"THE BARCHESTER CHRONICLES" (1982) Screenshots Gallery

Below are screenshot images from the 1982 miniseries, "THE BARCHESTER CHRONICLES". Based upon two of Anthony Trollope's "BARCHESTER" novels - "The Warden" (1855) and "Barchester Towers" (1857), the miniseries starred Donald Pleasence, Nigel Hawthorne, Geraldine McEwan, Janet Maw, Alan Rickman, Angela Pleasence and Susan Hampshire:


"THE BARCHESTER CHRONICLES" (1982) Screenshots Gallery























More screenshots can be found in this GALLERY.

"The Deconstruction of Jack Shephard"

"THE DECONSTRUCTION OF DR. JACK SHEPHARD"

I have a confession to make. I must have been among the few viewers of television’s "LOST" who does not dislike the series’ lead character, Dr. Jack Shephard. Before anyone makes the assumption that he is a favorite character of mine, let me make one thing clear. He is not. But for some strange reason, I do not dislike Jack.

During the series' last three or four seasons, many fans have ranted consistently against Jack’s faults. Mind you, he is not the only flawed character in the series. In fact, most of the major charactes seemed to possess some very serious flaws. Jack Shephard seemed to be one of very few characters that has drawn a considerable amount of ire from the fans. I do not know why he has been specifically targeted by these fans. But I cannot help but wonder if the combination of Jack’s role as the series’ lead character and his flawed personality has set fans against him.

Now, someone might claim that my last remark sounds ridiculous. As I had earlier pointed out, most of the major characters are also seriously flawed or have committed some serious crimes. Extremely flawed characters like John Locke, Jin Kwon, Michael Dawson, Kate Austen, Miles Strume, Ana-Lucia Cortez, Charlie Pace, Sayid Jarrah, James “Sawyer” Ford, Sun Kwon, Boone Carlyle, Mr. Eko, Juliet Burke and Shannon Rutherford. Hell, the list is practically endless. And yet, the only other character who have received as much criticism or hate as Jack is Ana-Lucia Cortez. Why? Well, I have my theories.

Both Jack and Ana-Lucia had assumed leadership among the castaways at one time or the other, due to their personalities, circumstances and professions. Ana-Lucia had assumed leadership of the Tail Section passengers that crashed on one side of the island for forty-eight (48) days. Since Day One of the Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crash, she stepped up and utilized her skills as a police officer to save lives and make decisions when no one else would. Jack, a spinal surgeon, did the same with the surviving passengers from the Fuselage Section on the other side of the island. In one early Season One episode, (1.05) “White Rabbit”, he seemed willing to back away from the role of leader, until John Locke convinced him to resume it. Jack remained the leader even after Ana-Lucia and the remaining Tail Section passengers joined the Fuselage camp. And it was not until after his departure from the island in the Season Four finale with Hugo “Hurley” Reyes, Sun Kwon, Sayid Jurrah, Kate Austen and Aaron Littleton that he finally relinquished the position.

Recalling the above made me realize something. Human beings – for some reason or other – expect leaders to know everything and always do the right thing. Always. And without fail. Humans seemed to have little tolerance toward the imperfections of our leaders. This certainly seemed to be the case for fictional characters who are leaders. And many fans of "LOST" have harbored a deep lack of tolerance toward Jack and Ana-Lucia’s personal failings.

In the case of the former L.A.P.D. police officer, many fans have complained of her aggressive personality. They have also accused her of being a bitch. In other words that means being aggressive and hard – traits many have claimed are more suited for a man, instead of a woman - is a sure sign that a woman is a bitch. And unlike other female characters on the series, Ana-Lucia lacked the svelte, feminine looks prevalent in the "LORD OF THE RINGS" saga.

Actually, gender politics also seemed to have played a great deal in the fans’ opinion of Jack. His main crime seemed to be that he does not fit the image of a heroic leading male character. Physically, he looks the part. Unfortunately for Jack, he failed to live up to those looks. He has made the wrong choices on several occasions – choices that included his decision to continue with the plan to set off the nuclear bomb Jughead in the Season Five finale, (5.16/5.17) “The Incident”. It is interesting that many fans have dumped most the blame upon Jack’s shoulders regarding that bomb. And he is partially to blame. But these same fans failed to remember that the plan to detonate the bomb belonged to Daniel Faraday. He was the first who had insisted upon setting off the bomb to reset time back to the day of Flight 815’s crash – September 22, 2004. Many have accused Jack of failing to be a proper parent figure to his nephew, Aaron Littleton, during his three years off the island. And at the same time, many have praised Kate Austen for pretending to be the boy’s mother. I found this rather perverse, considering that Kate had set in motion the lie about her being Aaron’s mother. Jack was guilty of supporting Kate’s lie. But instead of criticizing both for lying about Aaron and keeping him from his Australian family, these fans have criticized Jack for not being an effective father figure Aaron and praised a kidnapper like Kate for being a good mother. Ah, the ironies of life.

Many fans have accused Jack of being emotionally abusive toward Kate during the series' first four seasons. And yes, they would have every reason to criticize his behavior. But Kate had allowed herself to be victimized by Jack’s anger and insecurities. Worse, her own behavior – namely her constant lies and attempts to manipulate him and others – occasionally triggered his temper. If one character is going to be criticized for the situations I have previously described, so should the other character involved in those situations. Some of Jack’s other mistakes included sanctioning Sayid’s torture of Sawyer, failure to organize a search for the kidnapped Walt Lloyd, instigating that ludicrous search for Michael Dawson and communicating with Martin Keamy and the other hired mercenaries aboard the S.S. Kahana. Yet, he has received more complaints about his relationship with Kate and his tendency to get emotional and shed tears than for anything else. Once again, many fans managed to prove that we still live in a patriarchal society. It was okay for female characters to shed tears in very emotional moments, but not male characters. Especially if one male character happens to be the series’ leading character.

