Saturday, October 1, 2011

The Newbery Mission: The Little House Special

If you were a girl of the Midwest, there were three things you always heard about: Complaints against the weather, Packers vs. Vikings, and The Little House books and TV show. Especially the second one, but that’s not the focus of this article today. For almost 80 years, the memoirs of a high-spirited girl growing up in the heyday of American pioneering have captured the hearts and imagination of girls worldwide. But despite the great popularity of the books, it’s interesting that none of them have ever received the Newbery Medal. Five of the books have instead been given the Newbery Honor making Laura Ingalls Wilder the only five-time NH winner. Since all these books are fairly similar, I decided to tackle them all at once. So here goes:
Here are the books that were honored:
On the Banks of Plum Creek (NH 1938)

Plot (according to Amazon...yes, I am that lazy):  The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they leave their little house on the prairie and travel in their covered wagon to Minnesota. Here they settle in a little house made of sod beside the banks of beautiful Plum Creek. Soon Pa builds a wonderful new little house with real glass windows and a hinged door. Laura and her sister Mary go to school, help with the chores, and fish in the creek. At night everyone listens to the merry music of Pa's fiddle. Misfortunes come in the form of a grasshopper plague and a terrible blizzard, but the pioneer family works hard together to overcome these troubles.
By the Shores of Silver Lake (NH 1940)

Plot: The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they move from their little house on the banks of Plum Creek to the wilderness of the unsettled Dakota Territory. Here Pa works on the new railroad until he finds a homestead claim that is perfect for their new little house. Laura takes her first train ride as she, her sisters, and their mother come out to live with Pa on the shores of Silver Lake. After a lonely winter in the surveyors' house, Pa puts up the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the beautiful shores of Silver Lake. The Ingallses' covered-wagon travels are finally over.
The Long Winter (NH 1941)

Plot: The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as Pa, Ma, Laura, Mary, Carrie, and little Grace bravely face the hard winter of 1880-81 in their little house in the Dakota Territory. Blizzards cover the little town with snow, cutting off all supplies from the outside. Soon there is almost no food left, so young Almanzo Wilder and a friend make a dangerous trip across the prairie to find some wheat. Finally a joyous Christmas is celebrated in a very unusual way in this most exciting of all the Little House books.
Little Town on the Prairie (NH 1942)

Plot: The little settlement that weathered the long, hard winter of 1880-81 is now a growing town. Laura is growing up, and she goes to her first evening social. Mary is at last able to go to a college for the blind. Best of all, Almanzo Wilder asks permission to walk home from church with Laura. And Laura, now fifteen years old, receives her certificate to teach school.
These Happy Golden Years (NH 1944)

Plot: Fifteen-year-old Laura lives apart from her family for the first time, teaching school in a claim shanty twelve miles from home. She is very homesick, but keeps at it so that she can help pay for her sister Mary's tuition at the college for the blind. During school vacations Laura has fun with her singing lessons, going on sleigh rides, and best of all, helping Almanzo Wilder drive his new buggy. Friendship soon turns to love for Laura and Almanzo in the romantic conclusion of this Little House book.
Analysis: Alright, I shall have to make a statement. And it’s not an easy one to make. But it must be done. So…I think that the whole series is overrated. Yes, you heard right: a native female Minnesotan is going against her Midwestern heritage and actually suggesting that The Little House Series is overrated. But there’s no other way to say it. The books (along with the too-sappy TV show) are among the category of ‘you’ve heard it talked about so much that you’re sick of it.’ Even as a kid, I couldn’t get through them. Not because I didn’t like historical fiction, but because it couldn’t keep my attention.
Personal opinion aside, I can’t really give a review on each individual book because they’re all practically the same. They’re the basic ‘how-to’ stories that one would find in any 3rd grade history book. But what is the most disappointing about these stories is that they suffer from a lack of good narrative. And it’s especially disappointing because they came from Laura Wilder’s own childhood. Now, I have no disrespect for Mrs. Wilder. But if you’re going to write a slightly fictional narrative about your childhood, you need a strong voice. Caddie Woodlawn was also based on real people and events, but it was told so much better. The difference: Carol Brink took her grandmother’s stories and made them real. In Caddie’s story, the characters had interesting personalities which made their trials more believable. I actually wondered what would happen to them. With Laura’s stories, the characters were one-dimensional and therefore, the stories weren’t as captivating as it should have been.
Bottom Line: While these books will be enjoyed by the 3-6th grade female group; I give the entire series 2.5 out of 5 for its so-so stories and lack of good narration. Now, does anybody know the number to the Witness Protection Program? I have a feeling that I’ll need to join there pretty soon…

Monday, September 5, 2011

Randomness

Hello! I know it's been almost an eternity since I last posted anything. Well, I've had a really busy (but good summer) and am now going into week 2 of schooling. For those of you who are reading this (if any :p) I have this to say: yes, I will be posting a review soon. But with homework and needing to sleep every once in a while, I can't make any guarantees on when you'll see it. So, because I just need to post something, here's Pippen to make you happy:

Have a good day!

