I always thought it would be an extremely complex and difficult film to make given the whole premise is scentual stimulation.
The thing I love about the novel is that it leaves the judgments of the hideousness orphan who was born with no scent at all, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille to the reader. Also the hideous nature of his crimes. But one thing is always present, the sense of smell. The novel forces you to tap into those scents that have either repulsed us or drew us in.
I saw it with much want, and much trepidation last night and I was most disappointed. It was beautiful, yet dark, long, and painfully drawn out. The score by the Berliner Philharmoniker & Sir Simon Rattle is gives light and hope to a haunting topic and is easily the best thing about it. The book will still remain a fav, however Ben Whishaw was no where near as grotesque as I imagined Grenouille. Alan Rickman as Laure, the object of Grenouille's affection's father Antoine Richis was one of the highlights. Dustin Hoffman's performance as the master perfumer, Guiseppie Baldini, was woeful. His Italian accent easily rivalling Brad Pitt's abomination on the Irish accent in 'The Devil's Own' as all time worst
And since we are sharing books, my latest love of my life is 'Catalogue'. This is the complete graphical biography of the Pet Shop Boys to date, featuring clips from the music videos, single and album artwork, posters, and their historical performance of the score of Battleship Potemkin whilst it screened in Trafalgar Square. I love this book. I will never tire of it.
