Ben Whishaw and Matthew Goode star in a new adaptation of Brideshead Revisited (Miramax)
We get a break from superheroes this week as a new adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's 1945 novel Brideshead Revisited comes to the big screen. PBS adapted Brideshead Revisited back in 1981. The very popular mini-series concerned class and religion in pre-war England, and it launched Jeremy Irons' career. But a mini-series has the luxury of time that a single feature film does not. So that's the challenge facing Julian Jarrold as he revisits Brideshead Revisited (opened August 1 at Landmark's Hillcrest and La Jolla Village Theaters) and must decide what to cut and what to hold onto from Waugh's novel. So while the PBS series got to cover more of the actual text, this new film offers a truncated but more narrowly focused version of the book.
Max
August 04, 2008 at 06:28 PM
Really enjoyed both The Lookout and Perfume. So, this puts me in a quandry on whether or not to go see this movie as I am absolutely over the Merchant-Ivory productions or its ilks. Love the cast, not sure I'll enjoy the movie, though.
If I were in a lit mood, I'd go check this out based on your review, Beth.
BTW, how come there was no review of Finding Amanda or The Singing Revolution?
Beth Accomando
August 05, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Maybe wait for the DVD.
As for Finding Amanda and Singing Revolution, I try to get to everything but often fail. I think these both opened at Reading Gaslamp and I have just gotten in touch with their publicist to try and stay on top of the indie titles they are opening. Unlike Landmark, they don't seem to be providing press screenings so that just makes it a little tougher to get out a timely review. But I'm hoping to review the Polanski doc that they are opening.
Did you see either of those films and were they any good?
Thanks!
Max
August 05, 2008 at 07:20 PM
Ah, thanks for the information, Beth.
I saw Finding Amanda. It was a mixed bag with Matthew Broderick being a similar character from Election or possibly the older version of the same guy. It was funny at times but a bit disconcerting when dealing with the subject. So, it was not as great as Election but in the same vein and to some degrees pretty funny.
Didn't see the other one or the one whose title escape me that deals with war and soldiers.
What's with Gaslamp? We were going to see the Tornatore movie but it turned out to not even be playing for 2 nights, so we completely missed it on Sunday of the same week that you mentioned the movie on the blog. On the other hand, I did get to catch Band's Visit after Landmark was done.
Teen Critics
August 05, 2008 at 07:26 PM
Gaslamp used to be owned by Pacific Theaters which no longer owns any theaters in SD. Gaslamp is now run by Reading and I believe their plan is to devote one of the Gaslamp theaters to running indie art house style films. But they do not seem to have established the same kind of publicity support for these films that Landmark devotes to its titles (which are essentially all art house indie titles). So without a lot of initial fanfare they are trying to bring some films that wouldn't otherwise play here. They only recently took over so I imagine there is some settling in and getting familiar with things and I hope to get more access to the titles they are opening so I can review them and let people know they are playing and when (if it is a limited or severely restricted run).
Thanks for your continued interest in films out of the mainstream.
Beth Accomando
August 05, 2008 at 07:49 PM
Oops. Posted the last comment while logged in to the Teen Critics page. But that was me.
Beth
