Bright Star reviews, ratings etc. *SPOILERS*

[Raphael]

I have also read somewhere that Keats may have destroyed her letters to him before Italy to protect her reputation. I don't know if I believe that, because I think having her letters to him most likely would have resulted in the opposite effect. Sometimes his letters to her made her out to be inconstant, when really he was just being paranoid and jealous. Her letters to him would have cleared up her reputation, I think, like how her letters to Fanny Keats redeemed her in British society.

I love those photos, Malia! Especially the image of them listening in on each other on opposite sides of their wall.

Maybe her letters wrote of her passion for him and they would have been seen as quite unseemly.

[AsphodelElysium]

Thanks for the suggestions, Malia! I'll have to get copies as soon as I get a spare minute. Midterms are terrible!

[toots]

Hi there,
I'm new to this forum and am very glad to have found some kindred spirits here.

I enjoyed the film 'Bright Star' very much and hope to see it again while it is still in the cinema. I tend to agree with the reviewers who thought Ben Whishaw's Keats seemed a pallid figure in comparison to Abby Cornish's spirited Fanny. But I thought the whole film was full of visual delights and as someone who also loves sewing, I really appreciated Fanny's many outfits which grew heavier and darker as the film went on. I found both actors' portrayal of repressed emotions very moving.

One moment at the end which I found very powerful was when Keats gets into the carriage to leave Hampstead for Italy and the sound of the door slamming is like that of a prison door shutting. It seems to be reminding us of the chasm that divides the the healthy and the sick.

Hope to spend a bit more time on this forum. I'm also hoping to put together a little blog about the places Keats knew in London. As I live within striking distance of many of the places associated with Keats, I would like to make a little journey thorugh London in pictures with stops at his birthplace (now a pub), the old operating theatre at St Thomas's hospital, Hampstead Heath, Keats' House etc. Will let you know when it is ready.

Anne

[BrokenLyre]

Welcome to the Forum Toots! Glad to hear how close you are geographically to Keats. How I envy that. You have NO idea But fill us in if and when you get to the sights.

[marwood]

Went to see bright star sunday, really enjoyed it, very emotional,
but i think i was quite emotional before i went in, just the thought
of the story gets to you. When the final credits start to roll,
people usually start rushing to the exit, but no one moved,
the lights came on, all was silent, until the final word of the poem,
it felt like we were all paying our respect to the great man,
I found that very moving. I agree with the great reviews all you folks
have sent in, and thought Ben Wishaw played Keats very well, It would
be very hard to find someone who could act and happen to look like Keats
I imagine! One question would keats have sounded more liks the actor
Bob Hoskins being a london lad?

Best wishes one and all,
Marwood.

[Raphael]

Hi there,
I'm new to this forum and am very glad to have found some kindred spirits here.

I enjoyed the film 'Bright Star' very much and hope to see it again while it is still in the cinema. I tend to agree with the reviewers who thought Ben Whishaw's Keats seemed a pallid figure in comparison to Abby Cornish's spirited Fanny. I found both actors' portrayal of repressed emotions very moving.

One moment at the end which I found very powerful was when Keats gets into the carriage to leave Hampstead for Italy and the sound of the door slamming is like that of a prison door shutting. It seems to be reminding us of the chasm that divides the the healthy and the sick.

Hope to spend a bit more time on this forum. I'm also hoping to put together a little blog about the places Keats knew in London. As I live within striking distance of many of the places associated with Keats, I would like to make a little journey thorugh London in pictures with stops at his birthplace (now a pub), the old operating theatre at St Thomas's hospital, Hampstead Heath, Keats' House etc. Will let you know when it is ready.

Anne

Great to have you here! I haven't been here long myself Anne- it's a great forum.I agree- Fanny was portrayed as the more passionate one, but we know it was John who was the more passionate- Ben was good but he didn't seem that accurate at times as the character of John Keats as we know him.Both actors I agree were moving tho- Abbey Cornish's crying at the end was startling in its reality.
I look forward to your blog! I'd love to see his birth place- do you know which room he would have been born in?
I'm going to Wentworth Place next year( I'm up North).

[Raphael]

When the final credits start to roll,
people usually start rushing to the exit, but no one moved,
the lights came on, all was silent, until the final word of the poem,
it felt like we were all paying our respect to the great man,
I found that very moving.

I had that experience too Marwood! It was very moving and almost like being at a remembrance for him. I wonder if they do something special for him at Keats House every Feb?

I agree with the great reviews all you folks
have sent in, and thought Ben Wishaw played Keats very well, It would
be very hard to find someone who could act and happen to look like Keats
I imagine! One question would keats have sounded more liks the actor
Bob Hoskins being a london lad?

Best wishes one and all,
Marwood.

I'd love to know how he sounded! It is said though that his voice was "rich and low"- so he had a nice speaking voice. He prob had some kind of London accent, but how that was different to those of today, we don't know.

[Saturn]

I see Taranatino has chosen Bright Star as one his favourite 8 films of 2009

http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2009/12/q ... -2009.html

[Malia]

Can't say I enjoy Tarantino's films (too violent for me), but at least he has good taste in movies!

[Saturn]

In this case yes indeed; the man knows his film.

[BrokenLyre]

He actually didn't list Bright Star in his top 8 - he just said he was up for reviewing it a second time. But the fact that he mentioned it is good.

[Saturn]

Note for Region 2 viewers, Bright Star will be released on DVD on the 8th March

Damn, that far away

[Malia]

Here is a review of the movie from an Australian website that also includes a great analysis of Keats as a poet and man of letters. (There is more about Keats, himself, than about the movie--so it is less a movie review and more the "review" of the poet.) The only bit I don't like is when the author calls Keats a "frail little monkey of a man"

It is definitely worth a read, though!

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertain ... 20054.html

[BrokenLyre]

Some insightful comments in this review - but "frail little monkey" is just way off.

[Raphael]

How rude! Though I have no dislike of monkeys, Junkets hardly resembled one- he was broad shouldered, well formed, with his head/face/expression resembling Greek god we are told! His portraits and life mask reveal this view to be true.
Of course during his final months on earth he was frail and thin, but still un monkey like!