I know I watch I a lot of terrible things but sometimes by accident I watch something good

[lesbiassparrow]

A Canterbury Tale is one of those perfect films which you've always meant to watch but never seen.

Released in 1944, it's one of those English films that manages to be about World War II without a single bomb dropping or anyone shooting anyone. A land-girl, an American soldier, and an English soldier - none of whom know each other - run into each other in a village outside Canterbury. Someone pours glue in the land-girl's hair and they discover that other girls have had the same thing happen and decide to try and find out who it is. In the course of the film we find out the land girl lost her fiancé in the war, the American no longer gets letters from his girlfriend, and the English soldier has given up his dreams of playing proper music: they're all a bit sad and broken and they make the most unlikely friends in some ways but the most perfect in others.

The writing and acting are understated and the photography and directing are just gorgeous.

Anyway, you should all watch it. *shuffles off now*

ETA: I really hate to sully a post like this with Cassie Edwards but if you've ever wanted to completely scar yourself with knowledge of how bad her books are you'll go to meganbmoore's journal and read her posting of the blurb on the backs of a couple. Megan swears she bought the books as part of a batch and didn't know they were in there but I have DOUBTS.

Comments

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Keep this up and you won't get the blurb of the 3rd

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Idle threats! I know if you have to read it you'll want to share the pain.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I have possibly printed off chunks of the centralized text document at the website for reference.

[morwen_peredhil]

That's been in my Netflix queue for ages. I've just moved it to the top.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

It's brilliant. Absolutely moving without ever being schmaltzy. And you'll just love the main characters.

[zandra-x.livejournal.com]

I never heard of this movie but now it's on my Netflix list.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I hope you like it. It's the best film about friendship between strangers that I've ever seen. It's so beautiful and so bittersweet and such a kind movie.

[elspethsheir.livejournal.com]

This is an excellent film - I saw it years ago when I was in my "I must see everything by Powell and Pressburger" phase. (If you haven't seen other of their films, I highly recommend them, particularly I Know Where I'm Going... oh heck, all of them!)

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I've seen a few of their other films but not that one. I shall try and get zip to actually send as many of them as they have.

The scene with the land-girl and the magistrate on the hill where she's talking about the caravan breaks your heart.

[caerbannog.livejournal.com]

That sounds lovely, it's going to go on my Netflix queue. The only other Powell and Pressburger film that I've seen is I Know Where I'm Going!, which was a very sweet romance.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I really liked it - and I haven't seen the one you mentioned, but I've just put it on my Zip (a bad Canadian version of netflix) queue.

[rozk.livejournal.com]

And of course there is also the mediaeval prologue where a knight lets loose a falcon that comes out of a cloud as a spitfire. Now, what famous movie moment might just possibly be influenced by that?....

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I loved that prologue but I am ashamed to say I do not know of what moment you speak. I'm often rather slow about these things... *hangs head*

[rozk.livejournal.com]

In 2001, the bone the ape-man throws turns into the shuttle that is about to dock with the space station...

[cbackson.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

That is all.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

How does Cassie Edwards have fans? How is this possible? I'd rather read the back of cereal boxes.

[cbackson.livejournal.com]

OMG. Let me offer you the following fabulous excerpt from her oeuvre, courtesy of the "show me a random page" function on Amazon:

"He removed her shoes and stockings, then straddled her and probed with his throbbing hardness between her thighs..." (the beginning of the most clinical sex scene I've ever read)

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Why remove the shoes and stockings? Where does she think that portion of the female is given that ye olden ones didn't, um, reach that far?

Also, 'throbbing hardness'? Probing? I am now scared for life.

[cbackson.livejournal.com]

Doesn't it sound sort of like a particularly troubling pelvic exam?

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

*dies*

Have you looked at her covers? They are amazing. I like the ones of women in various states of undress on the backs of horses.

Plus this one: http://www.amazon.ca/Savage-Hope-Cassie-Edwards/dp/0843950544/ref=pd_ts_b_18?ie=UTF8&s=books

WTF?

[cbackson.livejournal.com]

He's churning butter, obviously.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I thought he might be probing with his hardness myself.

[cbackson.livejournal.com]

HAH.
I LOL'd.

(Also, um, that dude is basically Indian Ken. That is, a white dude dipped in bronzer.)