Friday, June 3, 2011

That Actually Exists?: Freaks (1932)

As you can tell by my background and previous posts, I am a fan of classic movies. I could spend all day watching any film created between 1920 and 1959. They seem to have a league of their own. They were funny without resorting to gross humor, romantic without being crude and sometimes even shocking without going too extreme. Though I'm certainly not against all modern films, it's just that having grown up with the likes of Shirley Temple and John Wayne, they hold a special place in my heart. In a way, viewing classic films is like driving the DeLorean to the past and see what their society wanted to see in order to get away from the world.

With that being said, I also have a confession to make: I haven't seen most of the films people today call masterpieces. I haven't seen 'Citizen Kane' or 'Doctor Zhivago' and only bits of 'Casablanca'. So does that make me a hypocrite? No, I have seen plenty of classic films; it's just that hardly anybody has ever heard of them before. To change that, I shall bring to the spotlight underrated films and say why you should (or shouldn't) watch this film. And the first one I'll review is none other than Tod Browning's 1932 film Freaks.

 

(That's some poster)

Plot: Set in an early 30s circus, a midget named Hans falls in love with Cleopatra the trapeze artist. When she returns his affections, he dumps his midget fiancée Frieda and continues to pursue the normal-sized beauty. But it turns out; Cleopatra is a self-serving jerkette who is only interested in Hans for the expensive gifts he gives her. When she learns of Han's large inheritance, she plots with her strong man lover Hercules to marry Hans and kill him to gain the inheritance. But at the wedding feast, not only does she get drunk and kiss Hercules in front of Hans; she also rejects the "freaks" acceptance of her and humiliates Hans before everyone. Later on, Hans grows sick while he and the other freaks plan their vengeance on Hercules and Cleopatra. This results in one of the most unforgettable endings in all of movie history.

(I think Hans is finally realizing how much of an idiot he is for dumping Frieda for this diva)

Review: I have to say, I really like this film. I really do. And that's amazing because of my hatred for horror movies. But honestly, I find this film to be the victim of being mislabeled. It's not really a horror film; it's more like a 'slice-of-life' drama about sideshow freaks. In fact, a good chunk of the film is focused on the performer's lives rather than on Hans and Cleopatra. They include:

-A romance between clown Phroso and Hercules' ex-girlfriend Venus.


(I actually find them rather cute…call me a hopeless romantic)

-A rather funny story of Roscoe the clown marrying Daisy Hilton and always arguing with her conjoined twin sister Violet.

(Also, Roscoe talks like a grumpy Porky Pig…seriously.)

-And there are also showcases of other 'freaks' such as Johnny Eck (Half Boy), Prince Randian (The Living Torso) and others.

(Am I the only one who thinks that Johnny's a pretty good-looking guy?)

One of the most fascinating aspects of this film is that the 'freaks' are played by actual sideshow performers. These aren't actors who've strapped their limbs behind themselves and applied special makeup. These were real people whose livelihood depended on how abnormal they were to the world. The Director Tod Browning actually worked in the circus as a contortionist for several years, which greatly influenced his films, including this one. Therefore, this film has a very genuine feeling about it. It gives a realistic slice-of-life story without being like a soap opera. When I first read about this film as a mid-teen, I thought that this film would be gross and freaky. But when I watched it, the disabilities didn't gross me out at all. In fact, I was very interested on how these performers lived normal lives despite their limitations. The perfect example of that is Prince Randain. In his big scene, he takes a cigarette and lights it using only his mouth. It's a short, but great scene as it shows the adaptability of people with limitations.

But there is one part of the film that bothers me as a Christian. And yes, it concerns the ending. Now's the time where I'll give you a spoiler warning. *Warning: This section includes plot spoilers. Seriously, do not read on if you don't want the ending spoiled. Just skip to the Final Thoughts and watch the film immediately so that you can read this section*. With that take care of, let's continue. After the initial poisoning at the wedding feast, Cleopatra continues to poison Hans by giving him his daily 'medicine'. But what she doesn't know is that Hans isn't actually taking the poison and is plotting revenge against her. Meanwhile, Venus uncovers the plot and threatens Hercules that she'll get the police. Later, the circus is on the road to their new location on a rainy night. Cleopatra is ready to give the poison to Hans when she sees that he and his friends are brandishing weapons and demanding that she must drink the poison. Meanwhile, Hercules sets out to Venus' wagon in order to kill her. Fortunately, Phroso has been forewarned and sets out to save his love. Unfortunately, the clown is no match for the strongman as he's nearly killed in the process. But luckily, Hercules is wounded by a midget's knife and Phroso escapes. The last we see of Hercules is him in the pouring rain clutching his wounded side and scooting away from the freaks. The camera cuts to Cleopatra running in the woods; she stops by a tree and sees Hans and company coming after her; she screams and the camera fades. The barker/narrator then shows her fate: she has become 'the human duck' complete with feathered lower body, deformed hands and a permanent squawking voice. And though we don't see the fate of Hercules, the original ending had the freaks castrating him and being displayed singing soprano.

