tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post2701853041243460..comments2024-03-17T10:11:46.952-04:00Comments on Film Experience Blog: Link ShelvesNATHANIEL Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-91568843781011804942009-07-20T05:42:13.452-04:002009-07-20T05:42:13.452-04:00I was hoping to be that guy with my "I've...I was hoping to be that guy with my "I've read 50 of those books," but now I'm that other guy.<br /><br />Right now I'm reading The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler, Hell's Angels by Hunter S. Thompson, and Gay New York by George Chauncey.ersinhttp://www.linkseli.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-12967521576727861502009-07-10T21:55:20.234-04:002009-07-10T21:55:20.234-04:00Hi Nathaniel, just found your site, and I enjoy it...Hi Nathaniel, just found your site, and I enjoy it quite a bit. Definitely bookmarked.<br /><br />Just wanted to comment/give kudos to you on your likening our collective blockbuster movie expectations to Stockholm Syndrome...very, very true...and more succinct than I could ever hope to put it. A lot of wisdom there.<br /><br />Also, I see people are talking books here, which is great. Nice to see such high praise for "The Road"...it is summer yes, but I've decided to belatedly dive into this book...I'm only 45 pages in thus far, but I certainly look forward to the journey ahead of me. <br /><br />Is it wrong that I feel a sense of shame to have crumbled in the book store, and bought the little paperback version that features Viggo's worn face on the cover, and the utterance "Now a Major Motion Picture"? I can't help but feel a little less pure for picking up this version, but I feel it's a must-read, and this commercialized version is cheapest (obviously), and what's a broke-ass actor/writer wanna-be to do?rzhttp://filmification.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-72575097024195366792009-07-08T22:58:07.467-04:002009-07-08T22:58:07.467-04:00Ben,
I think Saoirse Ronan would be perfect as Cal...Ben,<br />I think Saoirse Ronan would be perfect as Calliope. <br /><br />But I think the book would work best as a 7-8 episode miniseries. As a show it wouldn't be ideal. I mean, what if it gets canceled? I would be very disappointed. As a mini-series they would just film everything at once and I think it would be perfect.Michael B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06587665362502209914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-67065640565301901492009-07-08T21:44:58.618-04:002009-07-08T21:44:58.618-04:00Oops meant NabokovOops meant NabokovMargaretnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-10410086088288641422009-07-08T21:44:12.163-04:002009-07-08T21:44:12.163-04:00I have read 43 on that list and I would like to re...I have read 43 on that list and I would like to recommend any book by Nabaoov (who wrote "Lolita") I read just about everything he wrote when I was younger and his prose is just beautiful. You have to re-read passages again and again just for their sheer beauty.Margaretnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-75721023110589850272009-07-08T13:49:01.092-04:002009-07-08T13:49:01.092-04:00I'm a slave to lists as well. I was obsessed ...I'm a slave to lists as well. I was obsessed with completing Clifton Faidman's Lifetime Reading Plan when I was a kid and I'm slowly working my way through the 1000 best film list this site linked to a while back. Even though a lot of the lists developed by committee seem bland and safe to me (I'm looking at you AFI film lists!), I can't tear myself away.<br /><br />My personal favorite books:<br />Tristram Shandy, Persuasion, La Distinction, Alice in Wonderland, Bleak House, Phineas Finn, How to Cook a Wolf<br /><br />I prob. wouldn't put most of my personal favorites in the top 100 best books of all time though. There are a lot of other books that are more important because of their influence, historical importance, ground-breaking nature, etc.Christinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-32046447552059098672009-07-08T10:29:09.414-04:002009-07-08T10:29:09.414-04:00I count 24 that I've read front-to-back. I'...I count 24 that I've read front-to-back. I've started a few others and not finished them, and I've read <i>pieces</i> of the Bible. <br /><br />Right now I've got a bunch of books I'm reading for the purpose of writing reviews, as well as reading for work. The most interesting of the bunch are <b>Cinema of the Occult</b>, which is uneven, and <b>Bad Girls Go Everywhere</b>, a biography of Helen Gurley Brown which I am absolutely loving.Deborahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05061313079120981794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-20057171653668477212009-07-08T09:35:20.736-04:002009-07-08T09:35:20.736-04:00Well, HBO are getting ready to make Middlesex into...Well, HBO are getting ready to make Middlesex into a TV series: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/307592-EXCLUSIVE_HBO_to_Develop_Middlesex_as_One_Hour_Series.php.<br /><br />Interesting. I'd agree that the story suits a TV series more than a film, but I would have all sorts of concerns with any adaptation. The casting of Callie would have to be spot-on and no young actress immediately springs to mind that I'm convinced would be able to handle the character. But it's HBO so I have trust.