Princess Caraboo: pictures and overview

Watched this one the other day. Here's its entry in my labour-of-love period drama database, which I have finally started working on again, so check back every so often to see new links/pictures/reviews.

 ~Princess Caraboo (1994)~

A sweet, somewhat overlooked film; loosely based on a true story. In Regency England, a small vagrant is found in a country field. She speaks no English and is dressed in strange, Oriental clothes. The girl calls herself "Caraboo", and claims to be the daughter of a king. For Princess Caraboo (Phoebe Cates), it is the beginning of an incredible adventure, in which she charms a journalist, a professor, the aristocracy, and even the Prince Regent himself. Phoebe Cates is wonderful as the plucky, almost Heyer-esque heroine, while Jim Broadbent and (Cates' real life husband) Kevin Kline are hilarious. Also keep an eye out for cameos from Stephen Mackintosh and Anna Chancellor. The stereotyped, bigoted depiction of the English aristocracy marred the film slightly for me. Princess Caraboo is marketed as a family film, but it does contain a couple of slightly "icky" moments, so be warned. Directed by Michael Austin. Stars Phoebe Cates, Wendy Hughes, Stephen Rea, John Lithgow, Jim Broadbent, and Kevin Kline. *** 12+

Photo Gallery | Charity's Place | Trailer | Amazon | IMDb | RT | Youtube

Anna Karenina 2012 cast

I am way behind the times. . . I've just had a glance at the Anna Karenina 2012 IMDb page (filming started this month, apparently). This movie has everyone in it! Seriously!

Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina. Not convinced about Keira as Anna at all. Anna is supposed to be beautiful, warm, maternal, very curvaceous, and quintessentially feminine. Keira. . . isn't. Well, she's beautiful, but as for the rest. . . I'm sorry, but this is a crucial part of who Anna is and what attracts Vronsky to her: her warmth, and motherliness, as well as her beauty and sophistication. Vronsky had a cold, unfeeling mother. To him, Anna represents the comfort, the security, and the kindness of the mother and family life that he was deprived of as a child. If Keira were to go up four dress sizes, then we'd be talking, but as it is, I just can't visualise Keira - who still looks like a skinny little slip of a girl - in this part!!

Jude Law as Karenin. Is it just me, or have all three of the most recent Karenins (James Fox, Stephen Dillane, and now Jude Law) been far more attractive than the role calls for? I can understand the reasoning behind this from a director's point of view: that is, not wanting to perpetuate the stereotype of Karenin as Anna's old, ugly, unsympathetic husband. But still - Jude Law? Still, at least he's not playing Vronsky (which I had assumed to be the case when I first heard that he was attached to this film). Jude Law as Karenin, on the hand, is an interesting and unprecedented casting decision, that's for sure!

Aaron Johnson as Vronsky. Yessss! *Fist pumps*. Tall, dark, handsome (probably a bit too pretty, to be honest) and confident, yet young and vulnerable.

Kelly MacDonald as Dolly - perfect.

Matthew MacFadyen as Oblonsky - awesome!!!! I can't wait to see Matthew playing another Felix Carbury-esque character. As you can see, he has already started growing a beard for the part. He looks scary, to be honest.

Olivia Williams as Vronsky's mum - W00t!! Sorry, I've just been typing my honest response to each casting decision. No false dignity here.

Ruth Wilson as Princess Betsy - perfect.

Domhnall Gleeson as Levin. Initial response - wh-wh-wh-WHAT? A ginger Levin?! Interesing. On second thoughts - this could be an inspired casting decision. Levin's character is partly based on Tolstoy himself, and Domhnall actually looks remarkably like a young Tolstoy (red hair notwithstanding). Also, if this lures in the Harry Potter fans, I'm all for it.

Alicia Vikander as Kitty. Hmmm. . .

And Michelle Dockery and Emily Watson are in the cast list too, though their roles have not yet been confirmed.

All in all, my excitement about this film has multiplied approximately 4 x. I remain unsure about Keira as Anna, but the rest of the cast appears to be more or less perfect, featuring a dynamic mix of established and up-and-coming actors. I'm looking forward to seeing what Joe Wright does with this adaptation. Fingers crossed the screenplay manages to do a tolerable job of cramming Tolstoy's tome into two hours or so of screen time. (!)

Your thoughts?

Post No. 500

I miss blogging.

I miss bloggers!!!

The new-look blogger is fabulous.

I need a bit of mental stimulation. I can feel my brains turning to muuuussssh inside of me. Well, not quite, but the discipline of forcing my randoms thoughts onto the page (err - post) is good for me.

I miss you all!!! Wait, I mentioned that already.

Apparently, I have written 499 posts on this blog. This post will bring that number up to a nice, even 500.
All excellent reasons why I should start blogging on here again!! You've all been very patient! Thank you to everyone who hasn't unfollowed me.

Now, where to start?? Maybe I could revive one of those series I started (you know, those series that I PROMISED I would complete and not let die). Maybe I could finish that review of Tangled. Maybe I could write a review of one of the many books I've read this year. (But not Anna Karenina. That would be beyond my powers of reviewing. I don't want to do another "Villette" review.)

What would you like my next post to be about?

And can I just give you all a big hug? *HUGS*.