final episode, the “things” don’t seem to get settled until at least the very end – an end designed with good deal of imagination and beauty!   

Tom Mison (as Mr. Bingley)
and Elliot Cowan (as Mr. Darcy),
Lost in Austen

Jemima Rooper has done a great job as the shocked, out-of-place yet helpful girl, Amanda Price. One could even say that at many places throughout the series she has carried the scene away on her shoulders alone, despite of other characters. As always, Hugh Bonneville has done amazingly well, the character with the best lines and has delivered them with full justice. The rest of the ensemble has done a good job in keeping the series in good fun. I know I must not write it all, but I am really itching (although ladies are strangers to the itch) to give some of my opinions which are sure to delight you yet ruin the series watching for you, still –

Wittiest Character- Mr. Bennett

Most Handsome -    Mr. Bingley

Most Beautiful -      Jane Bennet

Most Evil -              Caroline Bingley

Sweetest Couple (ever) – Mr. Bingley and Jane Bennett              

Queen Bee -           Amanda Price

I was a little disappointed in Darcy, until of course I witnessed the line in the scroll, which wiped out all the demerits, if only I could tell you what was written.

Amanda Price and Darcy, Lost in Austen

So, that’s about Lost in Austen, very nice, well written and comic TV series to watch, especially if you’re an Austen fan. The best part of the series, the “unspoken assumptions” behind Jane Austen’s story. I would suggest you this one, all ages and moods and I know most of you would love it, just like me.

Do tell me how you liked it.

Oliver with a Twist

“Oliver!” – Classic Period Movie with a Twist!

With the stage show of Dickens’ Oliver Twist (Oliver!) hitting recent headlines for still touring the UK after a staggering 50 years, it is appropriate to take a look at the 1968 movie it so closely relates to.

The 1968 version of “Oliver!” has an original take on most period movies as it contains music. All of the script, music and lyrics are by British musician Lionel Bart. Although there have been remakes of the Dickens classic for over one hundred years, another excellent version being the David Lean adaptation from 1948, which stars actor Anthony Newley as the Artful Dodger; “Oliver!” has to be one of the most memorable. One of the reasons for this is the outstanding cast which features Sir Harry Secombe as Mr Bumble, Leonard Rossiter as Mr Sowerberry, Oliver Reed as Bill Sykes, Ron Moody as Fagin and Mark Lester in the title role. The story is played out as follows:

At the start Oliver is living at an orphanage with fellow young boys and dares to ask for more gruel. In this period such insolence was considered outrageous so Mr Bumble ‘Caretaker’ of the workhouse promptly sells him to undertaker Mr Sowerberry. Oliver fights bully Noah Claypole after he insults his late mother and escapes in a commotion when Mr Bumble comes to collect him.

Oliver heads to London and makes friends with the Artful Dodger without realising he’s a pickpocket. Dodger lures a trusting Oliver to Fagin’s lair where he initially believes they make handkerchiefs, only to discover later in the story that they steal them. Oliver meets Nancy, the live-in girlfriend of terrifying Bill Sykes and it is apparent there is a strong bond between them.

Oliver is framed for a crime he didn’t commit when Mr Brownlow, a wealthy man is robbed. However, he happily resides with Mr Brownlow and Mr Brownlow can’t help but notice the resemblance Oliver shares with his niece. Bill Sykes worries Oliver may reveal the whereabouts of the den so Nancy and Bill grab Oliver. Nancy protects Oliver when Bill tries to beat him and Fagin reviews his ways.

Feeling remorseful about taking Oliver, Nancy returns him to Mr Brownlow, after Mr Brownlow has worked out from a locket with the assistance of Mr Bumble that he and Oliver are related. Bill follows them and kills Nancy, grabbing Oliver as his hostage. Two Policemen sneak up on Bill and one fatally shoots him, leaving Fagin again to ‘Review the Situation’.

How successful has this version been?

The financial success of this version speaks volumes, with Box Office figures being recorded as over $37 million domestic and $56.8 million worldwide and rentals. One of the stars to have his name engraved on a prestigious Golden Globe award is the legendary Ron Moody for his portrayal as Fagin. He achieved ‘Best Actor Motion Picture Musical or Comedy’.  Additionally to Ron Moody’s award, another engraving the film received was on the Golden Globe for the Best Motion Picture in 1968. It also won 6 Academy awards.



