I know I said I am on a break from writing on this blog, but somehow I keep on coming back to it. Don't ask me why... I really shouldn't be what some people call 'wasting time in being thoroughly unproductive' - well to be honest, I've spent the last 23 years 'wasting time in being thoroughly unproductive' so I don't see much reason to stop the train now. Anyway, when I do write these occasional blog posts, it's quite nice, but yes, I really should be doing better things with my time, but when everything's sorted and back on track I'll come back to this blog on a much more regular basis...
now down to more exciting news....
Having read Water For Elephants a few years ago by author Sara Gruen, I wasn't really impressed with the book at all. It was one of those books that you have to finish reading once you've started it so you can actually say you persevered until the very end instead of giving up. This is what I should have done. The book IS quite enjoyable for those of you who have a free spirited soul and will probably relate to the characters and their personality traits, their frustrations, and indulging their inhibitions.
The plot of the book goes a little something like this...
Set during the Great Depression, Water for Elephants tells the story of a young man who leaves his life as a Cornell University veterinary student after losing both his parents in a car accident, and jumps onto a train that happens to house the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. After a short confrontation with Blackie, a bouncer that stops stowaways, and Camel (a limp old worker) promising him a job and an audience with Uncle Al (The Ringmaster) Jacob decides to stay aboard the train. Since his parents have died in an automobile accident, and he has not a home to call his own, he decides to remain with the circus. Jacob is employed as the show’s veterinarian and he faces a number of challenges in dealing with the head trainer, August, while also learning how to function in the hierarchy of the circus and falling in love with August's wife, Marlena.
The story is told as a series of memories by Jacob Jankowski, either a ninety or ninety-three year-old man who lives in a nursing home.
As the memories begin, Jacob Jankowski is twenty-three years old and preparing for his final exams as a Cornell University veterinary student when he receives the news that his parents were killed in a car accident. Jacob’s father was a veterinarian and Jacob had planned to join his practice. When Jacob learns that his father was deeply in debt because he had been treating animals for free as well as mortgaging the family home to provide Jacob an Ivy League education, he has a breakdown and leaves school just short of graduation. In the dark of night, he jumps on a train only to learn it is a circus train. When the owner of the circus, Uncle Al, learns of his training as a vet, he is hired to care for the circus animals.
The head trainer, August, is a brutal man who abuses the animals in his care as well as the people around him. Alternately, he can be utterly charming. Jacob develops a guarded relationship with August and his wife, Marlena, with whom Jacob falls in love. August is suspicious of their relationship and beats Marlena and Jacob. Marlena subsequently leaves August, which is the precipitating event leading to the ultimate demise of the Benzini Brothers circus.
As the story climaxes, several circus workers who were redlighted off the train come back and release the animals causing a stampede during the performance. (Redlighting refers to throwing circus workers off the moving train as punishment or in order to avoid paying them). In the ensuing panic, August is killed. As a result of this incident, which occurred during a circus performance, the circus is shut down. Marlena and Jacob leave, along with several circus animals, and begin their life together.
The exciting news is that 'Water For Elephants' is being turned into a film set for release in 2011 and will be directed by Francis Lawrence [8 Mile] so you can expect the film to be gritty and full of dramatic, dark action [i like!] The best part about all of this is the rumoured cast to take on this particular project... including Robert Pattinson as Jacob Jankowski, Christoph Waltz as August, and Reese Witherspoon as Marlena [I don't know about you, but Robert and Reese would make a totally HOT couple - in my book, she always seems to snag the very best leading men in hollywood - lucky thing!] Hopefully production will get off the ground soon for this very exciting premise with the best yet to come!!
In other news, unless you've been living under a rock, you will have noticed the phenomonal success of Steig Larsson's crime series 'The girl with the dragon tattoo' and it's sequels 'The girl who played with fire' and 'The girl who kicked the hornet's nest' - these books have graced the hardback and paperback bestseller charts for more than a year now and the response has been amazing - [it's just a shame that the author died before the books' amazing success had time to snowball and truly shine] but because of all this, the first trailer has been released, and it looks really good, so expect big things from this particular franchise [although in terms of film franchise success, it might have a hard time beating the twilight saga :-)]
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