Every Tuesday I’m going to try and post a Criterion movie on here to discuss. I am going to go in order of spine release and would love to hear from people who have already seen it or are curious to see it. I will post a brief review below as well as a question for discussion in the comments.
This week is Spine #32, Oliver Twist. As of January 11th, 2022 it is available to stream on the Channel in the US, has a DVD release, no Blu-ray, and was Laserdisc Spine #267.
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Dir: David Lean
116 minutes.
They Shoot Pictures (2021): 3572
I want David Lean to direct all of the books I used to hate to read in school.
This movie was excellent. Just as Charles Dickens uses language to paint context and background for his characters, Lean uses angles upon angles and amazing cinematography to use every inch of the screen to do the same. Lean, and team, understood the language of cinema enough to win a Pulitzer, and the staging and set design built around our young Oliver was a masterpiece.
This also struck me as a very relevant story even today. A young boy, who never knew his father and mother died in childbirth, is raised in orphanages and public housing until he decides to run away to London to try and make something of himself. He encounters a street gang, but most importantly warm food and a place to sleep. Through a series of events he happens to get to know a wealthy gentleman who sees good in the boy and sticks by his side in a critical moment where he could easily get sucked back into the world of crime.
This is equal parts a cautionary tale that you are not limited to the environment you were born into, although it may try to suck you back in, as well as a loving reminder that good can be found anywhere if you’re looking for it. Those from your old life, if it’s poisonous, will fight to the bitter end for themselves because it’s all they have. Those who seek to improve your life, however, will also fight to the bitter end for what’s best for you because they want you to succeed and love you. It’s a sweet reminder.
There are a few choices made that I want to touch on quickly, as I feel they really made this story come alive for me. First, Oliver was portrayed as a bit of a neutral palette. He wanted to be accepted and seen as valuable so he would have become a good criminal if that is what he was supposed to be. He seemed to be driven to not go back to the orphanage, so anything was better than
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I don't know what is this genre called, but it's great.Especially the elements of social commentary and realistic depiction of teenagers lives, that is not centered on romance.
Btw I am also curious if this genre is dead these days or has it evolved into something, because I would very much like to read contemporary take on it.
I am not a reader who lets spoilers ruin my entire experience of a book, but I do admit that it demotes the emotional impact that certain plot points can have. This is exactly what happened to me just the other day.
I was 2/3 of the way through Oliver Twist: all of the plot threads were coming together and the climax was afoot. Then, one night as I'm waiting for my dinner to finish cooking, I read the quote on the back of the book, and it's by some lad who completely spoils a crucial character's death.
What editor/publisher thought if was a good idea to put a huge spoiler and the climax of the entire novel explicitly on the back cover of the book?!
I'm aware that this almost a 200 year-old story, but c'mon! Some of us still haven't read it! Get it together Everyman's Library!
Looking to find someone who will genuinely use these and not try to sell them on. Two exhausted posties here that just cannot face leaving the house tomorrow :(
They are e-tickets so would be able to email over
Honestly all I remember is that harry renames himself Oliver Twist. He may have been a metamorphmagnus and may have gone to Azkaban. Thanks!
Does anyone have the answers for Oliver twist? It would be greatly appreciated!
But what people don't know is how he would scream "PLEASE SIR, NO MORE"
Platform(s): PC
Genre: Quest
Estimated year of release: 1995-2000
Graphics/art style: 2d art style of that time
Notable characters:
Notable gameplay mechanics:
Other details:
Can't find one 2D quest game and the only thing I can remember about it is that it's somehow related to Oliver Twist. Was pretty fun game
Recently, I bought a secondhand Oliver Twist published by Grosset & Dunlap because I liked the hardcover design. I thought I scored a beautiful special edition when I saw the written name of the presumed first owner with the date 1928. Then turning the pages, I saw the frontispiece with a photograph from The Liebler Company cast, performing Oliver Twist in 1912. All throughout the book are charming black and white photographs of the cast from the play. This particular edition, as the publisher explained in the following page, was published because the play was so successful and because of Charles Dicken's 100th birth anniversary.
Curiosity piqued, I tried to find the copyright page but found none. Thinking it was ripped off, I tried searching online and ended up reading the history of Grosset & Dunlap. Turns out, they used to re-bind books, turning paperbacks into hardcovers. They also pirated and reprinted books, causing confusion when people thought they bought first edition book but was actually reprinted or mistaking a first edition book for a reprint. D&G did print original books, with Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew as the most notable.
