I'm back...I think (a better update to come soon).
Monday, March 07, 2005
Oprah Winfrey presents..."Their Eyes Were Watching God"
I thought it was a good intepretation...very erotic! It moved right along with the novel. And most of the lines were directly from the book. EXCEPT, "Whatchu doin Janie?" "Watchin God." LOL!! I thought that was kinda awkward.
Nevertheless, I loved Halle as Janie. She was believable. I also liked that Hurston's sense of humor came across exactly as written in the book, ie. Eatonville's gossipy women, the Storefront joke sessions with the townspeople (especially when Mayor Starks insulted Janie about how she cut the tobacco plug and her retaliation).
I didn't like some of the omissions from the book though:
1. In the book, Mayor Starks actually accused Janie of putting "roots" on him and poisoning him to death. He told all of the townspeople and eventually stopped speaking to Janie and would only eat the lunch and dinner prepared by other women in the town. This lead up to him saying, "I hope thunder and lightening kill you dead." Without that, the movie made Mayor Starks' emotions towards Janie to seem excessively cruel and unreasonable. I interpreted Mayor Starks as a man who truly loved Janie but couldn't "keep up." So his jealousy turned to rage. And then it worsened when his paranoia made him think she was murdering him.
2. Tea Cake actually won all of Janie's money back after he initially lost it gambling. (if memory serves me correctly) I guess they just wanted to show some negative aspect to Tea Cake in the film without showing that he actually hit her too, according to the book. (which I suppose was customary during that time!?!)
3. They took Janie's murder trial completely out of the movie. I think the trial and the fact that people actually turned against her and accused her of murdering Tea Cake showed more of Janie's strength and final discovery of Self.
Questions:
I thought it was a good intepretation...very erotic! It moved right along with the novel. And most of the lines were directly from the book. EXCEPT, "Whatchu doin Janie?" "Watchin God." LOL!! I thought that was kinda awkward.
Nevertheless, I loved Halle as Janie. She was believable. I also liked that Hurston's sense of humor came across exactly as written in the book, ie. Eatonville's gossipy women, the Storefront joke sessions with the townspeople (especially when Mayor Starks insulted Janie about how she cut the tobacco plug and her retaliation).
I didn't like some of the omissions from the book though:
1. In the book, Mayor Starks actually accused Janie of putting "roots" on him and poisoning him to death. He told all of the townspeople and eventually stopped speaking to Janie and would only eat the lunch and dinner prepared by other women in the town. This lead up to him saying, "I hope thunder and lightening kill you dead." Without that, the movie made Mayor Starks' emotions towards Janie to seem excessively cruel and unreasonable. I interpreted Mayor Starks as a man who truly loved Janie but couldn't "keep up." So his jealousy turned to rage. And then it worsened when his paranoia made him think she was murdering him.
2. Tea Cake actually won all of Janie's money back after he initially lost it gambling. (if memory serves me correctly) I guess they just wanted to show some negative aspect to Tea Cake in the film without showing that he actually hit her too, according to the book. (which I suppose was customary during that time!?!)
3. They took Janie's murder trial completely out of the movie. I think the trial and the fact that people actually turned against her and accused her of murdering Tea Cake showed more of Janie's strength and final discovery of Self.
Questions:
- I wonder if there will be any Emmy nods?
- Terrance Howard...Micheal Ealy, rising stars?
- Is there a new breed of African American actors? So many familiar faces. Hello, Lackawanna Blues!?
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Tweet Listening Party!!!
Listen here! - Courtesy of audioditions.com
It always takes me a few days to digest a new album. But for what it's worth after two days of listening...
The fact remains, Tweet makes me want to simply:
1. Stand on the balcony and watch the horizon
2. Lay watching the smoke unfurl from Patchouli incense
3. Stare in the mirror, dazed and confused with introspect
Sample lyrics:
"...slipped on an iceberg, so cold/slipped up and fell in love with an iceberg, so cold/your love is so cold..." - metaphorical illusions
"Taxi take me to his home/I want to give him all of me cuz I'm alone!!!!" - That track gives me visuals like "Smoking cigarettes" did last album. Loves it!
"The Two of Us" - This joint features her daughter, who is a clone! WOW!!
"Turn Da Lights Off" - When did Kwame' (Polka Dots) become such a HOT producer!?!
Tweet's albums make the club bangers (singles) seem out of place. Sometimes, I want Missy to shut the Hell up and stop messing up the flow. I guess that's why the obvious Missy collabos are at the beginning and the end.
Nevertheless, I will be vibratin' on the dancefloor w/ my vodka cran up in the air harmonizing to that final joint..."We don't need no water..."
Pay careful attention.
Listen here! - Courtesy of audioditions.com
It always takes me a few days to digest a new album. But for what it's worth after two days of listening...
The fact remains, Tweet makes me want to simply:
1. Stand on the balcony and watch the horizon
2. Lay watching the smoke unfurl from Patchouli incense
3. Stare in the mirror, dazed and confused with introspect
Sample lyrics:
"...slipped on an iceberg, so cold/slipped up and fell in love with an iceberg, so cold/your love is so cold..." - metaphorical illusions
"Taxi take me to his home/I want to give him all of me cuz I'm alone!!!!" - That track gives me visuals like "Smoking cigarettes" did last album. Loves it!
