Monthly culture, October 2025
Tuesday, October 28th, 2025 05:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tamaranth01OCT25: Born with Teeth -- Liz Duffy Adams -- Wyndham's TheatreNcuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel as Marlowe and Shakespeare: slashtastic, with some witty dialogue, plenty of 'Shakespearian' vocabulary (mooncalf, begetting) and a twisty ending. Shakespeare is naive, defensive: Marlowe is predatory, cynical, fond. Felt a little like TV, possibly because of the lighting, possibly the duologue, possibly because the actors were miked up. An interesting take on Marlowe's spy / secret agent work, and a wistful doomed romance. I liked this a great deal, and can see why it's a Yuletide fandom this year.
02OCT25: The Godfather (Coppola, 1972) -- Netflix
Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton (RIP). Unaccountably I'd never seen this. It's very much of its time -- the 70s rather than the 40s when the first scenes are set: we noted the 70s-ness of hair and costume -- with powerless women, ethnic insults, homophobia. Brilliant lighting, inconsistent pacing. I can see why it's acclaimed as a masterpiece -- Brando owns it -- but the ruthless megalomania was rather nihilistic.
09OCT25: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Hawks, 1953) -- Netflix
Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe as Dorothy and Lorelei, two showgirls who head to Paris, falling for and/or flirting with unsuitable men on the ship; finding work when Lorelei's letter of credit is cancelled (cue 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend') and a happy ending. I know this was one of the films that made Monroe a household name but I actually preferred Jane Russell. Loved the pool scene (Not Homoerotic At All, asserted a member of the film group). Middle-aged women in this film look like today's geriatrics (the actress playing Lady Beekman was 55...). And I liked the way that the female characters are friends, rather than rivals: they look out for one another.
12OCT25: Patti Smith -- Horses 50th Anniversary Tour -- London Palladium
A euphoric experience -- I have seen Patti Smith play live before, several times, but none of those gigs energised and enthralled me like this one. Perhaps it was the company; perhaps it was having decent seats so I could see the stage and didn't have to stand for long; perhaps it was the play-through of an album I have loved for forty years (I was a late adopter). Especially loved that 'Land of a Thousand Dances' resolved into 'Gloria' again, coming full circle.
Second encore featured Johnny Depp, looking diffident -- as well he might in front of an audience which was more than 50% female.
16OCT25: Inside Llewyn Davis (Coen & Coen, 2013) -- Netflix
Oscar Isaac as an unsuccessful early 60s folk singer, with Justin Timberlake as a more successful artist and Carey Mulligan as Llewyn's occasional lover. Features a cat (or several). No happy endings, indeed perhaps no endings. But I was self-medicating with gin.
Also in October: a Big Birthday and a week in glorious Port de Soller, Mallorca. But now it is dark and cold...
02OCT25: The Godfather (Coppola, 1972) -- Netflix
Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton (RIP). Unaccountably I'd never seen this. It's very much of its time -- the 70s rather than the 40s when the first scenes are set: we noted the 70s-ness of hair and costume -- with powerless women, ethnic insults, homophobia. Brilliant lighting, inconsistent pacing. I can see why it's acclaimed as a masterpiece -- Brando owns it -- but the ruthless megalomania was rather nihilistic.
09OCT25: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Hawks, 1953) -- Netflix
Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe as Dorothy and Lorelei, two showgirls who head to Paris, falling for and/or flirting with unsuitable men on the ship; finding work when Lorelei's letter of credit is cancelled (cue 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend') and a happy ending. I know this was one of the films that made Monroe a household name but I actually preferred Jane Russell. Loved the pool scene (Not Homoerotic At All, asserted a member of the film group). Middle-aged women in this film look like today's geriatrics (the actress playing Lady Beekman was 55...). And I liked the way that the female characters are friends, rather than rivals: they look out for one another.
12OCT25: Patti Smith -- Horses 50th Anniversary Tour -- London Palladium
A euphoric experience -- I have seen Patti Smith play live before, several times, but none of those gigs energised and enthralled me like this one. Perhaps it was the company; perhaps it was having decent seats so I could see the stage and didn't have to stand for long; perhaps it was the play-through of an album I have loved for forty years (I was a late adopter). Especially loved that 'Land of a Thousand Dances' resolved into 'Gloria' again, coming full circle.
Second encore featured Johnny Depp, looking diffident -- as well he might in front of an audience which was more than 50% female.
16OCT25: Inside Llewyn Davis (Coen & Coen, 2013) -- Netflix
Oscar Isaac as an unsuccessful early 60s folk singer, with Justin Timberlake as a more successful artist and Carey Mulligan as Llewyn's occasional lover. Features a cat (or several). No happy endings, indeed perhaps no endings. But I was self-medicating with gin.
Also in October: a Big Birthday and a week in glorious Port de Soller, Mallorca. But now it is dark and cold...
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Date: Monday, November 3rd, 2025 12:18 pm (UTC)