Bright Star reviews, ratings etc. *SPOILERS*

[Saturn]

Good grief

These are exactly the kind of people the film was not made for.

While I have still not yet seen it [I know, I know shameful of me] and expect there to be much I disagree with, or that infuriates me; in the end it's Jane Campion, Ben Wishaw's version of Keats, its what she say in him and doesn't invalidate or is any less valid an interpretation than that presented by scholars and literary historians in their work. Yes it's fiction, but sometimes fictionalising events and people can help us come closer to the truth of someone's life than the most rigourously researched and painstakingly accurate biography.

And in the end as I've said before IT'S ONLY A MOVIE!

[Malia]

Great points, Saturn! I wish I'd been on the panel to make a comment of my own when one of the eminent Keats scholars started going on about how terribly Ben Whishaw recited Ode to a Nightingale during the credits. He nit-picked about how "for ever" is two words, not one. How could Whishaw pronounce it as *one* word--which didn't exist in Keats' day! The very *idea*! At that moment, I would have loved to have chimed in and said, "Well, you could say he was striving for accuracy, as anyone who's done any research on Keats knows (from the epistolary record of his friend Woodhouse) that he was terrible at reciting his own poetry!"

Anyway, you're absolutely right in my opinion. This movie was not meant for "eminent scholars".

[Saturn]

God forbid if scholars should ever make a film, how dreary that would be

[Raphael]

Good grief

These are exactly the kind of people the film was not made for.

While I have still not yet seen it [I know, I know shameful of me] and expect there to be much I disagree with, or that infuriates me; in the end it's Jane Campion, Ben Wishaw's version of Keats, its what she say in him and doesn't invalidate or is any less valid an interpretation than that presented by scholars and literary historians in their work. Yes it's fiction, but sometimes fictionalising events and people can help us come closer to the truth of someone's life than the most rigourously researched and painstakingly accurate biography.

And in the end as I've said before IT'S ONLY A MOVIE!

How comes you didn't go to see it?

I agree about the fiction- I found the novels Passion and Bright Star to have more accurate feeling than some biographies- Passion in particular in some of Fanny's portryal and some of John's dialogue felt very authentic ( from comparing it to their letters).

[Raphael]

Great points, Saturn! I wish I'd been on the panel to make a comment of my own when one of the eminent Keats scholars started going on about how terribly Ben Whishaw recited Ode to a Nightingale during the credits. He nit-picked about how "for ever" is two words, not one. How could Whishaw pronounce it as *one* word--which didn't exist in Keats' day! The very *idea*! At that moment, I would have loved to have chimed in and said, "Well, you could say he was striving for accuracy, as anyone who's done any research on Keats knows (from the epistolary record of his friend Woodhouse) that he was terrible at reciting his own poetry!"

Anyway, you're absolutely right in my opinion. This movie was not meant for "eminent scholars".

Many thanks for the links Malia- it's late so I shall listen to them another time.I don't know how they can say Ben recited badly- I think he is superb- puts so much feeling into it.Maybe John was bad at reciting his poetry but I'd surely love to have heard him!

[Raphael]

I cannot get it to open- must be the library PC- I'll have to try it at home later.

[Raphael]

I’m surprised that female speaker would remark about the dark- they had no electric lighting so darkness was a natural part of life- it made it realistic to avoid brightly lit rooms.

You’d think scholars would know that Brown didn’t shoot himself!

They say we don’t know Bright Star was written for Fanny- I think it’s pretty obvious it was – he called her “fair star” in one his letters.


I was interested that they mentioned that Fanny never told Louis that she had loved John- that has always struck me as poignant.

The woman is strange- saying Hessey had a crush on John- she doesn’t understand that they were more affectionate back then. Though it’s true John had something magical that made people love him.

I think she was wrong about John’s “misogyny”- young men often moan about women and vice versa! The Caroline Robinson episode was more jokey than anything. That’s a typical young person’s behaviour! Who hasn’t made these sort of comments?!

I hardly think having Mozart playing in the background when Bright Star is being recited is disrespectful- and we know John often composed his poems when people were playing the piano! He loved music.

However, I agree that John was a Bright Star!

The man made a grammatical error himself when he was talking about the recital of Bright Star!

The sound quality was poor- they could have done better with that. I couldn’t hear what the woman was saying near the end.

I think the man was right that no mention was made of Louis at the end- but hardly “propaganda”. The fact she married Louis doesn’t mean she had stopped loving John- she was left alone after Sam and Mrs Brawne had gone and Toots was getting married. It’s understandable she didn’t want to be alone at 33.

[harvest]

happy to have found this forum ~ i stumbled upon the film & absolutely adore it.

i was aware of keats, of course. but now seem to be beguiled by him & am ready to jump in and learn all i can. (i'll post about that in the misc. forum)

i thought the film was beautifully made. the colors were amazing & the acting enchanting.

[Raphael]

What were your favourite bits?

[harvest]

hmmm wow ~ so many favorites.

i loved how fanny says "come for christmas?" w/ almost a hurried desperation in her voice.

i loved how playful they were together in the scene following their first kisses, when toots was in front & they were walking behind her. they seemed so free in that scene.

i adore the scene where they are laying on his bed & he says touch is a memory.

in the scenes where keat's friends are discussing his passage to italy, when fanny & keats exchange glances...so much is said btw them there i think.

the scenery, the costumes, i guess i really loved the entire film!

[Raphael]

hmmm wow ~ so many favorites.

i loved how fanny says "come for christmas?" w/ almost a hurried desperation in her voice.

i loved how playful they were together in the scene following their first kisses, when toots was in front & they were walking behind her. they seemed so free in that scene.

i adore the scene where they are laying on his bed & he says touch is a memory.

in the scenes where keat's friends are discussing his passage to italy, when fanny & keats exchange glances...so much is said btw them there i think.

the scenery, the costumes, i guess i really loved the entire film!

Those were great scenes. I love the scene at the music evening, when he comes through the door and says "Hello minx!" jauntily and she looks sort of sad he isn't taking her seriously lol. I love the way she watches him intently- you can see she is very attracted to him and fascinated by him.

Oh and their first meeting and her assertation she can make money from her sewing but he and Brown cannot from their writing.His laugh is so funny.And after she has gone the "pfffttt" noise he makes.
I can imagine the real John Keats would have reacted a bit like that- laughing at her audacity ( as he saw it).

[harvest]

i've seen it twice, i think i shall buy it

[Raphael]

i've seen it twice, i think i shall buy it

You can get it from Amazon- there is a deleted scene in which Ben plays John all intense- I liked it a lot.

[harvest]

i've seen it twice, i think i shall buy it

You can get it from Amazon- there is a deleted scene in which Ben plays John all intense- I liked it a lot.

the "i'll wait" scene? if so, it was on the dvd i saw. amazing. will do some amazon shopping later lol

[Raphael]

It's when after Brown has rented the house out and John has to find somewhere else to live for the summer and Hunt finds him rooms. Fanny goes with him and is shocked at the state of them and then he gets all intense and as she goes says "makes me glad there is such a thing as the grave." That scene was more John Keats than anything he did in the film- shame they cut it out. The rooms were not like that though in reality- Hunt found him some nice rooms.