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16411239841812587325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-17063599590456287242009-07-08T02:06:24.028-04:002009-07-08T02:06:24.028-04:00Middlesex is my favorite book of all time. It'...Middlesex is my favorite book of all time. It's so well written and real that by the last page I turned to the beginning again. I'm constantly reading chapters and passages randomly based on my moods.Michael B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06587665362502209914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-85430939798925856692009-07-07T20:32:57.164-04:002009-07-07T20:32:57.164-04:00I've read 34.5 (I've read all of the Illia...I've read 34.5 (I've read all of the Illiad, and none of the Odyssey).<br /><br /> Christine, along with Great Expectations and Crime and Punishment (speaking of - no Dostoyevsky on that list? WTF), 1984 is one of my all time faves (I'm not in the same field as you, though - science geek here). I read it in High School, and thought it was shattering. I wonder if the fact that you are in the English Faculty (one way or another) makes you promote the lesser-known works. I had a teacher who loathed Fitzgerald with a passion and used Dos Passos as the club to beat him with (I haven't read any of the latter).<br /><br /> I love Zadie Smith the way that Nathaniel loves Michelle Pfeiffer.<br /><br /> Last book I read? The Little Stranger, by Sarah Waters. The Great Game by 13 writers (thirteen one act plays about Afghanistan. VERY VERY interesting).Arkaannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-69234657437858912762009-07-07T13:54:03.700-04:002009-07-07T13:54:03.700-04:00"The Line of Beauty" is on my list too. ..."The Line of Beauty" is on my list too. I am a really slow reader because I get distracted all the time. Everything I read reminds me of some exerience I had. <br /><br /><br />I haven't read many of the books on the list but that's OK. I've read many good books. I am currently reading Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro. Very good!Jim Tnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-50153017336716039232009-07-07T13:48:49.407-04:002009-07-07T13:48:49.407-04:00I read most of the 50 I have read because they wer...I read most of the 50 I have read because they were on another list that's probably just as crappy--the Modern Library's "100 greatest novels written in English in the 20th century" or whatever they called it, of which I've read 73. I'm a slave to lists, if only because they bring books/movies/music to my attention that I might not have encountered otherwise. But once you make it through one list (I'm 73 books into the Modern Library one), you start turning up your nose at other lists that contain the same books.<br /><br />And yes, the films that end up on these top 100 lists are usually overrated because any time you poll a bunch of people, your final list is going to gravitate toward middle-of-the-road things that everyone has seen. I prefer lists by individuals (Christine, if you want to post a list of books I'd be in heaven) because they're much more interesting.Mike Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12422891940990550773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-48772037486693763492009-07-07T13:47:29.294-04:002009-07-07T13:47:29.294-04:00Middlesex and The God of Small Things are excellen...Middlesex and The God of Small Things are excellent. <br /><br />If you haven't read them, try them.<br /><br />Marcelo - Brazil.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-38157770540655677342009-07-07T13:44:05.150-04:002009-07-07T13:44:05.150-04:00I'm reading "Push" right now. I was...I'm reading "Push" right now. I wasn't sure what to expect. Part of me was expecting it to be typical pulpy contemporary black fiction, but it's actually very captivating. The structure, and the use of dialect are somewhat distracting, but it actually reads like a sort of "Color Purple" for the 90s (when it was published).<br /><br />I find myself wondering if the movie will retain the graphic nature of the book. It's really REALLY graphic and wrenching. I'm more convinced than ever that Mo'Nique will win that Oscar now. If the movie is even a little true to the book, there's a lot of scenery chewing that'll be going on.The Pretentious Know it Allhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13279181033628364368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-66414574513893906162009-07-07T13:19:46.651-04:002009-07-07T13:19:46.651-04:00My favorite books are 'One Hundred Years of So...My favorite books are 'One Hundred Years of Solitude,' 'Song of Solomon,' 'The Road,' 'The Handmaid's Tale,' 'Aventures of Kavalier and Clay.' <br /><br />Right now I am reading Gaiman & Pritchardt's 'Good Omens' and I <i>lurve</i> it.<br /><br /><b>DJ</b> - I hope you like 'The Blind Assassin.' It took me quite a while (150+ pages) to get into it, but then I was hooked. I also just finished Atwood's 'Oryx and Crake' which was quite good.Rebeccahttp://fffblog.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-86026861658221176492009-07-07T12:58:22.892-04:002009-07-07T12:58:22.892-04:00I've read 13 of them.