Jack’s penchant for tears was not the only sign of how some fans can be hypocritical. I have written articles criticizing some of the series’ other characters. Most of my articles have criticized Kate Austen. I will be honest. I used to dislike Kate very much. But most of my previous dislike had stemmed from her past flaky behavior and especially the fans’ tendency to excuse her mistakes and crimes . . . or pretend that she had never done anything wrong. However, Kate was not the only character given this leeway. James Ford had murdered three people – one in Australia and two on the island. Yet, many fans tend to make excuses for him. I do not dislike James. But I have complained about his flaws, mistakes and crimes. When I do, many fans tend to pretend that he has not done anything wrong. And I find this frustrating.

Sometime back in Season Two or Season Three, actor Matthew Fox and the show’s producers, Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, made it known to the media and viewers that they were doing something different with the Jack Shephard character. They took a superficially heroic type – a brilliant surgeon that assumed leadership of a group of stranded castaways – and deconstructed him. In other words, they slowly but surely exposed his flaws and took the character to what could be viewed as the nadir of his existence. Whether Jack will be able to climb out of that existence remains to be seen. From what fans on the many "LOST" message boards and forums have expressed . . . this is not a path they wanted Jack to take. Instead, these fans wanted – or demanded that Jack behave like a conventional hero.

During most of Season Six, Jack managed to avoid indulging in self-destructive behavior. He also refrained from displaying any inclination to pursue a romance with Kate. The worst he has done was engage in a temper tantrum over his discovery in (6.05) "The Lighthouse" that the island’s spiritual “man” Jacob has been observing and possibly interfering in the lives of several castaways. Another personality change I noticed was that he had passively allowed others to take the lead without questioning their decisions. I must be honest. I never liked that particular period in Jack's emotional makeup It made him seem like a mindless moron.

Did Jack finally become the hero that so many demanded, when he saved the island before his death? Personally, I never did care less about his status as a hero. Nor did I really care for his passive behavior in Season Six. But I did hope that he would finally discover some inner peace for himself. And I believe that he did in his final moments, as he laid in the jungle, and watched Kate and the other survivors leave the island for good.

Favorite Romantic Comedies

Below is a list of my favorite romantic comedies in chronological order:


FAVORITE ROMANTIC COMEDIES


1. "It Happened One Night" (1934) - Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert won Oscars in this Best Picture comedy about a newspaper who escorts a runaway bride to her husband from Miami to New York. Oscar winner Frank Capra directed.




2. "The Awful Truth" (1937) - Cary Grant and Irene Dunne co-starred in this screwball comedy about the machinations of a soon-to-be-divorced couple, that go to great lengths to try to ruin each other's romantic escapades. Leo McCarey directed.




3. "Bringing Up Baby" (1938) - Howard Hawks directed Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant in this wild and funny tale about a scientist winding up in various predicaments involving a woman with a unique sense of logic and a leopard named Baby.




4. "The Lady Eve" (1941) - Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda co-starred in this funny and sexy tale about a beautiful con artist who falls in love with a bumbling millionaire. When he dumps her after learning the truth about his profession, she comes back into his life, disguised as an English aristocrat in order to torment him. Charles Coburn and William Demerest co-starred.




5. "The Palm Beach Story" (1942) - Preston Sturges also wrote this hilarious tale of a young wife who decides to raise money for her inventor husband by leaving him and finding a millionaire as a second husband. Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Rudy Vallee and Mary Astor co-starred.



6. "Pillow Talk" (1959) - A man and woman who share a telephone line end up despising each other, until he decides to have fun by romancing her, disguised as a Texas millionaire. Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall co-starred in the first of their three films together in this Oscar winning comedy.




7. "Lover Come Back" (1962) - Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall reunite in this slightly more raucous comedy about advertising executives from rival companies who become embroiled in romance and deceit. Stanley Shapiro earned an Oscar nomination for his screenplay.




8. "French Kiss" (1995) - Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline are hilarious in this tale about an uptight woman with a fear of flying, who flies to France to confront her straying fiancé, but gets into trouble when the charming crook seated next to her uses her for smuggling. Timothy Hutton and Jean Reno co-starred.




9. "Kate and Leopold" (2001) - Meg Ryan, Golden Globe nominee Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber and Breckin Meyer co-starred in this charming story about a 19th century English duke who travels through time from 1876 New York to the present and falls in love with a career woman in the modern New York.




10. "The Ugly Truth" (2009) - Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler co-starred in this surprisingly funny and raunchy story about a Sacramento morning show producer who is reluctantly embroiled in a series of outrageous tests by her chauvinistic correspondent to prove his theories on relationships and help her find love. His clever ploys, however, lead to an unexpected result.

"JANE EYRE" (1997) Review

"JANE EYRE" (1997) Review

There have been many adaptations of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel, "Jane Eyre". And I do not exaggerate. If I must be honest, I really have no idea of the number of adaptations made. I have seen at least six of them – including his 1997 television movie that aired on the A&E Channel in the U.S. and on ITV in Great Britain.

Directed by Robert Young, and starring Samantha Morton as the titled character and Ciarán Hinds as Edward Rochester; "JANE EYRE" told the story of a young and impoverished English woman forced to become a teacher at a girls’ school in early Victorian England. Bored and dissatisfied with working at Lowood – the very school where she had also spent six years as a student, Jane Eyre places an advertisement that offers herself as a governess in a private household. A Mrs. Fairfax of Thornfield Hall responds to the advertisement and hires Jane. Upon her arrival, Jane discovers that Mrs. Fairfax is Thornfield Hall’s housekeeper and that her new student is Adèle Varens, the French-born ward of the estate’s owner, Edward Rochester. It is not long before Jane finds herself falling in love with Mr. Rochester and being drawn to a mystery surrounding him and a maleficent presence at Thornfield Hall.

