(no subject)

[yakalskovich]

I'm watching 'My Own Private Idaho' again for the first time since somewhere in the late nineties, to see exactly how Gus van Sant has made mincemeat of 'Henry IV.' (both parts) there, after having paid a lot of attention to the historically correct version in 'Hollow Crown'.

And yes, River Phoenix' character is Poins. At the time, the critics wrote that the character was entirely made up. Nope, it's just that nobody seems to pay enough attention to poor Poins.-

Comments

[ceitfianna]

I didn't know that. I watched My Own Private Idaho along with Brannagh's Henry V for an amazing Shakespeare course where we watched films to go with every play. I remember staring and possibly saying what at the screen a lot. It's a very pretty film but odd.

[yakalskovich]

It's an extremely odd film, especially as the characters veer between literal Shakespeare and street slang that sounds unacted. But yes, that character named Mike gets to do have Poins' parts in addition to Doll's in that memorable moment when the police come. He's the main character, not Hal/Scott, and he gets a load of backstory of his own.

As I am considering apping Poins, I just wanted to have a look for general pop-cultural context and inspiration.