The Libertine

[inulro]

I went along to ogle Johnny Depp like any good fangirl, but it was much better than I expected. I'd go as far as to say it's as close to art as one can get with Restoration subject matter. At least there is a Serious Theme about squandering one's talent, and a rather interesting photographical style that worked very well to convey how dark & smoky indoor places must have been at the time, which worked better for me than the usual Restoration theme that the party has to end some time.[1] John Malkovich was a damn fine Charles II.

I was subjected to some of Rochester's poetry in a class once (yes, I have read 17th-century porn for credit), but I don't know how much of the film is true. Certainly I never thought he had that much talent to squander. I'd have thought I'd have known about the play for the French ambassador if that really happened, but as I've always found that period a literary and historical wasterland, I might not. It's worth finding out, though.

[1] It's all fun until somebody gets syphillis. Or goes to war.

Comments

[medusa.livejournal.com]

We had to study Rochester as part of a seventeenth century poetry module at Nottingham. I didn't really like it to be honest but then I adore Donne. :)

I can't wait to see this film but have to wait until the atheist's parents get back so that they can babysit. Bah!

[quercus.livejournal.com]

I couldn't help thinking of The Draughtsman's Contract, re-scripted by smogo. Might have been all the knob gags, maybe it was The Dildo Song

If you want to see Johnny really acting his breeches off, rather than just being pretty, then definitely go and see it.

[mimmimmim.livejournal.com]

Rochester's poems seemed amusing for their crudity rather than moving for their content.

Still, it's one way to get 133-year-olds reading 'old stuff'.

[mimmimmim.livejournal.com]

That should be 13-year-olds, doh! (Bloody keyboard...)

[inulro.livejournal.com]

Donne's good, but I like Marvell better. And yeah, Rochester was part of the same module.

[medusa.livejournal.com]

Um, yes, I know. I studied metaphysical poetry in some depth at university.