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Jan. 8th, 2006 09:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
floatingleafI watched Alexander today. For the first time. Yeah, I know. Nearly unbelievable, but I missed it somehow, when it was playing in theaters - mainly because I didn't feel like going alone. And then there were the bad reviews, and a friend who had seen it told me that the movie sucked indeed. And I don't like Colin Farrell. And I was afraid it might feel like a desecration of my beloved Alexander trilogy by Mary Renault. So I contemplated renting it, but wasn't quite convinced - until it turned out that my father actually bought the DVD (he is clueless as to the slashy aspect, btw - he just likes the pompous Hollywood stuff, LOL). So I grabbed it on my way out of the house last weekend...
And well... let me just say it was a nice surprise, on many levels. Maybe because I didn't expect too much, really. Yes, the movie is chaotic, too tight-packed even for its three hours, and some scenes were definitely overdone, but still... I could recognize all the major aspects of the story from the books, reliving it, so to speak - and it was a wonderful experience (I do realize the movie is not based on Mary Renault's trilogy, but both the books and the script are based on the same true story). There is so much powerful drama and symbolism in the storyline itself that it's hard to spoil it. Of course, for someone who never read the books (or any historical sources) the movie could indeed make little sense at times - but for me it was the visualization of many well-remembered scenes, most of them not disappointing in the least, in my opinion. And I'm sure this will come as no surprize, but what I found most gratifying was the relationship between Alexander and Hephaistion - which I feared might be downplayed quite a bit in a typical Hollywood production. It wasn't. Yes, I know they didn't even kiss once - but the love was there all the time, in words and actions, looks and smiles, and God, did it warm my poor old slashy heart.;) I still don't think Alexander looked like Colin Farrell; and Jared Leto was way too young and cute for Hephaistion (who was in fact about ten years older than Alexander, as well as more manly in appearance - or so I remember from the books) - but somehow, regardless of that, they seemed to fit so well together... *dreamy sigh* Angelina Jolie was the perfect Olympias, Val Kilmer the perfect Philip, and the godlike creature who played Bagoas wasn't half bad either.;) (and he DID get a kiss!... LOL) All in all, I found the movie deeply satisfying, and I don't care who says it was bad.:P Plus, I now have a deep urge to reread the books - as well as to rent the director's cut.;)
In other news, my internet addiction is becoming more and more dangerous by the minute.;) I joined two more Yahoo!Groups - Adult_Viggo and Lassegalen's Laire - so that I am now getting far more email on a daily basis than I can possibly handle, and the "waiting list" of A/L and V/O stories to read is growing beyond control.;) Not to mention the fact that I haven't been able to keep up with my flist since Christmas. Even though it's my main occupation during work hours.:P
Scary, isn't it? The huge, amorphous beast called FANDOM has eaten me alive, and I don't even complain. Nope. We loves it here, preciousss. And look, I have grabbed some pretty icons from Elisa's website. And I'm going to enjoy them - right until the doomed, inevitable moment when I go blind from constant staring into the computer screen...
And well... let me just say it was a nice surprise, on many levels. Maybe because I didn't expect too much, really. Yes, the movie is chaotic, too tight-packed even for its three hours, and some scenes were definitely overdone, but still... I could recognize all the major aspects of the story from the books, reliving it, so to speak - and it was a wonderful experience (I do realize the movie is not based on Mary Renault's trilogy, but both the books and the script are based on the same true story). There is so much powerful drama and symbolism in the storyline itself that it's hard to spoil it. Of course, for someone who never read the books (or any historical sources) the movie could indeed make little sense at times - but for me it was the visualization of many well-remembered scenes, most of them not disappointing in the least, in my opinion. And I'm sure this will come as no surprize, but what I found most gratifying was the relationship between Alexander and Hephaistion - which I feared might be downplayed quite a bit in a typical Hollywood production. It wasn't. Yes, I know they didn't even kiss once - but the love was there all the time, in words and actions, looks and smiles, and God, did it warm my poor old slashy heart.;) I still don't think Alexander looked like Colin Farrell; and Jared Leto was way too young and cute for Hephaistion (who was in fact about ten years older than Alexander, as well as more manly in appearance - or so I remember from the books) - but somehow, regardless of that, they seemed to fit so well together... *dreamy sigh* Angelina Jolie was the perfect Olympias, Val Kilmer the perfect Philip, and the godlike creature who played Bagoas wasn't half bad either.;) (and he DID get a kiss!... LOL) All in all, I found the movie deeply satisfying, and I don't care who says it was bad.:P Plus, I now have a deep urge to reread the books - as well as to rent the director's cut.;)
In other news, my internet addiction is becoming more and more dangerous by the minute.;) I joined two more Yahoo!Groups - Adult_Viggo and Lassegalen's Laire - so that I am now getting far more email on a daily basis than I can possibly handle, and the "waiting list" of A/L and V/O stories to read is growing beyond control.;) Not to mention the fact that I haven't been able to keep up with my flist since Christmas. Even though it's my main occupation during work hours.:P
Scary, isn't it? The huge, amorphous beast called FANDOM has eaten me alive, and I don't even complain. Nope. We loves it here, preciousss. And look, I have grabbed some pretty icons from Elisa's website. And I'm going to enjoy them - right until the doomed, inevitable moment when I go blind from constant staring into the computer screen...
