Never heard of William Shakespeare's Coriolanus? You're not alone. In Shakespeare's day, it was never performed. Today it is rarely, if ever, staged or taught. But soon, two of Hollywood's most respected actors, Ralph Fiennes and Vanessa Redgrave, will try to rectify that situation. T. S. Eliot once called Coriolanus Shakespeare's greatest tragic achievement, superior…
Read More "Film Based on Shakespeare’s “Coriolanus” Opens 2/14"
Just a few years ago, if a person tried to self-publish his or her work, the general reaction from most people would outwardly be, "Oh! Good for you! Congratulations!" Inwardly, however, those people would think two words: "vanity press." Vanity, of course, is derogatory. The general assumption was that you had been turned down by…
Is there going to be a Kindle in your stocking this year? Or perhaps you got one last year and are wanting to load up on some new materials? Or maybe you've been thinking about purchasing the new (and highly hyped/promoted) Kindle Fire? Here is a round-up of some good information on how to get…
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On October 28, the new film Anonymous opens in wide release. Anonymous is a political thriller which postulates that the true author of the works we attribute to William Shakespeare was, in fact, Edward De Vere, the Earl of Oxford. The political backdrop is that of the succession of Queen Elizabeth and the Essex Rebellion…
Read More "New Film, Old Debate: Did Shakespeare Truly Pen the Works That Bear His Name?"
"Stuff your eyes with wonder. Live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal. And if there were, it would be related to the great sloth which…
In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, a soothsayer warns the would-be king to "Beware the Ides of March." Like the basis for many of Shakespeare's plays, the impetus is not completely original. In this case, he adapted the line from Plutarch's much tamer rendering in The Life of Julius Caesar which advises Caesar "to take heed…
Authors rarely have any say in what cover art is chosen to adorn their works. The interpretations can often be down-right ridiculous. Here, for your viewing pleasure/horror are the worst-of-the-worst, the baddest-of-the-bad, and the silliest-of-the-silliest. Here we have Jane Eyre, apparently channeling Jane Russell. Jane's supposed to be homely?? That'll never sell. And perhaps her…
Ahhh the holidays! For lots of us, a few days off means lazing in bed and catching up on some reading and movie-watching. You may be tempted to do a bit of both by renting or buying a film based on a book. Some are wonderful, some are...well... stinkers. Here are five films you should avoid…