Judging from the movie’s 108 minute running time, one could easily see that Richard Hawley’s screenplay had cut a great deal from Brontë’s original novel. Jane’s time at Lowood seemed rushed. Her disappointing reunion with the Reeds was completely cut out. And her time spent with St. John and Diana Rivers was censored heavily. The screenplay even failed to point out Jane’s family connections with the Rivers family and her small financial inheritance. Most of the cuts were made to fit the movie’s short running time and emphasize Jane’s relationship with Rochester. Did it work? That is a good question.

I did have some problems with this production. One hundred and eight minutes struck me as a rather short running time for an adaptation of a literary classic. Hollywood could have gotten away with such a running time during its Golden Age, but I am not so certain that it would have been able to do so, today. The movie’s limited running time was certainly apparent in its failure to depict adult Jane’s reunion with her Reed cousins. Her negative childhood in the family’s household had played an important part in Jane’s formative years. I found it ironic that Hawley’s script was willing to convey Jane’s unhappy childhood with the Reeds, but not follow up with her return to their home in the wake of a family tragedy.

This version also excluded Rochester’s barely veiled contempt toward young Adele, his ward and the daughter of his former mistress. Considering Rochester’s paternalistic attitudes and occasional sexism – conveyed in his penchant for blaming Adele for her mother’s perfidy – by ignoring his hostile attitude toward his ward, Hawley seemed to have robbed some of the landowner’s original character in order to make him more palatable. I could also say the same for Hawley and director Young’s decision to remove the incident involving Jane’s encounter with Rochester disguised as a gypsy woman. And a great deal of Jane’s stay with St. John and Diana Rivers was also deleted from this version. One, it robbed the production of an interesting peek into the St. John Rivers character. Although not a favorite of mine, I have always found him interesting. The brief focus on the Rivers sequence made the movie’s pacing within the last half hour seem rather rushed.

But Hawley’s script and Young’s direction more than made up for these shortcomings in the movie’s portrayal of Jane and Rochester’s relationship. I must admit that I found the development of their relationship fascinating to watch. I especially enjoyed how Jane managed to hold her own against Rochester’s persistent attempts to inflict his will upon her . . . earning his love and respect in the process. And in turn, Rochester manages to earn Jane’s respect and love with his intelligence, wit and gradual recognition of her virtues.

The most fascinating sequence in the entire movie was not, surprising, Rochester’s revelation of his insane wife, Bertha. Mind you, I did find that particular scene rather interesting. For me, the most fascinating scene turned out to be Rochester’s attempt to prevent Jane from leaving Thornfield Hall. He used every emotional response possible – passionate pleadings, contempt, desperation, anger and declarations of love – to get her to stay. He even suggested that she become his mistress and travel to the Continent with him in order for them to stay together. What I found amazing about his actions was his lack of remorse or regret for attempting to draw Jane into a bigamous marriage or make her his mistress. But what I found equally amazing was the fact that Jane’s love for him did not die, despite his words and actions. More importantly, she showed amazing strength by resisting him and his promises of an illicit relationship.

Aside from the movie’s writing and direction, the performances of Samantha Morton and Ciarán Hinds really drove the above mentioned scene. They were simply superb. To be honest, they gave first-rate performances throughout the entire movie. I have yet to see Ruth Wilson’s performance as Jane Eyre. But I must admit that I believe Samantha Morton gave one of the two best portrayals of the character – the other came from Zeulah Clarke in the 1983 adaptation. Morton was barely 19 or 20 when she made this film. And yet, she infused a great deal of subtle strength, warmth and passion into the role. Not only did she managed to create a strong chemistry with her leading man, but also hold her own against him, considering that he happened to be at least 24 years older than her. As for Ciarán Hinds, he also gave a first-rate performance. Mind you, there were moments when Hinds chewed the scenery . . . excessively. Perhaps that came from a theatrical style he had failed to shed for motion pictures around that time. But he did capture all aspects of Edward Rochester’s emotional make-up – both good and bad. I would not go as far to say that Ciarán Hinds was my favorite Edward Rochester. But I must admit that I found him to be a memorable one.

This movie also had the good luck to possess a solid supporting cast. However, I only found myself impressed by only a few. One of those few happened to be Timia Bertome, who portrayed young Adele. She did a very good job in not only capturing her character’s self-absorbed nature, but also Adele’s sunny disposition. Rupert Penry-Jones turned out to be a very interesting St. John Rivers. In fact, I would not hesitate to add that Penry-Jones effectively gave a new twist on the character by portraying him as a superficially friendly soul, but one who still remained arrogant, sanctimonious and pushy. It seemed a pity that the actor was never given a chance to delve even further into St. John’s character. Elizabeth Garvie, who portrayed his sister Diana, had a great deal less to do. Screenwriter Richard Hawley gave a subtle, yet effective performance as Rochester’s brother-in-law, Richard Mason. And Sophie Reissner is the first actress to make me sympathize over the plight of Rochester's mad West Indian wife, Bertha Mason Rochester. Abigail Cruttenden not only effectively portrayed the beautiful, yet vain Blanche Ingram; but also managed to inject some intelligence into the role. But my favorite supporting performance came from Gemma Jones, who portrayed Thornfield Hall’s housekeeper, Mrs. Fairfax. Superficially, she portrayed the housekeeper as a cheerful soul that kept the Rochester household running efficiently. Yet, she also conveyed Mrs. Fairfax’s anxiety and doubt over Jane’s blooming romance with Mr. Rochester and the presence in the manor’s attic with great subtlety. Jones gave the third best performance in them movie, following Morton and Hinds.

