Yes, I've been neglecting you, blog. I've found someone who makes me feel excited, nervous, and anxious like I've never felt before. I can't wait to see him tonight.
Don't worry: I'm not leaving you for Harry Potter permanently. Just until I finish Deathly Hallows. And until I stop thinking about it. See you next week sometime?
<3
Katie
Friday, July 20, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Proof Hollywood Doesn't Know What It's Doing
This article was mentioned to me a long time ago, when I was studying Milton in class, but I dug it up from the NY Times archives. I can't reprint the article in its entirety without copyright issues, but if you can access the NY Times archives for free (like a UW student through the E-Resource Gateway), search for "Paradise Lost movie".
Quotes from It's God vs. Satan. But What About the Nudity? , March 4, 2007 - By Michael Joseph Gross, separated by quotation marks.
The screenwriters seemed to have some difficulty getting producers on board to fund a film version of John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost, about the subsequent falls of Lucifer and mankind. Until one fateful day...
"Mr. Newman, now 39, is an independent producer of medium-size movies with midrange male stars (most recently ''A Man Apart'' with Vin Diesel) who has long dreamed of exploring his boyhood curiosity by making a ''Paradise Lost'' movie. Then, after stumbling upon mention of the poem in a Christian inspirational book called ''Epic: The Story God Is Telling and the Role That Is Yours to Play,'' his dream turned to resolve."
Oh good, at least someone with real power can help us in our cause now! Mr. Gross (the writer) doesn't seem to have much respect for Mr. Diesel, either. I feel bound to point out that Mr. Newman seemed to have skimmed through life with no self-respecting English teacher making him aware of the existence of John Milton UNTIL he read it mentioned - MENTIONED! - in a book by none other than John stinkin' Eldredge. Now, I'm a fan of Eldredge's straight-forward interpretation of becoming the people God calls us to be (see Captivating and The Sacred Romance on Amazon.com). But you should know better than to cite such a book as your inspiration to the New York Times. I don't care who you are.
A chief executive's reaction to the project was, "if you get past the Milton of it all, and think about the greatest war that's ever been fought, the story itself is pretty compelling."
Rip out my heart and stomp on it, why don't you. Don't mess around with my Milton. And if you do, DON'T TITLE YOUR MOVIE AFTER THE POEM. Call it "Angels Throwing Mountains" for all I care, just don't marr and mutilate a classic poem. They proposed later in the article to center the movie around the Angelic-Demonic battle, which only takes up two of the twelve 'chapters' (called books) of Paradise Lost. The Adam and Eve plotline would then be cut to less than half of the movie - though it is the primary plot of the poem.
Still, I know I'm not alone in my fight. Mr. Gross (the writer of the article) is on my side.
"Mr. Newman also knows that some might see this project as a fool's errand. ''It's a 400-some-odd-page poem written in Old English,'' he said, laughing. ''How do you find the movie in that?'' But he speaks of the project with unflagging enthusiasm, though it may seem his passion is more for the idea of the poem than for the poem itself. (It's in blank verse, not Old English.)"
YEAH! Way to take that jab, man! Believe you me, Mr. Newman, you would know if it was in Old English, because you would not be able to read the text on the page. Also, my copy in front of me counts to page 288. What copy are you reading? Large print? With illustrations?
The producers skirted questions about the role of faith in the movie. Not like it's the whole point or anything. But, thankfully for all of us, ""it's a war movie at the end of the day," Mr. Newman said." Oh whew. Dodged a bullet there.
I'm going to leave you with one last gem. I don't actually understand it, so I can't explain it. Maybe you can figure out what this producer was talking about. It may be enough to make Milton not only roll over in his grave, but come bursting to the surface.
"Milton was trying to achieve with 'Paradise Lost' what Scorsese was trying to achieve with Henry Hill in 'Goodfellas.' You can't understand the nature of the fall until you've tasted some of the exhilaration of sin and crime. Scorsese makes you feel the rush of being in the Mafia -- what it's like to be special, get the best table at a restaurant, kill anyone and get away with it. Milton was after something like that, and that's what we're trying to convey."
Quotes from It's God vs. Satan. But What About the Nudity? , March 4, 2007 - By Michael Joseph Gross, separated by quotation marks.
The screenwriters seemed to have some difficulty getting producers on board to fund a film version of John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost, about the subsequent falls of Lucifer and mankind. Until one fateful day...
"Mr. Newman, now 39, is an independent producer of medium-size movies with midrange male stars (most recently ''A Man Apart'' with Vin Diesel) who has long dreamed of exploring his boyhood curiosity by making a ''Paradise Lost'' movie. Then, after stumbling upon mention of the poem in a Christian inspirational book called ''Epic: The Story God Is Telling and the Role That Is Yours to Play,'' his dream turned to resolve."
