Maurice

So, I once found a list of well-done gay-themed movies and found the movie Maurice among them. Well, a gay movie that involves Hugh Grant kissing another man that takes place in the early 20th century? Sounds like my thing!

I hunted down a nicely-priced ex-library copy of it, since I was pretty much seeing it sight unseen, and I enjoyed it. Then I bought the book. Took me some months to sit down and read it, but I finally did. It is actually the first gay-themed novel I've read. (Any other books have been non-fiction.)

Maurice was written by E.M. Forster in 1913 and 1914, but due to the socially taboo nature of homosexuality at the time, it wasn't published until after he died in 1971. It deals with a young man, Maurice Hall, who finds himself giving into "the vice of the Greeks." He's a homosexual. He winds up falling in love with a fellow student at Cambridge: Clive Durham, who does return his love, but is hesitant about giving in. He, unlike Maurice, doesn't want to embrace this. Maurice is headed for heartbreak, but relief comes from a very unexpected source.

Although it was written a hundred years ago, Maurice is shockingly modern in its approach to sexuality, and for a well-read person, it reads quite easily. Forster is rich in characterization and drawing the reader into the world of the story without cloying details. I could feel Maurice's grief and cheer on his victories. The book also reminds us that not too long ago, coming out of the closet and being open about who you were attracted to just wasn't an option.

What really set Maurice apart from other books featuring gay characters was that the gay characters are allowed to be happy. I understand Forster wrote an epilogue that was not included in my copy of the book revealing that Maurice and his (what we would now call) partner very much had to live their lives on the run. If anyone began to suspect the actual nature of their relationship, they had to drop everything and move on. This dissatisfying ending gives us a peek into what dedicated gay couples had to do: be ready to move on at the drop of a hat. While Maurice is fictional, I cannot help but think it was the case for some people.

Would I recommend this one? Yes, if you want to risk crying over a book.

Being Human: A Series Retrospective

Being Human is a show that was very lucky to have happened. In 2008, looking for new programs, BBC Three commissioned pilots for new shows. Typically, test pilots are not done for British television. By the time the pilots aired, a series had already been commissioned from them. However, the series wound up being shelved and the pilots aired anyway.

However, one pilot wound up being so well-received that viewers petitioned for a series to be made.

In British television, the term "series" is often analogous to what American viewers call a "season." However, given that even the big drama series for the BBC—such as Doctor Who—only air thirteen episodes at most, the result feels more like a recurring mini-series each year.

Being Human presented the story of George Sands (Russell Tovey) and John Mitchell (Guy Flanagan), a pair of unlikely friends: George turns into a wolf once a month under the full moon and Mitchell (as he is called) is a vampire. Typically, these two supernaturals aren't friends, and when they decide to settle down into a home together, they find it haunted by the ghost of Annie Sawyer (Andrea Riseborough).

A vampire, werewolf and a ghost sharing a home automatically sounds corny and silly, but rather than playing up the supernatural side, creator and writer Toby Whithouse found ways to make these supernaturals feel human.

This is not to say that the supernatural aspect of the world was not played up. There are the vampires, led by Herrick (Adrian Lester), who has returned to Bristol with grandiose schemes of taking over the world. A smug and sarcastic vampire named Seth (Dylan Brown) doesn't help Mitchell ignore the goings-on of the vampires, nor the girl Lauren Drake (Dominique McElligott), who he accidentally killed during his ongoing quest to stay off blood and turned into a vampire to save her life.

The result was a comedy drama that had the potential to terrify and chill audiences while they related with the main characters. Audiences wanted more, and made their voices heard. Soon it was announced that Being Human would have a first series of six episodes in early 2009.

All would not be the same. The pilot, while representing very much all that the show could be, was very gothic, and it was decided a lighter tone would be more appropriate. Of the cast in the pilot, only Russell Tovey and Dylan Brown would remain. Mitchell would be replaced by Aidan Turner, Annie by Lenora Crichlow, Herrick by Jason Watkins, and Lauren by Annabel Scholey.

