Pleasant afternoon

[yakalskovich]

We are watching 'The Last Station', a movie about Tolstoy.

I bought it for the Russianness and Helen Mirren, but it contains surprise!James McAvoy as well, and he's very cute, speechlessly fanboying Tolstoy as his new private secretary...

Watching that, I am once more reminded how non-unique Rasputin was for his time and place. WTF got everybody so upset about him?

Comments

[yakalskovich]

We loved it to bits, the Nazgul and I. It does this Russian thing where all the High Dramaz can be screamingly funny despite undisputed seriousness. I loved that in such unlikely works as 'The Brothers Karamazov' and 'The Master and Margarita'.

As for the latter, I was wondering whether that Valentin Bulgakov was any relative of Mikhail Bulgakov, but the only Wikipedia version that had any extended knowledge about him was the Russian version, and I only read the most rudimentary of Russian, like 'Exit' or 'Closed' or 'House of the Book'.

[idylchild.livejournal.com]

I read the article and there is no mention of M Bulgakov. It is a fairly common name.

I always thought Tolstoy's wife was his secretary and hand wrote War and Peace something like seven times. LOL We used to joke about the good old days of slave labor -- women and children.

It looks good, tho. Who is McAvoy?

[yakalskovich]

McAvoy is Valentin Bulgakov, that's why I asked.

And yes, Tolstoy's wife was his secretary and hand-wrote 'War and Peace' several times; she tells that to Bulgakov in the movie, too. But that was long before the movie was set.

I can only warmly recommend the movie!

[idylchild.livejournal.com]

Ah, of course, that just immediately made Bulgakov the most important character in the movie. :)

Are you ready for GoT tonight?

And when shall we start our book club?

[yakalskovich]

GoT tomorrow, for me -- I'll get it at some stage tomorrow and watch tomorrow night.

I'll propose the book club right after that on my flist and make the comm, and maybe start it on July 1st, to give everybody the chance to finish whatever they're reading now?

[idylchild.livejournal.com]

Sounds good!

Also, why not post here

http://game-thrones.livejournal.com/profile

There are several who have not yet read the books.

[yakalskovich]

Joined there! Thanks for the suggestion.-