For a movie with such a short running time, I must admit that I found its production values very admirable. Cinematographer John McGlashan did an excellent job in injecting a great deal of atmosphere into his shots without allowing the movie to look too gloomy. However, I did have a problem with that slow-motion shot that featured Edward Rochester’s introduction. It seemed out of place and a bit ridiculous. Also, production designer Stephen Fineren and art director John Hill managed to maintain the movie’s atmosphere and setting. I found Susannah Buxton’s costumes surprisingly enjoyable. The costumes perfectly captured the 1830s in the film’s sequences featuring Jane’s childhood with the Reeds and at Lowood School and also the 1840s in which the rest of the movie was set. I especially have to congratulate Buxton for limiting the Jane Eyre character to only a few costumes, which seemed fitting for the character’s social and economic situation.

This version of ”JANE EYRE” was not perfect. I found its 108 minute running time too short for its story. And because of its limited running time, Richard Hawley’s script deleted or shortened certain scenes that I believe were essential to the story and the leading character. But I must admit that despite these shortcomings, I found this adaptation to be first-rate thanks to the focus upon the Jane Eyre/Edward Rochester relationship; a production design that reeked of early Victorian England and an excellent cast led by the superb Samantha Morton and Ciarán Hinds.

More Observations of "NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II" (1986)

On another blog, I had posted a review and a list of flaws about the miniseries' production. Here are more observations on the 1986 miniseries:


MORE OBSERVATIONS OF "NORTH AND SOUTH: BOOK II" (1986)

POMPOUS QUOTES - Lines that I suppose were to be well meaning but came off as self-righteous or a speech:

"I never wanted this war. But we would be without pride, without honor, if we let the North tell us how to live. There are some things worth fighting for, Madeline. This land, this family, our way of life . . .” – Orry Main to Madeline La Motte

"After the Mexican War, I swore I’d never wear a uniform again. But I can’t sit here in Lehigh Station, while the country is being torn in half. I agree with the President. The Union must be preserved." – George Hazard to Constance Flynn Hazard

"Numbers alone won’t be enough. This will be a people’s war. Brother against brother. Our greatest test. Those boys moving south deserve the best arms and cannon we can give them." – President Abraham Lincoln

"The issue here is not just the fate of the United States, but of the whole family of man." – President Lincoln

"The Yankee battle flag. One of our colonels took it. It was taken while Jackson stood like a stone wall." - President Jefferson Davis to Orry

"I understand that after Manassas, we could have taken Washington, had those militia supported our Potomoc forces." - Orry to President Davis

"Your brother’s marriage is an act of faith and hope that Mont Royal will go on." – Clarissa Gault Main to Brett Main Hazard

"The North recovered from Manassas, sir. We shall from this (Fort Donelson defeat). There will be no more talk now of an easy victory." - Orry to President Davis

"George Washington’s statue. Always been an inspiration to me. That’s why I chose his birthday to become the first president of the Confederacy. That great man refused to give up, in spite of everything. He brought to birth a new nation. So will I, so will I." – President Davis

"We’ve never had fighting like this before on this continent. Skirmishes, maim and filth. More than major battles in earlier wars. We’re not prepared for such casualties." - Dorothea Dix to Virgilia Hazard Grady

"I have seen horrors as bad or as worse as any war. Atrocities inflicted by Southern slaveowners on their black victims. I’ve witnessed that. I’ve touched them with my own hands Bodies burned. Beaten with whips. Wounds, scars, hideous disfigurements." - Virgilia to Miss Dix

"I have always believed in equality for men and women." - Virgilia to Miss Dix

"There’s a whole way of life at stake here. If it’s God’s will that we prevail, we won’t just win a war, we’ll secure freedom for all our people." – President Lincoln to George

"No sir. I’m going to give this (a skull) a proper burial. He was a brave soldier." – Tom to Lieutenant Stephen Kent

"Only unconditional surrender will give us a lasting peace." – General U.S. Grant to General John Rawlins

"Vicksburg seems like more of a disaster everyday. By surrendering there, we lost the Mississippi and saw our nation cut in two." - Orry to Captain Calvin Shelby

"General Lee is in ill health and discouraged. I hope he does not consider resigning. The Confederacy is doomed without Lee. He must stay on." – President Davis to James Huntoon and other fireaters

"This is almost as bad as the Wilderness. Since Grant’s been in charge, we’ve been pushing Lee back, but at what cost." - Corporal Shane to Virgilia

"Think how difficult it will be for those whose loved ones will never come home." - Constance to Maude Hazard


BAD QUOTE - Or lines that made me want to squirm

"I want my freedom! You can’t force me to love you!" - Madeline to Justin

"Don’t you laugh at me! Don’t you ever laugh at me. Or I will kill you." - Bent to Ashton


ATTRACTIVE COSTUMES

-Brett’s blue and white day dress (Outside War Department & near Engineers’ camp; I)

-Elkhannah Bent’s dark blue overcoat and gray waistcoat and trousers (First Meeting w/Ashton inside his house; I)

-Brett’s gray day dress (Inside Washington boarding room w/Semiramis; I)

-Constance’s blue and white dress (At Bull Run; I)

-Madeline’s light blue evening gown (Supper at Resolute; II)

-Ashton Main Hunton’s pink-salmon gown with black trimming (At the Huntoons’ reception for Vice-President Alexander Stephens; II)

-Bent’s cream-colored suit (At the Huntoons’ reception for Alexander Stephens; II)

-Madeline’s wedding gown; II

-Maude’s maroon and green evening gown (Inside Belvedere’s parlor w/Stanley Hazard and Isabel Truscott Hazard; III)

-Ashton’s pale purple traveling dress (At Mont Royal; III)

-Huntoon’s ice blue jacket with gray trousers, powder blue waistcoat and dark blue top hat (At President Davis’s office; IV)

-Constance’s deep blue dress (Meeting with Lincoln; IV)

