Aug. 10th, 2004

fajrdrako: (Default)

From page 12 of The Club Dumas: "In literature, time is like a shipwreck in which God looks after His own."

I keep being surprised (though why should I be?) at how well-written this book is. Remarkable. First I am impressed at Arturo Perez-Reverte's beautiful writing, and then I think: wait a minute, I'm reading a translation - it must be the best translation I've ever read, since most translations are like reading mud. The translator, Sonia Soto, must be a genius.

Then I think I should read it in the original, and realize with the next thought that the original was in Spanish. I can't read a word of Spanish. I am misled into thinking it was in French, since it starts out in France.

It's the book on which the movie The Ninth Gate was based.

A description of Lucas Corso, from page 16:
...If I keep to the strict accuracy with which I am narrating this story, I must add that his awkward appearance, the very clumsiness that seemed - and I don't know how he managed it - vulnerable and caustic, ingenuous and aggressive at the same time, made him both attractive to women and sympathetic to men. But the positive feeling was quickly dispelled, as when you touch your pocket and realize that your wallet has just been stolen.

That's even nicer when you think of it as Johnny Depp, as in the movie.
fajrdrako: (Default)

Every once in a while I have one of those exciting and busy weeks where there are all sorts of things I want to talk about, but no time to write anything in my LJ. Last week was one of those weeks. So... a recap that is far less than the week deserves:

Tuesday - A great yoga class, the last of the summer with Barbara, since she is going off to India. She's my favourite of the teachers, and I'll miss her.

Wednesday - I went to see Ned Durango Comes to Big Oak by Norm Foster at the Ottawa Little Theatre. Enjoyed it, especially... )

Thursday - Saw De-Lovely at the back of beyond - th AMC Theatre in Kanata, where it has an "exclusive Ottawa engagement". I don't like this exclusive engagement business - couldn't it appear anywhere more convenient? Read more... )

I love Cole Porter's lyrics, and lyrics are important to me - I tend to just a song more on its words than its melody. I read a biography of Porter a couple of years ago, and was prepared for the movie to be either sad or inaccurate. It was sad, which was fine. The review in The Ottawa Citizen said that everyone was miscast except Kevin Kline, who played Porter. I thought it was the other way around - he was fine in the role, but afterwards I thought he was a little leaden, while I picture Cole Porter (especially when young) as being puckish, even evanescant. My favourite moment: a masquerade party in Venice c. 1924, in which Cole Porter was dressed as Julius Caesar and his wife Linda was Cleopatra. Two of my favourite people in history. I'm sure Cole Porter was well aware of the sexual implications! The costuming and staging of that whole scene was wonderful.

During that scene, Linda persuades Cole to go to New York to create his first Broadway Show; thus separating him from his current love, a dancer for the Ballet Russe only vaguely referred to as 'one of Diaghilev's boys'. My first happy thought was that they were implying Cole Porter had an affair with Vaslav Nijinsky - another one of my favourite 20th century personnages. It would have been nice but, no - I looked up Nijinsky and discovered that he left Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe a good ten years earlier. It was some other dancer. (Fiction? Fact? Did Porter really have a lover in Diaghilev's company? I don't know.)

Friday - I went to dinner at the Trattoria Italia Caffe at Preston and Gladstone with Beth and Debbie, then went with them to see Cabaret performed by the Act Out Theatre at the Great Canadian Theatre Company. My favourite of the characters... )

Saturday - All my good intentions to get a lot done were zapped by a migraine - I got the occular interference around lunchtime and spent the afternoon swallowing painkillers. Went to Pat and Sandi's campsite, where I had a wonderful time with them, Harry and Sheila. I think I would have had a wonderful time anyway but.... )

Sunday - I woke up with plenty of energy and did the massive housecleaning that I'd meant to do on Saturday. Changed furniture around, changed pictures on the wall - great! It remains to get rid of my desk and sofa and I'll be happy with progress. That being done, Johnny Depp was the order of the day.... )

Over the course of last week, The Comic Book Shoppe on Bank St. had a sale - 40% off back issues and 20% off graphic novels. Oh my goodness. I felt like a kid in a candy shop... )
fajrdrako: (Default)
I got this from [livejournal.com profile] monsieureden:

Generate your Anime Style by Jena-su
Name:
Hair:Naturally multi-coloured.
Clothes:School boy/girl uniform.
Powers:Healing
Special Features:Unusual, yet natural markings
Sidekick:Large dragon.
Attitude:Psychotic and damn proud.
Weapon:Claws
Quiz created with MemeGen!


I just wish I could see her!

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