Everyone wants to know the same thing, David Kross, the young German actor who plays young Michael Berg in the movie of "The Reader," what's it like to have sex with Kate Winslet. Yes, and? A reporter is dying to know and puts words in his mouth, it's like acting, right? No. It's like choreography, Kross scowls, having said the same thing to many reporters on this, the press day for "The Reader." And, not remembering anyone named in the credits, who is the choreographer? Director Stephen Daldry, answers Kross. And that, in a nutshell explains the excellence of this new movie based on the controversial novel by Bernhard Schlink with screenplay by playwright David Hare and masterminded by the director of "The Hours" who just so happens to have also directed the dance musical Billy Elliot, the hottest ticket on Broadway. Set in post Holocaust Germany, Stephen Daldry's new movie is about a young teenager who has a prolonged and tender affair with a woman 20 years his senior; after the affair ends, he finds out a deep, dark secret about her. As he learns in literature class, all the great books hinge on someone having such a deep, dark secret. And Kate Winslet's character Hanna Schmitz has at least two, the one to which she willingly admits is the more outrageous to us, that as a Nazi guard in a concentration camp, she stood by allowing 300 victims to burn to death in a church. The other, so painful to her that she is willing to go to prison to keep it hidden, is that she cannot read. How strange is the human psyche! This odd and fascinating character was cooked up by writer Schlink for his 1995 book, controversial as Schlink said, because of Hanna's remorseless, astonishingly cold lack of morality. In court, she explains why she did not open the church door: they would have escaped. We could not let that happen, she says clearly bewildered at this foolish question. Speaking on that press day this week after having taught his final class of the semester at Cordoza Law School—Schlink is lawyer and judge as well as the author of crime novels—he was outraged at Thelma Adams' view on the current Huffington Post, alleging that the real furor about this story should be about the young man's deflowering, victimized by this older woman. That is a reductive reading, said Schlink. That small-minded opinion does not recognize there are many kinds of love.
I am not yet over the delicious discomfort of this fine movie.
Post a comment
Your Information
(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)
Let's give Schlink credit for smarts and say he either hasn't read and understood Thelma's comments or is speaking in very bad faith - or maybe he's just got some profit participation in the flick he's worried about.
Thelma's very careful to point out that the story and the themes are not the issue for her. It's the way it's shot and the implicit intent of the film makers in shooting it that way. It's explicit sex, erotically (rather than, say, simply explicatorily) shot, between an adult and someone who's clearly meant to be underage.
The intent is identification and arousal.
It's the sort of things you'd go to the "teen" sites on persiankitty.com to find, for instance. It sure does sell.
I remember the "delicious discomfort" I got watching those "Ilse Koch, She Wolf of the SS" movies when I was much younger. But even then, the folks on screen were adults (even if, at the time, I wasn't - shhh, don't tell).
Posted by: Hayne | December 05, 2008 at 05:10 PM
I heard about that before, but never find information... your site help me so much thanks....
Posted by: Affiliate Promotion | March 21, 2009 at 12:38 AM
I really didnt know that.. well i think i got something new to try...
Posted by: Children Anxiety Disorder | March 21, 2009 at 12:40 AM
I did not know that either, lol, I guess we learn something everyday, great post.
Posted by: cheap cialis | March 08, 2010 at 06:45 AM
Hello.The British actress, known worldwide as the leading lady in the movie "Titanic", although the account Cate many successful operations and before that she was nominated twice for the prestigious Oscar: for her role as Ophelia in the movie "Hamlet" (1996), as well as for film "Sense and Sensibility" (1995).
Posted by: generic viagra | March 26, 2010 at 10:17 AM
What a fun pattern! It's great to hear from you and see what you've sent up to. All of the projects look great! You make it so simple to this.Thanks!
Posted by: Chanel Bags | July 14, 2010 at 01:22 AM
Like what movie? this? And to share it!
Posted by: Jordans 3 | July 22, 2010 at 05:57 PM
She believes yoga could rope a useful tool to help people battling depression and anxiety disorders.
http://www.yaahshoes.com/
Posted by: New Balance Shoes | August 04, 2010 at 02:54 AM
What fascinates me most is that these sensations can be interpreted as either anxiety or excitement.
http://www.yaahshoes.com/
Posted by: New Balance Shoes | August 04, 2010 at 05:38 PM
Like what movie? this? And to share it!
Posted by: augmentin 375mg | October 09, 2010 at 07:55 AM
Sometimes confidence can be a double-edged sword, several years ago by a small family problem I lost my brother, this experience was the most horrible I've experienced. I wanted to share my experience with all readers, congratulations on the blog, it's nice. Another excellent topic to discuss is sex
Posted by: Impotence causes | October 25, 2010 at 12:17 PM
i love you post
Posted by: taobao agent | November 10, 2010 at 10:27 PM
I can accept failure, but I can't accept give up.
Posted by: cheap ugg boots | November 12, 2010 at 10:51 PM
I just wish I knew what to do.*
Posted by: Air Jordan | November 16, 2010 at 06:50 PM
* be happy together is good enough. I am not asking for things that I could never get.
Posted by: Buy from taobao | January 18, 2011 at 01:36 AM
After decades in the jungles of fringe science, the placebo effect has become the elephant in the boardroom.
Posted by: LV Epi Leather | January 21, 2011 at 04:34 PM
You may not be ready to control the instances, but you are able to compose your response. It is possible to turn your ache into profanity -or into poetry. The selection is up to you. You may well not have selected your challenging time, but you'll be able to choose how you'll react to it.
Posted by: Nike Air | March 08, 2011 at 05:05 PM
I want your help. I like your blog. Your texts are interesting. I entered here by accident and I started reading. I became interested in the topic and I am thinking whether I could use your texts on my paper, of course with the quotation. Please contact with me, thanks very much.
Posted by: thomas sabo charm | March 09, 2011 at 04:42 AM
I smell the taste of wine. see you! "We do not talk more that day. We stood up, shook his hand and eye lookedeach and so on. Bees were shut out, but came to backhesitatingly.
Posted by: manolo blahnik shoes | September 27, 2011 at 08:28 PM
The good or ill hap of good or ill life, is the good or ill choice of a good or ill wife. Do you understand?
Posted by: spy software | March 21, 2012 at 06:14 PM
Hello joygufqfl, You insert a number events and frankly course weblog, I even so critically observed in regards to inside ideas, just one favor during put up as regards to your an active person society, totally is actually all my opinion, i've admitted, Furthermore, i envy you. -nike chaussures When you make a foul understanding to accrue an try during go about doing extra in relation to obtaining marketing, in regards to intention ought to be upon enhance the amount of managers site visitors information on a baby website.S nike chaussures.
Good uhlmowjz!!
Posted by: nike chaussures | September 02, 2012 at 07:40 PM