"The Two of Us" - This joint features her daughter, who is a clone! WOW!!
"Turn Da Lights Off" - When did Kwame' (Polka Dots) become such a HOT producer!?!
Tweet's albums make the club bangers (singles) seem out of place. Sometimes, I want Missy to shut the Hell up and stop messing up the flow. I guess that's why the obvious Missy collabos are at the beginning and the end.
Nevertheless, I will be vibratin' on the dancefloor w/ my vodka cran up in the air harmonizing to that final joint..."We don't need no water..."
Pay careful attention.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Inner City Blues
I've gotten into an interesting discussion with The Black Informant.
Question of the Day:
Is one of the qualifications of being considered “black": "Must have lived in the “hood?”
Click and see.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Oprah Winfrey presents..."Their Eyes Were Watching God" starring Halle Berry on March 6, 2005 9/8c on ABC.
I am always worried when a novel comes to life in a movie. It never represents what I envisioned. And I hate to be like, "hmm...that's not how I pictured it."
And more importantly, I like that books are left up to the readers own illustration. Nobody needs to tell me what Raymond Tyler looks like. I know him.
And in most cases, books need no other interpretation anyway. Yet, the fact of the matter is that in this society great stories are oftentimes never told to the masses when left in written form.
How many truly avid readers do you know? I am even embarrassed at how little I have read in the past few years. For me, it is hard for a book to compete with reality tv. That's my guilty pleasure. So, in essence, I understand the lack of readership. DEATH TO TELEVISION!
Nevertheless, soon to come is an interpretation of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God presented by Oprah Winfrey. I personally revelled in Beloved. I thought it was true to Toni Morrison's work. So, I trust that I can count on Oprah to do any novel justice on the small or big screen. Especially this one.
Plus, the previews have gotten me all too excited. I just cannot imagine how the flood scene is gonna work?!
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Maximillian
Santa brought me a canine companion for Christmas. I had always wanted a pet. I just didn't know if I was necessarily ready for the committment. I would constantly talk myself out of purchasing one. So needless to say, I recently decided it was time to find out.
My only stipulation was that the dog be rescued from the pound. I wanted to feel as though I had saved a life, a carnivorous one. And I did. Maximillian (Max) was adopted with kennel cough, conjunctivitis, neuter infection, flea infestation, and a severely matted coat amongst other things. All the poor dog had strength to do was to lick his persistent runny nose and penis sutures from the neutering...ugghh!
Now it's February and all is nearly well. In the process, he has become quite attached to me...following me from room to room, attempting to sleep in the bed with me, and displaying pure joy as soon as I walk into the house.
Nevertheless, I feel as though I've adopted a child. (Maybe I'm the one whose become attached!?!?)
Santa brought me a canine companion for Christmas. I had always wanted a pet. I just didn't know if I was necessarily ready for the committment. I would constantly talk myself out of purchasing one. So needless to say, I recently decided it was time to find out.
My only stipulation was that the dog be rescued from the pound. I wanted to feel as though I had saved a life, a carnivorous one. And I did. Maximillian (Max) was adopted with kennel cough, conjunctivitis, neuter infection, flea infestation, and a severely matted coat amongst other things. All the poor dog had strength to do was to lick his persistent runny nose and penis sutures from the neutering...ugghh!
Now it's February and all is nearly well. In the process, he has become quite attached to me...following me from room to room, attempting to sleep in the bed with me, and displaying pure joy as soon as I walk into the house.
Nevertheless, I feel as though I've adopted a child. (Maybe I'm the one whose become attached!?!?)
Monday, February 14, 2005
Killing Me Softly
I felt all flushed with fever
Embarassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letters
And read each one out loud
I prayed that he would finish
But he just kept right on
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Having someone discover your blog unexpectedly can put you at a menacing handicap. Once "outed," I simply disappeared. Now I think I'm back.
Journaling has always been cathartic to me. Sometimes I write knowing I never want to see what has been written once it is completed. It is that I only desire the process of purging the thoughts and ideas into tangible representative symbols on a computer screen or piece of paper.
Other times, the recorded thoughts and subsequent reminiscence is worth the cataloging. Acknowledging the documented "then and now" can only illustrate life's growing pains, right?
Nevertheless, the addition of online "publishing" has added another aspect of journaling that I have grown to appreciate (and despise) in an effort to capture a collective journey of individuals caught up in this cyber hustle.
Am I up for this ride, again?
I felt all flushed with fever
Embarassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letters
And read each one out loud
I prayed that he would finish
But he just kept right on
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Having someone discover your blog unexpectedly can put you at a menacing handicap. Once "outed," I simply disappeared. Now I think I'm back.
Journaling has always been cathartic to me. Sometimes I write knowing I never want to see what has been written once it is completed. It is that I only desire the process of purging the thoughts and ideas into tangible representative symbols on a computer screen or piece of paper.
Other times, the recorded thoughts and subsequent reminiscence is worth the cataloging. Acknowledging the documented "then and now" can only illustrate life's growing pains, right?
Nevertheless, the addition of online "publishing" has added another aspect of journaling that I have grown to appreciate (and despise) in an effort to capture a collective journey of individuals caught up in this cyber hustle.
Am I up for this ride, again?
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