Casanova mini-review

[chelidon]

Some of the denizens here stayed up verrrry late Monday night to watch a bootleg copy of BBC's new three-hour production of Casanova. Peter O' Toole is the elder Giacomo Casanova, David Tennant plays the young Casanova, and it was written by the very capable Russell T Davies, the same person responsible for the most excellent new Dr. Who production. It was just so very good, that I could forgive the quite blatant anachronisms, especially since many of them were clearly inserted to be purely silly, and they were in fact more fun than intrusive. Witty, well-paced, and ultimately, emotionally moving. The elder sacred-fool Casanova and the servant girl (Rose Byrne) to whom he tells his stories, and who ultimately plays a key role in his life, are both clearly, despite having radically different lives, hopeless romantics living in a world which is largely devoid of color and spark -- each, in their own way, devoted to love. Delicious, wicked, and well-worth a watch, whenever we can get it over here on the west side of the pond.

Comments

[lylythe-strega.livejournal.com]

Casanova was silly, and fun, and very moving. I was wondering how much of it was based on fact...or if it's taken from the writings of a certain Casanova historian...may have to do a little research for reading material, there. He seem(ed) to have been an interesting guy.

And, it was fun watching it with you and P...mind-wrenching green drinks notwithstanding. I might be ready for *that* again, a couple of months... ;>

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

Some good info here: http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/casanova.htm

The movie was highly fictionalized, but had grains of truth in it here and there....much as Casanova's autobiography, it seems.

Great fun, as always, m'dear. And always beware the alchemist -- we never did name that green drink, but perhaps it best remain one of the Nameless Ones. That was, however, an entirely new color, I think...