I loved this, thanks Kate. I’ve seen the film, but haven’t read the book - to my shame! I began studying film at O Level and saw it through to post-graduate level and one of my favourite early courses was ‘Film, Femininity and the Female Experience’. It’s a while since I’ve watched The Hours, so it’s definitely time for another viewing. I hope you’re having a fab weekend!
Thanks, Victoria! That sounds like great course :) I have had a lovely sunny weekend on the North Yorkshire coast! Hope you have enjoyed some sunny weather today too :)
The Hours is on my list to both read and watch and I'm not sure why I haven't done so before now but this reminds me that I want to.
I find it so interesting when books take people from different points of history and meld them together. I recently read The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. and although it's not quite the same, it has a similar format:
"It is a fictional story rooted in a lot of historical autobiography that is told through the lens of three different characters, alternating viewpoints by chapter. 1) Estee is an entirely fictional present-day museum curator who has been given a handwritten copy of The Bell Jar that nobody ever knew existed. 2) Boston Rhodes is a poet based on Anne Sexton who was in a poetry class with Sylvia Plath around the time of the writing of the Bell Jar. Through her we learn a lot about both women’s experiences with depression, balancing motherhood and creativity, and being a female in the male-dominated poet world of the time. 3) And Ruth Barnhouse is a psychiatrist working with Sylvia Plath while she’s in McLean, an autobiographical experience that informed The Bell Jar and therefore the murky bridge between fact and fiction within the book.
The Confessions of Sylvia P is on my list to read since I discovered it via your post! Hope you try The Hours (book or film) and let me know what you think :)
Fascinating discussion! I actually watched ‘The Hours’ before I read it. Both the film and the book are fantastic. I love that we’re starting to see films that pass the Bechdel Test more and more, and it’s great to see more representation of other groups on screen too. Thank you for sharing :)
Oh, The Hours is remarkable, both the book and the film! Yes, I've really noticed more films and series recently that are featuring the stories of women and other groups. Thanks for reading :)
Great film and great read of the gaze! Have you heard about the Geena Davis Institute? I don't know a lot about it but I've been seeing it pop up a lot recently.
I loved this, thanks Kate. I’ve seen the film, but haven’t read the book - to my shame! I began studying film at O Level and saw it through to post-graduate level and one of my favourite early courses was ‘Film, Femininity and the Female Experience’. It’s a while since I’ve watched The Hours, so it’s definitely time for another viewing. I hope you’re having a fab weekend!
Thanks, Victoria! That sounds like great course :) I have had a lovely sunny weekend on the North Yorkshire coast! Hope you have enjoyed some sunny weather today too :)
Oooh, lovely. I love the Yorkshire Coast. I hope you had an amazing time :)
Me too! Stunning scenery (especially when the sun shines ;)
The Hours is on my list to both read and watch and I'm not sure why I haven't done so before now but this reminds me that I want to.
I find it so interesting when books take people from different points of history and meld them together. I recently read The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. and although it's not quite the same, it has a similar format:
"It is a fictional story rooted in a lot of historical autobiography that is told through the lens of three different characters, alternating viewpoints by chapter. 1) Estee is an entirely fictional present-day museum curator who has been given a handwritten copy of The Bell Jar that nobody ever knew existed. 2) Boston Rhodes is a poet based on Anne Sexton who was in a poetry class with Sylvia Plath around the time of the writing of the Bell Jar. Through her we learn a lot about both women’s experiences with depression, balancing motherhood and creativity, and being a female in the male-dominated poet world of the time. 3) And Ruth Barnhouse is a psychiatrist working with Sylvia Plath while she’s in McLean, an autobiographical experience that informed The Bell Jar and therefore the murky bridge between fact and fiction within the book.
https://createmefree.substack.com/p/the-last-confessions-of-sylvia-p
The Confessions of Sylvia P is on my list to read since I discovered it via your post! Hope you try The Hours (book or film) and let me know what you think :)
I will! And let me know too.
Fascinating discussion! I actually watched ‘The Hours’ before I read it. Both the film and the book are fantastic. I love that we’re starting to see films that pass the Bechdel Test more and more, and it’s great to see more representation of other groups on screen too. Thank you for sharing :)
Oh, The Hours is remarkable, both the book and the film! Yes, I've really noticed more films and series recently that are featuring the stories of women and other groups. Thanks for reading :)
The Hours is such brilliance. Great piece.
Agreed!
Great film and great read of the gaze! Have you heard about the Geena Davis Institute? I don't know a lot about it but I've been seeing it pop up a lot recently.
Did we talk about it already? Can't remember :)
https://seejane.org/
Oh, no I don't think you mentioned it before but it looks interesting! I will definitely check it out as it's an area that interests me. Thanks :)
Loved the film, love the book. Julianne Moore making that cake...absolutely of the era she represents
Oh, totally! Julianne Moore is the star of the film for me; I love her character's story the best.