What are you reading tonight?

[malcd1]

for those with a kindle - you can pick up the complete conan doyle sherlock holmes for free...

number 2 in the right hand list:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/ ... =341689031

I am just reading this now. Brilliant if you are into the crime genre.

[William the White]

[quote="William the White"]I lost Narcopolis about 60 pages in somewhere on the Brighton trip. Not in luggage on getting home, not in car, not, allegedly, at hotel...

So, this afternoon, I replaced it at Bolton Waterstones. It was on 'buy one get another half price' offer. and I'm a sucker for that. So I bought Christopher Hitchens collection of essays and articles, Arguably, which weighs in at 788 pages and 107 articles, thus getting a lot of book for £6.50. To my delight I found it contained an essay on Victor Serge, one of my very favourite writers. Read it. And I now know this book will provide a constant challenge to finishing Narcopolis this side of Christmas...

/quote]

This turned out to be absolutely accurate. And tonight I finished the final article in Arguably, having not returned to Narcopolis at all.

Hitchens is a very fine essayist, who has an opinion and crafts a mean polemic. His argumemts are always clear and, for the most part, motivated by a desire to scorch those things that need scorching and to advocate the humane and caring. A former militant socialist he ended his life as an intelligent liberal. At all stages, as a writer, he found something important to say about the world, human life and God, and, best of all, wrote well about them all.

I shan't return to Narcopolis until I've finished his atheist polemic, God is Not Great, bought for me by my wife, with a fine sense of irony, as a Christmas gift. I started it on Christmas Day...

[TANGODANCER]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

Agree with you Tango.....only read the one book, wouldn't have cast him in a million years.

[Bruce Rioja]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

So, tell me about John Wayne's horse-riding ability then if you'd be so kind, Tango. Surely they should've cast Eddie P. Harty in the main role in True Grit if we're to follow you're line of thought on this one?

[TANGODANCER]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

Agree with you Tango.....only read the one book, wouldn't have cast him in a million years.

I've read them all, including the latest " A Wanted Man". Feel like I know Reacher and nothing about him matches Tom Cruise in any way. Looks like Lee Child sold him out for cash. Can't blame him for that I suppose, but a lot of Reacher fans will be mightily disappointed.

[TANGODANCER]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

So, tell me about John Wayne's horse-riding ability then if you'd be so kind, Tango. Surely they should've cast Eddie P. Harty in the main role in True Grit if we're to follow you're line of thought on this one?

Have you read any of the Reacher books? I'd suggest you might do so and see what you think. My line of thought, believe me, is shared by a lot of people. Read the reviews and comments.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

Agree with you Tango.....only read the one book, wouldn't have cast him in a million years.

I've read them all, including the latest " A Wanted Man". Feel like I know Reacher and nothing about him matches Tom Cruise in any way. Looks like Lee Child sold him out for cash. Can't blame him for that I suppose, but a lot of Reacher fans will be mightily disappointed.

No, you can't blame him...but still.....

[Bruce Rioja]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

So, tell me about John Wayne's horse-riding ability then if you'd be so kind, Tango. Surely they should've cast Eddie P. Harty in the main role in True Grit if we're to follow you're line of thought on this one?

Have you read any of the Reacher books? I'd suggest you might do so and see what you think. My line of thought, believe me, is shared by a lot of people. Read the reviews and comments.

No, I'm responding directly to your comments as made above. I've made a fair comparison, I feel, in that your post relates to (in)accurate casting. I couldn't care less about 'a lot of people', what's your response to my reasonable equivalent?

[TANGODANCER]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

So, tell me about John Wayne's horse-riding ability then if you'd be so kind, Tango. Surely they should've cast Eddie P. Harty in the main role in True Grit if we're to follow you're line of thought on this one?

Have you read any of the Reacher books? I'd suggest you might do so and see what you think. My line of thought, believe me, is shared by a lot of people. Read the reviews and comments.

No, I'm responding directly to your comments as made above. I've made a fair comparison, I feel, in that your post relates to (in)accurate casting. I couldn't care less about 'a lot of people', what's your response to my reasonable equivalent?

Do I need to give one? I expressed a view based on knowlege of the character. Are you disagreeing on that? Reacher's six feet five and doesn't ride horses, he's basically a thug with a brain. Ex army M.P drifter and hard man with a sense of justice against injustice, if you will. My response is Tom Cruise in physical appearance is far away from the character Lee Childs impresses on the reader.

[Bruce Rioja]

Been mentioned before, but it really is true then. I didn't want to believe the rumours that 5'- 7" Tom Cuise is actually playing 6'-5" Jack Reacher in the film. Thought it might be a wind-up. Almost a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. Bad, bad casting. Dolph Lundgren or somebody, yes. Tom Cruise, a joke. Got the lovely Rosamund Pyke for a co-star too. Humbug.

So, tell me about John Wayne's horse-riding ability then if you'd be so kind, Tango. Surely they should've cast Eddie P. Harty in the main role in True Grit if we're to follow you're line of thought on this one?

Have you read any of the Reacher books? I'd suggest you might do so and see what you think. My line of thought, believe me, is shared by a lot of people. Read the reviews and comments.

No, I'm responding directly to your comments as made above. I've made a fair comparison, I feel, in that your post relates to (in)accurate casting. I couldn't care less about 'a lot of people', what's your response to my reasonable equivalent?

Do I need to give one? I expressed a view based on knowlege of the character. Are you disagreeing on that? Reacher's six feet five and doesn't ride horses, he's basically a thug with a brain. Ex army M.P drifter and hard man with a sense of justice against injustice, if you will. My response is Tom Cruise in physical appearance is far away from the character Lee Childs impresses on the reader.

