On a day of giving thanks and remembering our country's heritage, I am finally getting around to reading Nathaniel Philbrick's Mayflower, the capitvating history of the Pilgrim's settlement of Plymouth. It dispels many of our cherished myths about this time to bring a more realistic and unsanitized account of what these settlers endured - and provoked.
I also have my DVR set to record the television documentary, Home for the Holidays: The History of Thanksgiving, on the History Channel. This should be a cool reminder of how we have celebrated this day over the centuries - including the First Thanksgiving as a reverent occasion, cherising survival and looking to the future.
In the meantime, I am giving thanks - for friends, family, good health and tidings, and documentaries that tell it like it is.
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wild
I wasn't so wild about Where the Wild Things Are.
Granted, I am likely no longer the audience target for the film, but I'm not completely sure who is. I loved Maurice Sendak's classic 1963 book when I was young, as I imagine many other adults in the audience did as well. It always seemed ahead of its time. There were a lot of small children around when I saw the film, but I don't think they are the target audience either. At least I hope not - it's a bit dark and intense for young viewers. More likely, Warner Bros. is aiming for older kids and hipster young adults with a bit of retro nostalgia. The lead character in the film adaptation appears to need counseling more than a wild rumbus - or at least the benefit of a stronger ending. The film is beautifully shot, though, so hats off to Lance Acord, the cinematographer.
I was more intrigued by Lance Bangs' and Spike Jones' cool companion documentary for HBO, Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak. It's a revealing and intimate portrait of the life and career of this visionary curmudgeon, who talks about death a lot and isn't particularly fond of children. The film has already been shortlisted for the Academy Awards documentary-short category via a brief, qualifying theatrical run in LA recently.
Now that's wild.
Granted, I am likely no longer the audience target for the film, but I'm not completely sure who is. I loved Maurice Sendak's classic 1963 book when I was young, as I imagine many other adults in the audience did as well. It always seemed ahead of its time. There were a lot of small children around when I saw the film, but I don't think they are the target audience either. At least I hope not - it's a bit dark and intense for young viewers. More likely, Warner Bros. is aiming for older kids and hipster young adults with a bit of retro nostalgia. The lead character in the film adaptation appears to need counseling more than a wild rumbus - or at least the benefit of a stronger ending. The film is beautifully shot, though, so hats off to Lance Acord, the cinematographer.
I was more intrigued by Lance Bangs' and Spike Jones' cool companion documentary for HBO, Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak. It's a revealing and intimate portrait of the life and career of this visionary curmudgeon, who talks about death a lot and isn't particularly fond of children. The film has already been shortlisted for the Academy Awards documentary-short category via a brief, qualifying theatrical run in LA recently.
Now that's wild.
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