tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4219677652731861971.post4468767095871349893..comments2023-07-20T09:59:55.829-05:00Comments on Reinvention: The Journal of a Dog-Lover, Book-Reader, Moviegoer, and Writer: "The Color Purple" RevisitedTomShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16718198770348083155noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4219677652731861971.post-77881394406964194172011-11-19T21:05:03.232-06:002011-11-19T21:05:03.232-06:00Please help me to find the wind chimes featured on...Please help me to find the wind chimes featured on the porch when Ceilie's<br />children came to see her from Africa. Please help!!acematcutter@yahoo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4219677652731861971.post-64684830022845872011-06-11T13:06:15.086-05:002011-06-11T13:06:15.086-05:00Point well-taken. I don't think Spielberg was...Point well-taken. I don't think Spielberg was being insincere, so much as he was fighting the hopeless tone that would come from the plights of the women. It's like he had to underline every positive thing that happened to them, and every negative thing that happened to the men. It reminded me of the unsubtle direction of early Sidney Lumet. He learned his lesson—let tragedy "play." It lets the ultimate triumph appear that much sweeter."Yojimbo_5"https://www.blogger.com/profile/12791996320278381516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4219677652731861971.post-40987665588953498062011-06-04T21:46:49.444-05:002011-06-04T21:46:49.444-05:00Luke and Walter,
Thank you both for your thoughtfu...Luke and Walter,<br />Thank you both for your thoughtful and in-depth comments. <br />When I try to find a film whose tone and style would work for a story like "The Color Purple", I think of something like "Sounder"...simple, quiet, simmering, and terribly emotional. Cicely Tyson's cry as her husband returns from prison has the same power as Nettie and Celie's final reunion.<br />What do you think?TomShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16718198770348083155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4219677652731861971.post-87710247450199172572011-06-03T20:20:30.140-05:002011-06-03T20:20:30.140-05:00As a fan of the book, the film AND the musical, I ...As a fan of the book, the film AND the musical, I always love reading about The Color Purple. I agree that some moments are stronger than others, and I especially agree about the passage of time -- really, in the movie, it feels like Celie suddenly started making pants.<br /><br />Yet I have to disagree on your reading of the Sofia scenes. For me, Spielberg *wisely* chooses to set her up as a comic character so as to ease the audience into the harsh reality. I feel that the novel itself treats Sofia's big brashness as comical *until* it lands her into real trouble, because that is when we realize the consequences of this "funny" behavior. I also think Oprah nails that early scene where she confronts Celie after Harpo tries to beat her, coming so soon after a lighter treatment of this subject that the audience *should* be slapped into sobriety. Now, true, there are a number of missteps with this adaptation (I think Avery's portrayal of Shug is one of them), but I actually think the handling of Sofia is one of the best parts of all.<br /><br />I agree, though, that it is far lighter than and nowhere as strong as it should be. As I said, I'm a fan, but that music...GOD. "Sister" excepted, that music's got to go. If ever there was a Best Pic nominee ripe for a remake -- with, oh I don't know, a BLACK FEMALE filmmaker at the helm -- this is it.Walter L. Hollmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13636732594078157905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4219677652731861971.post-26108581312644522382011-06-01T19:28:27.734-05:002011-06-01T19:28:27.734-05:00Excellent confessional! As a great admirer of thi...Excellent confessional! As a great admirer of this film, I must say it was a tough read, but you make some excellent points. I sort of feel as though, and I haven't read the book so I'm hardly an expert, the whimsical feel tacked onto the movie had a lot to do with the fact that Goldberg's character sort of had a child-like view of the world, as she'd been kept from learning or growing. I thought the general feel of the movie reflected that world view. The portion I definitely have to agree with you on was the score - that's the one thing I don't particularly enjoy about the movie. You're entirely right in assessing it as overused at times.<br />Great essay, as always! :)Lukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13607763027974538119noreply@blogger.com