I’ve always been fascinated by compelling portrayals of killers in movies & tv. Too many to stuff into one stack. So in this stack I talk about 3 of my favs. Next week: “Black Doves,” darling!!
My favorite Ripley is Andrew Scott, he is always so smarmingly cheeky, with a drawling, crawling, voice.
I loved watching Killing Eve. The two stellar actresses played off each other like punctuated windchimes. Sandra Oh displayed complicated emotional ties with savage intensity. Jodie Comer as Villanelle was fascinating. You hate her cruelty, you love her excessive quirkiness. And her outfits! The pink floofy dress she wore to her possible "dressing down" was perfect. I wanted one just like it. Fiona Shaw was brilliant as well. Excellent show and acting, with very strong women characters.
This was such a pleasure to read, Susan. Brilliant, as always. The movies do seem to take on their time periods. Interesting. Scott was brilliant. The director said he chose to film it in Black and White because the Amalfi Coast is too staggeringly beautiful. Love your insights.
Thanks so much!! Scott WAS brilliant, and the setting and cinematography was perfect. I love looking at these things in their different historical and cultural contexts—as I’m planning to do with “Love Actually” and “Black Doves.”
Thanks Christopher! No way could I be doing this every week if I were still teaching! But I am retired now. (Don’t hate me, I stayed in my teaching job a lot longer than most of my colleagues.) And even so, watching and rewatching—and often, reading scripts and books the shows are based on—takes a huge chunk of time. At least my tv and movie “research” doesn’t depress me the way my political writing does—now!
Excellent commentary about fictional (or not!) narcissistic sociopaths. I need to watch Ripley and Killing Eve; I've been mesmerized by James Norton as Tommy Lee Royce in HV and Andrew Scott playing Moriarty in Sherlock. P.S. How does one find the time and stamina to stream and watch all these performances? Obviously, I need to retire from my 35-hour-per-week job; it's keeping me from the very important contributions to the soul! P.P.S. Looking forward to your take on Black Doves!
You had me at "lovable serial killers." Good that you said it out loud. I feel just a bit less ashamed. I recently binged "Day of the Jackal" (don't worry; no spoilers here) and was aware that I wanted the sniper to succeed. Also, I wanted him to show bits of empathy and sensitivity. I don't think men have this circuit when watching, but many women are haunted by "bad boys" who they thought they could change. Hope springs eternal. There are even books about women who go through a string of nasty guys. Therapists and theorists think there's an absent father at the heart of it. Their basic advice is to help those women find "nice guys" erotically appealing. That challenge is at the heart of something very wrong about our gender culture -- the fact that it's a challenge.
My favorite Ripley is Andrew Scott, he is always so smarmingly cheeky, with a drawling, crawling, voice.
I loved watching Killing Eve. The two stellar actresses played off each other like punctuated windchimes. Sandra Oh displayed complicated emotional ties with savage intensity. Jodie Comer as Villanelle was fascinating. You hate her cruelty, you love her excessive quirkiness. And her outfits! The pink floofy dress she wore to her possible "dressing down" was perfect. I wanted one just like it. Fiona Shaw was brilliant as well. Excellent show and acting, with very strong women characters.
Thank you! Great observations!
Always love reading your deep takes on TV and movies.
Thank you! And it’s much more fun than keeping track of actual horrors!
Wonderful, Susan—trenchant, searching, so vibrantly observed that I relive the conflicted pleasure these characters gave me.
Thank you Rona!! And I count on you for infusions of joy! Which you never fail to supply.
A truly wonderful stack. Thank you
You’re welcome!
This was such a pleasure to read, Susan. Brilliant, as always. The movies do seem to take on their time periods. Interesting. Scott was brilliant. The director said he chose to film it in Black and White because the Amalfi Coast is too staggeringly beautiful. Love your insights.
Thanks so much!! Scott WAS brilliant, and the setting and cinematography was perfect. I love looking at these things in their different historical and cultural contexts—as I’m planning to do with “Love Actually” and “Black Doves.”
Thanks Christopher! No way could I be doing this every week if I were still teaching! But I am retired now. (Don’t hate me, I stayed in my teaching job a lot longer than most of my colleagues.) And even so, watching and rewatching—and often, reading scripts and books the shows are based on—takes a huge chunk of time. At least my tv and movie “research” doesn’t depress me the way my political writing does—now!
Excellent commentary about fictional (or not!) narcissistic sociopaths. I need to watch Ripley and Killing Eve; I've been mesmerized by James Norton as Tommy Lee Royce in HV and Andrew Scott playing Moriarty in Sherlock. P.S. How does one find the time and stamina to stream and watch all these performances? Obviously, I need to retire from my 35-hour-per-week job; it's keeping me from the very important contributions to the soul! P.P.S. Looking forward to your take on Black Doves!
Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh were marvelous,, such fun!!
You had me at "lovable serial killers." Good that you said it out loud. I feel just a bit less ashamed. I recently binged "Day of the Jackal" (don't worry; no spoilers here) and was aware that I wanted the sniper to succeed. Also, I wanted him to show bits of empathy and sensitivity. I don't think men have this circuit when watching, but many women are haunted by "bad boys" who they thought they could change. Hope springs eternal. There are even books about women who go through a string of nasty guys. Therapists and theorists think there's an absent father at the heart of it. Their basic advice is to help those women find "nice guys" erotically appealing. That challenge is at the heart of something very wrong about our gender culture -- the fact that it's a challenge.