-Isabel’s red evening gown (Christmas at Belvedere; V)

-Rafe Beaudine’s black suit and long boots (Christmas in Charleston; V)

-Constance’s white and blue checked dress (At Belvedere w/George; V)

-Virgilia’s aquamarine blue gown (Reception for Sam Greene; VI)

-George and Orry’s civilian suits (During Clarissa’s funeral; VI)

-Bent's dark blue riding suit (With Ashton inside barn/Part V)

-Ashton's short red jacket with blue trimming over a white blouse and a blue skirt (With Bent inside barn/Part V)

-Rafe's dark blue coat, red waistcoat, blue trousers, which are tucked inside long boots (Walk with Madeline/Part V)

-Mrs. Westcott's deep blue dress (Meeting with Madeline/Part V)

-Huntoon's light-gray double-breasted suit (Meeting with Davis and Orry/Part V)


INCONSISTANCIES - In an earlier ARTICLE, I had posted a list of plot inconsistencies in ”BOOK II”. Here are more minor subplots and moments that did not make sense:

*Why would Charles, a West Point graduate and an Army veteran, believe that the South would easily whip the North with very little difficulty?

*Why did the Mont Royal field hands go through so much trouble to save the Mains’ cotton without any white supervision?

*Why did Ezra, or one of the Mains’ neighbors, send the message about Clarissa’s injury and Justin LaMotte’s kidnapping of Madeline to Brett in Washington D.C., instead of Orry in Richmond? Why hire a messenger to go behind enemy lines to deliver the message to Brett?

*Only the infantry from Wade Hampton’s Legion fought at Bull’s Run. Both his cavalry (of which Charles and Ambrose Pell are part) and flying artillery were left behind.

*The defeated Union troops at Bull Run had retreated in an orderly manner until they reached the panicking civilians, who blocked the stone bridge in a massive traffic jam. Only then, did the troops panicked.

*During his fight with Justin’s troops, Orry manages to kick one man, despite a crippled leg. Hmmm.

*Why did Orry remained at Mont Royal for over three months (between late July and November 1861), despite the fact that Justin was dead?

*Why were Charles and Ambrose Pell dragging their swords with them, while crawling on the ground, scouting? They should have left them behind, sheathed into their saddles.

*Why are Charles and Ambrose leading infantry platoons during the battle of Antietam? They are supposed to be cavalry scouts.

*Why did Billy and other officers like Rudy Bosford and Stephen Kent seemed to be fighting together, instead of leading their own platoons? Especially at Antietam?

*Why did Ambrose die, while operating a defective cannon? How did a cavalry scout who was not even West Point trained, knew how to use a captured artillery piece?

*"You had a fine record at the Point." - How did U.S. Grant knew about George’s West Point record? He had graduated three years ahead of George and the two had just reunited.

*George had visited General Grant’s headquarters during the winter of 1862/1863 in Western Tennessee. Yet, I could have sworn that Grant was in Northern Mississippi during this period.

*The cavalry troopers and officers used sabers a lot in this miniseries. Yet, from what I had read, sabers were considered useless by the middle of the war. I thought troopers used rifles, shotguns and pistols.

*Young Orry Nicholas Main was born around May 1864. Which meant he had to been conceived around August 1863. Yet, according to the miniseries, Orry visited Mont Royal between late June 1863 (when George Meade assumed command of the Army of the Potomoc) and the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863).

*How did George transformed from an artillery commander (during the Battle of Gettysburg) to an infantry commander by the end of the war?

*Why was George, recently promoted to a general, directly ordering artillery men to fire? He should have left such direct orders to subordinate officers.

*The miniseries showed George and Billy’s reunion on the evening of July 1, 1863, following Gettysburg’s first day. Yet, it only showed one more day of battle. The Battle of Gettysburg lasted three days.

*What was George doing back with Lincoln’s war cabinet, following the Gettysburg battle? I thought he had been made a field commander.

*Why on earth would Ashton bother to bring along foodstuff to Mont Royal with her? The war in Virginia would have made it impossible for her to gather that much food. And she could have easily found plenty of food stuff in South Carolina, which would not be devastated until General William Sherman’s arrival in January-February 1865.

*What was the major battle that took place before Charles and Augusta’s reunion in May 1864? The first battle between Grant and Lee did not occur until the Wilderness; which Billy and the Sharpshooters fought after Charles and Augusta began their affair.

*Who, exactly, was in second command of the Sharpshooters?

*Why were the Confederate troops marching toward the Sharpshooters in formation during the Battle of the Wilderness? That particular battle was more or less an engagement in bushwacking.

*I noticed that among the foodstuff that Madeline had acquired for the refugees were sacks of rice stamped MONT ROYAL. The Mains grew cotton in the miniseries. And I did not recall any cotton being harvested, since Justin burned the Mains’ last crop in Episode 1.

*Why would Ashton be stupid enough to meet with Bent at night, while Huntoon was at home?

*Colonel John Mosby captured George in May 1864. Yet, seven months later, Charles informed Orry that he had overheard Mosby tell Wade Hampton that the former had just caught a Yankee general. Exactly when did Charles overheard Mosby and Hampton’s conversation?

*Why did Captain Turner, at Libby Prison, failed to show immediate respect at the sight of Orry, who clearly outranked him? Even before he became suspicious?

*When George had escaped from Libby Prison, why did he go straight to Lehigh Station? Should he have not gone toWashington D.C. to report for duty - and send for Constance?

*Why did Madeline leave the safety of her boardinghouse, late at night, to send a messenger to Richmond about Bent? She could have waited until the following morning. Or better yet, summon a rider to the boardinghouse? Perhaps Bent would not have accosted her on the streets.






