Anarchy in the U.K.

You know, despite everything that's going on in my real life at the moment, I'm just dying to get away and see V for Vendetta, this weekend:  

I recently re-read the Alan Moore book, and I was impressed by how well it held up--apart from some retrospective anachronisms and a bit of naiveté about the era of Reagan and Thatcher:  

( Looking backward, looking forward )

Regarding the film itself, I've been intrigued by the previews and screen captures I've seen, to date.  The imagery, and the plot details that I've been able to suss out, seem right on target.  (Interestingly, the Village Voice reviewer is aware of the Alan Moore novel, but describes plot elements that perfectly mirror the book as if they were inventions of the filmmakers ...)

Of course, the subject matter--authoritarianism, terrorism--is bound to be even more controversial now than it was in the '80s.  So this ends up being a particularly problematic story to tell, today.  But that doesn't rule out the attempt, in my opinion: everything depends upon how it's handled. 

( Read more... )

Also, I'm a thoroughgoing history geek, and I'm impressed that the film apparently goes to the trouble of explaining Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot to the non-Britons in the audience--again, as the Voice reviewer points out, looking backward to look forward.  I'll be even more impressed if they manage not to mangle the historical elements.

On the other hand, Alan Moore has dissociated himself with the project.  I don't follow celebrity (even comic book geek celebrity) gossip well enough to know why. 

( Conjectural Comic Book Gossip ... )

In any case, I'm just too overwhelmingly curious not to go ...