…to tell you all [and actually "reiterate" might be the better word] that I love Neil Gaiman. If only I had half the creative mind as him, I would be happy.
I just watched Mirrormask, and it was one of the most interesting movies I’ve ever seen. I was going to say “best”, but I had to think about it for a moment. Because, you see, normally when I watch a movie, I can’t stop talking and asking questions and just making comments about it and etc, but this time, even though I was watching with my sister [who'd seen the movie before], I was completely riveted.
The only comments I made were “ugh!” [when such things as the Black Queen vomiting up the "Shadow" occurred] or “Valentine!!!” [when such things as him taking the ransom occurred]. It was one of the strangest movies I’ve seen, and yet, when have any of Neil Gaiman’s works been “traditional”?
I’ve read almost all of his books [the exceptions being Anansi Boys and half of American Gods], and loved every one. I just love his writing style so much. Before reading Neverwhere, I’d never actually been afraid of a book character. But Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar were just so psychotic and horrifying and real in the sense that they weren’t megalomaniacs intent on controlling the world that they just terrified me. And Coraline? Honestly I can say that it is the scariest book I’ve ever read. [Coming in at a close second is the bit in The Golem's Eye where Kitty is being chased by Honorius the afrit through a tomb.]
Oh sigh.
Whenever I come on here to do a rant, it never comes out quite like I want it to.
I think my point is that YOU, DreamingOfNothing, have to have to have to have to HAVE TO see this masterpiece of screenwriting that is Mirrormask. The plot…the characters…the animation…it all just adds to the wonderfulness of this movie. Valentine is one of the best characters in the world, and his Irish accent just makes him that much better when he says lines like: “I am a panther. I shall slip unnoticed through the darkness like a dark unnoticeable slippy thing.” and/or: “My mam always said, ‘It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, son. You get them before they get you. Eat your greens. Don’t do that.”
It’s all just so Gaiman I can completely completely see it in a book. It’s just a pity it isn’t a book.
And now I am craving the Sandman comics…*sigh*
P.S.– On a completely different note: I read the article about Jani, saw the video and read her father’s blog. It’s completely tragic, and at the same time so horrifically intriguing. My heart goes out to her and her family. She’s such a sweet little girl, I can’t imagine living with such an illness.
