Sunday, January 29, 2012

Edwin Drood goes international

After several meetings with various German production companies, Barefoot Entertainment finally agreed to finance the film.  The company is anxious to begin working on the production in late 2012.  They have started looking into casting.  Below is a list of potential German speaking actor/actresses.  These are potential roles and the contracts have not been agreed upon at this date.


Jasper: Moritz Bleibtreu
  • he's a versatile actor who can often have a dark side
  • he's attire can sometimes appear unkept which I can see Jasper having in the opium scene
Edwin: Daniel Brühl
  • he and Moritz work well together in films
  • he also favors Moritz enough to be seen as related
  • can have an innocent, sad look about him which is how I often picture Edwin
Neville: Alexander Scheer
  • thin and lanky which for some reason I have Neville so in my mind
  • he also looks much different than Daniel and Moritz which would fit with the description of him being "un-English"
  • he is also younger and little more playful which I picture Neville being
Helena: Johanna Wokalek
  • has darker hair in contrast to the actress chosen for Rose
  • a more serious individual at first glance but also with a playful side
Rosa: Julia Jentsch
  • has a lighter complexion than Julia and blonde hair
  • seems softer and a little more childish which I thinks works with Rose's character
  • while she appears more childish, I have seen her in a more serious role and believe she can handle the scene between her and Edwin
Mrs. Crisparkle: Monica Bleibtreu
  • iconic actress who can take on any role
  • she's often in stronger roles but I would like to see her take on a more delicate "ceramic" part
Mr. Crisparkle: Bruno Ganz
  • he is the grandfather figure in the sense that he has such a caring nature
  • as I read, Mr. Crisparkle embodied the person you could run up and hug
  • I have seen him in some wonderful roles as the care giver
Durdles: Jürgen Vogel
  • he is not as thin as I pictured Durdles but I feel he can embody the personality
  • can carry the "dusty carry my bundle wherever I go" character throughout the film
  • is a solid performer
Honeythunder: Burghart Klaußner
  • comes across at first glance as a solid businessman which is how I picture Honeythunder
  • can play the role without caring for others' feelings
Miss Twinkleton: Franka Potente)
  • she is a wonderful actress whom I would like to see in a softer role
  • while she is normally cast in more action roles, I can see her acting talent tested in this "keep the women of the house" role
Princess Puffer: Marlene Dietrich
  • in reading, I pictured Puffer more grungy, larger and aged but after thinking about her character, I felt Marlene would fit the role and it would just be fun
  • she's a legendary film icon...why not?
Tartar: Til Schweiger
  • Til has the military look about him without looking too military
  • he's handsome and has a caring nature about him, which is how I picture Tartar
  • I could also see him being a character Helena would fall for
Mr. Grewgious: Ludger Pistor
  • has an awkward nature about his mannerisms
  • I picture Mr. Grewgious as being uncomfortable in every situation and Ludger can pull this off
  • he's also not too awkward that he couldn't be the care giver of Rose
  • I also envision the scenes between Crisparkle and Grewgious.  Ludger and Bruno would work well together

Update in the Edwin Drood case

BREAKING NEWS!

Early Saturday morning, a discover was made outside John Jasper's house.  Evidence of Edwin having been there was found at the back door.  Jasper immediately called the police to gather the evidence and the town of Cloisterham rejoiced at the possibility of Edwin still being alive.  After seeing the evidence the son of Cloisterham's English teacher and friend of Edwin, John Woodworth, was heard saying, "Eddy loved those things.  We often ate them together while walking along the river.  They are quite addictive.  I know he is here and is telling us he's alright."  Jasper confirmed John's statement.  Jasper also stated, "Ned always requested these bites for dinner.  I had them for our Christmas dinner just before he disappeared."  Good news from Cloisterham that Edwin Drood could possibly be alive and continuing to check on his beloved uncle.  There are still concerns for his well being and the question still remains, "Why will he not show himself?"