Ron Moody as Fagin

Although the Dickens novel is at times gloomy, this version has uplifting moments and the viewer gets to experience a wide range of emotions. Bart’s musical score is truly excellent, catchy and memorable including songs such as “Food Glorious Food”, which has since been used in many commercials, the moving “Where is Love?” which rather controversially wasn’t actually recorded by Mark Lester and the upbeat “Consider Yourself”. It can only be a positive point that the portrayal of Fagin by Ron Moody in this production is a toned down version of the Dickens original that has been described as anti-Semitic. In fact Fagin is often seen as a likeable rogue by his viewers. In the stage production the character is often portrayed now by Comedians/Comic Actors including Jim Dale and Rowan Atkinson.



Rowan Atkinson



Eagerly awaited Sequel

 A sequel has recently been written called “Dodger!” It is set 7 years after the events in the Oliver Twist novel. Part of the plot includes Artful Dodger being sentenced to an Australian penal colony. Dodger also becomes romantically involved with a friend of Nancy’s called Bet (who appears briefly in the original movie.) I can only hope this will be turned into a movie of the same stature, but there is no doubt “Oliver!”is going to be a tough act to follow!

TITANIC

This is a guest post by Imogen.

Titanic Resurfaces Fifteen Years After Original Release with a 3D Makeover

When it was first released in 1997, James Cameron’s Titanic made a staggering 1.8 billion dollars at the box office. This week it was re-released with a 3D twist to coincide with the one hundredth anniversary of the disaster. Cameron and his team have spent several years editing frames of the epic tragedy with computer generated effects, leaving critics and fans waiting with baited breath to see if the film the world fell in love with fifteen years ago could possibly be improved upon. The answer to this seems to be a resounding yes.

Similarly to his past success, Avatar, Cameron uses the 3D format artistically and subtlety in order to enhance only relevant frames. The first scenes on board Brock Lovett’s ship may leave audiences feeling underwhelmed after paying their increased 3D admission fee, but as soon as Rose takes them back to 1912 they’ll begin to get their moneys worth. The Southampton Port scene in particular utilises the 3D format to create a swelling, vibrating crowd that captures the frantic atmosphere surrounding the maiden voyage of the ‘unsinkable ship’. After the iceberg hits, the added effects make for some spectacular visuals that really convey the colossal size of the ship and colossal nature of the tragedy.

Titanic 3D

However Cameron uses the 3D effects sparingly and only scenes that will benefit from a 3D makeover get one. In the more intimate moments, the 3D effects are kept to a minimum to retain the charm and magic of the original film. The general consensus is that Cameron has made a great film even greater by revitalising scenes and making them fresher, crisper and even more captivating without going over the top.

Of course even films with a vast budget and impressive special effects are nothing without a gripping story and relatable characters. This is why audiences are still in love with Titanic fifteen years on, over and above all the other celebrity cruise ships; because at the heart of the drama, chaos and disaster are Jack and Rose – a young, mismatched couple who the audience truly begin to care about. Rose (Kate Winslet) is a young, American socialite trapped in a loveless engagement to rich but cruel Cal (Billy Zane) because her mother is in financial difficulty. Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a kind but penniless artist who won his ticket on the Titanic in a game of poker. After falling for each other on the ill fated voyage, Jack and Rose try and overcome obstacles such as class barriers, Rose’s mother’s disapproval and ultimately a sinking ship in order to be together. Their love affair seems doomed from the start, and yet such is the chemistry between the two young actors that the audience watch on in desperate hope of a happy ending.

Titanic

By keeping the focus on the love story between Jack and Rose, Cameron manages to avoid confusing the audience with too many sub plots. The film boasts a strong supporting cast with Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher and David Warner to name a few – but ultimately they are just that: supporting characters. The Jack/Rose/Cal love triangle is the story at the heart of the film and is executed flawlessly with moments of heartbreak, humour and hope that the audience will not forget in a hurry.

Kate Winslet as Rose &
Leonardo Dicaprio as Jack

However despite the poignancy of Jack and Rose’s fictional love story, it is impossible to overlook the true tragedy that the film is based around. One thousand five hundred people died on the Titanic in 1912 and the visual effects used in both the original and 3D versions of the film to capture the horror of the disaster are awe inspiring. The footage we see in the opening scenes of the film (where Brock Lovett’s team are searching the wreck of the Titanic) also include shots taken by Cameron’s crew of the real Titanic lying on the ocean floor. This only adds to the films authenticity and reminds the audience that far from being a whimsical love story, Titanic is a memoir of a true disaster that touched the lives of many people one hundred years ago this week. This, coupled with an engaging plot, loveable characters and dazzling special effects makes for a film that includes both style and substance.