mmoa_writes

Hm.

Just finished watching Hayao Miyazaki's 'Howl's Moving Castle' and as ever, it's the soundtrack that gets me first (beautiful as ever...). However, I can't say it's the best, or even near that, of his work. In fact, I suspect that if he really wanted to do an adaption of a DWJ novel, he should have chosen a Chrestomanci book. For one thing, they have tighter, more cinematic plots and for another... dressing gowns. Need I say more?



Havin seen recent trailers for the new movie 'The Nativity Story' or whatever it's called, it struck me that in itself I shouldn't have any problem with it. However, as I was discussing with my sister, what gets to me isn't the story or anything like that, but as a film-lover, their sheer lack of originality.

Now Passion of the Christ, I could respect, if only for Gibson's ambition. I refuse to watch the film period (at least until I develop greater levels of patience and less squeamishness) and so therefore cannot judge it on cinematic quality, but apparently it scored pretty well in that part, turning the last week of Jesus' life into Tragedy in it's purest sense - slow-mo, haunting music... the works. I'm actually looking forward to when I mature enough to see it for myself.

Then of course, my god it's in Aramaic/Latin! *hearts*

*coughs*

However, what I find with nativity movies is that they lack this sense of ambition, which could possibly cover a multitude of sins. After all, why not take the two [out of four]* Gospels literally and portray the story not as a coherant mythology, but in fact as reported local stories, remembered by the recently converted Christians and non-Christians alike who had lived or been in contact with people who had lived in that area of Palestine at the time of Jesus.

After all, Luke actually opens his Gospel confirming that his gospel is based on reports of Jesus, stories that he's gathered together. Why not make a movie that takes this aspect of the nativity story seriously. It would be far more challenging, far mor einteresting.

Documentaries. These things are amazing, and I have seen absolutely brilliant documentaries on the nativity and the truth of it. Just as the Passion of the Christ is slanted, not even to a literal interpretation of the gospels, but to the 'sacred' experiences and visions of a medieval mystic, to slant a nativity story to the modern day equivalent - the blessed documentary - would be no bad thing.

Think about it. We are told that there were shepherds watching their flocks by night at the time of Jesus' birth - thus ruling out any possibility of him being born in winter... - so bring on the middle eastern spring! We are told that there was no room at an inn, and yet, Bethlehem was the home town of Mary's fiance. Why the hell would there be no room for him and his heavily pregnant wife? Extended family, anyone? Of course there would have been room, and if not, then they still would have been whisked away into the family home and Mary harried and spoilt and resented until the birth of her first son... and for some time after! I could go on... and on... and on...

However, that's not going to happen. It seems a shame that if a religion is going to die, it's going to die with such naff PA *shrugs*.

*And actually, bringing in John's Gospel would be interesting as well. There you would have the nativity story done away with, and a simple mystic's explanation of the 'birth' of a new man, ie, a Messiah out of a carpenter's son; a son of God out of a sack of flesh, to be poetic, which would be far more appropriate and more relevant to us today. It's all in the mind!



I have nine comics in total! Three inked, one half inked, one final sketch, three planned out and one detail sketched.



Her name is Maja and I am in love. But then, you knew that anyway...