Most of my spare readin...I've read 13 of them.<br /><br />Most of my spare reading time goes to drama, which this list mostly ignores.<br /><br />I LOVE that His Dark Materials is on the list though!<br /><br />My favorites are: East of Eden, The History of Love, Atonement, The Road, Blindness, and The Dark Tower series.Mason Mahoneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14430228766074186230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-30038621051549324632009-07-07T11:51:54.480-04:002009-07-07T11:51:54.480-04:00"The Line of Beauty" will change your li..."The Line of Beauty" will change your life.KEVIN M.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-2177316889159134672009-07-07T11:49:03.590-04:002009-07-07T11:49:03.590-04:00I actually like GWTW the book much more than the m...I actually like GWTW the book much more than the movie. Not that the movie is bad but it couldn't encompass the complexity of the book.<br />And I don't think it's cheesy at all, <i> au contraire </i>.adelutzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01500491363721543846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-71327126138657948292009-07-07T11:42:38.217-04:002009-07-07T11:42:38.217-04:00Also, John T don't bother with GWTW. The movi...Also, John T don't bother with GWTW. The movie, sure, but I'm always puzzled by how high the book ranks on these lists; it's pretty cheesy.<br /><br />Or do read it, and we can all start a "that guy" club together.Christinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-63044865719503786582009-07-07T11:38:27.604-04:002009-07-07T11:38:27.604-04:00Yeah, I realized my "I've read all the bo...Yeah, I realized my "I've read all the books" statement seemed kind of obnoxious right after I sent it. Like I said, it's just because it's a job requirement; it's not because I'm particularly industrious or anything. (In fact, as I'm typing this I'm also watching a Law & Order: SVU marathon). <br /><br />I've often wondered if people who watch films for a living feel the same way about film lists as I feel about book lists. Do those of you who write about film get sick of seeing the same films showing up over and over? Are there films that always show up that are really overrated?Christinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-70413038827769359872009-07-07T10:46:46.585-04:002009-07-07T10:46:46.585-04:00I was hoping to be that guy with my "I've...I was hoping to be <i>that guy</i> with my "I've read 50 of those books," but now I'm that other guy.<br /><br />Right now I'm reading <i>The Way of All Flesh</i> by Samuel Butler, <i>Hell's Angels</i> by Hunter S. Thompson, and <i>Gay New York</i> by George Chauncey.Mike Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12422891940990550773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-58909253845024684022009-07-07T10:44:54.556-04:002009-07-07T10:44:54.556-04:00I've read the whole list but it's my job (...I've read the whole list but it's my job (English professor), so I'd be in trouble if I hadn't.<br /><br />Geeky rant to follow:<br />Ditto to everyone who said these consensus lists tend to be bland. They also tend to include a lot of stuff that's well-known but not that well-regarded academically. That's because they almost never specify what they mean by "best" and have a bunch of other methodological flaws so something like 1984 ends up as number two. (Not a bad book, but I don't know anyone in my line of work who would put it in even in the top 100).<br /><br />On the other hand, I love reading people's personal top 100 lists of anything. Those lists reveal a lot about the person compiling it.Christinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-84359371416823163552009-07-07T10:24:07.927-04:002009-07-07T10:24:07.927-04:00I hate to be that guy, but I've read 81 of the...I hate to be <i>that guy</i>, but I've read 81 of these. I'm oddly missing some of the most popular entries, however (GWTW, LOTR, His Dark Materials, The Color Purple, Malcolm X). And I'd like to meet the person who actually made it through all of the Second World War and Das Kapital.John Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12778817752411507792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-71485903406114475312009-07-07T10:11:16.501-04:002009-07-07T10:11:16.501-04:00I've read 34 of that list. It is a weird list ...I've read 34 of that list. It is a weird list though, first great author missing that comes to mind is Alexandre Dumas - no love for the musketeers?<br />Anyways, I read now "Deaf Sentence" by David Lodge. Not bad but a far cry from his awesome trilogy ( "Changing Places", "Small World" and "Nice World"). Which I hugely recommend by the way.adelutzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01500491363721543846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-86843195931439882462009-07-07T10:02:47.642-04:002009-07-07T10:02:47.642-04:00brianmaru I read that last year and think it's...<b>brianmaru</b> I read that last year and think it's easily one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read. Not just a comprehensive recounting of the events themselves but of the media storm surrounding it, mistakes made by both the police and the press and an intelligent, measured account of the killers themselves. I cried at least four times reading it and it's really stayed with me, even months after reading it.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16411239841812587325noreply@blogger.com