Penny Dreadful (so far)
May. 29th, 2014 07:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakI've had an exhausting day (in a good way), thus briefly: I think I'll stick with Penny Dreadful. The third episode continued to deliver clever takes on horror archetypes and Eva Green being intense. All that, and a discussion on ethics, too. Count me in.
Back when I wrote my Frankenstein meta, I mentioned that the character all adaptions have the problem with, as in, if they don't seriously change him, the story doesn't work, isn't the Creature, it's Victor Frankenstein. Episode 2 of Penny Dreadful had me on the one hand loving the tender relationship that developed between the show's Victor and his Creature, who named himself Proteus, what with Victor being all the things he's not in the novel - thoughtful, accepting, encouraging, affectionate - , and Proteus was the most sweet natured artificial being you could imagine, complete with hint of pathos on account on having some memories due to the dead body parts he was made of that were strange to him; but on the other hand, I also wondered where the drama would come from, with you have a thoughtful kind Dr. Frankenstein, and a consequently kind and happy Creature. I wondered, that is, right until the great twist at the end, in which poor Proteus was torn apart and through him stepped an artificial being who greeted Victor with "father" and told him his Firstborn had returned.
Well, then.
This was quite brilliant, thought I, and episode 3 confirmed it was. Turns out the reason why Victor was able to be such a fabulous fellow to Proteus was that he fucked up in true Mary Shelley's original novel style the first time around, and this Creature, played by Rory Kinnear, has the according deep seated rage, and the eloquent quasi Miltonian rethoric Mary Shelley gave him. He delivers several lines from the original, gives Victor F., like in the novel, his autobiography mid crisis. Which covered all the Shelleyan beats. Being rejected on birth by Victor, watching people, gettting horror and rejection from same, then finally experiencing kindness as well. Replacing the kindly Swiss old man and his family with a kindly English actor who instead of being blind, like the Swiss hermit, doesn' t mind the Creature's looks because if you play Grand Guignol for a living, you wouldn't, works splendildly, all the more so because it means the Creature, named Caliban now, also gets to cover another horror character, to wit, the Phantom of the Opera.
Now, Victor Frankenstein in the novel after their big confrontation has a short time where he feels sorry for the Creature in addition to his ongoing horror and disgust, but that pity ends when he decides he can't go through with the creation of a female mate as requested after all. Here's where the show's twists continue to pay off: Victor Frankenstein in this version being somewhat sorry and guilty but mostly horrified, with some rage of his own, is emotionally far more understandable because of what Caliban did to Proteus (and I appreciate the show doesn't let that slide, or Proteus be forgotten). Which means that in this version, you can feel for the Creature and Frankenstein both. (And understand why Victor would refuse the request, given, again, Proteus, though I doubt the show will let an opportunity for its very own Bride of Frankenstein pass.) Oh, and yet another thing I appreciate is that when the Creature makes his "I want to be loved" statement, Victor doesn't immediately jump to the "he wants a female mate" conclusion but takes that to mean himself, which leads to the "I could never love you, demon" - "As if I wanted your lover - demon!" exchange complete with smouldering, because in addition to everything else, Victor has UST with his Creatures, of the tender variety with Proteus and of the Foeyay variety with Caliban. (Since the actor playing Victor looks younger than both the actors for the Creatures, this doesn't feel as a father/child abuse scenario.)
Meanwhile, it looks like Sawyer from Lost's ancestor isn't just a Buffalo Bill style travelling show sharp shooter but a werewolf; at least they're dropping heavy hints left right and center to that effect, what with Ethan Chandler, who can afford a hotel, waking up in the morning on some garbage heap, and now in ep 3 being able to calm real wolves down. Between befriending the show's take on the consumptive prostitute with a heart of gold (played by Billie Piper who is extremely charming in the role) and raising ethical objections when he watches Sir Malcom beat the capturedRenfield Fenton, he performs a very 19th century novel function for Americans abroad in old Europe, to wit, be the (somewhat) innocent among cynics. Then again, as Victor Frankenstein quickly deduces, Ethan has a lot of dead Indians in his past, so like more recent American Abroad characters, he also covers the guilt-ridden veteran angle.