Photo below courtesy of the Cloisterham Police Department.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

10 minute ramblings

As I've read OMF and ED I didn't really focus much on the religious aspects of the works.  After reading a classmate's blog and discussing it in class, it came to me that I actually make a note in OMF about the names of the Reverends for the Lammle wedding.  Reverend Blank Blank and Reverend Dash Dash were both there to officiate the wedding of Alfred and Sophronia.  Thinking back, this seems appropriate seeing as they both are phony.  The Reverends have no name and the couple have no clue.  The blatant poking of the religious figures are quite amusing.  Don't tell my mama cause I'm a southern girl and am not supposed to make fun of the church but let's face it...it's funny.


The OMF portion was amusing but then I thought about the Cathedral in ED.  This element seems to be a focal point for Cloisterham.  The church seems to be a means of employment for this enclosed town.  I don't see much value in the actual religious aspects of the Nun's House and the Cathedral.  It's all dark and dirty and reminds me of several trips to Cathedrals on my travels.  In fact, I have been into 2 catacombs in Vienna.  1 with thousands and thousands of bones from the plague (http://www.stephansdom.at/) and 1 with mummies (http://www.augustinerkirche.at/).  Coolest thing ever!!  After taking tours of both of these and now reading the role of Drudles, I can understand his fascination of it.  It's actually kind of addictive.  I'm actually looking forward to going back to Vienna for another tour.


So I think I got a little off topic but I'm now focused on the religious thing and I'm taking a trip down memory lane.  I am now ready to continue reading focus a little more on religion...and not just on Easter and Christmas.  Can't wait what for Dickens has to say about the church now.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

First impressions of Drood

Death
  • My first impression of the Drood work is how appropriate. (Ok, that’s a lie.  My first impression of the work is of the opium induced state of the first scene.  I have a CSI scene all worked out for this.)  But I digress; I cannot help but think of Dickens on his deathbed writing about death.  As Durdles works with the tombs and catacombs, it is apparent he values his work and is dedicated to the preservation of the dead.  He is proud of his work and often seems quite enthralled with what transpires.  While he is not overly philosophical, I can appreciate his admiration for the job and can picture Dickens writing a little autobiography in this character.


Parallel with OMF

Importance of appearance
  • Mrs. Twinkleton decorates her office with globes to give the appearance of her constant longing for knowledge.  I personally don’t see her studying these in her spare time but for parents or guests appearance is all that matters.  I could very well be proven wrong as the story progresses.
  •  Rosa and Eddy are engaged to be married and must appear to be happy in this endeavor.  “You know we must be married, and married from here, Eddy, or the poor girls will be so dreadfully disappointed!”  Why is it important to please others in a marriage when your happiness should be all that matters?  My curiosity is awake.  I want to know what happens to this insane couple.
  • Rosa also wants Eddy to walk close to the gate or building so the other girls cannot see the state of his boots.  They are not shiny leather which apparently doesn’t meet Rosa’s standards.  (Interesting to note since she will be married to him.)  He doesn’t seem to mind her insults of his clothing and goes along with her desires.  Seems like a match made heaven and I hope these two kids live happily ever after…but I highly doubt it.
  • Mrs. Crisparkle’s son fakes the need of glasses to read.  His eyes water and he can’t read what’s in front of him but wears them to give his mother a boost of confidence.  She doesn’t need glasses which gives her great pride.  I can admire him for wanting to please his mother but am not sure if sacrificing your sight is really worth it.


Random thoughts
  • I don’t particularly care for Mr. Honeythunder.  He’s rude for not telling the Crisparkles he will be coming and seems to be a terrible philanthropist.  I am going to classify him outright as a jerk and a user.  Anyone disagree?

Human qualities transcend time

It is refreshing to see Dickens’ characters with such human qualities; qualities which apply to both past and present. 

