The great Charlie Chaplin! O, the age of silent films!

Vaudeville... to Broadway.... to silent films... to modern day films. It is no secret, Americans love good entertainment.
From Cohan to Charlie Chaplin to Sinatra to Martin Freeman! To John Barrymore. (NOT John Barrowman.... John Barrymore).

You'll never guess what I watched tonight. A silent film from 1922 (which has been restored) starring John Barrymore as Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

 

My friend's mom saw this at the library and got it out for me. I thought it was just going to be an old black and white Sherlock Holmes, like Basil Rathbone or something, but I got a shock... It was a silent film! I was ecstatic. I could not believe it!
So I spent the next 85 minutes drowned in silent film bliss.... And Sherlock Holmes.
Basically the plot was A Scandal in Bohemia (the first Sherlock Holmes short story). Except whoever wrote it changed all the names and changed the plot a bit...
No Irene Adler. Instead it was about a prince who was going to marry a girl named Rose. That is, until his brothers are killed and he's made crown prince. Rose ends up throwing herself off a cliff and her sister, Alice, is going to blackmail the crown prince with letters he and Rose wrote to each other as revenge for her sister's death.
So Sherlock Holmes goes to find the letters.... (In a similar way as he does in the book. A pretend fire, and she goes after the letters).
Oh yeah, and Moriarty is thrown in there too, somewhere... I'm not exactly sure how he fit in.
Anyway, in the end Moriarty's web was foiled and the prince wasn't blackmailed... And Sherlock Holmes married Alice.
WHAT?!
You read right. In the end, Moriarty says, "Don't think this is over." and Holmes replies, "I hope it's over, because I'm leaving for my honeymoon tomorrow." (Of course, they didn't say anything because it was a silent film.)
After he says that, Moriarty is led away and Watson congratulates his friend. Holmes waves Watson away and after Watson leaves, leans in for a kiss. 'The End' rolls across the screen just before their lips touch (thankfully).

Despite the deviation from Sherlock Holmes's personality and the plot line from the original story, I enjoyed this film a lot. I enjoyed laughing at it - because silent films are laughable, even if they are serious.
John Barrymore played the part of Sherlock Holmes very well, and he looks like the great detective as well!

 

The other characters were well cast as well... Moriarty looked like Moriarty and Watson looked like Watson.

Though the plot was a bit confusing and it deviated from real Sherlock Holmes, it is most definitely worth watching. Arthur Conan Doyle himself approved of the movie, and I believe he had a part in writing it.

For Sherlock Holmes fans, this movie is a cute, fun piece of film history to watch and I recommend it!

Live long and prosper!

Top Tuesday: Top Eleven Period Dramas.

I am starting something new. Every Tuesday I will post a list of my "Top ______ _______'s."
Today, I will be starting with my Top eleven favorite period dramas. I will start with the highest number and end with my number one favorite.
(Also, just by the way, I have seen at least five more period dramas than those on the list, but since they didn't make a huge impact on me, they won't be listed).

11. Cranford.
Cranford is a lively drama set in a small town in the 1840's.

Cranford is run by the ladies, who love to gossip and tell all sorts of stories.
Cranford (and Return to Cranford) is full of fun, lively characters who do hilarious things (like dress up the cow in pajamas and put a bird in a hoop skirt).
I enjoy Cranford, although it's a bit too sad.... Everyone dies! Well, not everyone. But a whole lot of people die - and I don't like stories where people die all the time. (MOFFAT!!!)

10. Sense and Sensibility (2008).

I did a review (of sorts) here.

9. Mansfield Park (1983).

Mansfield Park is one of the less-popular Austin novels... and the film adaptions don't do too well either, I think. I, however, love Mansfield Park. I don't know what it is about it... I just love it. This particular version is probably my favorite because it's the one I saw first, and I really like the actress who plays Fanny. I also love it when Fanny goes home... Her family is so strange.
I've seen one other version of Mansfield Park... One starring Billie Piper as Fanny. I really enjoyed that one as well... But for some odd reason, I don't remember much of it. Maybe because half the time I was going, "Rose! Rose! Why are you in the 1800's Rose? Did the Doctor drop you off?!" and the other half of the time I was going, "MR. ELTON! How come you aren't despicable in this one? You're so nice! How is that possible?!"

8. Downton Abbey.

 

Most people have heard of Downton Abbey. It's one of those popular British shows that everyone loves... Kind of like Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Merlin. It's set in the early 1900's, and shows the rich life of the Crawley family, and their servants. The social structures collapse during the First World War (which takes places in Season 2) and master fights next to servant.
It is all very interesting and a great show (although there is some questionable material).

7. Persuasion (1995 - It was a very good year.... for Jane Austin films....)

 

Because it's Jane Austin. And I love this adaption, even though I haven't seen any other ones, and even though I haven't read the book, and even though I have no clue if it's accurate or not.