GOOD QUOTES

"Cotton’s gone, boy. I ain’t wasting no sweat or blood saving something that don’t belong to me." - Cuffey to Ezra

"You saw my wedding picture? . . . My sister Brett was that drab little thing to my right." - Ashton to Bent

"The world has gone insane, George. Completely insane." - Constance to George

"And when she’s (Madeline) disposed of, it will destroy him (Orry) . . . slowly." - Bent to Ashton

"Another year of this war and you Mains won’t be so high and mighty." - Salem Jones to the Main women

"This is the only might that the white man understand! Cold steel!" - Cuffey to Semiramis

"You stay then. Keep waiting for your white rooster, Charles. Who’s fighting to keep me and you slaves. Maybe they’ll let you sleep in his bed. Ain’t nothing left here for me. Maybe pay for all the pain, sweat and blood those folks done took from me." - Cuffey to Semiramis

"You were so close to freedom when you were in Washington! Why you come back?" - Ezra to Semiramis

"I wouldn’t believe you’d been able to think of a white man after Salem Jones!" - Ezra to Semiramis

"No sir. This (Mont Royal) was never our home." - Caleb to Orry

"You were always there with that smile that said, ‘Orry Main, you’re destined to be my pride and joy and if I’m wrong and you turn out to be a no-good account, I love you anyway.’" - Orry to Clarissa

"Mama, you’re the best there ever was." - Orry to Clarissa

"After you’ve been out here a while, you might decide Washington isn’t so bad." - Billy to George

"George, I haven’t seen Brett in two years!" – Billy to George

"Mighty far south for a Yankee, aren’t you?" – Private Raymond to Billy

"I am not an old woman! I can do my share!" - Clarissa to Brett and Madeline

ASHTON: "Can you believe Abe Lincoln put darkies in the Army? James says it would
be a disgrace to be wounded or killed by one."
BRETT: "How would James know? He’s not fighting."

"Yes Madeline, I do hate you. Elkhannah Bent was right. Hatred is like fine. It improves with age." - Ashton

"Black or white, I despise your kind! Especially the way you even treat your own family! You gonna pay for what you’ve done. Someday, you’re gonna know what it is to be alone!" - Semiramis to Ashton

"He’s (Tom) a drummer boy. He’s just a kid. More guts than a sergeant." - Billy to Brett

"I love you, Brett Hazard! Never forget that." - Billy to Brett

"You are a miserable, frustrated woman, Ashton!" - Brett to Ashton

"And if I never see you again, little sister, it would be too soon." - Ashton to Brett

"I know all about men who hunger after their wives, Hazard. But if every officer in this army did what you did, Jeff Davis would be sitting in a rocking chair on the back porch of the White House!" – Colonel Hiram Berdan to Billy

"Gentlemen, you know I can’t abide cuss words, but this time I’m going to use one. Because I am damn tired of hearing what General Lee is going do to us! Start thinking about what we’re going to do to him. Some of you think he’s about to turn a double sommersault and land on our rear end on both flanks of both sides." - U.S. Grant to his staff officers.

"Then it’s best that people don’t speculate." - Madeline, while defending Rafe Beaudine from her landlady’s gossip.

"You touch him, you’re a dead man. I’ll crack your skull like an egg." - Captain Turner to George

"You’re nothing but trash!" - Union prisoner to Captain Turner

"You’re always sorry, James. Well, sorry doesn’t butter any biscuits, if you know what I mean." - Ashton to James Huntoon

"I never want to see another clamp or surgeon’s saw or hospital wagon for as long as I live." - Virgilia to Corporal Shane

"Ma’am, I don’t run this war. It runs me." – Lincoln to Constance

"You get out of here, Salem Jones! Or this other barrel is gonna blow your head off!" - Semiramis to Salem Jones

"You’ve got to wake up, Madeline! Honor’s dead! It’s been killed in the war." - Rafe to Madeline

"My name is George Hazard, you miserable scum!" - George to Mr. Morgan

"Apparently you haven't heard your husband, dear. It's over, Isabel." - Constance to Isabel

"So congratulate yourself, Mr. Colbert. It's not everyday a lawyer helps a scoundrel help a lady." - Rafe to Miles Colbert

"We're beat, Charlie! Can't you see that? Grant's got us bottled up in Petersburg. And he's gonna stomp us until there's more blood in the trenches than rainwater!" - Jim Pickles to Charles

"Damn you Ashton!" - Orry to Ashton, before giving her a well-deserved slap.


EXCELLENT SCENES - What I thought were the best scenes
in the miniseries

-George and Virgilia’s quarrel inside her boardinghouse room (Part 1)

-Charles and Augusta first meet while eluding Union troops (Part 1)

-Bull Run sequence (Part 1)

-George and Orry’s bitter reunion (Part 2)

-Charles and Augusta’s resistance to a night of passion (Part 2)

-Billy and Charles’s reunion at Antietam (Part 3)

-Orry and Clarissa say good-bye (Part 3)

-George’s reunion with Billy before the second Gettysburg battle (Part 3)

-Ashton’s revelation to Madeline about the latter’s mother (Part 3)

-Madeline and Rafe Beaudine meet for the first time (Part 4)

-George’s introduction to Libby Prison (Part 4)

-Mrs. Neal accuses Virgilia of murdering a Confederate prisoner (Part 4)

-George confronts Stanley and Isabel about Axol Iron (Part 5)

-Ashton prostitutes herself for Bent’s scheme (Part 5)

-Rafe Beaudine’s death (Part 5)

-Ashton confesses to an early abortion and her part in Madeline’s disappearance to Orry (Part 5)

-Battle near Fort Steadman (Part 6)

-George and Virgilia say good-bye (Part 6)

-George and Orry reunite (Part 6)

-Attack upon Mont Royal (Part 6)


CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

1. Parts 2 and 5 are difficult to watch. So slow! It took me over a week to watch these two episodes. And I had plenty of opportunity to finish the story a lot sooner. I felt so relieved when I finally finished, something I have never felt about ”NORTH AND SOUTH” or ”HEAVEN AND HELL”.

