Sunday, November 30, 2008

Revisiting The Recently Revisited

w00t! Pardon me those who live on foreign shore, but my fellow Australians, the 1981 mini-series of Brideshead Revisited starts tonight on ABC2.



It was only earlier this month that I saw the recent movie version, yet it's been 25+ years since I saw this original tv version of the Evelyn Waugh novel. That's a whole person's lifetime ago! Actually, it feels like my entire lifetime ago.

Oh, and it's up against "2 And A Half Men" or "Don't Forget The Lyrics". I call no contest.

[Updated: Ep 1 just finished. Better than I remembered. Curiously, whole slabs of it I don't remember at all. All the extended army bits at the beginning... who knew? Oh, and those who commented that they Upped The Gay in the new movie. Not. I'd forgotten the voice overs, when Charles is heading off to his first Plover's Egg Feast with Sebastian and chums, the lovely long piece about wanting to love, about heading towards finding the low door in the wall that leads to love and Sebastian. Not exactly The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name keeping shtum. Oh, yeah and not to mention the fantastic (and quotable) Ant-t-t-tony B-b-b-b-b-lanche!]

[Even More Updated: Squee! Right after "Brideshead" I'm now watching "ShakeseaRe-Told: A Midsummer Night's Dream" with... one of the cutest of The Ruperts, Rupert Evans. Hot dish in a wet shirt and (surprisingly) hairy chest. Num! Colour me King Of The Fairies all of a sudden.]

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Heh, good eh? The first episode is the best in many ways since it all falls apart later although the scenes in Venice are good as well. Regarding the gay hints, there's a voiceover line from Charles (when they're having their picnic) about "great sins" which hints at much. And I'm happy to say that Anthony B-b-b-b-b keeps popping up like a wicked fairy!

Michael Guy said...

RE: the recent movie: Maybe cuz I was hungry but I kept thinking "Just die already" by the fourth reel.

Never go to art-y/epic films on an empty stomach.

The Other Andrew said...

John, the first ep was lovely. I'd forgotten how, well, detailed they could be in the mini-series format. The funny thing was seeing many of the same locations used in the new film.

MG, the funny thing is... every time they opened another bottle all I could think was, I COULD USE A DRINK RIGHT NOW.