Thursday, October 29, 2009

Enjoying the remains of October




Earlier this evening, having had a very long day, I checked my e-mail, read a couple of posts, and turned the computer off, figuring that I would be asleep in short order. I had a few chores to do, so I set about doing them. As I was loading clothes into the dryer, I remembered that I hadn't told you about Amelia. So, back I came, and that's a good thing, because it was wa-a-a-ay too early to be going to sleep.

We did go to the movies last night, after we ate curried prawns and rice and salad (and a few side dishes from our neighbourhood Chinese restaurant). It was dark out, and raining, so we allowed lots of time to get to the theatre. That was just as well. I don't drive very fast under those conditions. We arrived at the theatre just in time to enjoy the commercial. It was an advertisement for some sort of hair product. I said "Since when do we get commercials at the movies?" and Jane replied "What's surprising is that it's taken this long." I had to admit she was right. We have become such cynics, she and I.

Then came the previews of coming attractions, some of which were not very attractive. I must confess, though, I was rather taken with the animated film about the kid who accidentally punctures the fake Great Pyramid and deflates it. That one had possibilities. It made me giggle.

As for the main feature, Amelia was a lot more about Earhart's love life than about her flying, which I suppose is fair enough. People have been raving and speculating about her flying for more than eighty years, since she made her first Atlantic crossing (as a passenger). She did fly in this movie, and there were nice touches like the fact that when she was flying, she and the plane vibrated. It felt very real. I found the chronology a little difficult to follow. The action took place in 1937, 1928, 1932, 1930 (or was it 1934?) and 1937. That year popped up a lot. Sometimes it was hard to tell when we were watching.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy the movie. I said I would be absorbing the atmosphere, and that's what I did. When we left the theatre, I was thinking about fox fur stoles, cloche hats, loose trousers, leather jackets and jodphurs, and this song:


p.s. Check out the poem in my sidebar. The lady had many talents.

5 comments:

Karen said...

Thanks for the review, Sandra. I'll see it, too, I'm sure. I love period pieces for the atmosphere, too!

Have a great weekend. Thanks for the music.

Tess Kincaid said...

I've been wondering about this movie. Thanks for the recommend. I must go see it!

Unknown said...

I love the song Moonglow, & that is a sweet rendition! Who knew Amelia Earhart wrote poetry?

Kathryn Magendie said...

I am going to watch this - but I can't decide whether to go into asheville to see it or wait for it to come out on DVD....I've been to only one movie here in WNC....used to go much more frequently in BR because there were so many theaters!

nice write up :-)

Sandra Leigh said...

John, Ethel Waters apparently made the very first recording of Moonglow. It's odd. I think of her as an old woman. I wonder how old she was when she made this recording.

Kathryn, how big is your tv? You will lose some of the impact of the flying scenes by watching the movie at home, but if it's a long way to the theatre, I would recommend you go the dvd route. Of course, you would also lose some of the impact of Ewan McGregor and Richard Gere that way, so -- well, it's your call.

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