Jealousy 
  • As Twemlow is sitting with the Veneerings, he is listening to the ramblings of the wedding to take place.  What is the most interesting part of the entire event are his thoughts on the matter of their dear, family friends.  He thinks to himself, as they are talking about those important enough to participate in the ceremony, there are only three close…no wait, four close…no wait, six total close friends.  Even after the wedding he claims the two Reverends are now to be the Veneerings dear friends.  While I read this particular statement to be rather sarcastic regarding the Reverends, I found his thoughts during the discussion to ring true in many humans.  There are times when I evaluate close friends and I often find myself somewhat jealous of those who are considered close to friends without merit.  I don’t consider myself a possessive person or even an overly jealous person; there are simply times when a close friend of a friend crosses my mind in a negative way.  It makes me think of my place in the group.  While I don’t feel Twemlow is genuine in his friendship, I can understand his thinking process of counting the Veneerings’ circle.  There is something human in his thoughts; almost emotional that I related to as I read.

Revenge
  • And now to the juicy stuff!  I was immediately awake when Alfred arrived on scene and was described as looking like Mephistopheles, also known as Mephisto.  I must note, way to go Dickens!  Only one word needed for a description which gets the mind gears turning.  As a lover of German literature, my mind automatically went to Goethe’s Faust. (More on Faust)  Since Mephisto is a demon in both the Marlowe and the Goethe renditions, I sensed some foreshadowing which made my mouth water.  And I was pleasantly surprised when the “demon” presented itself on the beach with his new wife.  Since I’m not overly fond of the Veneerings, I am dying to know what revenge is taken upon them by Sophronia and Alfred.  They were scammed by the Veneerings and are now legally bound to one another.  Revenge is another human trait that presents itself in various forms.  While I may not always act on my thoughts of pay back, I do have them.  As I left the beach, there was one quote that stuck out in my mind, “Don’t be betrayed into doing so again, because I have a Devil of a temper myself.”  I understand he was speaking about Sophronia’s outburst of emotion; I can’t help but put this quote to the Veneerings.  Here we go Mephisto.  Show us whatcha got! 
Random thoughts
  • I enjoyed the reference to the Rocky Mountains in the past few chapters.  Am I seeing the influence of the US tour?

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Victorian? What does that mean?

So far my knowledge of Victorian England exists of appearance for appearances sake.  No one was allowed to act out, show leg, or say the wrong thing.  Of course, this lends itself to the theory of the preacher's child being the wildest of the bunch.  From the reading however, I've noticed a HUGE difference in the class system.  As I read, I feel both wealthy and snobby as well as dirty and hungry.  There are the dark scenes when I need a bath or I think I smell sewage.  Then I move to happier times with servants, food, and uncomfortable clothing.  I don't like Victorian England.  I want to read my Kindle and not worry about who I know. 

I also like being an independent woman.  Even by today's, and I mean my mother's standards, I am far behind where I should be in the southern woman's role.  After reading Dickens, I am no where near unfortunate.  These women cross roles by being the mother, sister, daughter, and caregiver.  They are either married to men who can afford to support them or they are unfortunate souls left to fend for themselves.  There is the middle, like Wilfer's wife, who is married to a man who can provide but not to the extent that Veneering can.  I would never make it as a housewife.  I would probably have blood on my hands.

Now I've been in college for ... years.  I love being in class.  Does it stressful? Yes.  Is it expensive? Yes.  But I have the freedom to get an education for as long as my little heart, and wallet, desires.  The Victorians seem to have quite a gap.  Charley secretly educates himself so that his father won't get angry.  Boffins hires someone to help him with his education and Bella could care less about learning.  She just wants a rich man to put her up for life.  I could not imagine living in a world where education was frowned upon in such a way.