Audiences didn't have to wait to see the new cast. A part of Being Human that began with its first series was the use of online media. In each series, online videos would appear on the BBC website (and sometimes YouTube) which would offer prequels, follow-ups to certain characters stories, or extra bits of story between episodes.

Throughout the first series, viewers got to experience Mitchell's driving urge to embrace humanity while also trying not to kill them; George trying to maintain order in his life, aided by his new girlfriend Nina Pickering (Sinead Keenan); and Annie tries to discover why she's still on earth. However, Herrick, Seth and Lauren all appear to torment our trio and eventually George takes on Herrick to prove to him what it truly means to be human.

The first series was so successful that a second series was soon commissioned. But before it began airing, it was announced that a potential third series would be filming in Barry Island, Wales. However, the number of episodes was expanding to eight instead of six. In addition, a trio of tie-in novels were released, offering a small story arc that seemed to fit during the second series.

The second series found our quartet (now joined by Nina) under secret observation by a group called CENSSA. Led by the defrocked priest Kemp (Donald Sumpter) and the mysterious Professor Jaggat, the main characters have no idea that they are being watched.

Mitchell tries to keep the vampires at bay and maintain a love life with a new doctor named Lucy (Lyndsey Marshal) before he finally loses control. George and Nina are forced to go separate ways, George now trying to take his control of the wolf to new levels that end disastrously. Meanwhile, the "other side" is trying to get Annie, and in the end, she winds up being cut off from her friends by being sent to purgatory by Kemp.

During the break between Series 2 and 3, the thing fans feared worst happened: an American remake was announced for the SyFy Channel. The remake began shortly before Series 3 and quickly let fans see that it was its own beast. Yours truly felt that the remake embraced the supernatural while the original embraced the human angle. Thus, two shows that embraced two different ways you could take the story. You might like one, the other or both.

Series Three found the main characters relocating to Barry Island in Wales, specifically a bed and breakfast called Honolulu Heights. Mitchell is hiding from the aftermath of the last series, how he lost control and now he tries to rescue Annie from purgatory. He succeeds at finding her, but he is warned that he will be killed by a werewolf. Not making things any better for Mitchell is the arrival of Anthony McNair (Robson Green) and his son Tom (Michael Socha), both werewolves. He finds relaxation in trying to begin a relationship with Annie, but soon things come to an ugly head when a mysteriously revived Herrick appears on his doorstep.

George and Nina try to help Mitchell's problems, but they have their own share: Nina's pregnant, and what does it mean to have a baby with werewolf parentage? Also, they wind up taking a young vampire named Adam (Craig Roberts) under their wing, who would later feature in an online spin-off Becoming Human.

Series Three was unfortunately where many viewers abandoned the show. Aidan Turner was cast in The Hobbit and his character Mitchell left the show permanently. Leaving a big hole in the cast, it was curious as to where the show would go in its Fourth Series.

Rumors spread during the break, and many fans were concerned. Sinead Keenan announced that Nina would not appear at all in the Fourth Series, and Russell Tovey announced that it would be his last. Trailers that eventually popped up showed a posh-looking vampire, Annie and Tom on a couch, enjoying tea (a trademark of Annie's character since the first series).

Sure enough, in the first episode of Series 4, it was revealed that after giving birth to their daughter Eve, Nina was killed by vampires. The first episode also saw the permanent departure of George. Yet it also showed glimpses of a terrible future in which the vampires have conquered the world, and a young blonde woman (Gina Bramhill) is killed and her ghost vows to kill "that baby" to save the world.

Also in the first episode, we were introduced to a new vampire/werewolf/ghost trio: Hal Yorke (Damien Molony), Leo (Louis Mahoney) and Pearl (Tamla Kari). The second episode featured Hal and his friends arriving at Honolulu Heights, where Leo dies and Pearl crosses over at last. Both Tom and Hal move in with Annie to help raise the baby, Eve.

