on_se_dit_tu (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
on_se_dit_tu) wrote2009-05-05 07:07 pm
on_se_dit_tu) wrote2009-05-05 07:07 pm
Sebastian and his teddy bear
Sebastian Flyte from Brideshead Revisited is one of my favorite characters in literature, and I have recently discovered that I am not alone in this.
A few days ago I viewed the 2008 film and found myself having a much different reaction than I did while reading the book. By that I mean I felt so bad for Sebastian that I wanted Charles to forget about Julia enitrely and marry Sebastian. This wasn't for any sort of wish to see man-on-man homoeroticism, but simply because I could not fathom how anyone could not possibly be in love with Ben Whishaw's portrayal of Sebastian. Upon the first viewing I could not even enjoy the love story between Charles and Julia because I wanted Sebastian to return.
The movie, of course, chops the novel all to hell for the sake of brevity, but is visually stunning all the same. Ben Whishaw's performance is stellar, as is Emma Thompson's. I am deeply confused by any and all comparisons to the movie Atonement , which I thoroughly enjoyed and cried over, but in no way connect to Brideshead Revisited, other than the obvious time period in the UK. I also have read Atonement , an emotionally gripping, finely crafted, and deeply depressing book.
I intend to watch the Brideshead Revisited television series from the early 80's because I have been informed that it is more true to the book. I have previewed bits of it and find it much more accurate, but am not as inclined to love that particular actor's version of Sebastian Flyte.
A few days ago I viewed the 2008 film and found myself having a much different reaction than I did while reading the book. By that I mean I felt so bad for Sebastian that I wanted Charles to forget about Julia enitrely and marry Sebastian. This wasn't for any sort of wish to see man-on-man homoeroticism, but simply because I could not fathom how anyone could not possibly be in love with Ben Whishaw's portrayal of Sebastian. Upon the first viewing I could not even enjoy the love story between Charles and Julia because I wanted Sebastian to return.
The movie, of course, chops the novel all to hell for the sake of brevity, but is visually stunning all the same. Ben Whishaw's performance is stellar, as is Emma Thompson's. I am deeply confused by any and all comparisons to the movie Atonement , which I thoroughly enjoyed and cried over, but in no way connect to Brideshead Revisited, other than the obvious time period in the UK. I also have read Atonement , an emotionally gripping, finely crafted, and deeply depressing book.
I intend to watch the Brideshead Revisited television series from the early 80's because I have been informed that it is more true to the book. I have previewed bits of it and find it much more accurate, but am not as inclined to love that particular actor's version of Sebastian Flyte.