While reading this, I assumed that my copy of Oliver Twist is a re-bind and tried looking for the original imprint/publisher. But apparently, Grosset & Dunlap was also historically known for their photoplay editions, like a movie-tie in but with stills from the play or film. Very sought after by collectors. So my copy of Oliver Twist may not be pirated or a re-bind, at least.
Grosset & Dunlap's history was a fascinating read. It also brought me new knowledge about books in general. Lately, my run-ins with pirated books are usually illegal e-books, or cheaply printed copies when trying to buy online. I've never had an ounce of thought about [the history of] book piracy beyond blurred PDFs passed around thru emails, download links found in NSFW Tumblr posts, and the badly-kept secret book groups on the internet lol
Anyways, Grosset & Dunlap are now under Penguin Group.
Has anyone played it. I can’t find a great deal of reviews online etc and want to know thoughts before I go for it
TSPDT 3572, highest ranking 2422 in 2015; Director: David Lean; Writer: David Lean, Stanley Haynes, Eric Ambler (uncredited), Kay Walsh (uncredited), Charles Dickens (novel); Watched October 17th on the Criterion Channel (Spine 32) IMDB
116 minutes. I want David Lean to direct all of the books I used to hate to read in school.
This movie was excellent. Just as Charles Dickens uses language to paint context and background for his characters, Lean uses angles upon angles and amazing cinematography to use every inch of the screen to do the same. Lean, and team, understood the language of cinema enough to win a Pulitzer, and the staging and set design built around our young Oliver was a masterpiece.
This also struck me as a very relevant story even today. A young boy, who never knew his father and mother died in childbirth, is raised in orphanages and public housing until he decides to run away to London to try and make something of himself. He encounters a street gang, but most importantly warm food and a place to sleep. Through a series of events he happens to get to know a wealthy gentleman who sees good in the boy and sticks by his side in a critical moment where he could easily get sucked back into the world of crime.
This is equal parts a cautionary tale that you are not limited to the environment you were born into, although it may try to suck you back in, as well as a loving reminder that good can be found anywhere if you’re looking for it. Those from your old life, if it’s poisonous, will fight to the bitter end for themselves because it’s all they have. Those who seek to improve your life, however, will also fight to the bitter end for what’s best for you because they want you to succeed and love you. It’s a sweet reminder.
There are a few choices made that I want to touch on quickly, as I feel they really made this story come alive for me. First, Oliver was portrayed as a bit of a neutral palette. He wanted to be accepted and seen as valuable so he would have become a good criminal if that is what he was supposed to be. He seemed to be driven to not go back to the orphanage, so anything was better than that. I think this neutral morality from Oliver really helped shine a light on the motivations of the people around him. When he was with Fagin (Alec Guinness) and the pickpockets you see them clearly and when he is with Mr. Brownlow yo
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Total reviewed for this sub: #407
TSPDT 3572, highest ranking 2422 in 2015; Director: David Lean; Writer: David Lean, Stanley Haynes, Eric Ambler (uncredited), Kay Walsh (uncredited), Charles Dickens (novel); Watched October 17th on the Criterion Channel (Spine 32) IMDB
116 minutes. I want David Lean to direct all of the books I used to hate to read in school.
This movie was excellent. Just as Charles Dickens uses language to paint context and background for his characters, Lean uses angles upon angles and amazing cinematography to use every inch of the screen to do the same. Lean, and team, understood the language of cinema enough to win a Pulitzer, and the staging and set design built around our young Oliver was a masterpiece.
This also struck me as a very relevant story even today. A young boy, who never knew his father and mother died in childbirth, is raised in orphanages and public housing until he decides to run away to London to try and make something of himself. He encounters a street gang, but most importantly warm food and a place to sleep. Through a series of events, he happens to get to know a wealthy gentleman who sees good in the boy and sticks by his side in a critical moment where he could easily get sucked back into the world of crime.
This is equal parts a cautionary tale that you are not limited to the environment you were born into, although it may try to suck you back in, as well as a loving reminder that good can be found anywhere if you’re looking for it. Those from your old life, if it’s poisonous, will fight to the bitter end for themselves because it’s all they have. Those who seek to improve your life, however, will also fight to the bitter end for what’s best for you because they want you to succeed and love you. It’s a sweet reminder.
There are a few choices made that I want to touch on quickly, as I feel they really made this story come alive for me. First, Oliver was portrayed as a bit of a neutral palette. He wanted to be accepted and seen as valuable so he would have become a good criminal if that is what he was supposed to be. He seemed to be driven to not go back to the orphanage, so anything was better than that. I think this neutral morality from Oliver really helped shine a light on the motivations of the people around him. When he was with Fagin (Alec Guinness) and the pickpockets you see
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