OMF Predictions Ch 1-7

  • Bella desires wealth more than anything in the world but her sister is going to be the one wealthier than her.  This is going to cause more tension within the family.  Bella is going to do something to cause her sister grief...ie. affair with husband, murder, etc.
  • Charley is going to have a hard life on his own.  He tries to get an education but ends up in his father's line of work to make some money.  Later in life, after his father's death, he and Lizzie will reunite in a tragic way.
  • The Veneerings have skeletons in their closet which make an appearance later.  This causes them to lose their social standings and their dinner parties become even MORE uncomfortable.  Twemlow quits coming to dinner...that's how bad it is.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Our Mutual Friend (OMF) 1-7

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
I would like to apologize for my organization of thoughts.  I have made several random notes on the reading and in blogging I want to simply journal them as I write them.  Of course, this doesn’t present the material in an organized fashion.  My apologies!

PART I:
Confusion presented itself as I read through Part I.  The characters came at me and fast.  While there are often characters with ties to others, I find myself confusing myself with how they are connected.  My hope is that in continuing the reading this confusion will begin to subside.

Family and connections:

  • One overlapping theme I noticed in the first part is that of family and connections.  Connection is a vague term but it doesn’t limit itself to only family ties.  I meet a variety of characters and am given an introduction to their place in London and its surrounding area.

  • Gaffer and Riderhood have a falling out in the beginning of the book which later has an effect on Lizzie’s life.  It is unclear at this juncture what they do for a living.  It’s clear they work at night and often on the river but it isn’t until later that I am made aware of their partnership.

  • Making the connections: I am introduced to the Veneerings who are introduced via a mutual friend to Twemlow.  At this juncture, I am introduced to Lady Tippins and the attorney of Harmon.  It is then that I find out that Harmon was found in the river by Gaffer and was promised to Bella, R.W’s daughter.  R.W. works for Veneering. 

  • I am made very aware of the complicated nature of the story line.  In its complication however, I am also left wondering what’s going to happen next and who it’s going to happen to?  At this moment, I see quite a bit of overlap in the characters but am waiting on more. 

PART II:
Education, money, and one’s place in society:

  • RW’s family longs for money.  Bella makes her desires for wealth quite clear, “I want money – want it dreadfully.  I hate to be poor.”  Bella’s mother does her financial part for the family by teaching.  RW wants to take care of his daughters by marrying them.  Possessing daughters can be quite stressful at this time.  To take care of them requires a husband who can provide for her since they are not considered a valuable source of family income.  This puts quite a bit of pressure on a father.  RW is the master of the house and his wife reminds him of that on several occasions during this our encounter with the family as she says, “You are master here, R.W”.  This seems quite ironic however.  He is characterized as quite shy at work.  In fact, no one knows his first name unless they are a close friend.  This dynamic proves interesting for a “master” of a household.

  • Poor Lizzie.  She loves a father who is kind to her but hits her brother.  She then makes a sacrifice so that her brother can leave for an education.  Of course, Charley, her best friend and tutor, must leave the house and never return.  She is now stuck without someone to help her continue her learning and with an angry dad.  I am the Hollywood optimist and am hoping things work out well for both children.  I can see them reuniting later in the work after a lifetime of struggles.  But here in the work the father disowns the son for choosing an education over the family.  Was an education such a bad thing during this time or was the father simply afraid of losing control of his only son?

  • Wegg’s relationship with Boffin is based on education.  While I find it strange that Boffin is so connected to his wooden stick, it’s admirable that he’s searching for someone to educate him on the value of his current inheritance.

RANDOM COMMENTS:
  • I am doing my best as I’m reading to make connections with the characters and the “mutual friend”.  I find myself working too hard to do this and begin confusing myself.  It then hit me that maybe the “friend” isn’t a character at all.  What if the “friend” is London or education or fate or greed or money or some other concept?  If this is the case, I am going to be disappointed at myself for trying to tie all these characters to a human “friend”.  Is anyone else having trouble with their connections?  Maybe I am alone in my endeavors.

