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Thursday, February 26, 2009

Good Dickensy News for Us Tri-Staters

David Copperfield is airing Sunday, March 9th and presumably, the following week. Here's their description:
Charles Dickens's beloved novel gets all-star treatment in this encore presentation of David Copperfield. The cast includes Maggie Smith, Ian McKellen, Bob Hoskins -- and an irresistible ten-year-old Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) as the young boy making his way in the world. (Part 1 of 2)
Yes, this is the role that caught the eye of the HP casting folks. I would add that EBC fave and Potter veteran Imelda Staunton is also in this series. So what to expect? I checked out the reviews on Imdb. Even though a lot of the commenters are Radcliffe fangirls (I mean, who isn't?) the general consensus seems to be that it's a lovely and well-done adaptation and we're going to go bonkers for it.

I've blathered on about this before, but David Copperfield is by far my favorite Dickens book, the only Dickens I'd put in my top ten of all time, and it was also the author himself's favorite. Although it has much of Dickens' trademark quirkiness and darkness, it's also a complete character study with growth and redemption and a really interesting message about romantic love that's as close to feminist as the guy got ("Don't marry someone just because they are pretty and charming, look for a friend and partner" kinda thing).

So, in, sum, I am extremely eager for this film and I look forward to discussing it here!

3 comments:

  1. So I only took a few English lit classes during my undergrad, and as a result got through the entire degree without doing any Dickens. My entire Dickens knowledge, therefore, is from what I read on my own initiative in highschool. The only thing I knew about Dickens from a literary criticism aspect was that "Great Expectations is the Dickens novel for people who don't like Dickens."

    All of this is a lead-up to say, hey! What a coincidence that David Copperfield is my favourite Dickens novel too. I'm glad to hear I picked a winner. I'm not a Daniel Radcliffe fan - he's a pretty self-conscious actor - but a decent Betsey Trotwood will make me forgive all.

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  2. As for D. Radcliffe being a Literary Lusted-After filmic character version, my southern Grandma saw him disrobed in Equus on Broadway when she visited NYC and said he had "the body of a little boy". My Grandmother really did say this! OMG Grandma! So, taking her aged wisdom into account, I'd concur with the 15 year olds... if I were 15.

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  3. Ooh, I forgot about how much I love Betsey Trotwood. I think Daniel R. has improved a lot particularly in the 5th HP film. Certainly Rupert and Emma can't compare.
    And yeah, I never had a thing for him, but I know two very sober 21 year olds who bought Equus tix just to see that boyish bod.

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