monoceros blogsBBC's three-episode Daniel Deronda is perhaps the one production that combines my love of film, music, and literary fiction. George Elliot is more famous for Middlemarch but her interest in Zionism is showcased in Daniel Deronda. Burgeoning zeal for one's community, self-discovery, self-loathing, finding meaning in life - these are running themes in the novel, which is equally divided between Daniel Deronda and Gwendolyn Harleth.
Will they or won't they - the question of whether they will find lifelong companionship in each other simmers in the BBC production. Daniel Deronda is played by Hugh Dancy, recently seen in Ella Enchanted and King Arthur. This is perhaps his best role, although one of his least-known as well. Very dashing fellow. Okay, I'll confess I'm impressed that he chose to read English at Oxford University instead of going to drama school, and he still managed to emerge a decent actor; more than decent really.
Romola Garai plays the female lead. She acted splendidly in I Capture The Castle and is quite enchanting here, particularly since her character has an expansive emotional arc in the novel and TV series. Both her roles have managed to break my heart.
The music - it's so beautiful that I can't believe they didn't release the soundtrack commercially. "Cavatina" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro; excerpts from Mendelssohn's On Wings of Song and Beethoven's Ah! Perfido, Op.65. A Jewish lullaby sung by Mirah, the character played by Jodhi May, is a haunting tune composed by Rob Lane, who provided the score for the series. It's so haunting that I was humming the melody for days. I'll have to sit down one day, play the DVD over and over again until I learn the Hebrew lyrics phonetically.
At least four of the characters sing, two of whom are professional singers, so music is a huge part of the production. So is sculling, and Italy! Beautiful shots of Genoa and palazzos. The costumes are also very lush. I wouldn't mind donning a long coat with tails and a black tophat. The gowns are lovely, but seem a little hard to walk in.
Posted by Monoceros at March 17, 2005 6:51 PMooh, sounds lovely! Don't know whether can find such arthouse DVDs in VideoEzy or not. Prob not!
Posted by: dsd at March 18, 2005 2:42 AMahhh i want to watch it too... darn. will search for a dvd when i next visit Alphabet. thanks for sharing!!!
Posted by: tiggie at March 18, 2005 5:35 AMIt's good - try and find the DVD. Tigs, they filmed parts of it (the Jewish market scene) in Edinburgh!
Posted by: monoceros at March 18, 2005 8:28 AMhmm... i am intrigued! maybe they filmed it at the grassmarket! or the fleshmarket close... i so wish i had the ability to stretch and shrink time as when needed... sigh.
Posted by: tiggie at March 18, 2005 6:14 PMerrr. i actually have the dvd, unwatched. i ordered it from amazon after i saw that Romola Garai acted in it (watched her in I Capture The Castle). i guess i should watch it soon. =)
Posted by: a l at March 19, 2005 12:13 PMfleshmarket, Tigs? That sounds so scandalous! =) hey, when is the literary festival in Edinburgh? I was talking to Ian Jack of Granta yesterday and he mentioned the slew of literary festivals all around the UK, and your sweet city was mentioned. Maybe I could visit you around the time of the festival and we could attend together?
A L, you never fail to amaze me. I too, got DD after seeing "I Capture The Castle"! Did you like "I Capture The Castle"? Romola Garai's character in DD is quite different, but it's a good watch. I'm not sure if DD is as good as Pride and Prejudice, but I enjoyed it anyhow. And Hugh Dancy as the lead character - hmm....a very goodlooking, moral, articulate, kind, talented (and all sorts of other wonderful adjectives) literary hero.
Posted by: monoceros at March 19, 2005 12:31 PMyes i guess it could have that conotation... although i think it was were people sold and bought edible flesh (i could be wrong of course)... there's also a fish market close... and a fruit market area... probably that's why fruitmarket gallery is so named. edinburgh is full of interesting things... i've not discovered all of them!
August!!! the bookfest is a great fest to go to... http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/ -- i missed lots of things last year because the tickets were gone so quickly! there are usually too many things happening all at the same time and you've to decide which to go... i hate that... i am so incredibly indecisive..
would be fun... =c)
Thanks, Tigs. Will check it out! Hope to attend one day.
Just a small addition to Daniel Deronda: even the arch feminist Germaine Greer had something to say about Hugh Dancy - "I think he's gorgeous. I just wish that he had fewer clothes on and did more rowing." GERMAINE GREER (to Newsnight Review)
Posted by: monoceros at March 20, 2005 4:46 PMcheeky monoceros... i so want to watch it NOW! =cP
Posted by: tiggie at March 20, 2005 7:06 PMOh gee, even Germaine Greer said that about Daniel Deronda. Then i definitely have to check him out!
Posted by: dsd at March 20, 2005 7:57 PMheheh. i couldn't believe you mentioned this dvd too. I watched I Capture the Castle and liked Romolo Garai in there. it wasn't exceptional, but a nice girl-growing-up tale. I also have the book somewhere =)
actually i think one of the other reasons i got the DVD was the reviews re Hugh Dancy. haha!
Posted by: a l at March 21, 2005 3:55 AMa l, yes, I Capture The Castle isn't going to win any awards, but I liked that it wasn't the usual teen fare stuff. Of course, the literary and music themes appealed very much to me. Daniel Deronda has its flaws but it's still watchable too, like I Capture The Castle. And Hugh Dancy is very watchable.
If DSD can't get hold of the DVD, I'll have a DD-viewing party when I move home. =) Tigs, you should watch it where you are if you can. Then go hunt down the possible film locations.
Posted by: monoceros at March 21, 2005 1:11 PMYes, please have a DD-viewing party!
Posted by: dsd at March 21, 2005 9:51 PMWill see what I can do, DSD! =)
Posted by: monoceros at March 23, 2005 12:30 AM