Home Films/DVD Asylum

Movies from comedy to drama to your favorite Hollyweird Star.

[ Follow Ups ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Films/DVD Asylum ]
[ Alert Moderator ] [ Edit ] [ Delete ]

The O'Brian Cult

66.74.72.231

Victor,

I was a fan of Patrick O'rian through his Picasso biography, but have been astounded at the cult surrounding the Aubrey/Maturin novels. I have friends who wre obsessed by the story and lured by O'Biran's writings and deep historic detail. Then there was the cookbook and historical nautical appendix. With one friend I have been along visiting on about a dozen tall ships from Vancouver to San Diego. The cult has an amazing number of members. Suprisingly in some ways, it appears that over half of the hard core are women.

A few years ago, I read 100 pages of the first one "Master and Commander" and decided I didn't need another addiction- it is really compelling!

Tthe thing is, All my friends who read all the way through to the unfinished "21" - and it seems that no one that starts will not finish- saw the "Master and Commander" movie in the cinema and said vehemently- "don't bother." > Historically inaccurate, loses key episodes, combines and compresses characters and events, avoids the political and scientific content, etc., etc. In effect, "We liked the books so much, no movie could do it properly."

In the books, it is the personality and relationship of Aubrey and Maturin that drive the narrative. I can see from my small experience of the books that the movie could not relate that subtlty and so went to CG battle scenes with all else acting as filler. Also, the main pair had much different personalities- in the books they were shown as real Age of Enlightenment figures- intellect and action in harmony- and in the movie- well guys with jobs.

I liked a lot of the atmosphere created and the battle scenes rang true, but on the whole this ship was a pretty but empty hull.

A few days ago, at Barnes and Noble, I saw the complete novels in a collection for $150 and I think that is the way to ebjoy O'Brian in the most satisfying way. For Thanksgiving, I'll be serving the traditional Royal Navy entree of "millers"*** this year.

Cheers,

Bam


***oh, rats!

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  VH Audio  

Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
You can not post to an archived thread.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]