April 20, 2012 Dragons
“Jealousy—that dragon which slays love under the pretense of keeping it alive!” says Havelock Ellis, a psychologist who wrote in the 1920s. I thought it appropriate since dragons and damaged relationships were the central theme this week.
First I watched the Starz series Camelot. It was a darker, edgier version of King Arthur. Though a bit melodramatic at times, I found it quite interesting. Merlin, played by Joseph Fines, is a troubled man. He is no longer the bearded wise man, but a bald 40-something guy. They hint that he is ageless, but that is his current appearance anyway. Arthur is but a boy struggling not only to become a man, but a King. Morgan is a scheming witch, trying to make the throne hers. I was disappointed to discover that there will be no Season 2. Between scheduling conflicts and budgeting issues it was canceled.
There were comparisons made between Camelot and Game of Thrones. One critic said that Camelot would do until the new season of Game of Thrones, but that Camelot wasn’t as well written as Game of Thrones.
Finally, I was able to watch HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones this past week. I placed a hold on it at the library. I was like the 365th person to do so. It took more than a few months for the DVD to come my way. I was excited to see what the fuss was about. Yeah, I read the books back in 2009. They were good, but I had a difficult time keeping track of all the various shifting view points. I needed a visual to really grasp it or appreciate it I felt.
And the visuals were stunning. The scenery, costumes and special effects really made the world come alive. It was very well done indeed. It isn’t for the faint of heart though. It was quite violent at times. If it weren’t for the compelling characters, the violence would probably be over the top. Luckily, the characters and storylines keep you watching to find out what happens next. People have joked about the oddly placed sex scenes as being “sex-position” instead of “exposition,” which is quite amusing.
Anyway, one of my favorite scenes is at the end of the last episode when Daenerys Targaryen uncurls from her position by her husband’s funeral pyre. She is naked, but unburned by the fire. The three dragon eggs that she received as a wedding present have hatched even though they were though to be merely fossils.
carilynn27 