You're point regarded inappropriate casting in a film. In the interests of reason I brought up an example of equally rubbish casting in a film that you have down as being some sort of back-in-my-day film's were brilliant etc.. I thought that that was quite obvious.

[Bruce Rioja]

And here it is;
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21473&p=607878&hili ... it#p607878" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TANGODANCER]

You're point regarded inappropriate casting in a film. In the interests of reason I brought up an example of equally rubbish casting in a film that you have down as being some sort of back-in-my-day film's were brilliant etc.. I thought that that was quite obvious.

Quite what my comments about Tom Cruise have to do with "back in my day films were brilliant" (which incidentally I never mentioned) has to do with this I'm not sure. The Independant view of Jack Reacher might make my point clearer: " The paradox of Reacher is that he is both a big grizzly bear of a fighter...and a thinker, both Schwartzenegger and Socrates"
Does that sound like Tom Cruise to you? That was my whole point. Nothing more, nothing knocking Cruise as an actor, nothing "back in my day", just that. One of my favourite DVD's that I watched only a week ago is " The Last Samurai" starring Tom Cruise". In that, he's excellent. Reacher, he just isn't. Nothing further to add.

[thebish]

Tango is right in that there is a lot of outrage amongst Reacher fans that Tom Cruise (a notorious shorty) is playing the part of a notorious tally..

and - as it happens - many reviewers think the performance is a bit pants. (reviewers who I listen to - like Kermode - though, think that his height is not the reason for the pants-ness - rather - that Cruise does not have the vacant, "man-with-no-name" quality that Reacher has in the books... had Cruise got that - then the height would not have been an issue, because he would have captured the essence of the character... but, he didn't!

however - Bruce is also right - in that making a film or a play from a book is a lot more than simply beaming the words and characters of the book onto the screen - it is a different beast. If a film was always a direct copy of a book in every detail - then it wouldn't be worth watching - as the pictures in your head would be as good, if not better than the ones on screen.

A film or theatre version is a different animal and should be treated as such - a bit like a cover of a song. If an artist does a cover of a song and tried to get it exactly like the original - then they will always fail - because it is NOT the original - so you might as well listen to the original - a cover needs to do something new...

so - insisting that characters on screen always match 1-1 the physical attributes of characters in a book is a little bit shallow, I think... there's a lot more to it than that...

[TANGODANCER]

so - insisting that characters on screen always match 1-1 the physical attributes of characters in a book is a little bit shallow, I think... there's a lot more to it than that...

Okay, let's start again. In my case, I haven't insisted on anything? I passed a view.

Firstly, have you read the books and are you familiar with the Reacher character? I'm talking here about one film character, nothing to do with acting ability. Here's the reason: Lee Child, when interviewed, admitted he based his Reacher character on himself. (He's a big fella). The books repeatedly mention Reacher's six-feet-five height and huge frame. It happens in every one of the 17 novels, world-wide best sellers that have been translated into forty languages. He's a big, bear of a man. ( I'm sure Bruce is familiar with that sort of size since he has a brother of similar, does he not?) . It's one big guy. Lee Child has instilled that image in his readers countless times. Reacher is a giant of a man.

The film will be (has been) made by the film-makers regardless. I passed an opinion and don't really care if it's agreed with or no. It's immaterial and counts for nothing. It is however based on information from the books, not just my personal opinion. It's disappointing, but it won't alter a single thing. That's it.

[bobo the clown]

It hardly matters to me, but the facts are that Reacher's character in the novels focus on his size and his 'quiet giant ... not to be messed with' nature. So to use a pint-sized, athletic actor who brings an entirely different dynamic to the part is an odd selection. It will change the nature of the portrayal.

No-one will have their lives ruined by this, but it does seem they've taken the soft, box-office, option and there were shirley otger vehicles for Cruise's next movie & there were better large-scale options for the Reacher part.

[thebish]

so - insisting that characters on screen always match 1-1 the physical attributes of characters in a book is a little bit shallow, I think... there's a lot more to it than that...

Okay, let's start again. In my case, I haven't insisted on anything? I passed a view.

Firstly, have you read the books and are you familiar with the Reacher character? I'm talking here about one film character, nothing to do with acting ability. Here's the reason: Lee Child, when interviewed, admitted he based his Reacher character on himself. (He's a big fella). The books repeatedly mention Reacher's six-feet-five height and huge frame. It happens in every one of the 17 novels, world-wide best sellers that have been translated into forty languages. He's a big, bear of a man. ( I'm sure Bruce is familiar with that sort of size since he has a brother of similar, does he not?) . It's one big guy. Lee Child has instilled that image in his readers countless times. Reacher is a giant of a man.

The film will be (has been) made by the film-makers regardless. I passed an opinion and don't really care if it's agreed with or no. It's immaterial and counts for nothing. It is however based on information from the books, not just my personal opinion. It's disappointing, but it won't alter a single thing. That's it.

yes I have read the books!



I said you had a valid point (I said you were right about the size) - then made a new point of my own - really not sure what your problem is!

FWIW - Childs has said he is happy with the film...

[thebish]

It hardly matters to me, but the facts are that Reacher's character in the novels focus on his size and his 'quiet giant ... not to be messed with' nature. So to use a pint-sized, athletic actor who brings an entirely different dynamic to the part is an odd selection.

I don;t think anyone has disagreed that this is the case...

[CrazyHorse]

A 'quiet giant ... not to be messed with' nature, eh?
I'd have been perfect for the role. And I'd have done it for half of Cruise's fee too. Utter madness on the filmakers part once again.

[Worthy4England]

FWIW - Childs has said he is happy with the film...

I'm fairly sure that lots of attributes change between book and film. Child's does give plenty of attention to Reacher being huge though, to the point that it becomes intrinsic. Maybe they'd have cast Rowan Atkinson if the royalty cheque promised to be bigger? #sellout.