h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's me azahar,

I'm supposed to be in bed now, but just read your last posting on the movie thread - yes of course! Mr Cellophane!

Anyhow, just thought I'd say hi and check out your space here.

I'm almost 46 3/4 and living in Seville (originally from Canada) and I have three pointy eared angels with fur. Love my cats so much.

Well, just wanted to say it was nice to meet you today and I am sure we will come across each other here and there. Now it is getting so late it is ridiculous. Really, am way too old to be staying up so late, but.. . well, who cares.

I still miss DNA too.

well, *really* must go to bed now I think.

buenas noches,
az

Hi, Azahar! Enjoyed meeting you too. Wanted to rave on some more about "Cabaret," but as you said we were getting off the point. We can do it here without disturbing anyone else.

Re the choreography in the play, no, I don't think Mendes worried about staying too close to it. He also switched Sally Bowles back to being English, as she was in the original book. (They made her American for Liza Minnelli for the movie.) And when I saw the play I noticed it works much better for Sally to be English and the tutor American. That way you are pitting the Old World against the New, which I think was one of the author's intentions.

Unfortunately I didn't get to see the play with Natasha Richardson playing Sally (she won a Tony, too), but with Jennifer Jason Leigh sporting a ludicrous English accent and a flirty, cutsie-pie style that was cloying.

Re the film, I *love* the way the songs so beautifully forecast what is about to happen in each scene. And the way the ending is the same as the beginning except that the Kit Kat Klub is filled with German uniforms.

The play's ending was different, and had me in tears. I won't tell you what it is, in case you get to see it someday.

Cheers,
BR

It's been awhile since we chatted so I thought I'd say hi again. I think we had another thread going but now I can't find it.

What's new on your end?

I'm just getting through a cold so life is a fuzzy boring mucous-filled experienced at the moment. (ick)

That's all really. Hope to be more interesting next time.

az

Poor dear! How about a nice hot ? There are nasty colds going around my office. So far I've escaped.

Great to hear from you. Seen any good movies lately? I can highly recommend "Lost in Translation" and "Secret Lives of Dentists." I'm looking forward to "Mystic River," which opens this weekend here. And I'm reading "Cold Mountain" before that opens this Christmas. Good book!

Hello!

No, haven't seen *any* good movies lately. Unfortunately most films are shown dubbed into Spanish here and there is only one cinema that shows films in original version, so the selection is quite slim. But I will keep my eyes peeled for the ones you mentioned. Thing is, usually American films open here about six months later than they do over there.

But I am looking forward to seeing the two Christmas blockbusters - Harry Potter and Return of the King. I would have also been excited to see the last part of Matrix had I not loathed Reloaded so much.

Mostly I prefer smaller, independent films, but really I like a lot of different genres.

az

I loathed "Reloaded" too but am still willing to give third part a chance. I, too, eagerly await "Return of the King"! Is Aragorn yummy or what?!?

Bad news, though: No new Harry Potter this Christmas! I don't know why, but I read that there won't be one this year. I'm crushed!

Re Spanish, well, "Talk to Her" was really good too!

No Harry Potter this year???? Oh no! And the third book is my favourite one.

I can't agree with you about Talk to Her. In fact, I find Almodovar very over-rated as a director. If you ever get a chance see a Spanish film called Los Lunes al Sol (Mondays in the Sun). The director is Fernando Leon. I think that film is sooooo beautiful.

Aragorn has definitely improved. I didn't like him at all in the first film. Also, his accent kept changing back and forth (American/British). But I liked him better in part two. Now I might consider marrying him if only he'd ask.

az

Unfortunately that elfin twit seems to have him locked up. And Eowyn so perfect for him! Sigh.

Ah, that'll explain the interviews I saw with her in the 'Extras' on the dvd of The Two Towers. She was so gushingly gushy about him that I thought she was being quite embarrassing. Well, if she is his partner, this makes it slightly less so. But only slightly. He certainly never mentioned her in any of his interviews.

Hmmm, I wonder what Benicio del Toro is up to?

az

Oh hang on - you said elfin twit! And I was thinking you meant a real life Eowyn, the actress. Well, it's still true that the Eowyn actress really sounded silly talking about Viggo.

az

Oh, I just meant Aragorn and Ariel, not Viggo and Liv. Sorry. Benicio del Toro is the coolest. Did you see "Traffic"? I was so glad he won the Oscar!

Yes, but Benicio has done nothing good since Traffic, though the latest, 21 grams, is supposed to be very good.

az

I have hopes for that, too, tho the trailer for it was incomprehensible. Sometimes complex themes are hard to do trailers for, tho. Isn't Sean Penn in that too? He's always great.

Yeah, Sean Penn picked up an award for that film, I think in Venice. Anyhow, am looking forward to seeing it. I haven't seen the trailer. Hope it isn't TOO weirdly arty and 'complex'. To be honest, the films I like best tell simple yet real stories with fabulously believable dialogue.

az

I don't think I could categorize what I like, but I tend not to like Hollywood extravaganzas. Where do you stand on the subject of Quentin Tarantino? I'm not wild about him, but maybe that's my age talking. Then again, we're the same age, so you should be a good test of that.

hi again,

Well, I don't really categorize what sort of films I like either. But I must say that a good story and fine dialogue are at the top of my list for whether I find a film exceptional. On the other hand, I do also enjoy the occasional Hollywood blockbuster film. It's like with everything. Sometimes you feel like a nice gourmet meal with a good wine and other times you are in the mood for nachos and beer. Both serve their purpose.

As for Tarantino - where has he gone? He seems to have disappeared of late. I thought Pulp Fiction was a masterpiece. Reservoir Dogs was okay. I didn't like Jackie Brown. And I can't think of any other Tarantino films right now.

az

Good point on the various types of films. Tarantino has a new film out soon -- actually two films -- called "Kill Bill." First movie since "Jackie Brown." It's coming out in two parts; one soon, the other around Christmas, I think.

Oh yes, I *have* heard of this new Tarantino film, but I didn't know it is being released in two parts.

One other thing I have liked about all of his films are the excellent soundtracks.

Yes, I will also go to see the third Matrix film though not with a lot of enthusiasm. Who knows, I might be pleasantly surprised?

az

People are *flocking* here to see "Kill Bill." I think it's already earned back almost half of what it cost to make -- in one weekend!

I read one interview with Quentin Tarantino in which he said that the movie took much longer to make than he thought. He'd never shot martial arts scenes before, and scheduled days to shoot them instead of weeks. Somewhere in there the studio started asking questions, but when he showed the studio head some of his footage the man backed off, saying, "Don't worry about the money or the time; just make a great movie." How many people get to hear that?

Second part will be out in February.

Well, who knows when and if this film will make it to Seville. Sounds quite interesting. A report I read in this morning's Guardian said it was sooooooooo bloody it was almost a joke. Mind you, Pulp Fiction was rather that way. He has always had a thing about taking mindless violence and portraying it in an even more mindless way than ever. With a good sountrack to back up the bloody scenes.

Five days til vacation? Where are you going?

az