Throughout Series Four, the designs of vampire Nick Cutler (Andrew Gower) are made clear: he wants to publicly expose the existence of werewolves, then have the vampires reveal themselves as "the good guys" so a frightened humanity plays right into their hands. He has even summoned the Old Ones (ancient vampires), led by Mr. Snow (Mark Gatiss) to witness this.

This and the blonde woman's ghost (who appears in the present) tie into the unraveling legend of The War Child: a child born of two werewolves who comes from a home containing a trinity (a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost), and it seems baby Eve fits that bill well. Annie has been raising Eve (the baby is not a werewolf, despite its parentage), but soon discovers that her final unfinished business and the destiny of Eve are linked together with the War Child legend.

Meanwhile, Hal and Tom become friends and find love interests: Tom meets fellow werewolf Allison (Ellie Kendrick), and Hal meets Alex Millar (Kate Bracken), but both of these relationships are headed for turmoil, particularly when Cutler kills Alex and feeds her blood to Hal (who's been using strict routines to stay off blood so well).

Thus, Being Human managed to pull off what many shows haven't: the entire cast was changed during Series Four. Series Five would find a new Trinity in Honolulu Heights: Hal, Tom and Alex.

As the wait for Series Five began, fans were met with a bit of news that set them a little on edge: it would be cut back to only six episodes, like Series One. Some feared it, some expected it. And as Series Five drew close, a lack of online content was noted. A small trailer, nothing more: no prequels, no additional scenes. After the first episode of Series Five aired, the worst fears of fans were confirmed: it would be the last series.

Series Five found Tom and Hal finding new jobs in a hotel, while Alex tried to discover her unfinished business. Hal is also confronted by Mr. Rook (Steven Robertson), who works for a government agency to protect humanity from discovering the supernatural. Meanwhile, a sinister disabled man in the Barry Hotel seems to have particular sway over people, and by the end of the first episode, a bloody messsage appears on the wall: HE WILL RISE.

Being Human would find the characters going up against the biggest threat ever: the Devil himself. Trapped in the form of an old man called Captain Hatch (Phil Davis), the Devil manages to make people commit suicide. Using his power to persuade, Hatch causes Tom, Hal and Alex to fight among themselves so that there will be no Trinity in his way when he regains strength. Will the trio of Honolulu Heights unite or fall? And if they unite, will they survive the encounter?

Throughout all five series, Being Human managed to create a compelling story with a strong supernatural flavor about a group of friends striving just to be normal. Perhaps the focus wandered, but the series never derailed, and at the end, it was clear that it was always about these three who were just human. Sure, one was dead, one was undead, and the other turned into a furry monster once a month, but at their hearts, they were people, and the show made us care for them, even when we saw a total cast change.

The cast lives up to the writing well, from the regular cast to even one-time guest starts. The main cast have amazing chemistry together, even when the main cast is being changed. (It was, in fact, Damien Molony who became my first all-out actor crush.)

Bravo, Mr. Whithouse. Bravo.

So, I got a Blu-Ray player

Realizing that the only way to enjoy the final Harry Potter Ultimate Edition (whenever I get it) would be to get a Blu-Ray player, I started shopping for one. Plus, a lot of companies now leave special features off of DVDs and make them exclusive to Blu-Ray. I like special features, so to get them... It's a "Can't beat them, join them" deal.

I was intending to get a cheap one that would just play Blu-Rays, but then I came across the Sony BDP-S390. It has wireless connection, and can connect to my old box of a TV (eventually I'll get a nice new one, I promised my brother he could have this one when I move out since I threw away his old one), plus it streams Netflix (signed up again), YouTube, Amazon Instant Video (brother has a Prime Account), Hulu, and other sites. Even cooler, it can pick up DLNA streams from your computer, so you can play compatible files from your computer without burning them to discs or using a flash drive (it has a USB port as well). This looked nice, but it seemed to go for $80 minimum.

Luckily, eBay to the rescue. They had one being sold for $50. I was on a rare triple paycheck month, so I splurged a little.

