2012 Book Revue Selections
by Staff
Book Revue fans, for February, we're offering our first Sunday event. On February 19, starting at 3:30 p.m., guest host Adam Nayman, film critic for The Grid, will introduce The Age of Innocence, one of his favourite Martin Scorsese films.
This stately 1993 adaptation of Edith Wharton's 1920 novel stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder. Joanne Woodward provides the perfect voiceover narration. The film won an Oscar for best costumes.
The story is set in New York City's world of the wealthy in the 1870s. It earned Wharton the Pulitzer Prize, making her the first woman ever to win the coveted award.
As always, there will be book giveaways as door prizes and free snacks following the screening. Our host introduces the film; a discussion follows the screening.
For more about the book and film, go to our Book Revue page.
Tickets: $10 for members and seniors; $12 for non-members.
Coming Events:
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold: Tuesday, March 20, 6:45 p.m.
With the new adaptation of John le Carre's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, we thought we should review earlier film versions of le Carre's novels. Spy,the 1965 film directed by Martin Ritt, stars Richard Burton at the top of his game.
All the President’s Men: Sunday, April 15, 3:30 p.m.
The Book: Intrepid reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein helped unseat a president with their reportage of the Watergate Scandal. Their book about their investigation into the dirty election campaign tricks of Richard Nixon's camp was published in 1974.
The Film: Starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, the 1976 film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won four, including best adapted screenplay.
Midnight Cowboy: Tuesday, May 22, 6:45 p.m.
The Book: One of three novels by American writer and actor James Leo Herilhy, it's set in gritty New York City. Joe Buck, a naive Texan, comes to the Big Apple, with the goal of becoming a gigolo. He forms an unlikely friendship and alliance with down-and-out con artist Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo, who scammed him for $20.
The Film: Directed by Brit John Schlesinger, this 1969 release won Oscars for best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay. Stars Jon Voight as Joe and Dustin Hoffman as Ratso lost out on best actor to John Wayne in True Grit.
The Black Stallion: Sunday, June 17, 3:30 p.m.
The Book: So how many of you loved The Black Stallion series of books by Walter Farley when you were growing up? Farley came up with the idea for his stallion when he was only 16. The book was published in 1941 when he was still in university. The New York Times rated The Black as the most famous fictional horse of the 20th century.
The Film: You might recognize some places in The Black Stallion. For sure, a glimpse of a Red Rocket as The Black escapes along a city street is the giveaway that scenes from The Black Stallion were filmed in Toronto. (Check out this Torontoist article.) Directed by Caroll Ballard and released in 1979, the film is a visual treat. It follows the story of the young boy Alec, who survives a shipwreck with the beautiful Arabian horse, ending up on a deserted island.
Past 2012 Book Revue sessions:
The Graduate: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 6:45 p.m.
The Movie: Directed by Mike Nichols in 1967, it is considered one of the best films of all times (appearing in most canons). It was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, winning for best director. It stars Dustin Hoffman as the directionless graduate and Anne Bancroft as the unforgettable Mrs. Robinson.
The Book: Charles Webb's novel of the same name was published in 1963. He wrote it shortly after graduating from the Ivy League college of Williams, and based certain characters on people within his family's circle. Webb has been asked repeatedly since he wrote the book about real-life similarities to the characters and events depicted in the novel. Finally, he admitted the name of his inspiration for Mrs. Robinson, though to this day he denies that they had a relationship. Read the article “The Real Life Parallels of The Graduate” here:http://blogs.amctv.com/movie-blog/2008/04/real-life-parallels-graduate-charles-webb.php