Oh good, at least someone with real power can help us in our cause now! Mr. Gross (the writer) doesn't seem to have much respect for Mr. Diesel, either. I feel bound to point out that Mr. Newman seemed to have skimmed through life with no self-respecting English teacher making him aware of the existence of John Milton UNTIL he read it mentioned - MENTIONED! - in a book by none other than John stinkin' Eldredge. Now, I'm a fan of Eldredge's straight-forward interpretation of becoming the people God calls us to be (see Captivating and The Sacred Romance on Amazon.com). But you should know better than to cite such a book as your inspiration to the New York Times. I don't care who you are.
A chief executive's reaction to the project was, "if you get past the Milton of it all, and think about the greatest war that's ever been fought, the story itself is pretty compelling."
Rip out my heart and stomp on it, why don't you. Don't mess around with my Milton. And if you do, DON'T TITLE YOUR MOVIE AFTER THE POEM. Call it "Angels Throwing Mountains" for all I care, just don't marr and mutilate a classic poem. They proposed later in the article to center the movie around the Angelic-Demonic battle, which only takes up two of the twelve 'chapters' (called books) of Paradise Lost. The Adam and Eve plotline would then be cut to less than half of the movie - though it is the primary plot of the poem.
Still, I know I'm not alone in my fight. Mr. Gross (the writer of the article) is on my side.
"Mr. Newman also knows that some might see this project as a fool's errand. ''It's a 400-some-odd-page poem written in Old English,'' he said, laughing. ''How do you find the movie in that?'' But he speaks of the project with unflagging enthusiasm, though it may seem his passion is more for the idea of the poem than for the poem itself. (It's in blank verse, not Old English.)"
YEAH! Way to take that jab, man! Believe you me, Mr. Newman, you would know if it was in Old English, because you would not be able to read the text on the page. Also, my copy in front of me counts to page 288. What copy are you reading? Large print? With illustrations?
The producers skirted questions about the role of faith in the movie. Not like it's the whole point or anything. But, thankfully for all of us, ""it's a war movie at the end of the day," Mr. Newman said." Oh whew. Dodged a bullet there.
I'm going to leave you with one last gem. I don't actually understand it, so I can't explain it. Maybe you can figure out what this producer was talking about. It may be enough to make Milton not only roll over in his grave, but come bursting to the surface.
"Milton was trying to achieve with 'Paradise Lost' what Scorsese was trying to achieve with Henry Hill in 'Goodfellas.' You can't understand the nature of the fall until you've tasted some of the exhilaration of sin and crime. Scorsese makes you feel the rush of being in the Mafia -- what it's like to be special, get the best table at a restaurant, kill anyone and get away with it. Milton was after something like that, and that's what we're trying to convey."
Monday, July 2, 2007
Underage Giggles
I had an absolutely fantastic weekend. It was simply one of those times, Sunday evening, that I took a deep breath, looked at the cerulean sky, and felt the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
Tonight, I enjoyed a movie on the Terrace with my roommates. There's nothing quite like a kick-ass, semi-patriotic movie from the 90s to get a large crowd cheering, laughing, and joining together in a slow clap as the alien spacecraft comes crashing to earth (see Independence Day).
Then amplify all these good feelings with a 16 oz. of Leinie's Berry Weiss.
Mmmmmm.
I'm from the Chippewa Valley, so I've got to root for the hometown beer, Leinenkugel's. I used to HATE the taste of beer. I would take a virgin dacquari anyday. Beer was bitter, and left a taste in my mouth that made me want to use a tongue scraper immediately.
I can finally say, after two years at college, I like beer. Granted, I'm still picky about what I drink when I drink once in a blue moon. But that cold cup of Berry Weiss tasted so. good. I've developed the adult-taste-buds that recognize that bitter aftertaste as yeast. Beer reminds me of bread.
Believe you me, it wasn't a coincidence both were around for the Vikings. (A big thanks to Prof. Tim Allen)
Tonight, I enjoyed a movie on the Terrace with my roommates. There's nothing quite like a kick-ass, semi-patriotic movie from the 90s to get a large crowd cheering, laughing, and joining together in a slow clap as the alien spacecraft comes crashing to earth (see Independence Day).
Then amplify all these good feelings with a 16 oz. of Leinie's Berry Weiss.
Mmmmmm.
I'm from the Chippewa Valley, so I've got to root for the hometown beer, Leinenkugel's. I used to HATE the taste of beer. I would take a virgin dacquari anyday. Beer was bitter, and left a taste in my mouth that made me want to use a tongue scraper immediately.
I can finally say, after two years at college, I like beer. Granted, I'm still picky about what I drink when I drink once in a blue moon. But that cold cup of Berry Weiss tasted so. good. I've developed the adult-taste-buds that recognize that bitter aftertaste as yeast. Beer reminds me of bread.
Believe you me, it wasn't a coincidence both were around for the Vikings. (A big thanks to Prof. Tim Allen)
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