What I'm not so keen on is that Mina from Dracula so far is solely the absent damsel who motivates her (un-Stokerian) father, Sir Malcolm, and somewhat also Vanessa, because Mina is such a competent energetic person in her original story. Otoh, Sir Malcolm and Vanessa Ives have such an intriguing relationship - and Eva Green & Timothy Dalton play well together -, where every episode brings new questions: how did they team up? How long ago, given that they seem to be a well-oiled machine by now? What does she need him for? (The reverse is obvious, given her gifts.) Why didn't he tell her about the bait idea? And so forth.
Lastly: I do hope Sembene will get some lines and a story sooner or later, and the reason why I actually expect this to happen is that when Sir Malcolm did his "are we all agreed?" round, he and the camera included Sembene as someone who needs to be asked and to give the promise as much as everyone else.
Back when I wrote my Frankenstein meta, I mentioned that the character all adaptions have the problem with, as in, if they don't seriously change him, the story doesn't work, isn't the Creature, it's Victor Frankenstein. Episode 2 of Penny Dreadful had me on the one hand loving the tender relationship that developed between the show's Victor and his Creature, who named himself Proteus, what with Victor being all the things he's not in the novel - thoughtful, accepting, encouraging, affectionate - , and Proteus was the most sweet natured artificial being you could imagine, complete with hint of pathos on account on having some memories due to the dead body parts he was made of that were strange to him; but on the other hand, I also wondered where the drama would come from, with you have a thoughtful kind Dr. Frankenstein, and a consequently kind and happy Creature. I wondered, that is, right until the great twist at the end, in which poor Proteus was torn apart and through him stepped an artificial being who greeted Victor with "father" and told him his Firstborn had returned.
Well, then.
This was quite brilliant, thought I, and episode 3 confirmed it was. Turns out the reason why Victor was able to be such a fabulous fellow to Proteus was that he fucked up in true Mary Shelley's original novel style the first time around, and this Creature, played by Rory Kinnear, has the according deep seated rage, and the eloquent quasi Miltonian rethoric Mary Shelley gave him. He delivers several lines from the original, gives Victor F., like in the novel, his autobiography mid crisis. Which covered all the Shelleyan beats. Being rejected on birth by Victor, watching people, gettting horror and rejection from same, then finally experiencing kindness as well. Replacing the kindly Swiss old man and his family with a kindly English actor who instead of being blind, like the Swiss hermit, doesn' t mind the Creature's looks because if you play Grand Guignol for a living, you wouldn't, works splendildly, all the more so because it means the Creature, named Caliban now, also gets to cover another horror character, to wit, the Phantom of the Opera.
Now, Victor Frankenstein in the novel after their big confrontation has a short time where he feels sorry for the Creature in addition to his ongoing horror and disgust, but that pity ends when he decides he can't go through with the creation of a female mate as requested after all. Here's where the show's twists continue to pay off: Victor Frankenstein in this version being somewhat sorry and guilty but mostly horrified, with some rage of his own, is emotionally far more understandable because of what Caliban did to Proteus (and I appreciate the show doesn't let that slide, or Proteus be forgotten). Which means that in this version, you can feel for the Creature and Frankenstein both. (And understand why Victor would refuse the request, given, again, Proteus, though I doubt the show will let an opportunity for its very own Bride of Frankenstein pass.) Oh, and yet another thing I appreciate is that when the Creature makes his "I want to be loved" statement, Victor doesn't immediately jump to the "he wants a female mate" conclusion but takes that to mean himself, which leads to the "I could never love you, demon" - "As if I wanted your lover - demon!" exchange complete with smouldering, because in addition to everything else, Victor has UST with his Creatures, of the tender variety with Proteus and of the Foeyay variety with Caliban. (Since the actor playing Victor looks younger than both the actors for the Creatures, this doesn't feel as a father/child abuse scenario.)
Meanwhile, it looks like Sawyer from Lost's ancestor isn't just a Buffalo Bill style travelling show sharp shooter but a werewolf; at least they're dropping heavy hints left right and center to that effect, what with Ethan Chandler, who can afford a hotel, waking up in the morning on some garbage heap, and now in ep 3 being able to calm real wolves down. Between befriending the show's take on the consumptive prostitute with a heart of gold (played by Billie Piper who is extremely charming in the role) and raising ethical objections when he watches Sir Malcom beat the captured
What I'm not so keen on is that Mina from Dracula so far is solely the absent damsel who motivates her (un-Stokerian) father, Sir Malcolm, and somewhat also Vanessa, because Mina is such a competent energetic person in her original story. Otoh, Sir Malcolm and Vanessa Ives have such an intriguing relationship - and Eva Green & Timothy Dalton play well together -, where every episode brings new questions: how did they team up? How long ago, given that they seem to be a well-oiled machine by now? What does she need him for? (The reverse is obvious, given her gifts.) Why didn't he tell her about the bait idea? And so forth.
