(no subject)

[lagilman]

So, we took the afternoon to go see "The Illusionist," mainly because it was based on a short story by my old writing professor (the story that won a World Fantasy Award, I might add).

*pause*

Wow. Just.. wow.

This is not a movie that will do well in the mass audiences, I fear -- it requires you to stay on your game, appreciate nuances, and think forward as well as back. But for those willing to go in awake and alert, it rewards the viewing. And how.

Go. See. Prove to Hollywood that we will respond to intelligent moviemaking....

(and hopefully Steve Millhauser's old collections will be brought back, as he's a damn good writer -- and how many people can say they've won both a World Fantasy Award and a Pulitzer for Best Novel?)

Comments

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Yep. Peter and I were amazed.

We went to see it on my birthday. I wanted to see it since having read the story a while back.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

Did you spot the same plothole I did? Go here: http://jonquil.livejournal.com/482778.html#cutid1

[lagilman]

Hah! Yah, that struck me, too. They should have had it in the breezeway or caught in the wood, not where it was. Not with that time lapse between event and discovery. But that was the only flaw I found.

[otterdance.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec. We've been eyeing the posters, which are wonderful, but hadn't heard a thing about it. Why is no one promoting this movie??

[lagilman]

I suspect they know it's not going to be a commercial success, and will be saving their ad campaign for the Oscars.

Let's surprise them at the box office. ;-)

[skidspoppe.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I noticed the book is not easily available (in fact, just finding which collection the story was in was a chore).

But damn fine movie. Of course, there were some magical issues, but beautiful...very beautiful.

[moon-happy.livejournal.com]

Save me the search. In which collection might I find it? Thanks.

[skidspoppe.livejournal.com]

it can be found in Barnum Museum Stories (http://www.amazon.com/Barnum-Museum-Stories-American-Literature/dp/1564781798/sr=8-1/qid=1158371091/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-5407631-7285436?ie=UTF8&s=books) but The Knife Thrower (http://www.amazon.com/Knife-Thrower-Other-Stories/dp/0679781633/sr=8-2/qid=1158371091/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-5407631-7285436?ie=UTF8&s=books) looks pretty good as well.

[moon-happy.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I found THE KNIFE THROWER immediately available at my local library.

Just saw it

[otterdance.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the rec. It was wonderful, even though the ending was no surprise. Beautifully filmed and acted, delicious costuming, too. I just love Ed Norton.

[sleary.livejournal.com]

I'm having trouble locating Barnum Museum Stories, but "The Illusionist" seems to have been included in the 3rd Year's Best Fantasy and Horror -- the one covering 1989, published in '90. (I can't check because the 3rd is one of the few volumes I don't own and it's 1 a.m., but I'll be off to the library in the morning.)

[lagilman]

It's the story that won the World Fantasy Award back in, er, 1990? So odds are good it's in there, yeah.

Re: Just saw it

[lagilman]

the ending is a surprise if you're not certain

slight
spoiler
space
but
not
really
for
discussion
of
plot
and
nuances...

if the story is suspense or tragedy. It's actually both, but the tragedy is not the expected, but rather the personal demons of the prince, which drove everything that happened.

It's also a shades-of-gray morality play, in that the villian of the piece ends up being punished even though the only crimes he was proven (shown in the film) to have committed were not the crimes he was being punished for. (plotting to overthrow his father, check. Rage and jealousy, check. Murder? Accused [the previous mistress] but never proven). So he was driven to his final act not by guilt but the frustration and anger he expressed. And that was also a tragedy. As she said, he was too intelligent for his own good.

[vincam.livejournal.com]

I thought the trailer looked good. I'll have to check it out if it doesn't flit past too fast out here.

Re: Just saw it

[otterdance.livejournal.com]

Have you read Kotzwinkle's "Fata Morgana" or Robertson Davies' "Deptford Trilogy" Many similar themes and motifs. Not that it's a copy, but if you liked the movie you'd probably really like those, too.

[sleary.livejournal.com]

It is, indeed! (Hooray for the library.)