tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post1006869067106876405..comments2023-11-05T02:01:53.847-06:00Comments on Antagony & Ecstasy: LA MISÈRE DE 1995Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-17050240995078411992013-07-07T00:17:21.705-05:002013-07-07T00:17:21.705-05:00That's some fantastically useful info. Thanks ...That's some fantastically useful info. Thanks a lot!<br /><br />Here in the States, of course, all anybody knows about is what they learned from the musical, if that. A very smart, well-read friend of mine was under the impression prior to the 2012 film that Fantine was the protagonist.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-38677844560658933542013-07-05T03:47:16.336-05:002013-07-05T03:47:16.336-05:00Thank you.
I haven't watched it in a good 20 ...Thank you.<br /><br />I haven't watched it in a good 20 years since I was a teenager but maybe I can still provide a bit of insight into your main issue from a native's perspective. See, in France, as you point out Hugo and Les Misérables are both universally considered Hugely Important to the core of our culture as well as to our history. He was after all an elected official at some point, one of the few architects of what became the European Union, an advocate of many causes and prosecutor of many public figures, etc etc.<br /> The book, likewise, is considered foundational in many ways, and everyone in France knows of it, knows its main characters and beats, and more importantly, knows its impact on our culture and psyche as its author infuses our very language (just like Rabelais and Molière before him) <br />That said, not many people have actually read the darn thing. Too big, too long, to literary, pick your excuse. I myself have never read it. By the time the Lelouch film came out, I'd bet most of its audience hadn't even seen another filmed adaptation yet; but that didn't mean we couldn't jump on the wagon easily with all the background we'd been passively learning over the years from school and media. Let's say, we could compare to the Simpsons or Star Trek (and soon maybe, Game of Thrones) in the US: you don't need to have ever seen a single episode to tag along to any cultural reference about red shirts, red weddings and Mr Burns quotes. Some plot points or events might still need to be spelled out for the ignorant majority, but by and large, the storyteller can take shortcuts and cut away some fat.<br /><br />So there you have it. Back then, it didn't take away from my enjoyment, and it probably helped me not get lost, and maybe even made me consider reading the thing to fill in the blanks. It was compelling enough in itself, but resonated even more so due to our deep connection with the original work.Vianneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10456600888652409290noreply@blogger.com