6. Sherlock Holmes, starring Jeremy Brett.

THE best interpretation of the Sherlock Holmes books that I have seen. It is so accurate to the books. Jeremy Brett would read each script and if something wasn't like the books, he would make the writers change it.
He looks like Sherlock Holmes, he acts like Sherlock Holmes, he IS Sherlock Holmes.

5. The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982).

 

I saw this recently and oh my word... It was amazing! I have heard great things about it and boy, my sources were right. Now I really want to read the book (though I've heard the movie version is different from the book).
I laughed so hard at some parts... Great movie. "Sink meh!"

4. Sense and Sensibility (1995).

 

Colonel Brandon = Alan Rickman! Enough said.
Hee hee kidding.
Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorite Austin books, and this version with Emma Thompson is great. She's a wonderful actress. Everyone else fits their parts well also. Except maybe Edward... I have yet to find a perfect Edward.

3. Master and Commander.

 

I'm not entirely sure this counts as a period drama... But whatever, it's one of my favorites.
The music is amazing, Russell Crowe is amazing, the doctor dude whose name I never remember is amazing... It's all great. Plus it takes place on a ship! I love stories that take place on ships, on stories where people are on a ship that gets shipwrecked.
Anyway, it is one of my all time favorite movies. (Warning: There is one use of the F-word.)

2. Pride and Prejudice (1995 - told you it was a good year for Jane Austin adaptions).

This is one of those period dramas that I will never get tired of watching... Even though it is six hours long. It just has a way of drawing you in... Ask my dad! We started watching it with him and then my mom and I went on our big trip over the summer and he finished watching it without us!
This adaption of Pride and Prejudice is also the most accurate to the book that I've seen.

And now... *drumroll* my favorite period drama.....

1. Emma (2009).

 

This is another of those period dramas that I could watch over and over and over again.
Emma is by far my mom and I's favorite. I haven't read Emma, but from what I gather, this version is very close to the book.
Plus the costumes are beautiful! And the music is wonderful! And the actors are brilliant! (See Jonny Lee Miller on the right? Sherlock Holmes from Elementary!)

And there you have it! Tomorrow I will try my best to comment on every one's blogs... since I haven't for a few days. I have been reading all your posts, though!

Live long and prosper!

Barking spiders! It's ANOTHER book review!

This is my last book review for awhile, I promise!

 

 

Title: Leviathan (#1), Behemoth (#2), and Goliath (#3).

Author: Scott Westerfeld.

Synopsis: The world is enveloped in The Great War - Clankers against Darwinists.
Alek is the heir to the Austrian throne and is running for his life to escape his uncle, the emperor, who wishes him dead.
Deryn is a girl dressed up as a boy, serving in the British Air Service.
When the two cross paths by chance, many adventures ensue.
Will Alek end the war?
Will Deryn's secret be revealed?
And, most importantly, will Borvil, the Perspicacious Loris, quit repeating everything and learn to think for himself?!

My rating: 8/10 stars for the whole series.

Why I liked the story: I loved these books. They were so creative! They were in the genre Steampunk (which is kind of an alternate history), which gave the author a LOT of creative freedom. Mr. Westerfeld did a great job with that. I especially liked the Leviathan (an airship). He also did a GREAT job changing World War One into his own thing, without changing too much history. I loved the little mentions on real people... Like Edison and Henry Ford.
The characters. I know, I know... I mention characters every time.... But these were really good characters! I especially liked Deryn and the background characters (like Count Volger and Klopp).
Speaking of Deryn.... I was talking with Miss Jack about Deryn (and other female characters who dress as guys) and we both agree that Deryn is done very well. Usually girl characters who dress as guys think they are the best thing since sliced bread and think they can do everything by themselves without a guy's help. Deryn doesn't think she can do everything. She acts just like all her crew mates... Loyal, brave, and would do anything for her friends.
I loved how Westerfeld kept Deryn's secret from Alek until the last book. It really helped the story and was a good way to go.
There was a relaly good message of friendship and telling the truth.
The book took place in a lot of different locations (London, Austria, Istanbul [was Constantinople, now it's Istanbul not Constantinople, been a long time gone, old Constantinople, still it's Turkish delight, on a moonlit night....], Japan, Siberia America... lots of places). I love books that take place in many many locations. (Like Tintin!)
The drawings! Oh my word. Beautiful! I love black and white drawings.... Sidney Paget type work. These book were illustrated in that way and it was great!

(Borvil's buddy.)
BORVIL! He was so cute. On that note, I shall go onto what I didn't like.

