I do it all because I'm evil

[sovay]

Hey, friendlist.

1. Pursuant to nineweaving's recent post on Evelyn Nesbit, I've noticed more than one review of Claude Chabrol's La fille coupée en deux (2007) mention that the film is an update-retelling of l'affaire Stanford White et Harry Thaw. It is not a historical film. I find this fascinating. What other real-life events have become cultural mythology, infinitely reworkable as such? Kim Philby comes to mind, because of John le Carré's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974) and the last ten minutes of The Good Shepherd (2006) I caught on television last night, but I know there must be other, really obvious examples that I'm missing.

2. Recommend me some Dennis Potter. I have so far seen Dreamchild (1985), which I think is the best take on Alice Liddell I have encountered so far, and the original television play of Brimstone and Treacle (1976), which I just discovered and really, really loved. Pennies from Heaven (1978) is up next, because by this point I have no excuse for not having seen it, but what else of his should I know about?

3. Does anyone know if there exist recordings of Lloyd Alexander reading his own work?

Comments

[wyldemusick.livejournal.com]

Kim Philby is also a central element of The Company by Robert Littell, who suggests Philby as being essentially the cause of breakdown within the CIA, affecting the organization for years afterwards.

Other events? The Earp brothers and the O.K. Corral are a good example, I think, as the events surrounding the Tombstone period have been cultural mythology for decades, told and retold and examined from multiple angles. The life of the Earps prior to and subsequent to Tombstone have had their share of going over too, though not to near the extent.

Dennis Potter...hmmm. Cold Lazarus and Karaoke (which go together), The Stone Tape, and most certainly The Singing Detective, which is quite autobiographical in many respects, even more so than the original Pennies From Heaven.

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

Cold Lazarus and Karaoke (which go together)

It is my understanding that, because Potter had requested they be a BBC/Channel 4 co-production with one channel originally showing each series, there was some complication arising from this preventing a DVD release of either; if this understanding is out of date I should be most pleased. Cold Lazarus has a couple of irritating "mainstream writer picks up SFnal tropes without actually making it make sense like SF" things about it, but it also has my mother's ex-boyfriend (from when she was ten) in a secondary role, and they are... truly astounding, particularly in the light of being written in what Potter knew were the last couple of months of his life.

While seconding the recommendation for The Singing Detective and Potter's original TV Pennies from Heaven with Bob Hoskins, I do also think that the subsequent film version of Pennies from Heaven with Steve Martin, while not as good, is worth watching. (If only for an amazing Christopher Walken dance number.)

It is also worth noting that Dennis Potter wrote the screenplay for the excellent film version of Gorky Park, which is highly worth watching.

[sovay]

but it also has my mother's ex-boyfriend (from when she was ten) in a secondary role, and they are... truly astounding, particularly in the light of being written in what Potter knew were the last couple of months of his life.

I can get the published screenplays of Karaoke and Cold Lazarus; I can't get either of them on DVD (of whatever region). Bah. If anything changes, I will let you know.

the subsequent film version of Pennies from Heaven with Steve Martin, while not as good, is worth watching. (If only for an amazing Christopher Walken dance number.)

That I'd watch.

It is also worth noting that Dennis Potter wrote the screenplay for the excellent film version of Gorky Park, which is highly worth watching.

I keep being told this, too. I need a film budget.

Thank you!

[sovay]

The Earp brothers and the O.K. Corral are a good example, I think, as the events surrounding the Tombstone period have been cultural mythology for decades, told and retold and examined from multiple angles.

I was thinking less of historical events retold as themselves, somehow, than appropriated as allusions or patterns: with the serial numbers filed off, if you like. But you are right that as far as cultural mythologies go, the O.K. Corral is huge.

Cold Lazarus and Karaoke (which go together), The Stone Tape, and most certainly The Singing Detective, which is quite autobiographical in many respects, even more so than the original Pennies From Heaven.

Thank you! Three of these I hadn't even heard of. Awesome.