The ending of "Lionheart" is a thing of beauty. As you say its a happy ending, but its also extremely ambiguous and that I feel is part of its strength as well. When I read it as a kid I felt is was very straight forward. They went to Nangijalima and things were good. Then as an adult there is suddenly this whole aspect of how its all about Karl/Skorpan facing death and no longer being afraid.
Again, as you say, the fact that Lindgren manages to work on all these levels is part of what sets her apart.
The only one of her books that I hadn't read by the time I was eight is Mio - it continued to scare the hell out of me until I finally managed it at the age of twenty.
Hee! I know exactly what you are talking about! As a kid I actually made my mother lock away my copy of Mio. It was the only way I managed to go to sleep. Personally I blame Kato and that creepy drawing of his black hand. ;)
The awful haircuts aside, there's also Katla the big bad papier-maché doll.
Hee. You took the words right out of my mouth. Katla is sort of the big anti-climax of the whole thing. I actually saw a good theatre production of "Lionheart" once - where Katla didn't come on stage at all. Instead she was all sound and darkness, with fast dimming of light and a slow rumbling bass. She was in fact truly scary! But then again they had revamped the whole look, and given Jonathan a very punkish, post-apocalyptic look with dreads! All in all I thought that worked rather well.
That said I wouldn't mind a new film version of "Lionheart". one with a little more oomph - but also one that shies away from the Hollywood gloss and shine. But as far as Ronja, Saltkråkan, Emil etc are concerned to me those films are too iconic to remake.
Speaking of friendly - do you mind if I friend? Because I've been done some stalking too (albeit very friendly), and it looks like we have some things in common. I find the "hating-the-da-vinci-code" particularly poetic - because if any book could be labelled 'a wretched hive of scum an villany' then that is it. (and I say this as one who has even seen the movie. Why did I out myself through such an experience? I don't know your Honour, and plead insanity on all charges.)
no subject
Again, as you say, the fact that Lindgren manages to work on all these levels is part of what sets her apart.
The only one of her books that I hadn't read by the time I was eight is Mio - it continued to scare the hell out of me until I finally managed it at the age of twenty.
Hee! I know exactly what you are talking about! As a kid I actually made my mother lock away my copy of Mio. It was the only way I managed to go to sleep. Personally I blame Kato and that creepy drawing of his black hand. ;)
The awful haircuts aside, there's also Katla the big bad papier-maché doll.
Hee. You took the words right out of my mouth. Katla is sort of the big anti-climax of the whole thing.
I actually saw a good theatre production of "Lionheart" once - where Katla didn't come on stage at all. Instead she was all sound and darkness, with fast dimming of light and a slow rumbling bass. She was in fact truly scary! But then again they had revamped the whole look, and given Jonathan a very punkish, post-apocalyptic look with dreads! All in all I thought that worked rather well.
That said I wouldn't mind a new film version of "Lionheart". one with a little more oomph - but also one that shies away from the Hollywood gloss and shine.
But as far as Ronja, Saltkråkan, Emil etc are concerned to me those films are too iconic to remake.
Speaking of friendly - do you mind if I friend? Because I've been done some stalking too (albeit very friendly), and it looks like we have some things in common.
I find the "hating-the-da-vinci-code" particularly poetic - because if any book could be labelled 'a wretched hive of scum an villany' then that is it. (and I say this as one who has even seen the movie. Why did I out myself through such an experience? I don't know your Honour, and plead insanity on all charges.)