…O…M…W…That is quite an ending. But the question that must be asked: Are the freaks justified for their actions against Cleopatra and Hercules? On one hand, you can say that they are. These two have done nothing but toyed with a man's heart, plotted to kill him, and degraded him and his friends as nothing but 'slimy, filthy freaks.' It seems only right that justice should be served. But on the other hand, there's a fine line between justice and vengeance. You can't deny that they went a little too far over that line. And while we cheer at them getting their comeuppance, we also must remember that fulfilling vengeance doesn't satisfy, it just makes you empty. One more thing, it's very ironic that Cleopatra – The Peacock of the Air – becomes the Human Duck and Hercules has his manhood taken by those he himself declared that he could 'squash like bugs.'

Final Thoughts: Despite my thoughts on the films view of vengeance, I still think this is a good movie. Granted, it's not a perfect film. Some of the acting ranges from wooden to over-the-top (especially Cleopatra's.) Also, at 62 minutes, the film is obviously too short. Stupid censors and test audiences, they always seem to ruin good movies. And while I still say that I don't consider this a horror film, there are a few scenes that'll slightly creep out those who prefer normality. And one more thing, when you watch the film for the first time, I recommend that you watch it with subtitles because Hans, Frieda and Cleopatra have pretty thick German/Russian accents. Nonetheless, it's still a film that I recommend to anyone interested in how one lives with disabilities or a film off-the-beaten-path. I rate this film 4.5 out of 5.

As Roscoe…I mean Porky Pig would say: Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-... That's all, folks! Tune in next time when I review something more lighthearted for Frieda's sake.

(Don't cry Frieda, the next review will be a fun musical with lots of catchy songs, I promise)

Monday, May 23, 2011

The Newbery Mission: Millions of Cats



Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag 
A 1929 Newbery Honor Book

   Plot: A lonely old couple decide that they want a cat, so the husband goes out to find 'the prettiest one of them all.' Soon, the old man comes across a valley filled with literally millions of cats. Unable to decide, the old man brings every single one of them home. Naturally, the wife reminds him that they can't possibly keep all those cats, so they decide that they'll keep the prettiest cat of the bunch. Of course, each of the cats find themselves the prettiest (shocking, isn't it?) So how do the cats handle this? By getting into the world's biggest cat-fight and eating each other.

   You know, for kids!

  Anyway, the couple find one scrawny kitten spared from the slaughter because it didn't consider itself pretty. But the couple keep it and it grows into a beautiful cat thanks to the love and care of the happy old couple.

  Review: Honestly, there's not much to say about this book. It's pretty much your average children's book. The story is simple and moves along nicely and the black-and-white illustrations are both simple and dream-like. Though the moral of judging a book by its cover is old news, it's still a good lesson for children to learn. I would definitely recommend this book to kids ages 4 to 7.
   Now I know some of you are thinking: How can I recommend a book that has cats eating each other? Fortunately, Ms. Gag only gives a brief mention instead of a two-page depiction of the cat carnage, so your children's mind will be free from cat cannibalism.

Final Score: 3 out of 5

That's it for the first review ever *dances with restraint* Stay tuned for next time when I tackle a book from one of the best known series out there................

Sunday, May 22, 2011

What to expect

   Well, since I have contracted the I-have-a-new-blog-so-I'm-going-spend-all-my-time-figuring-out-how-this-all-works disease, I may as well give you a brief look at two of the features that will appear on the site.

   First of all, here's a project that I myself have been working on since March. It's called: The Newbery Mission. This is where Newbery Medal and Honor books are analyzed and graded to see if they're truly worthy for kids (and adults) to read.

   The other one is called This Actually Exists? Here, I plan to give a review of a film that's either underrated or unknown by almost everyone and also tell you why or why not you should watch it.

   That's it for tonight everyone. Feel free to comment if you want to say anything.

The First Post.

   Well, here it is. The beginning of what could either be a success or a failure. Only time will tell...





....yeah....

 
   Anyway,  I've decided to start this blog for three main reasons. 1: I want to work on my writing skills and I believe this will help. 2: I have a great love of watching and reading reviews and have always wanted to try it. And 3: I believe that Christians should not shy away from the arts. Instead, we should analyze it and see if it's worth promoting or not.

   So what you'll see are reviews of either books or films that I've come across and my honest opinions about them. Sometimes you'll see me tearing a book to pieces. Sometimes I'll suggest an underrated film. I can guarantee you that I won't be the most faithful at keeping updates (Hey, I need a life too.) But I'll try my best to present good quality reviews that are both fun and glorifying to God. So, I'll leave in the words of Groucho Marx and Margaret Dumont in 'The Big Store':


Dumont: Oh, I'm afraid after we're married a while a beautiful young girl will come along and you'll forget all about me.
Groucho: Don't be silly. I'll write you twice a week.