I have Being Human Series 1 and 2 on Blu-Ray (won a BBC America giveaway on Twitter), so I had something to try out HD video playback, which looks great, even though I'm not viewing it on a HD screen. Being Human isn't too noticeably different from the DVDs I also own. However, since I've also picked up The Three Amigos, The Wiz and Tin Man on Blu-Ray. Out of all of them, I'd say The Wiz was the one that benefited most from a high definition version, and yes, I could tell the difference on my box.

(You knew Oz titles would be among the first I'd buy, right?)

I'm very happy with the streaming services. I prefer to watch video on my television over my computer anyway, so this makes it all the better. Netflix and Hulu are pretty easy to use, while for YouTube, I often just put the videos I want to watch in a playlist and load the playlist on the Blu-Ray player. The only time this is problematic is if my internet connection is being buggy. The DLNA streaming works through my router and isn't dependent on internet connection. It really depends on which streaming program you use as to what files will work. I tried Sony Homestream and found it to be really heavy on CPU usage, Windows Media which works lighter, and Serviio which is better at compatibility and CPU usage. The only downside is that you have to have your computer on and I shut mine off every night pretty religiously. So, if I get an urge to watch a video on my computer before 7AM, no dice. But not really a problem, since I'll be patient.

I'm not going to part with my standard DVD player just yet. I can't find a way to make the Blu-Ray player play Region 2 or 4 DVDs, and I have some of those. Still, this unit has been in my home for about a month, and it's already gotten a lot of use, and I think it'll be getting quite a bit more.

My Father's Carol

I was exposed to A Christmas Carol thanks to my father. Thus, a number of adaptations are now in my holiday viewings thanks to him. So, I have decided that for this last entry in our series of blogs on A Christmas Carol, I'll let Dad take over...

It began with the broadcast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol in 1962 and I was only three years old. I had seen Mr. Magoo cartoons already, so when the family sat down to watch it, I just thought it would be another Magoo cartoon. But I didn't know the story yet and I began to get the creeps when the doorknocker changed and then when I saw a ghost's chains being dragged up the stairs.

I mustered all the resolve to not get scared as the story progressed. Marley was soon gone and the next two didn't look at all like ghosts that I'd seen before in pictures, but finally when the last ghost was on, this 3-year old's attempt at courage just finally quit. In short, it scared the Dickens out of me.

With a good deal of comfort from my two older sisters and my parents, I recovered and shortly afterward another version came on TV (live action, possibly the "Tales From Dickens" episode with Basil Rathbone) that was more endurable. And then after at about three years, we acquired a copy of the book for family reading. In both of these instances, it was explained to me as being the same story, just not with Mr. Magoo. The book, I discovered later, was an abridgement; however it was very beautifully illustrated, published by Ideals. A little later I got the ViewMaster set of the story as well. In time I'd read the story many times, seen it on stage, screen and TV, even by chance got a Casper the Friendly Ghost comic where he helped change one Isaac B. Grouch in the same way on his birthday (I'd like to find another copy of this issue, having lost it long ago; do any readers know which issue it is in?).

Many viewpoints have been made as to what kind of story A Christmas Carol is. First of all, it's obviously a Christmas story. Written at a time when Christmas was still coming back into fashion following a time of banishment by the Puritans, Charles Dickens put forth all the cheer possible in his short book to bring the concept alive.

While describing a bitingly cold December winter, Dickens adds details of holly and berries to the scene along with people playing winter games such as sliding on patches of ice. Parties and celebrations are described to the most enjoyable detail, and he so whets the reader's appetite as if meaning to make one's mouth water when he describes the Cratchits' dinner, meager as it is. And when Christmas day finally comes, the church bells ring out making the scene "glorious, glorious!" And Dickens does not let the reader forget the purpose of celebrating Christmas either. One only has to see where he's made references to the Nativity.

Next, A Christmas Carol is a ghost story, as it states in its subtitle. Here is where Dickens shows his engenuity. Starting with his preface, he actually appears to be kidding the ghost story genre: "I have endeavored...to raise the Ghost of an Idea...May it haunt [readers'] houses pleasantly..."