Lastly: I do hope Sembene will get some lines and a story sooner or later, and the reason why I actually expect this to happen is that when Sir Malcolm did his "are we all agreed?" round, he and the camera included Sembene as someone who needs to be asked and to give the promise as much as everyone else.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-29 06:28 pm (UTC)I love your point about Caliban as The Phantom as well. Basically I'd be entirely happy with a series that was all about The Creature working in Grand Guignol.
So "The Bride" will be Brona? I thought Dorian had cured her tuberculosis with his Cock of Immortality, but apparently not. On the other hand, there are plenty of other options in this world for a young woman wishing to stay alive in some fashion.
Sembene is actually captivating me a lot more than some of the others right now, because we don't yet know anything about him, so I can only assume he's going to turn out to be unbelievably awesome. But yes, some lines plus involvement in Malcolm and Vanessa's plotting would be nice.
If Malcolm and Vanessa aren't screwing already, I may have to eat my cravat.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-29 06:47 pm (UTC)...and every self respecting horror show has to have a werewolf. :)
Brona: I think that's a red herring (too obvious, no shock, since she's already dying), or if she'll be, then not because of Caliban but because of Ethan. I.e. if Ethan (once everyone has figured out what Victor did in his spare time) asks, after a presumed time of comradeship, with tragically dying of consumption Brona in his arms, Victor will find it far harder to say no. (Not to mention that the flasbhack tells us Victor's mother died by consumption as well. Incidentally, I would complain about the consumption multiples but my visit of Highgate Cemetary this February has reminded me people in the mid till end of nineteenth century were really dying like flies of it.) At which point of course Caliban will show up. This would all work, but I would still hope the show will come up with something more surprising.
BTW: given Proteus could remember about whaling and the like but not a personality to go with the memories, instead developing a new one, and Caliban doesn't seem to have original body part memories at all, surely a Brona post Frankenstein treatment would be a new being, not Brona? Whereas if she were to become a vampire...
no subject
Date: 2014-05-29 07:02 pm (UTC)The dearth of female characters really means Brona's the only choice, plus she doesn't have much of another place in the plot unless the thing with Dorian develops. I agree the parallels for Victor might come into play. But yes, everyone was dying of consumption all over the place.
Well, Victor does seem to be improving with each new attempt...
no subject
Date: 2014-05-30 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-30 05:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-06-21 05:03 pm (UTC)Regarding the relationship between Caliban and his actor benefactor: given stereotypes about the English stage I wonder if there's some subtext about the actor being an outsider for sexuality reasons and hence being sensitive to someone else rejected by mainstream society.
I really love the Shelleyan depiciotn and characterisation, right down to the yellow eyes, which I don't recall in any other adaptation. Allthough I had always understood it as jaundiced whites rather than actual yellow irises.
As ell as dead Indians, isn't the implication that Ethan in non-sentient werewolf state is responsible for the gruesome killings that are being blamed on a new Ripper?
My only big problem as of the first three episodes is that the idea of a London Grand Guignol franchise gives me severe suspension of disbelief problems, having read a detailed book about the extreme pre-censorship of the theatre at the time. (My workplace has the records and published a book on the history.)
no subject
Date: 2015-06-21 08:18 pm (UTC)(More flippantly, I always joke that basically Caliban and Dorian Gray are made for each other, at least for a none night stand. The Creature wants an immortal mate who is pretty and not shocked at his appearance. Dorian is after unique experiences. Deflowering Caliban would certainly count.)
As ell as dead Indians, isn't the implication that Ethan in non-sentient werewolf state is responsible for the gruesome killings that are being blamed on a new Ripper?
Yes, but at this point of the show, they're still a bit coy about Ethan's werewolf-ness. (When it's finally revealed, it's probably the least bit surprising reveal of the entire season.) Mind you, it only occured to me mid season that Ethan is literally An American Werewolf In London.
Re: extreme theatre censorship: but weren't music halls exempt? I took the Grand Guignol performances to be with the occasional song for that reason.
no subject
Date: 2015-06-21 09:05 pm (UTC)