22 Oct 22 | Issue 38
I am watching 'Station Eleven'. It is extraordinary. For once not just my opinion. The Independent newspaper rates it as one of the best long form shows of the 21st Century.1
We're all biassed. We have safety nets, safety margins and comfort zones. This leans into my bias. Shows are commissioned on popularity. Nothing wrong with that. We all like a little of what we fancy. But it leads to homogeneity. A novel take (pun intended, we'll get to that in a moment) on vampires, 'Let the right one in' went from book to film-not-in-English, to film in English so people don't have to read foreign words, to long form television series. Originality is a gamble.
Adapted from Emily St. John Mandel's novel, "Station Eleven" is compelling character-driven viewing. Deftly adapted by Patrick Somerville who wrote the imaginative ‘Maniac’. Framed around an absent character, interlocking narratives reveal the consequences of both inaction and action. The story arcs shift opinion of who's right, who's wrong as the dilemma of what-do-you-keep, what-do-you-let-go-off is played out. What you bring with you, what to forget. What we leave behind, and what grows in the space left by it.
I didn't read the book. I didn't want to. Anne did. Even said I would love it. But my prejudices held it at bay. I’d even previously read (and liked) another title by her.
Two words: Dystopia and Shakespeare.
Not sure why I don't feel the zeal for dystopian stories. I've nothing against them per se. I suspect it's that they often seem flat to me, a slightly plausible world construed solely for a narrative gimmick to be executed in.
I've always struggled with Shakespeare. But then Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo + Juliet' is right up there in my list of films I'd watch again, and again, and again. The trick is to find a chink in our comfort zone armour, to let the right one in.
I even baulked at watching Station Eleven, first consuming 'The Old Man' (cliched Ramboesque hero, why is the dormant protagonist always the best in the business, and never the eighth or twelfth best? Good ending though), 'Slow Horses' (Anne is now obsessed by the books). Tried 'Severance' (overly stylised and static) and 'We Own This City' (simply, why?), and started 'Yellow Jackets'. All the while allowing probably-not-my-thing to stop me from watching the most immersive show since Alex Garland's 'Devs' and Michaela Coel's 'I May Destroy You' — if you have my taste.
The (written pre-covid) post-pandemic dystopia is really a red herring, it's a device that allows an empty stage, giving room for exaggerated motivations. While events are unpredictable, nothing is unbelievable. Paths unfold, perspectives change.
It's not a spoiler to reveal
There is no before
There is no after
There is only now
Pretty Daoist huh? Over-commit to visions of the future, and suffer when expectations fail to match reality. Become too attached to memories of the past, and suffer when present-day experiences don't match. Live for now. (PS living for now includes saving, training, abstaining, etc. The now always returns tomorrow).
These concerns of what to keep, what to let go of could be rephrased, or looked at in a similar light to the way we hang onto cosy delights, our known pleasures. The way tastes freeze around university age. Whereas really we need to let go and embrace the possibility of change, to allow change to happen. Otherwise — perhaps doomed is too strong a word — we set ourselves on a course of predictability.
A good adaptation should not be a copy of the book. A good adaptation should make reading the book afterwards a new experience.
A long debate could be had with Harry Potter fans, but come on, the latter films are a little turgid from sticking to every paragraph in the novels. Currently there's angry fans fuming over a change of hair colour in The School for Good and Evil. No. Really. A film is not a book. The same "readers" don't complain about the non-diegetic score, even though the scenes in the book don't have background music throughout.2
Tom McCarthy, on having a girlfriend inserted into the adaptation of his novel 'Remainder', said something along the lines of " it's either turned into a film that gets shown in cinemas, or a faithful adaptation is made and screened at the ICA to the same eight friends who bought the book". I adored the book, no-one else did, mind. I lasted for ten minutes of the film. Make of that what you will.
I loved 'The Beach', Tilda and Leonardo, what's not to love? Speaking about the movie with a friend who'd travelled extensively throughout Thailand, she asked if I'd read the book too. No point, I replied, having just seen the film. You should, she said. It's different. Sure enough, although the central plot remains the same, it contains other layers. It would have smothered the film to extract it verbatim, Danny Boyle and John Hodge's screenplay adapted it into a tight adventure, the underlying message slowly floating to the surface post viewing.
Well Julian, it's all well and good, you spouting about welcoming change, stepping beyond our safety margins and comfort zones. But how do you propose we do that? Your taste is not my taste.
Why, glad you asked. I like lists. I trust the magazine 'Little White Lies'. They defended World War Z when the internet was slating it pre release, an art house periodical that praises zombie action films. Their 30 best films of 2021 (https://lwlies.com/articles/the-30-best-films-of-2021/) nudged me into watching Mike Mills’s 'C'mon C'mon' which, based on the description, I wouldn’t have normally done. My world remains unchanged by it, but was electrified by 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire', which led to Céline Sciamma’s second beautifully innovative feature 'Petite Maman' — best watched without knowing anything, the delight is in the slow reveal.
Not every excursion from our taste will lead to a whole new world. I adore 'Groundhog Day' but didn't like romcoms. But Julian, Groundhog Day is a romcom. I watched a romcom. Turns out I love romcoms. Chink in the comfort armour. Gateway drug.
But Little White Lies’ best-of lists are annual, you rightly point out. The solution is subscribing to the Prince Charles Cinema (please don't change your name) programme email. Like LWL they curate the low and the high brow. Even better if you're London based, visit in person. Those of us living more remotely would do no harm, when they promote a featured director's selectospective, in trying one. I'm down for Wong Kar-wai's 'In the Mood for Love', Noah Baumbach's 'Frances Ha', Krzysztof Kieślowski's 'Three Colours: Blue', and Sally Potter's 'Orlando'. None of which feature time travel, dinosaurs or car chases.
https://princecharlescinema.com/
https://lwlies.com/
Further viewing
‘Station Eleven’ adapted by Patrick Somerville from Emily St. John Mandel's novel
Applause for the trailer not giving it away. I haven’t finished it yet and I already want to watch it again. Sublime presence from Himesh Jitendra and Matilda Lawler.
‘Maniac’ written by Patrick Somerville
Jonah Hill gives an amazing performance, Emma Stone as always. So underrated.
Further reading
“Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel Buy here | www.emilymandel.com/station-eleven
“Remainder” by Tom McCarthy Buy here | www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/110540/remainder-by-tom-mccarthy/9780307278357/
References
Upon reading this, have immediately remembered how Wicked the novel and Wicked the musical (both great) are 'layers' apart, to borrow your language! 300 pages lighter and Ga-linda and Co are free to fly sky high
Anne is right. All the Mick Herron books are worth it.