When Scrooge encounters the knocker, Dickens gives a description of its ordinary appearance and stating that Scrooge was a man of no imagination, winding it up by just casually saying it has changed to Marley's face. Just imagine how Dickens' American contemporary Edgar Allan Poe might have described it, with his way of chilling the blood. Let's say as a possibility: Scrooge, as he was about to apply his key to the keyhole, beheld in place of the knocker the very visage of his deceased partner, Jacob Marley! 

This humorous approach continues as Scrooge looks behind the door as if expecting to see the back of Marley's head there. Then an image best worthy of gothic stories from that era occurs. Once again, Dickens just gives a simple description, this time of Scrooge's staircase which is very wide, which was maybe why Scrooge seems to see a hearse going on up the stairs. Then once he's in his room, Scrooge looks around everywhere, making sure there's no one under his bed, or in any adjoining room, or even hiding in his dressing gown and then even double locks his door "as was not his custom." And even when Marley finally does appear, being transparent, Dickens has Scrooge remember hearing people say that "Marley had no bowels", especially implying no heart.

But this humor is done away with when Marley reveals his fate as a ghost: "No rest, no peace. Incessant torture of remorse." In short, the fear to have is not a fear of ghosts, but a fear of becoming a ghost, facing the fate of Marley and his spectral companions as they travel about the world.

The three unearthly visitors who come to Scrooge, while they are addressed as ghosts, are not of anyone deceased and would be better described as spirits. Each of them of course represent a different era: the Ghost of Christmas Past reflects Scrooge's past with many faces of Scrooge's past displayed as it casts an unwanted light on what he would rather forget. The Ghost of Christmas Present displays as well as gives power to those who would welcome it; a kind of parallel to the Holy Spirit. The Ghost of Christmas Future is what the future holds for Scrooge: dark, bleak and even terrifying. (You can understand that this is why that three year old me finally gave in to being scared when it came to this point.)

When Dickens collected A Christmas Carol and his other Christmas writings into a volume simply entitled The Christmas Books, he included in his preface "My chief purpose was...to awaken some loving and forbearing thoughts, never out of season in a Christian land." England no doubt considered itself a Christian nation in the 19^th century, but living conditions at the time for the poor was no example of Christian charity. Dickens, despite his merriment in the telling, preaches a harsh sermon on the subject of failing to love and the consequences. He vividly describes appalling living conditions at old Joe's, puts a poor woman with a small child in the midst of a freezing night and all but shoves the figures of Ignorance and Want in the form of children into the reader's face.

This brings to mind Jesus' teaching from Matthew 25: "...for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me...Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me" (vs. 42-45, NKJV). Further on the apostle John writes "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (I John 3:17 NKJV).

There's no question of the story's enduring qualities, as every few years another film adaptation comes out (if you think they can't do any others after Jim Carrey's version, just wait and see) or a writer does their own take on it (last year it got its turn with the vampires and zombies treatment; this year Dark Horse released a graphic novel with Eliza Scrooge instead of Ebenezer). Since its message is so timeless, the story can easily be changed to any setting, from the old west (a Six Shooter radio episode and the movie Ebenezer) to modern day (the movies Ebbie, A Carol Christmas, Ms. Scrooge and A Diva's Christmas Carol, all with female Scrooges as well). It has been given to other holidays: a movie called A Valentine's Carol and a Valentine's Day novel Marly's Ghost, Veggie Tales adapted it for Easter, the movie An American Carol used it for Independence Day, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight had its own take for Halloween, and Adventures in Odyssey has its episode "A Thanksgiving Carol" plus the movie Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and the aforementioned Casper the Friendly Ghost comic story. Some TV series will eventually use it for a Christmas episode as has been done too many times to count.

But the important thing is to see Scrooge's redemption as that change of heart that all must have, to not only keep Christmas itself but to have it all year long and to prove it by your love for others.

And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us, Every One!

It's A Wonderful Carol

So, are there any stories based on A Christmas Carol or influenced by it that we might not realize are inspired by it?

I'd say... Yes!

