Text Blog Entry - Book Review

Summary of C.K. Steads 'Sister Hollywood'

I have red this book by the well known New Zealand author C.K. Stead for my elective course in New Zealand Literature. The plot is about Edie Harper who starts a Hollywood career and her younger brother Bill Harper back home in New Zealand. She disappeared without a word many years ago and the family is quite concerned about her wellbeing. Then she suddenly appears on the cinema screen and Bill knows he has a sister in Hollywood. The story jumps between these two, the career of Edie and the life of Bill who decides to look after his sister.
The book is semi autobiographical, so it is full of information about the author and his family. His style of writing is easy to understand and very vivid at the same time. The story gives also a good insight in the movie business during the McCarthy era and the craft of movie making in general.

Oral Blog Entry Three - Film Review

Summary of the film ’Pans Labyrinth’

Pans Labyrinth is a wonderful dark fairy tale, located in Spain during the civil war between 1936 and 1939. Protagonist of this story is the young Ofelia, a girl full of dreams and the characters in books. She travels with her pregnant mother Carmen into a secluded forest to meet her stepfather Capitan Vidal who chases Franctireurs (spanish revolutionaries) in the hills. He is a cruel man and doesn’t hesitate to use brutal torture to reach his aims. Ofelia seems to be imprisoned in this dark world without hope and even her mother faints because of complications with her pregnancy. But suddenly a strange fairy appears to lead Ofelia through an old forgotten labyrinth to Pan, an ancient mythical creature. He calls her 'princess' and promises her a 'kingdom', waiting in the realm of legends. But she has to pass three challenges to prove her pure soul. Though the Story is old it is told in strong, often scary colours with a background of Spanish history which makes this film a unique and fascinating experience.