This is topic The Scarlet Pimpernel is awesome. in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
 
Unfortunately, I'm making myself wait until after finals week to read the book.

I've already seen the awesomeness that is the miniseries.

Now I'm distracting myself from my academic responsibilities by reading the libretto from the musical.

I need help.
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
If you need a study break you could always watch the Daffy Duck short, "The Scarlet Pumpernickle"

[ December 03, 2004, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: Noemon ]
 
Posted by Vera (Member # 2094) on :
 
sarcasticmuppet, have you seen the musical? It's a silly bit of foppery, but it's alot of fun. I love "Madame Guillotine", "The Riddle", and "Into the Fire."

(Is it really, really wrong of me that I kind of root for Chauvelin? Especially in the musical, much more so than in the book.)
 
Posted by Fyfe (Member # 937) on :
 
Aaaa, I love those books...

However, I think P.C. Wren's forgotten books are better. Beau Geste.

(Or Rafael Sabatini, whom many people have heard of, or Anthony Hope, who wrote the silliest books ever.)

Yay for ridiculous adventury books!

Jen

(But I don't like H. Rider Haggard.)
 
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
 
Vera, you've listed all my favorite songs in the musical except "Creation of Man". I long to see it performed, but in the meantime I must content myself with the cd of the original Broadway cast.

[Kiss] cd [Kiss]

Edit: My favorite song is also "The Scarlet Pimpernel". And "They seek him there". And "Storybook Ending".

Sink me! I've practically listed all the songs! [Big Grin]

[ December 03, 2004, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: sarcasticmuppet ]
 
Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
 
The Scarlet Pimpernel may be my all-time favorite musical. I saw a preview show just before it opened in LA back in 2000 and it was great. The only problem now is that Douglas Sills was such a perfect Percy Blakeney that I can't imagine anyone living up to that performance.
 
Posted by Vera (Member # 2094) on :
 
Douglas Sills was a great Percy! The definitive Percy (and man, it takes one hell of a confident gay man to play that part) but his replacement wasn't half bad either. Can't remember the guy's name, but I saw the tour right after Doug left, and it was still great.

Ah, yes, "The Creation of Man" and "They Seek Him Here" are really funny. I tell ya, the whole show is WAY funnier on stage than it comes across on the CD. For example, "Into the Fire" doesn't seem like a particularly comedic song on the CD, but it contains the single funniest moment of the whole show.

Anyone seen "Jekyll and Hyde"? I love me some cheesy Frank Wildhorn musicals, yes I do!
 
Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
 
"Into the Fire" was a weird moment for me. It simultaneously gave me chills and made me laugh out loud.
 
Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :
 
Damn. I loved that book. I had to read it for a class, which of course meant that I left it until the absolute last second.

I was sitting at the computer, simultaneously reading the book and writing the paper and every so often I'd stop, stare at my dad and shout, "This book is SO AWESOME!!" and then continue reading as fast as I could.

[ December 03, 2004, 07:26 PM: Message edited by: Ryuko ]
 
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
 
I have access to Jekyll and Hyde as well. It's such awesome music!

My problem is that my idillic Percy is the one from the A&E miniseries -- Richard E Grant. He's just so funny! He totally pulls a James Bondesque maneuver when he pulls up his collar to reveal tons of little gadgets hidden in his coat -- and then he gives this enormous smile. Gads!

This is a problem because according to my roommate who's read the books, Grant looks nothing like Percy. And he probably can't sing. Alas.

[ December 04, 2004, 11:41 AM: Message edited by: sarcasticmuppet ]
 
Posted by Dragon (Member # 3670) on :
 
OMG! There's a miniseries???

*checks out website*

That's kinda cool... I LOVE the book (and the sequels...) and my favorite verson of the movie is the Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour version... Anthony Andrews is completely perfect as Percy. It's amazing.

btw, did you know that this site has the full text versions of 16 books in the Pimpernel series? I've only gotten through the first three so far, but they're wonderufl!
 


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