There is a very famous film based on a short story called "The Greatest Gift" that had been privately printed by its writer, Philip Van Doren Stern. The film highly expanded on it, and was released in 1946 as It's A Wonderful Life.



The film tells the story of the life of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), who starts as a aspiring young man who wants to travel the world, but repeatedly winds up making decisions (normally to help others) that keep him in his hometown of Bedford Falls. Soon, he has a loving wife (Donna Reed) and family.

In the film, George's past life is shown to the angel Clarence (Henry Travers) before he is sent to earth on a fateful Christmas Eve where George Bailey will get a chance to see a desperate wish fulfilled: that he was never born.

Bedford Falls is now Pottersville, mainly owned by the miserly Mr. Henry Potter (Lionel Barrymore, who had played Scrooge annually on a radio adaptation of A Christmas Carol), and full of casinos and other businesses of questionable morals, far from the wholesome hometown George knew. An entire ship of army men was shot down in World War II due to George's brother Harry having died because George was not there to save him from drowning as a child, and his wife Mary is an old maid.

Horrified at what his lack of existence has done, George revokes his wish and realizes that while he might not have done what he wanted to, he's actually done so much more at home.

So, how is this story like A Christmas Carol? By reversing the protagonist. Instead of the bitter Scrooge who has not contributed anything positive to society, we have a man who has actually kept his community clean, though he didn't realize it. Instead of a bad man, we follow a good man who fears that he is about to hit rock bottom.

We see George's past, though he doesn't see it himself (though he is made to appreciate it), and instead of a dark future, we see a dark alternate present. Instead of the Ghosts, we have one Angel. But still, we have the major point of a man's life affecting others and how, thanks to divine intervention, he has an epiphany that makes him re-evaluate his life.

Did the makers of It's A Wonderful Life or the writer of "The Greatest Gift" consciously take their idea from Dickens? Maybe. I haven't seen anyone claim so, but Dickens' story was popular, so it could be that it wasn't a conscious take.

But at any rate, even if it does make some similar points, It's A Wonderful Life is definitely worthy of its own status apart from A Christmas Carol, but its possible origins in Dickens are well worth speculating on.

More Carol Influence

Family Ties: A Keaton Christmas Carol

Alex Keaton is not in the Christmas spirit, forgetting to get gifts and even refusing to buy cough syrup for his sister Jennifer. During the night, Alex has a Scrooge-like encounter with the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Future (depicted by his sisters Jennifer and Mallory, respectively). After realizing where he's headed, Alex decides to make things right with his family.



The Dukes of Hazzard: The Great Santa Claus Chase

Boss Hogg tries once again to get those infernal Duke boys out of his hair (or lack thereof) by framing them with stealing a load of Christmas trees. However, they get ahead of him and manage to keep their names clear of this.

However, they decide to give Boss a wake up call by staging a visit from the Ghosts of Past, Present and Future for him. However, it goes wrong and they have to give it up. But then Roscoe gives Boss a copy of A Christmas Carol and Boss reads it, getting into the story. Realizing he's a lot like Scrooge, he brings gifts to the Duke farm and celebrates Christmas with them.

Two Transposed Carols

Here are two more episodes of TV shows using A Christmas Carol as plot template.



Xena: A Solstice Carol features heroine Xena and her companion Gabrielle visiting the kingdom of King Silvus, who makes people pay exorbitant taxes, and will even foreclose on orphanages. While bringing Solstice cheer around (helped by his clerk Senticles), Xena tricks Silvus into believing he's seeing images from his past, present and future to make him see the error of his ways.



Highway to Heaven: Another Song For Christmas features a modern day retelling of Dickens' story. Angel Jonathan Smith (Michael Landon) and his friend Mark Gordon (Victor French) come across Honest Eddy's Used Car lot. He sells an old couple a bad car, promising that it will be the car of their dreams, fires mechanic Dave Ratchett for refusing to roll back odometers, and he also holds the mortage on an orphanage. (Because, you know, nothing's meaner than evicting orphans.) Inspired by Mark's copy of A Christmas Carol, Jonathan decides to help Honest Eddy change his ways.