The Picture of Dorian Gray

[argomac]

See the awesome 1945 movie with Angela Lansbury first. It's brilliant. I liked it better than the book.

Hell yeah!!

 

[Agent-Neon]

My advice would be never to let other people tell you what to read. There doesn't need to be anything necessarily spectacular about literary "classics" other than the fact that they fall in favour with important crowds.

With that aside as my english teacher always said, you can't form an opinion of a book without first reading it in its entirety. I absolutely despise Hemingway, yet I read most of his novels. The very mention of Dan Brown makes my skin crawl, yet I suffered through The Da Vinci Code. Just think, soon you can say to your friends "Aha, friend! I have read your so called Classic, and it was complete rubbish. What say you?"

Yes... so in conclusion, when in doubt always read because reading is fun. Oh and I happen to like Wilde Although I've always enjoyed his plays more than his prose.

 

[luminum]

Well, I agree that "greatness" and "classic" are subjective but it's important to read classics because many are referenced and used because they happen to discuss important aspects of the human condition in a way that many scholars feel is effective, poetic, and thought-provoking. No one can read all of them, but if you've got it, why not?

 

[Muskox]

I listen to a lot of recorded books and I recommend it. When I'm doing a semi-mindless, repetitive task it makes the time go quickly. When I tore the shingles off my roof I listened to a recording of "The Last of the Mohicans", which I never would have been able to sit and read. You don't struggle with the florid language; it just flows through your head effortlessly.

See if your library has a copy of "Dorian Gray" (they come on CD's now and you can load them onto an ipod). If they don't have it, ask them about interlibrary loan. It's an easy way to read a difficult book and a professional reader does a good job of adding tone and expressive nuance.

 

[xyboyms]

I just bought the book at Barnes this weekend--along with some Jane Austen (cough, cough, HOMO lol.......) and I can't wait to start reading Dorian Gray.

It's great reading different people's view on the book.

 

[Chocras]

Last year, the summer gay and lesbian film festival in my city screened the new version of "The Picture Of Dorian Gray" that was mentioned earlier in this thread. I read the book because I wanted to compare it to the film. My thoughts....

I liked how Wilde describes the first meeting between Wilde and the worldly friend who introduces him to worldly pleasures ( Henry?). He describes the hot and still summer day very well

The Sybil Vane section shows what a creep Dorian Gray is, regardless of the painting's effects on him. He drops her cruelly, and only tries to reclaim her when he sees that his viciousness is reflected in the once perfect painting. It's not about making ammends, it's about him. And the idea of a talented actress losing her talent because of falling in love, only to find out that the man only loved her talent and not her, was ironic and poignant and sad.

The chapter that dwelt on Wilde's pleasurable pursuits, was boring.

The novel doesn't have much of a sense of climax. The danger that he faces from a enemy from his past passes, then a chapter or two later, he makes the fateful decision to destroy the painting. That event comes out of nowhere. There should have been more of a suspenseful build up...

And that movie adaptation of the novel?

Bad. Very bad.

 

[hermanding]

whether a brilliant novel, i cannot say, the author oscar wilde was truly brilliant
ding

 

[lolalola70]

the '45 version is good, would like to see the other versions, i like the book better.
same thing with " a separate peace" love the book, but the 2 movie versions i've
seen failed to live up to my expectations.

 

[braex27]

The 1945 film version is brilliant. The actor, Hurd Hatfield whi plays Dorian is remembered nowadays for little else (shame) and as other JUBBERS have pointed out, Angela Lansbury is excellent as Sibyl Vane.

The latest version 2009 (I think) stars Ben Barnes - he of "Prince Caspian" fame, with Colin Firth. It is a TERRIBLE TERRIBLE adaptation.

When I was in London, I also saw a Matthew Bourne ("Swan Lake" with the male swans) dance production of it which transposed the story to modern day times, made Dorian a bisexual model and turned the famous painting into massive underwear billboard. Wonderful. Wonderful.