On the Irresistible Charm of "Less is More"

Period porn (n). A drama set in the 18th or 19th centuries wherein a gentleman reaches unbelievable heights of sexiness by loosening/removing his cravat, diving still-clothed into a pond, or thanking his employee with a hand-clasp after she saves his life. See also: BBC literary adaptations.

If you recognized the above scenes* without even having to click on the links, you know what I'm talkin' about. There's nothing like the restraints of class, society, and numerous layers of clothing to ramp up the sexual tension as the two protagonists stay apart, every glance or slight touch filled with significance and longing. Not a naked torso or bedroom romp in sight - just the way I like it.

Now, I'm very much a 21st-century woman and a proud feminist, but in terms of romance I just find these period dramas to be far superior to the typical contemporary chick flick in which girl meets/hooks up with guy, is separated from guy due to some crisis of the plot and then finally reunites with him, interspersed with bouts of chocolate, shopping and "empowering" advice from a bevy of girlfriends who each represents a personality type. Yawn. Give me the allure of things left unsaid, the agony of love expressed but indirectly, the seething passions carefully curbed so that when finally glimpsed the contrast is intense...it's the ultimate tease, and so very enjoyable.

*North and South, Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, respectively

A Robot and an Opera Ghost

The link between the frames through which we view the world and the experiences that shape and are shaped by those frames is fascinating. How else to explain the fact that I immediately seized upon parallels between the film I was watching, Pixar's Wall-E, and various incarnations of the Phantom of the Opera? (Yes, let me acknowledge here and now, fully and freely, that I am a devotee of the Opera Ghost's tale - the original novel more so than the Lloyd Webber musical, as well as other versions. So sue me.)

Consider:
- Wall-E lives a lonely existence with naught but a cockroach for company. Erik (aka the Phantom aka O.G. for Opera Ghost) also lives a lonely existence, but he has to accompany himself (on the piano).
- The somewhat rusty, beat-up trash robot falls for the sleek, white EVE. Erik, who wears a mask to hide his deformity, also goes for a younger woman, the soprano Christine (often dressed in white to emphasize her innocence).
- Both characters have a retreat where they keep their personal treasures and long for companionship, one watching his "Hello Dolly" VHS, and the other working out his frustrations by (depending on the version) composing, hanging with the Christine look-alike automaton, or consulting with the rats.
- After a tour of the gents' pads, their respective ladyloves each go into sleep mode: EVE to protect the plant life she's been sent to search for, Christine because she's lulled to sleep by Erik's heavenly voice. (Or because aforementioned automaton creeped her out into a faint. Take your pick).
- Plenty of other small parallels, but here's the kicker: Wall-E clearly identifies with "Hello Dolly" character Cornelius Hackl, whose voice is heard singing throughout the film. Cornelius is played by none other than Michael Crawford, who originated the role of the Phantom in the Lloyd Webber musical.

It was amusing to me to realize what I was reflecting upon after the film, and to know that other people with other expertise, life experiences, hobbies and degrees of introspection, would have had completely different musings than mine. Moral environmentalism, animation techniques, soundscapes, health crises, all these - connected to disparate topics and frames of religion, politics, regional and national cultures. In a sense, these others were watching a different movie.

Truth, objective? Don't think so. Not everyone connects an anthropomorphized trash compactor robot with a mad, masked musical genius.