  • Dinner with the Veneerings was extremely awkward.  In my notes I wrote, “awkward, high school drama, all about who you know and not who you like.”  Those were my exact thoughts as I read this interaction.  It reminded me of a time in high school when it was about being in the “cool, popular” group even if you didn’t like any of those people.  It just looked good to be associated with them.  Take, for example, the Veneerings.  They name the Podsnaps to be the Godparents of their baby but Podsnap didn't even know who they were when he first walked in the door.  It seems to be all about playing politics.

  • One character I am extremely intrigued, confused by is that of Lady Tippins.  It is somewhat troubling to me that she adores nursery rhymes but has multiple lovers.  I am left wanting more background on her character and am left wondering what her place is?

  • RW’s daughters were a breath of fresh air.  As I read this portion, my notes said, “sisterly dispute and cat fight”.  Having a sister myself, I could relate to their interactions with one another.  It was quite comical and a relief to know that there did exist childish family arguments during the Victorian period but more importantly, that Dickens chose to write about them.  This put a smile on my face.

  • Wegg’s encounter with the, as I call him, Bone Collector.  I read this section and played an episode of CSI in my head.  Of course, my episode was much more graphic and dramatic than Dickens’.  I think this proves the influence television can have on a reader or the influence literature can have on television.  I’m not sure which but I could at least picture a one legged man sitting in a dark room with a creepy Bone Collector.  I am left wanting to know what happens to Wegg?  Does he end up as one of the “Bone Collector’s” specimens?

CHARACTERS WITH WRITER’S CONNECTIONS:
One thing I noticed as I read was some potential autobiographical connections to our writer.
  • Bella’s mother has a school = Dickens’ mother begins a school to help with the family finances
  • Charley’s dad disowns him for wanting an education = Dickens’ mother doesn’t disown him but doesn’t want him in school
  • Lizzie makes sacrifices for her brother Charley = Dickens makes sacrifices to help and support his siblings and their families

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Web Writing Style Guide

Wow...what pressure!  After reading this style guide, I was reminded how many potential readers there are on the web.  It became apparent that I must always pay attention to what I'm saying, how I'm saying it, and to whom I'm saying it.  Before, I just thought of writing online for me and my family as I traveled.  Reading about the woman fired for blog comments put that into perspective.  Of course, I then thought of the past, present, and future professors who might potentially look at my online randomness.  My stomach then turned into knots thinking of the style and grammar mistakes I have and will make.  This has taken some of the fun out of online writing but on the same hand refreshed my memory of all the "blah, blah" I find on the web.  It will be my goal not to become one of these bloggers.  Let’s see if I can actually achieve that goal.

I was also shocked that there is etiquette for online writing.  Of course, I shouldn’t be shocked.  After all, there is proper etiquette for putting a new roll of toilet tissue on the roll.  One interesting topic was the choice of color and design for the webpage.  Colors are important to add a little something extra to the page but it never occurred to me to design my page to aid my topic.  For instance, I am enjoying Dickens thus far so black and red would not be appropriate color choices as those are most associated with anger.  I also took a look at the website Color Meanings by Culture.  I found it quite enlightening to the variations in color meaning.   

This guide was, for me, much like an MLA guideline.  It presented the proper use of hyperlinks, photos, and videos.  Speaking of hyperlinks, it’s amazing that there is a correct way to post them.  I had never really thought much about punctuation when it came to adding a hyperlink to a site.  The guide also reminded me of the gray area that is copyright.  As an educator, it’s often easy to use the “educational purpose” clause for material used in the classroom.  When posting something online for the world to see, it’s a different story all together.  The up side is that this blog is for a course so the “educational” part might potentially fly but it would be in my best interest to play it safe and give credit where credit is due. 

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

First day of Dickens

Ahh...the wonderful world of Charles Dickens has now been presented in a 21st century light.  I never thought I would get a kick out of blogging and tweeting in a graduate lit course.  Believe it or not, I am excited about the semester to come.  There was mention of scandal and gossip.  It's like a Victorian discussion of your favorite prime time television drama...at least that's what I'm thinking right now.  I can't wait to get to the details!