Thursday, August 1, 2019

Herman Melville 200 -- August 1, 2019

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Author Herman Melville was born 200 years ago today, on 01-August-1819.  I don't remember reading any of his novels in high school, but I read Moby Dick (twice) and Billy Budd in college.  Later I read Typee, Omoo and The Confidence-Man.  I need to read some of his others.

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Melville's centennial in 1919 led to a rediscovery of his work, but as far as I can tell, the first film adaption was The Sea Beast, a 1926 adaption of Moby Dick.  John Barrymore played Ahab.

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The second adaption was a talkie remake of Moby Dick, again starring Barrymore.

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John Huston directed the 1956 version of Moby Dick.  He also wrote the screenplay with Ray Bradbury.

I am surprised that no one adapted the short story "Bartleby the Scrivener" until 1956.  This was a French television production.

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In the 1962 Billy Budd, Peter Ustinov played the captain, co-wrote the scenario and directed.





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