intellectual diarrhoea* 

This was written on 27 Mac 2004 at home, but I forgot to post it.

I think today I have exceeded my own intellectual standard. The standard, which turned myself into an irritating fruitcake, who compares a movie based on a book to the book itself.

Would I be a tasty fruitcake? Maybe, if I pour enough brandy unto myself. Now that's a thought! And would fruitcake get herself spongy over a beefcake? Hmm, I like where this is heading...

Anyway, I used to have this belief system - 'Why read the book, when you can watch the movie?' But for the past year, I have unbelievably managed to place reading as my top stress buster and mode of escapism; over cooking, the idiot box and surprise, surprise - music.

I had just finished reading the book 'About A Boy' by Nick Hornby this evening. After almost 2 weeks of stolen hours early in the morning and before bedtime, I finished the last chapter in the taxi, on the way back from the airport. Oh, I managed to read five chapters by the Teluk Chempedak beach yesterday - what a blissful experience!

With the completion of reading 'About A Boy', I felt a sense of achievement which is beyond words. Even beyond monetary value. Why?

1. This is my fourth Nick Hornby book.
2. And if I were to discount reading 'Fever Pitch', I would have achieved one of my 2004 resolutions! Within the first quarter!

So with all the adrenaline rush, the minute I reached home, I dropped the luggage, got hold of an Old Jamaican choc bar, pulled out the VCD and played the movie.

And I evaluated the scenes in correspondence to the book chapters. Got myself a natural high in return with these ding-dongs.

My comments?

1. Think the casting of the boy was bad. He did Marcus total injustice in character representation. He seemed to snigger whenever he acted silly, and I think that's bad acting. (A good actor should be oblivious to his character's antics.) It's as bad when a stand-up comedian start laughing at his own corny jokes.

2. Hugh Grant was bad too. But then again he has always been a so-so actor. Again, injustice to Will's character. Think they got the wrong Hugh.
Mr Jackman would have been the better cast. Drool. Drool.

3. Toni Collette was perfect as the estranged, suicidal mum.

4. Badly Drawn Boy was super perfect with the whole soundtrack. Super ABC concoction - Awesome, Brilliant & Contagious!

5. Some key scenes were scraped, some were mixed and some were changed. Character build-up was quite lame.

Evaluation of the subtitles was equally fun too. In fact, I thought it took the limelight! Dig these Lost In Translation gems:

Santa's Super Sleigh - Kaki yang hebat dari Santa Claus.

Are you nuts? - Adakah awak biarawati?
I think they had mistaken 'nuts' with 'nuns'. So it should have been 'Adakah awak kekacang?'

I'm good at buying trainers and getting records - Saya pandai menjadi pelatih dan mencatat.

Now that I'm on this intellectual high, I can't wait to get my hands on 'High Fidelity' the movie. I'd like to see if John Cusack did justice to Rob's character and also to see what Championship Vinyl really looks like.

And I hope they will make a movie based on 'How To Be Good' - I'm really keen to find out who would be casted as DJ GoodNews. And I hope Nick Hornby will make a cameo appearance too - that would have been a brilliant idea in itself.

Don't worry. I will keep my ding-dongs to myself.

Promise.

(Get intimate with the genius by the name of Nick Hornby here and get the reviews for 'About A Boy' the movie here)

April 03, 2004 // anjali* pranced on tip-toes all over the keyboard at 5:08 pm
|