Why I didn't like the story/things you should know: There were several things that stood out to me about these books that I didn't particularly like....
I'll start out with the smallest things. There were some swear words in the books, especially the last one. Only a couple (less than the Larklight series). I don't remember any in the first two... Except Deryn's "barking spiders!"
Deryn and Alek's relationship. Now, Deryn falls in love with Alek pretty quickly, but since he doesn't know that Deryn is actually a girl, Deryn can't tell him. When he finally finds out in the third book, he ignores her for awhile. But then, in the end, falls in love with her as well... And ends up killing a man for her.
Anyway, Alek and Deryn know each other for about four or five months. Those five months are war-torn and ravaged. Alek doesn't even know Deryn is a girl until near the end. They have a very strong friendship before that.
My point is, that, Alek and Deryn really don't know the 'real' Alek and Deryn. Alek is devastated that his parents are dead, and he thinks the war is his fault, and therefore, he has a responsibility to stop it.
Deryn is a girl dressed as a boy.
They don't know the real Alek and Deryn, the Alek and Deryn outside of the war. Alek ends up throwing away his throne to be with Deryn in the end and they don't even know if they will like each other after the war. They are only sixteen or so in the book.
That aside, I can still say that I was hoping they would get together because they do go well together. =)
Some of it was confusing... The biggest question I had was about Deryn and Newkirk. They were midshipmen, newly enlisted in the Air Service, yet they seemed to have a pretty high rank and could order people around. Their opinions were taken into regard. To me, it would seem that midshipmen, newly enlisted, wouldn't have so much power... But I don't know. Anyone out there know?
The two major powers in this series are the Clankers and the Darwinists. The Clankers rely heavily on machines that they make. The Darwinists "fabricate" beasts. Once upon a time, Darwin (in this alternate history) figured out how to separate the life threads and then mix them up again to create something new, like a Tigeresque or an Elephantine, or Leviathan itself. All of the beasties are fabricated from many different species. Leviathan itself is made out of over 100 different species.
I think that you need to be careful when reading books like this. At the same time, I can appreciate the author's creativity. I know the real story - God created animals and there is no way to take the different life threads and mix them together to make something different.

Have I read it before? Nope.

Will I read it again? Maybe!

Would I recommend it? Yes! Just be careful with the whole Darwinist thing. Also, this book probably isn't for smaller children.... I'd say 12+

Now I start reading Moby Dick. Scary!

Live long and prosper!

The Scarlet Letter - Review.

Before I do my book review... I want to say a couple of things.
1. Tonight I stopped saxophone lessons. I have thought a lot about this and my decision has not come lightly. I don't want to talk long about this... But the short of it is: I lost my passion for it and I don't see myself playing my whole life. I don't enjoy it as much as my other music (piano and voice). Plus, along with that, it's one last thing I have to worry about and practice.
2. On a happier note... I went to Barnes and Nobles tonight and saw, for the second time, The Hobbit novel, translated into Latin. *shakes head* Hee hee... It's so odd. Why Latin?
Also at Barnes and Nobles I saw DOCTOR WHO STUFF!!!!! =D They had a t-shirt ("You never forget your first doctor"), the 11th Doctor's sonic screwdriver (if they had had Nine's, I would have gotten it - but they didn't), some toys (a talking Dalek. Hee hee. And a lot of TARDIS'), and also a 50th anniversary edition of Doctor Who Monopoly.
It was super cool.

Now onto my review.

Title: The Scarlet Letter. (Book for literature class.)

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Synopsis: Hester Prynne has committed adultery and has borne a daughter, Pearl. In the Puritan community in the 1600's this is a horrible crime. As a result, Hester must wear a scarlet letter A on her bosom. Meanwhile, Hester's husband finds out and is determined to find and torture the man who fathered Pearl. Also there is Arthur Dimmesdale, who is a pastor suffering with a secret that would cost him his position.

My rating: 5/10.

Why I liked the story: It was relatively easy to read and the chapters were short. I think the longest one (not counting "The Custom House") is about six or seven pages. That was nice. It was a much easier read (and shorter) than The Last of the Mohicans, which was the last literature book.
Nathaniel Hawthorne is a good writer. He has a way of capturing your emotions and making you wish that everything ends happily (which is doesn't). He twists your emotions and in the end, you wish that Hester and Pearl's father get together, which is sinful and wrong, but you still feel it.
He portrayed his characters well.
The themes of the book were good: Sin and the result of sin; judgement; and stuff like that.
There were no swear words or open use of the word adultery (which is kind of interesting).

Why I didn't like the story/things you need to know: I was really stretching to come up with good things to say about this book because the truth of it is, I did not enjoy this book. My mom loves it, though. It would be a lie to say that I understood why.
Anyway, in my opinion, the bad outweighs the good. I'm not even sure where to start... Maybe with Pearl.
Pearl is Hester's daughter. She is a wild child and Hester doesn't really control her... (In the book they say she can't because Pearl is too wild). It is mentioned several times that Pearl is 'otherworldly' and elfish. Almost as if she's possessed or a changling or something.
Hawthorne put Hester in kind of the light of an angel. I didn't think that was right because she did sin and that shouldn't be portrayed in a white, pure kind of way.
Also, the characters had so much inner turmoil. All they had to do was go to God and ask for forgiveness, but instead they stew inside themselves.
Hawthorne didn't really portray the Puritans accurately.

Have I read it before? Nope.

Will I read it again? I'm not planning to as of right now but who knows, that may change in the future.

Would I recommend it? Maybe as a one time read.

Overall I didn't like the book... Other might, however. It certainly gets you thinking.