Episode 43: To Make Sport for Our Neighbors

The Pilgrim's Podcast takes to the road to discuss zombies, violence in movies, Jane Austen, and the art of adaptation.

Episode 23: Possession is 9/10s of the Law

We talk the cast of Rogue One, Possession (2002), historical mystery, the Republican debate, whether women should be in politics, how romance has changed throughout history, and the duty of journalists. Additionally: we act out a scene from our movie of the week, and C.S. Lewis chooses his favorite Republican candidate.

A Tale of Two Cities (1958)

As film popularity goes, A Tale of Two Cities is a mid-level Dickens novel. Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol have been filmed so many times that it just isn't Christmas without one of them coming out.

Bulkier novels like Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend, and Little Dorrit have been relegated to the small screen. But while A Tale of Two Cities is easily Dickens's best-selling novel (according to Wikipedia, the second best-selling novel of all-time), its cinematic footprint is fairly meager. The last Hollywood version was this one, in 1958, and it was an uneven remake of the 1935 version.

As plots go, it's far easier to summarize than the average Dickens, and with its romance, action, and melodrama, it's prime stuff for an epic film. (In fact, there is a new version in the works.)

Hey! Young Christopher Lee!

The story opens with a carriage struggling up a muddy hillside in the night. A rider approaches through the mist, crying out for one of the passengers, a Mr Jarvis Lorry. The coachmen check with their clients - it's not the handsome, sardonic lawyer, Sydney Carton (Dirk Bogarde), but a fussy banker (Cecil Parker).

After receiving the odd message ("Recalled to life?"), Mr. Lorry continues to Dover, where he informs young Lucie Manette (Dorothy Tutin) that her long-lost father, Dr. Manette (Stephen Murray) has been found alive. After eighteen years in the Bastille, he has been released to some kindly friends: the Defarges.

Episode 19: Putting the Odd in Podcast

We talk The Intouchables, ISIS recruiting tactics, the sudden popularity of courtship, whether Christians should be cremated, and planning the Patriarch's funeral (it involves Matthew Perryman Jones).

Episode 16: Love...Twue Love...

How the Patriarch met the Matriarch, the Doors Theory of a Happy Marriage, Colin Farrell's eyebrows, The Love Boat, and romantic movies: Pride and Prejudice, Our Mutual Friend, The New World, A Room With a View, and The Painted Veil.

Episode 10: What the Dickens?

Why was Charles Dickens so popular? Did he write fairy-tales? Does the Patriarch like Taylor Swift? Why are joy and happiness not the same thing? What is our dream cast for the upcoming miniseries adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities? All this and more in the latest episode of The Pilgrim's Podcast.

50 Romantic Movies You Could Watch Instead of 50 Shades of Grey

A Room With a View (1985)

Despite the fact that it has been panned by nearly all critical (or moral) sources, Facebook has still informed me that there are people planning to see 50 Shades of Grey. To misquote the one Grey I care about: "You shall not (buy) pass(es)" if I have anything to do with it.

Instead, how about these classics? I've placed links on some of them - some to free Youtube versions of the movies themselves, some to my reviews.

Let's start out with an array:

1. Pride and Prejudice (there's also the 2005 movie version)
2. The Importance of Being Earnest
3. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
4. Emma (1996)
5. Raising Arizona

Howl's Moving Castle - Minireview

Liked this one even better than my first experience of Miyazaki: Princess Mononoke, as it maintained the focus on its main character far longer than the latter (which lost itself in the greater plot.) Visually stunning, I quickly found myself wishing to visit the magical vision of Europe that Miyazaki provides.

Somewhere in the cross between steampunk and fantasy, we're introduced to a semi-industrial city on the borders of a rugged, green waste. Sophie is a young, plain girl who works in a hat-shop, and is, entirely by accident, caught up in the affairs of wizards when a mysterious stranger rescues her from a pair of churlish soldiers. Soon after this Sophie is assaulted by a jealous witch. Left with the fall-out of this encounter, Sophie refuses to feel sorry for herself, but sets off into the waste to remedy the problem, where she meets a number of eccentric characters, including legendary wizard Howl. Romance ensues.

From a character standpoint, Sophie is a marvelous heroine, providing a down-to-earth contrast to the beautiful, self-important wizard Howl, though the romance between the two did not quite convince me (her falling for him made much more sense than vice versa), much like that of Mononoke. I think this would have worked better if Howl had been given more character scenes, he was a little bit too idealized and feminine (Manic Pixie Dream Boy?). The whole relationship felt like Jane Eyre opposite a more perfect Mr. Rochester. But quibbles aside, it's still a lot of fun, incredibly creative and beautiful. Miyazaki, once again, thoroughly wowed me with his sumptuous visuals. I'll be watching again.

4.5/5 stars





Hannah Long

Pride and Prejudice (2005) - Movie Review

Just mentioning this movie in our household is akin to an act of blasphemy. Indeed, after smuggling it inside, my brother Sam and I watched it with the volume turned down low whilst everyone else was asleep.

The reason is that among period drama fans the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries is Mecca. A masterpiece of casting, direction, and delivery, there’s really nothing I can say against it.

It’s a further testament to our familiarity with the story that my sixteen-year-old brother (brother, mind) was full of detailed, enthusiastic criticism. “That’s not Mr. Bennet,” he opined as a grouchy Donald Sutherland mumbled his lines. As a long, single shot captured the Netherfield Ball (Sam commented, appreciatively, on the camera-work): “Is that Mr. Bingley? No! Look at his hair!” The general lightness of the acting, and lack of restraint in comparison to the TV series, prompted: “They’re all too young!”

A Tale of Two Cities (1935) - Movie Review

"Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth"
-Hark the Herald Angels Sing


Let's face it, A Tale of Two Cities is my favorite book. Thus, any adaptation is inevitably going to suffer from my extremely high expectations. My favorite may very well be The Dark Knight Rises. Kidding. Sort of. As of yet, no film version has come even close to my idea of How It Should Be (my screen-play is in the works, so keep an eye out, Hollywood), but the 1935 film is a pretty good attempt.

It's helpful with this film to have some familiarity with 30's movies. Considering it as among its fellows, it was very much ahead of its time, with clever cinematography, a tight script, a huge budget, and a decent cast. Of course, its greatest weaknesses are when it adhered to the then-common conventions, such as the ubiquitous sappy music, the occasionally choppy editing, and a one-dimensional female heroine.