2. Did anyone else noticed the Yankee hurrah that George let out when he learned that Lee had surrendered?

3. I noticed that the producers managed to conveniently give Augusta Barclay relatives living in Charleston. I suppose they did not want Charles roaming all over Virginia looking for his son. Or searching for young Gus in Washington D.C. (as in the novel).

4. When Ezra had asked Semiramis why she did not attempt an escape while she was in Washington, I found myself wondering the same thing. Then it occurred to me - Semiramis wanted to return, in case Charles might return to Mont Royal. Well, she had to wait nearly four years for that to happen. As for Ezra, I guess Semiramis was the only reason that kept him at Mont Royal. Talk about unrequited love, which thankfully did not last very long.

5. One question - why did Bent bother to get the portrait of Madeline's mother from that New Orleans whorehouse? As far as he knew, Madeline was the wife of one of Orry's neighbors. Bent had no idea that Orry had an emotional tie to Madeline until Ashton later told him.

6. MRS. NEAL - Olivia DeHavilland did an excellent job of portraying one of the most dislikeable characters in the entire trilogy. Harry Venable and James Huntoon also make the list. I take that back. She is the most dislikeable. I can understand how she would be concerned that Virgilia might not be giving proper care to Southern patients, but did she have to be so self-righteous about it? She practiced self-righteousness to a level that made Virgilia look like an amateur! And I have never seen anyone who pre-judged others like she does! Granted, Virgilia was partially responsible for the troubles she endured. She could been less hostile toward the older woman, expressed more concern for Southern patients and refrain from losing her cool when accused of murder. But the old biddy could have at least did a more thorough job of investigating the death of that Southern officer before, accusing Virgilia of murder! Mrs. Neal also could have asked others, beside Corporal Shane about what happened. But nooo! Since Virgilia was an abolitionist who had made no attempt to hide her dislike of Southerners, Mrs. Neal felt she had the perfect culprit.


=====

That is all for now.

"THE GREEN HORNET" (2011) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "THE GREEN HORNET", the recent adaptation of the American pulp hero and masked vigilante created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker in 1936. Directed by Michel Gondry, the movie stars Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz and Cameron Diaz:


"THE GREEN HORNET" (2011) Photo Gallery

"BOTTLE SHOCK" (2008) Review

”BOTTLE SHOCK” (2008) Review

If someone had suggested I go see a movie about California wines and its impact upon the business in the mid-1970s, I would have smiled politely and ignored that person. As it turned out, no one had told me about the 2008 comedy-drama, ”BOTTLE SHOCK”. Two years would pass before I found myself intrigued by it, while watching the movie on cable television.

Directed and co-written by Randall Miller, ”BOTTLE SHOCK” told the story of Jim and Bo Barrett and how their Chardonnay became the first American-grown vintage to win a famous blind wine tasting contest now known as ”the Judgment of Paris”. The contest was sponsored by a British wine connoisseur named Steven Spurrier and held in France. Spurrier wanted to use the contest as a means to be accepted by the French wine connoisseur community. The movie also chronicled the Barretts’ difficulties in maintaining their vineyard, the Chateau Montelena, in the face of mounting debts, Jim Barrett’s reluctance to participate in Spurrier’s contest, and the efforts of a Barrett employee named Gustavo Bambini and his father to start their own vineyard. The desires of the Barretts, Bambini and Spurrier centered on the latter’s blind wine testing competition that made history for the Barretts and California wines.

While reading about ”BOTTLE SHOCK”, I discovered that the movie had received a standing ovation following its screening at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Personally, I believe that Miller and fellow screenwriters Jody Savin and Ross Schwartz did an excellent job in creating a heartwarming movie filled with sharp humor, adversity, human drama, some romance and a good deal of warmth and whimsy. More importantly, Miller, Savin and Schwartz, along with the cast, gave the movie such energy and drive that I found myself developing interest in the topic of wine growing – something that would usually bore me to tears. There have been complaints about some of the historical accuracy in the movie. Why bother? ”BOTTLE SHOCK” is a movie, not a documentary. I have yet to come across a movie or play with a historical backdrop that was completely accurate.

Cinematographer Michael J. Ozier did a marvelous job in capturing the warmth and natural beauty of Napa Valley, with its rolling hills and vast vineyards. With different lightning, he captured the cool elegance of Paris and the French countryside. And costume designer Jillian Kreiner had the more difficult job of capturing the basic styles of the mid-1970s. This was at a time when fashion was in a transition from the wild, Age of Aquarius styles of the early 1970s, to the more ersatz elegance of the latter part of the decade and the 1980s. By the way, one should keep an eye on Dennis Farina’s loud, leisure suits that seemed to symbolize the entire decade . . . at least for me.

I had felt a bit confused over the identity of the film’s leading man. I could not decide whether it was Alan Rickman, Chris Pine or Bill Pullman. In the end, I decided to view all three as the film’s leads. And they led a very fine cast that included Rachael Taylor, Freddy Rodriguez, Dennis Farina, Miguel Sandoval and Eliza Dushku. I had a ball watching Rickman’s portrayal of the sharp-tongued wine connoisseur, Steven Spurrier, who found himself dealing with a new culture in California wine country and the possibility that European countries like Italy, Germany and especially France were not the only places to produce fine wines. At first, Chris Pine’s portrayal of the young Bo Barrett reminded me of a possible dress rehearsal for his performance as a loutish James Kirk in 2009’s ”STAR TREK”. Thankfully, his performance as the younger Barrett proved to possess more nuance, as Pine revealed him to be a vulnerable young man that seemed unsure about whether he was ready to embrace his father’s passion for winemaking, as his own. My only problem with Pine was the blond wig that he wore. I found it atrocious and wished that he had been allowed to portray the character with his natural hair. I personally believe that Bill Pullman gave one of the movie’s two best performances as the complex Jim Barrett – the man who originally injected new life into the Chateau Montelena during the 1970s. His Barrett was a proud and stubborn man that was passionate about his vineyard and who masked his insecurities with a great deal of pig-headed behavior.

