Adventures with Agatha

I found a new TV show on PBS called Alan Carr's Adventures with Agatha Christie. He's apparently a British comedian and a big Christie fan, so he presents a 3-part series exploring places in Agatha's life and discussing her two great detectives, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. It's different than Lucy Worsley's series from last year, because it's more of a fun romp, and they go to touristy places like the fabulous Art Deco hotel on Burgh Island, the inspiration for the setting of And Then There Were None. I love the trips to the Cosprop store in London too. It's weird that my PBS station was airing the show in the middle of the night, though. I guess they didn't think enough Americans would know Alan Carr or enjoy his cheeky humour.

Speaking of Lucy Worsley, I realize that I didn't comment on the third episode of Holmes vs Doyle yet. This one covered the Edwardian Age, WWI, and the later Sherlock Holmes stories. Worsley didn't mention the Cottingley fairies at all, mainly concentrating on Doyle's spiritualism and his friendship with Harry Houdini. I agree with Worsley's opinion that Doyle cosplaying as a soldier in WWI is a bit sad and desperate; he so wanted to be a war hero since the Boer War, but war is not a game or grand adventure to enjoy. He should have learned this, but I guess he still had imperialist tendencies plus masculinity issues from Sandow's fitness regimen. He wanted to be an action man.

Freezy and Breezy

Damn, winter came back with a vengeance. It'll be freezing for several nights, and there may be snow later in the week. Glad I took care of my errands this weekend.

Anyway, I saw the new French Count of Monte Cristo and it was good. The plot is not quite the same as the novel because they have cut some subplots and characters to simplify the story. Also they combine and alter some characters. For example, in the book, the prosecutor Villefort had a Bonapartist father, but this scandalous relative instead becomes his sister Angele in the film, and she also rescues the illegitimate child that Villefort attempts to kill. This will be the boy that Dantes will adopt and make part of his revenge schemes.

The lead actor Pierre Niney is amazing, able to act well even while in disguise. Edmond Dantes not only adopts his Count of Monte Cristo persona, but also pretends to be an Abbe Busoni as well as a crass Lord Halifax from England. In the story he's supposed to be wearing some kind of fabricated mask but I'm sure in practice it probably needs to be prosthetics and makeup that allow his face to still move naturally. There's a great scene where the Count has the purchased the house where the illegitimate child was buried, and he invites his victims to dinner there. He pretends the house is haunted by the ghost and that the spirit led him to a chest buried in the garden. The Count presents it as a spooky ghost story, and the women are frightened but one of the men is obliviously enjoying the tale as pure entertainment. The diners dismiss the whole thing as a magical parlor trick, but of course two of the guests know about the real baby.

I liked the film overall, though it is almost 3 hours long and I had to miss a scene to run to the bathroom.

Eek

What sad news about the tragic attack in New Orleans. So much for a Happy New Year. Already in mourning for Jimmy Carter's passing. 

I missed other various news happening over the holidays. The government shutdown was avoided, but there was some anti-trans poison pill in the NDAA. Something happened about a transgender athlete policy that I don't understand; there was speculation that Trump could use it somehow for bad? It's like Biden cancelling more judges because he knew Trump would pack the courts with bad judges. 

Some Russian ship cut an undersea cable in Finland, and is being detained for the sabotage. I don't know if that's how Russia's conducting its war now? Musk continues to be insane. Some athiests went on transphobic rants and then resigned from a Freedom from Religion foundation. Fucking asshats. I stopped respecting those athiests when I found out they were racist and anti-Muslim too. Way to ruin your reputations just like J.K. Rowling. That's why I describe myself as agnostic. Everybody can believe what they want to, as long as they don't try to attack other people or impose their morals as laws on everyone else. Just look at Jimmy Carter to see what a devout person can do if they spread love instead of intolerance.

In lighter news, apparently there will be a Bluey movie in 2027; I would celebrate, except the movie will be CGI. Do we have to do that? Why can't it be flat 2-D animation like the TV show? I love the cartoon dogs the way they are. Movies overall are meh lately. I want to see the new Count of Monte Cristo movie, but it's in theaters 25 miles away so I'll have to make a special trip to catch it before it disapears. At least there's Love Hurts in February starring Ke Huy Quan. It even has Marshawn Lynch, a football player I only know from Will Arnett's Murderville show, but he's fun.