Heathcliff, the proto-hippie

First of all, in addition to what we posted yesterday about Wuthering Heights already filming, today Variety mentions this production as having 'started lensing'.

And like yesterday as well, we have a new review of the Jane Eyre musical in Fullerton. From Culture Monster, an L.A. Times blog.

FCLO commits wholeheartedly to this sprawling, "Les Misérables"-like venture, giving it a big set, a big cast (36) and a pretty big orchestra (20). The material, however, resists this devotion.
In Patricia York's book and lyrics, as further adapted by director Jan Duncan, we witness too few of the minute armor cracks that, over time, enable the central characters to see each other fully. Rochester's charm, at least as entrusted to curt, stubborn T. Eric Hart, is particularly hard to discern. Would-be humor, provided by a merry band of servants, eats up time that would be better spent with the main figures.
At an opening-weekend matinee, the heroic endings of Jerry Williams' vaguely old-fashioned, vaguely pop melodies induced the biggest applause -- but even then, the response was merely polite.
The main reason to seek out this show (not to be confused with the one that played on Broadway in 2000-01) would be to meet its Jane Eyre -- level-headed, warmly insinuating and sunshine-voiced as embodied by Melissa Lyons Caldretti. Her, we can cheer for. (Daryl H. Miller)

On Line Opinion has a column on 'Men in the age of feminism'.

Or look at the research done at Queen Mary College in the UK on "the novel that changed my life". Men's favourite life-changing novels are very different from those listed by women. Men nominated Catch 22 or To Kill a Mockingbird. Women presented a list that ranged from Jane Eyre to Wuthering Heights. (Peter West)

That's because that's what's they've been encouraged to read (which is the point the columnist is trying to make. Taken out of context it might seem the other way around). Woman can - and do - like To Kill a Mockingbird and men can - and do - like novels by the Brontës but some people just refuse to believe it. Or try it.

PopMatters has posted an excerpt from the book Acid Christ: Ken Kesey, LSD, and the Politics of Ecstasy by Mark Christensen.

... he was not particularly a free thinker, taking his cues not from proto-hippies Rousseau, Heathcliff or Walt Whitman but from his childhood comic book heroes, Superman, Spiderman, Plasticman, Batman, and Captain Marvel.

A local 19-year-old actress, Victoria George-Veale, says to the South Wales Echo that what made her want to become an actress was 'the black and white version of Wuthering Heights'. The Daily Mail has an article on actor Simon Ward and his role as Mr Linton in Wuthering Heights 1992 is mentioned. His daughter, Sophie Ward, who then played Isabella Linton has been cast as Lady Ingram in the latest screen adaptation of Jane Eyre. Lexington Herald Leader includes Wuthering Heights on a list of tragic love:

In this great 1847 English novel by Emily Brontë, we find rich girl Cathy and Heathcliff, the poor farm boy. Things go swell for the pair for a while, but as with many great English novels, class stands in the way of their love. Cathy's father soon dies, and her brother becomes master of the estate and forces Heathcliff out. Cathy must then marry a man of her own social standing.

YouTube user SandBathroom talks about Wuthering Heights.

Categories: Jane Eyre, Movies-DVD-TV, Music, Theatre, Wuthering Heights