a dedicated follower of fashion
03.16.05 @ 8:06 p.m.
I started to write up stuff last night after, well, I have to admit, drinking a little bit, and the end result is that it is mostly about attractive young men. Hah.
Anyway, I adore Hugh Laurie, and so it is extremely wonderful to watch the end of House and watch him rocking out to "Baba O'Riley." Also, mad crushes on the young blond doctor, I've decided. Normally I am not a fan of blonds, but South African Max did prove a good exception, and so does this fellow. (PS Misanthopic Hugh Laurie is A+++++++. It's such a delight, even loving him as George from Blackadder III and IV and as Bertie Wooster.)
The Madness of King George: First, I cannot begin to express the general glee that comes from recognizing so many actors and so many historical figures portrayed. (OMG Rupert Everett is the Prince of Wales, OMG OMG! In a fat suit, no less!) Mrs. Fitzherbert! Geoffrey Palmer playing... uh, I have no idea, some servant or retainer of Prinny's. (Actually, a doctor.) Also, the young captain in charge of the King is quite a looker.
(Like I said, I pretty much decided that every boy in the world is ADORABLE, which is a thing I go through every now and then.)
Ohhh, this movie was the best thing ever for a Regency nerd like myself. The most fascinating thing in the world.
I was disappointed that the movie didn't nearly cover the extent of the King's madness, only the first foray into it. I DID NOT EVEN GET TO SEE RUPERT EVERETT SPORTING A BRUTUS. NOT COOL.
And that horrible pallid looking gentleman, Captain Fitzroy! He was Anthony Calf! Colonel Fitzwilliam! I should never have known, the two characters aren't nearly alike for all that they're in essentially the same era (I could be over scrupulous, but I won't be) and both military gentlemen. I didn't even recognize the voice, probably because Fitzroy was endeavouring to sound urbane and Fitzwilliam sounds rather jolly and charming. It's hilarious, because so many ladies on the DWG are madly, madly in love with Colonel Fitzwilliam ("about thirty, not handsome" according to Ms Austen) and I have a hard time imagining the same collective lust being levelled at Captain Fitzroy. All the men were pale and icky and powdered and bewigged, except Captain Grenville, though he did have powdered hair for some scenes.
Burney and Heyer have given me more affection for the Georgian era than I had previously, where before I had only really liked the Regency, with it's less affected fashions... sort of. Huge hair and wigs went out with the Regency, as well as serious corsetry... Well, here is the thing. All the ostentatious fashion went to the men when the Regency rolled around. Dandies, fercrissakes. Men in skintight clothes and compensating for whatever they might lack with padding (mainly in the shoulders and calves; can you imagining deciding that your calf muscles are unsexy and require prosthesis?) or corsets for gentlemen. Ladies could go without, so long as they had the fashionable body type, wore very light, thin dresses, short curled hair was sometimes the fashion or Greek-inspired styles. (Seriously scandalous ladies would damp down their thin skirts so you could see what was beneath! How shocking!) Well, the truth of it is, I can read about the Georgian era with pleasure enough, but I don't think I could like it (or its styles) so fervently as the Regency. God, just to look at the Prince of Wales' hair in TMoKG was enough to decide me on that. Not attractive, not at all. Actually, when you get down to it, I'm pretty pissed that that movie gave me no good ideas of fashion in 1810-1820, though if I know enough to know I did not get good examples of high-waisted Regency costuming, I know enough not to need the examples that badly.
OR MAYBE I SHOULD JUST WATCH PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND SHUT UP. (I secretly wish for the DVDs of Regency House Party, too.)
Previously
fuck it @ 08.01.05
fanciful imaginary sea voyages to come @ 07.20.05
*dies* @ 07.19.05
more ootp @ 07.17.05
harry potter: driving our children into devil worship @ 07.17.05
