Evelyn Waugh, etc.

[Thalassa]

I'd like to see a show of hands of Evelyn Waugh fans here - Brideshead Revisited, Vile Bodies, Decline and Fall?

Also, what do you think of media inspired by his novels i.e. The Brideshead Revisited mini-series from the early 80s, and the more recent films of Brideshead Revisited and Bright Young Things (based upon Vile Bodies).

If you are a fan of his writing or the related media, do you also like other writers from the modern period such as Henry Miller, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Agatha Christie, etc.

I'd love some feedback from people who are interested in literature and/or inspired art and film primarily from the 20's and 30's.

 

[Thalassa]

So there is really no one one this forum who likes interwar era literature?

 

[Tiltyred]

I'm sorry to say I haven't read any Evelyn Waugh firsthand, but I loved the Brideshead mini-series with Jeremy Irons. I saw the newer one, but it just wasn't quite as satisfyingly tortured.

 

[Thalassa]

I'm sorry to say I haven't read any Evelyn Waugh firsthand, but I loved the Brideshead mini-series with Jeremy Irons. I saw the newer one, but it just wasn't quite as satisfyingly tortured.

Agreed. However, I loved the vulnerability and sweetness of Ben Whishaw's portrayal of Sebastien Flyte. The newer one took great liberties with the novel, not as accurate, but I really couldn't help but love Ben.

 

[pure_mercury]

I am a big fan of Waugh's. Have you not read Scoop?

 

[Thalassa]

I am a big fan of Waugh's. Have you not read Scoop?

Nope haven't read that. What is it about?

 

[pure_mercury]

Nope haven't read that. What is it about?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoop_(novel)


Probably Waugh's funniest novel. It's one of those rare LOL books, like A Confederacy of Dunces.

 

[Thalassa]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoop_(novel)


Probably Waugh's funniest novel. It's one of those rare LOL books, like A Confederacy of Dunces.

I'll have to read it, then.

A Confederacy of Dunces is one of my favorite books of all time!

 

[pure_mercury]

Agreed. However, I loved the vulnerability and sweetness of Ben Whishaw's portrayal of Sebastien Flyte. The newer one took great liberties with the novel, not as accurate, but I really couldn't help but love Ben.

The old miniseries is in my Netflix queue. I was disappointed by the new feature film. They really upped the sternness of Lady Marchmain, didn't they? And she is not the protagonist. Look at the DVD/video cover:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/67/Brideshead_revisited.jpg


I don't consider that an accurate visual representation of the story. The early part of Charles and Sebastian's friendship didn't have that luxurious, joyful feel it should have had, either. The nostalgic warmth of the first part of the book stands in relief to the heartache later. The new film had a grimness throughout. The boozing and languor seemed pathological in a way.

 

[Thalassa]

The old miniseries is in my Netflix queue. I was disappointed by the new feature film. They really upped the sternness of Lady Marchmain, didn't they? And she is not the protagonist. Look at the DVD/video cover:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/67/Brideshead_revisited.jpg


I don't consider that an accurate visual representation of the story. The early part of Charles and Sebastian's friendship didn't have that luxurious, joyful feel it should have had, either. The nostalgic warmth of the first part of the book stands in relief to the heartache later. The new film had a grimness throughout. The boozing and languor seemed pathological in a way.

Yeah, yeah - I did notice that they demonized Lady Marchmain more.
In fact, it's like the sold the movie based upon the idea of her being this overbearing mother who stood in the way of Charles' relationships with Sebastian and Julia.

 

[pure_mercury]

Yeah, yeah - I did notice that they demonized Lady Marchmain more.
In fact, it's like the sold the movie based upon the idea of her being this overbearing mother who stood in the way of Charles' relationships with Sebastian and Julia.

That is so reductive. Even if someone considers Brideshead Revisited a "really good bad book," as Martin Amis once declared it to be, it has a much bigger scope than that adaptation suggests. It's not a mere tale of forbidden aristocratic love.

It's interesting that you are such a big fan of Waugh's, given your apparent political beliefs. He is perhaps the modern conservative movement's favorite novelist.

 

[Thalassa]

That is so reductive. Even if someone considers Brideshead Revisited a "really good bad book," as Martin Amis once declared it to be, it has a much bigger scope than that adaptation suggests. It's not a mere tale of forbidden aristocratic love.

It's interesting that you are such a big fan of Waugh's, given your apparent political beliefs. He is perhaps the modern conservative movement's favorite novelist.

Yes, the adaptation is trite but it is surely because they wanted to cram what they could into a movie (as opposed to the mini-series) and sell it to audiences. I'm sure they thought that selling it as a romance would make it a box office smash. Oh, marketing.

I love Waugh's beautiful style of writing and I adore his characters. I'm fascinated by old money and the British aristocracy in works of literature. Vile Bodies is also an excellent book, though not considered as "mature" it has a wonderful balance of humor and darkness. It struck me as being paradoxically absurdly real. I'm obsessed with the 1920's and 30's, and I am a Christian, albeit a liberal one, so I do contemplate some of the deeper issues in Brideshead.

Whether or not Evelyn Waugh is considered a conservative darling is none of my nevermind. I'm capable of enjoying works of art that reflect life views different from my own.

 

[pure_mercury]

Yes, the adaptation is trite but it is surely because they wanted to cram what they could into a movie (as opposed to the mini-series) and sell it to audiences. I'm sure they thought that selling it as a romance would make it a box office smash. Oh, marketing.

I'm a film guy, and I think that it had limited appeal to begin with. Getting a better/more famous/more beautiful Julia might have helped, but it was going to have relatively narrow audience. Atonement did rather well (and I didn't think it was very good, either), but Brideshead is a pretty weighty endeavor. Supposedly, David Yates was going to direct, with Paul Bettany (Charles), Jude Law (Sebastian), and Jennifer Connelly (Julia). That (and a more faithful take on the story) might have changed its fortunes.

I love Waugh's beautiful style of writing and I adore his characters. I'm fascinated by old money and the British aristocracy in works of literature. Vile Bodies is also an excellent book, though not considered as "mature" it has a wonderful balance of humor and darkness. It struck me as being paradoxically absurdly real. I'm obsessed with the 1920's and 30's, and I am a Christian, albeit a liberal one, so I do contemplate some of the deeper issues in Brideshead.

Yes, we often forget the subtitle of the novel: The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder. It's all about grace and forgiveness. It still has some of the wickedly satirical elements, but Waugh was clearly nostalgic for an earlier time, one which had all but disappeared by the time the novel was published post-WWII. It's funny; before I ever even read Waugh, I had the idea for my screenplay. "Vile Bodies as directed by Tarantino" would be a decent description. Or perhaps the reverse: Bottle Rocket, screenplay by Bret Easton Ellis. LOL It's basically a dark comedy/caper film based on my experiences as a middle-class student in a fabulously wealthy crowd at an Ivy League university.

Whether or not Evelyn Waugh is considered a conservative darling is none of my nevermind. I'm capable of enjoying works of art that reflect life views different from my own.

That's a good attitude. I love The Clash, despite their silliness and rather offensive politics (Sandinista!, indeed ). Politics may help provide context, but great art can be made by anyone, and we should be ready to acknowledge that regardless of our own views.