Ever since word began circulating about the upcoming Netflix production of something resembling The Magician’s Nephew, I have been trying to ignore it. In fact, this week, I was just hoping to post a little something about the lovely experience of seeing the theatrical re-release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (yes, they fixed the title!) with our adult child who was not born for the first time. I’ll get to that soon, I hope. Recent announcements about the Netflix show have created a storm of responses on social media, so I should probably wade into the fray. It should come as no surprise that I am less than enthusiastic about this latest exhibition of Hollywood nonsense. However, as some others have pointed out, it is important to heed the admonition of King Tirian, who tells Eustace not to “scold like a kitchen girl.” In that spirit, I am avoiding mere complaints about Hollywood being Hollywood and offering a few of my thoughts about Lewis’s work, my own complete lack of enthusiasm for this newest, predictable business, and some suggestions for us all to maintain our joy and mental well-being in this fallen world.
The Magician’s Nephew and Magic Far Deeper than Netfilx
‘Plants are tricky”: Mysterious Sunrise on the Reaping Floral Installations Invite Speculation
Publicity stunts are nothing new, and the Gamemakers in Hollywood know how to get the machine running to promote upcoming films. Interestingly, although the film adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping is not due in theaters until Thanksgiving, large publicity installations have been appearing around the world over the last few days. Massive floral sculptures, featuring images and text connected to Sunrise on the Reaping, started cropping up a few days ago. New installations have been reported in a variety of locations from Times Square to Milan, with giant snakes, mockingjays, and heaps of flowers figuring large. Each also includes a little sign with a quotation from the book that, presumably, will be in the film. Some of those phrases have already been included in the trailer. The folks over at Panem Propoganda have been posting updated photos and videos on Instagram and Facebook, as the huge sculptures, in addition to being impressive, are changing. The sign quotations have already changed on some of them, ominously switching out from Haymitch’s words to President Snow’s. New installations are being reported daily, and some are scheduled to be moved later this week. This is a developing story, and we’ll certainly know more in a few days, but here are a few preliminary thoughts on what may lie behind this interesting series of promotional pieces. [Read more…]
Thoughts on the First Trailer for Sunrise on the Reaping
It’s nearly a year until the release of the film adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping, the second prequel to Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games trilogy. Of course, as we’ve already discussed here, the novel is a powerful look into the trauma that shaped Haymitch Abernathy, sleeper rebel agent and mentor to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. The Hollywood Gamemakers, however, are not wasting any time ramping up the PR machine with plenty of the old “razzle dazzle” that Plutarch Heavensbee appreciates. Just a few days ago, Lionsgate released a brief teaser trailer calculated to drive the fans wild, but it also has some interesting points to consider. Although this film will doubtless, like the others, have some serious missteps, it will be interesting to look into the choices made by the filmmakers, people who apparently don’t know or care that their creations justify Collins’s scathing criticism of an entertainment-driven culture that mercilessly abuses and sacrifices its darlings. Join me after the jump for three (of course) quick thoughts on the trailer and what we might expect from the film next year.
A Few Shiny Thoughts on The Hallmarked Man
I’ve at last finished my first read through and started my targeted read-back through of the latest installment in J.K Rowling’s Strike series. We’ll be doing some serious deep dives into this volume, of course, but I wanted to go ahead and share some of my initial thoughts which may, for some of you, be similar to your own. Just in case you are reading this post before completing your own complete read of the twisting tale of silver, murder, and convoluted relationships galore, I am splitting my Top Ten Initial Thoughts into Spoiler Free and Spoiler-Rife, so if you prefer to solve the mysteries alongside our Denmark Street detectives, you’ll want to stop at number four!
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The first of ten thoughts—Ten!
I am always fascinated by number patterns, particularly in Rowling’s work, and not just because I have spent a great deal of time in Panem lately, a world Suzanne Collins meticulously lines with number symbolism. We are used to Rowling and her care with numbers from the Hogwarts adventures, and she has continued that attention to symbolic and literal numbering in the Strike books. In this installment, one of the first things I noticed with interest was the use of the number 10. Before the end of the first chapter, our first non-series character is introduced, Decima Mullins. Her name, with its Latin root of “ten,” sets up the use of ten throughout. The book is broken in 10 segments of varying length, plus an epilogue. Other tens crop up as well. Since Rowling has made it clear that she plans for a ten-book series, the use of tens certainly reinforces that. Knowing that only two more books remain places added emphasis on the events of this one. It also reminds us of the ten-year age gap between Strike and Robin, which continues to cause him stress, but which we are hoping to see overcome by the time the series, like this book, counts to ten.
Double Vision in Sunrise on the Reaping
In a recent post about casting announcements for the upcoming film adaption of Sunrise on the Reaping, we focused on characters who are doubles—younger versions of characters from the other books or other pairs. That theme–twins, doppelgangers, substitutes, imposters, and pairs—is one that resonates throughout the entire novel and which merits a closer look. So let’s peer into this important feature and spend time with some of the many pairs that Collins includes in her powerful examination of the Games through the eyes of Haymitch Abernathy. Spoilers abound, so if you have not finished reading the novel, you have been warned!
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