Also providing top notch performances were Dennis Farina (of the loud leisure suits), who provided a great deal of amusement and wit as Spurrier’s fictional American friend in Paris and fellow wine connoisseur, Maurice Cantavale; Rachael Taylor as Sam Fulton, the free-spirited intern at Chateau Montelena and Bo’s object of desire; Miguel Sandoval, who was deliciously sardonic as Mr. Garcia, another worker at Chateau Montelena; and Eliza Dushku, who gave an amusingly edgy performance as a local bar owner named Jo. At last, I come to Freddy Rodriguez, who portrayed the Barretts’ ambitious employee, Gustovo Bambini. He gave the movie’s other best performance, conveying not only his character’s ambition and wit, but also a raging passion for wintry and a short temper.

What else can I say about ”BOTTLE SHOCK”? I laughed, I cried and I managed to enjoy both the story and the performances, thanks to Randall Miller and the script he co-wrote with Jody Savin and Ross Schwartz . But more importantly, I found myself surprisingly interested in a topic that I would not have usually wasted time even discussing. On that point alone, I would heartily recommend this film.

"BAND OF BROTHERS" (2001) - Episode Two "Day of Days" Commentary

"BAND OF BROTHERS" (2001) - Episode Two “Day of Days” Commentary

The last episode, ”Currahee” ended with Easy Company leaving England by air on June 5, 1944 to participate in the Allies’ invasion of Normandy. This second episode, ”Day of Days” re-counts Lieutenant Richard Winters and some members of Easy Company’s experiences during the drop into France on June 5 and during their assault of the German guns at Brécourt Manor on D-Day.

Although the episode occasionally shifted to different viewpoints, the episode mainly focused upon Bill Guarnere, Donald Malarkey and especially Richard Winters. Winters became Easy Company’s new commander following the death of Lieutenant Thomas Meehan during the flight to Northern France. Before learning of Meehan’s death, Winters had to contend with the chaos and confusion that followed the airborne units’ drop into nighttime Normandy. Winters also had to deal with a hostile Guarnere, who was still angry over his older brother’s death. As for Malarkey, his first 24 hours in France proved to be interesting. He met a German prisoner-of-war who was born and raised nearly a hundred miles from him in Oregon. And he may have witnessed (or heard) the massacre of German prisoners-of-war by one Lieutenant Ronald Spiers of Dog Company. Or not. The following morning on D-Day, Winters assumed command of Easy Company and led a famous assault (which included Guarnere, Malarkey and Spiers with a few members of Dog Company) on the German artillery battery at Brécourt Manor, which was delaying the Allies’ assault upon Utah Beach.

This was a pretty good episode that featured two exciting combat sequences. The longest, of course, featured the assault upon Brécourt Manor. And I must admit that I found it very exciting. The way director Richard Loncraine shot the sequence almost made it feel as if I had been watching it in real time with very little editing. Ironically, the one action sequence that really impressed me was Easy Company’s jump into France the previous night. The sequence, which started the episode, began with the viewpoints of various characters – even Easy Company’s doomed commander, Thomas Meehan. But when the sequence focused upon Winters’ time to jump, the camera followed him from his departure from the plane to his landing on French soil. The photography and special effects used for Winters’ jump was very effective. But I found myself really impressed by those opening moments featuring the German flak that the planes conveying Easy Company to their drop zones. It struck me as exciting and terrifying and it effectively conveyed the dangerous and claustrophobic situation that Easy Company and the planes’ pilots found themselves.

The acting in ”Day of Days” proved to be solid. But I must admit that I cannot recall any exceptional performances. Damian Lewis continued his excellent performance as Easy Company’s premiere commander, Richard D. Winters. He handled both the dramatic and action sequences with ease. Frank John Hughes was just as effective handling William “Wild Bill” Guarnere’s emotional state during those first 24 hours of the D-Day Campaign, which varied from anger and aggression to grudging acceptance of Winters as a leader and a return to his sense of humor. And Scott Grimes was marvelous as Easy Company trooper, Donald Malarkey. Although I must admit that I found his determination to find a Luger for his younger brother a bit silly in one scene. Matthew Settle made his first appearance as Ronald Spiers, the junior officer from Dog Company, who will become Easy Company’s last commander by the end of the series. Although his appearance was minor, he gave a memorable performance as the young officer, whose aggressiveness will prove to be the talk of the 506th regiment. Actors such as Neal McDonough, Donnie Walhberg and Andrew Scott also gave solid support.

I have a few quibbles about ”Day of Days”. One, I thought the episode was a bit too short. I realize that the following episode, ”Carentan”, will also focus on the Normandy invasion. But I think that this episode could have stretched at least another 10 to 15 minutes by focusing a little more on Guarnere and Malarkey’s experiences before they and Carwood Lipton encountered Winters on the night after they dropped into France. And I must admit that I found some of the dialogue rather cheesy. I also feel that screenwriter Loncraine could have left out Winters’ narration in the episode’s last five minutes. I found it unnecessary and a little clichéd. In conclusion, ”Day of Days” turned out to be a pretty solid episode. I would never consider it as one of my favorite episodes of the miniseries. But it did feature two top-notch action sequences and good performances, especially by Damian Lewis.

"THE BLACK DAHLIA" (2006) Photo Gallery

Below is a gallery featuring photos from the 2006 noir film based upon James Ellroy's 1987 novel:


"THE BLACK DAHLIA" (2006) Photo Gallery