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Show page 4 Friday, October Davis County Clipper 20, 1995 'The Scarlet Letter is too fleshed-out- , 1 i i i i i 1 disappointing i i i i i i i i i i i i i rlFS 1 1 X Hawthorne's story begins. The true problem with this movie is that strength replaces the 90s-sty- le guilt and shame of the puritanical New England setting. If Arthur and Hester truly feel justified in their sin, why not leave the colony? They could even run off w'ith the Indians for (in this movie) Dimmesdale is beloved true Americans. by the Moore would be a lovely (though non-sava- Fawna Jones Poor 'A' Fair cally time, place, and character Movie Critic names. The rest is fancy. The happy ending is ludicrous. When English students read The Scarlet Letter, we expect and accept the sad ending as an inevitability to the morality play Hawthorne presents. In this tale, Hester Prynne is a 90s woman (1990 that is) transplanted to Puritan Massachusetts, sent ahead by her husband Roger (Robert Duvall) to set up a home for them. Her head gets Sprawling romantic epics are no surprise in Hollywood. Two great movies this year (Rob Roy and Braveheart) fill the genre nicely. But the story of most famous adulteress Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter should not be one of them, even fleshed-ou- t by the fiery Demi Moore. In this film version of The Scarlet Letter, 'A' Good Excellent Superb turned the local pastor Dimmesdale as they fall in love. Having avoided each others aching the timid, hypocritical Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is fleshed-ou- t by Gary Oldam as a presence, they consummate their passionate, heroic bleeding-hear- t. Screenwriter Douglas Day Stewart and director Roland Joffe must feel vindictive toward their high-scho- by longing when Dimmesdale brings her the sadjoyful news that her husband is presumed dead in an Indian massacre. Of course nine months later and ol an hour of movie time later, she stands on the towns scaffold with a babe in arms and a scarlet letter A on her chest which is where English teachers with this metamor- phosis of classic literary angst. Stewart and Joffe use only a couple dozen pages of the novella for basi 1 MO V miev R R NORTH How to Make an American Quilt 7:00, 9:45 Seven Assassins 7:30, 9:50 7:15, 10:00 guomy anews Bountiful, 500 S. Exit to utter such stilted moral- ly superior dialogue. And Oldam would make an interesting Arthur Dimmesdale, if he didnt have to portray such a heroic lover. His pasty complexion and his moist, unruly locks fit Hawthornes original Arthur better. Duvalls Roger Chillingworth is the closest to the original chilling portrayal of the vengeful husband, but he isnt given enough screen time to truly create the whole villain and then is transformed into Kurtz from Conrads Heart of Darkness (but thats a whole other literary classic). Bottom line: If the filmmakers had changed the name of the players and called the movie anything but () The Scarlet Letter, I might have stopped giggling when the happy lovers with happy child ride off into the sunset. (Hollywood Pictures. Who is it for? The overly curious whove dreamed of seeing a classic literary figure skinny dipping.) LATE OCTOBER Halloween is creeping through Indian Summer haze. Sunshine, warm fall breezes enhance October days. 1000 N. 500 E N. Salt Lake PG-1- 3 didnt have FORBIDDEN LOVE: In this retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel about passion and forbidden love in 17th Century New England, Demi Moore (right) stars as Hester Prynne, a sensual and spirited young woman who is forced to wear a brand of shame for her adulterous ison with the passionate Reverend Dimmesdale (Gary Oldman) in Hollywood Pictures' "The Scarlet Letter." Rhyme & Reason rnmnrn n miitiiiiiiiiirmTTTrTnTifTrrrr 1 rather husky) Hester Prynne if she 206 S. 625 W ., West Bountiful But: watch for ghostly goblins or black cats on the prowl, For high upon an old tree branch sits a spooky owl! Scarecrows stand over all the fields. Black birds now are searching to find what harvest yields. Witches fly with straw brooms sweeping cobwebs from the sky. Bats from belfry towers will soon be darting by. Hooded capes on horses gallop through the trees. Spiders spin their gauze-lik- e webs to waiver in the breeze. Monsters brew their pizen, be it apples, grog or stew. This Halloween, be careful, for theyre all out to get you! Nina. L. Prestwich Poetry submitted by members of the Bountiful ChapterUtah State Poetry Society. For membership information call 295-289- Rubified i DAVIS COUNTY lia- by. Inc. Clipper Publishing Co., Box 267 1370 South 500 West P.O. Bountiful, Utah 84011-026FAX (801) Telephone (8011 ADMINISTRATION R. 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