I’m about in the middle of Cormac McCarthy’s utterly blighted, comfortless novel, The Road. Perhaps that’s why the trailer, above top, for Denzel Washington’s post-apocalyptic, January 2010 The Book of Eli, directed by the Hughes Brothers, comes off to me as stagey; pure movie, in whole. (To be fair, however, I might have the same response to The Road‘s trailer, at which I’ve refused to look until I finish the book.)
Meanwhile, I’m completely taken with the breathy declarations and lush sartorial chroma of Jane Campion’s bodice-ripper, Bright Star, below top; out September 18. It’s the story of poet John Keats, who died at 25 from tubercolosis, but not before both rewriting the DNA of English verse, and hardily bedding his next-door neighbor, the aptly-named Fanny Brawne.
So, what gives? I mean, I’m a sucker for the apocalypse. Have I gone soft in my middle age? You tell me.
2 comments ↓
Hmmm….The Book of Eli does look like a more typical Hollywood-style post-apocalyptic film than what The Road will hopefully be, but it is a Hughes Bros. film, which could make all the difference. Watching the trailer makes me think of I Am Legend combined with Fallout 3, which could be a good action movie.
The Road will probably less action-oriented and more cerebral in nature. That is what I am hoping for, at least.
I devoured The Road in a weekend after seeing the trailers for the film a few months ago. I am really looking forward to the film, and I’m curious as to how the story will translate to film, since it seems like most of the book consists of internal dialog and not much action.
i saw Bright Star (Jane Campion in person) at the SF premiere. it was brilliant. depsite the lack of a Campion signature it was moving from inside and out. thanks for a great reason to write something other than the TV pilot i am agonizing over- Keats ruins me for this kind of writing…I feel like a regular Charles Brown!
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