Books and Films

to inspire, challenge and excite

Elthorne Park

Sixth Form
July 2010

Book Choice
(in no particular order)

The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz - from page one this is a gripping and absorbing read and an inspirational tale of human courage. Call It Sleep by Henry Roth - a wonderful novel about a young Jewish boy growing up in 1930s New York. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller - you need to get to a particular age to appreciate the bitter cynicism behind the humour; for me, it was 16. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James - a ghost story or is it? The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami - a novel that covers the human condition indeed; impossible to summarise. Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Woolfe great novel about modern America; such a good insight into a way of life. Money by Martin Amis - find out what all the fuss is about, before Amis became more famous for his dentistry. Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham - too much happens in this novel to summarise - but what I can say is that it is one of the most remarkable books I have read. Tess of the Durbevilles by Thomas Hardy this novel shocked some readers at the time but it is staggeringly good. Atonement by Ian McEwan an incredibly rich book, beautifully written and crafted anyone interested in fiction should read it. "The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it." James Bryce

Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky short but powerful. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - the whole story is based on how to follow your dreams and make it true in real life. Very interesting story, also other books written by him are good. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Minstry - a truly great book, overwhelmingly sad and shocking but also uplifting it stays with you. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist by Robert Tressal the kind of book which can change your view on the world be prepared. The Making of the English Working Class by E. P. Thompson this book single-handedly revolutionised our understanding of English social History. "The person who does not read good books has no advantage over the person who can't read them." Mark Twain

Lord of the Flies by William Golding I dont think anyone who has read this book can forget it what happens when there are no adults around on an island paradise.

The Slave by Isaac Bashevis Singer - I have read it four times and still love it. The Crucible by Arthur Miller a heartfelt warning against intolerance and bigotry. Animal Farm by George Orwell a book everyone should read; human greed, corruption and deceit, through the allegory of farm animals. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen witty, sharp and keenly observant about our ordinary human fears and preoccupations, do not dismiss it because it is a classic. "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx

The World Turned Upside Down by Christopher Hill perhaps the best History work in English. Quarantine by Greg Egan - quantum physics in real and visceral terms, this is part thriller, part detective story. Birdsong by Sebatistian Faulks set during the First World War, this is quite simply stunning. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young by James Joyce it is incredible how the author shifts his language to describe the different stages of his life and of his experiences. Sophies World by Jostein Gaarder a novel about the History of Philosophy which leaves you so much wiser. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon a remarkable novel told completely from the view point of a 15 year old boy with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. Once in a House on Fire by Andrea Ashworth - about a girl from a dysfunctional home who makes it to University. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield about how to make connections between the events happening in your own life as well as a gripping story of adventure and discovery. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy a beautifully written book about the approaching tragedy in a family. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou an autobiographical masterpiece set in America of the 1930s and during racism towards Blacks then.

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker the film is good, but the book is far, far better. The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels perhaps the most influential book of the past two centuries, it shaped the lives of the millions who have read it. The Black Tulip by Alexander Dumas the author knows how to tell an adventure story so it zips along one of the original page-turners. The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Attwood this book made me think. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein creates a whole world full of people struggling to do what is right. "It is what you read when you don't have to, that determines what you will be when you can't help it." Oscar Wilde

Rubicon by Tom Holland Roman History as a complete page-turner. Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake it transported me completely to this fascinating, and very dark, world. The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas this book does not slow down makes you want to act out all the sword fights with a broom. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas one of the authors more complex stories, a tale of revenge and passion which leaves you breathless for more. Born Free by Joy Adamson helped open my eyes to another world.

The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas by John Boyle whatever you do, dont give the ending away. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee I find it becomes more profound the more I read it. Midnights Children by Salman Rushdie the winner of the Booker of the Booker about the everyday and the magical. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini a powerful and astonishing book that had me riveted from start to end. A Thousand Endless Suns by Khaled Hosseini - tells the wonderful, intensely moving story of how two modern Afghan women overcome the great challenges that have faced women there to rise above their victimization.

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende - populated by a memorable, often eccentric, cast of characters. Together, men and women, spirits, the forces of nature and of History, converge in a brilliantly realised novel. Captain Corellis Mandolin dont let the film put you off as this is a great story fantastically told. Watership Down by Richard Adams more of an adults book than a childrens despite the fact that it is about rabbits. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde does it glamorise a life of excess or warn against it? - this is as modern today as when it was first written. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell writing around the time of Charles Dickens, one of the unsung heroes of English literature. "Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labelled This could change your life. Helen Exley

Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos M. N. Eire - about the authors childhood in Havana, Cuba - a vivid pictures of Havana at the time and of the colourful inhabitants around him. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez some of the images will live with you forever. The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy perhaps one of the finest tragedies written in English. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner accessible and makes you think about the world in a completely different way. A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley a world where everyone is happy and everyone can have whatever they want? this shows what is wrong with that.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig thoughtful and readable, a father and his son cross America and uncover what true human values are. "The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them." Samuel Butler

The Little Prince by Saint Exupery - one of those books that you can read and re-read at any age and each time you get something more out of it. Lovely! Anne Franks Diary by Anne Frank more than a piece of History, this is also a moving autobiography of a young woman growing up. Q & A by Vikram Swarup one of the most intriguing books I have read makes you want to read it again and againthe basis for Slumdog Millionaire. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides - a beautifully written epic tale, as much about family and what we owe them as anything else. "To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life." W. Somerset Maugham

Do It Tomorrow by Mark Foster how to get everything done on time and still have time to relax. Watchmen by Alan Moore immeasurably better than the film, a complex and dark tale. The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat by Oliver Sacks funny, moving and tragic, even more so because it is about real people. Nineteen Eighty Four by Georeg Orwell about so many things: love, deception, political control and the original Big Brother doubleplusgood. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel - gripped my imagination and anchored itself to me like a limpet; I read it in a day. "No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting." Mary Wortley Montagu

Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Hemingways stories are realistic and about great passion, happiness and sadness. On the Road by Jack Kerouac more than enough encouragement to just get out there and live. The Reader clearly, sparsely written but with a profound impact on you. The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans - I was blown away by it; I had never before read something so touching. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy well worth the time - unforgettable.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott. Fitzgerald a modern American tragedy set among uber-rich. Blindness by Jose Saramago - one of that very rare class of books which deal with terrible events, and should therefore be a depressing read, but instead leave the reader uplifted and more able to deal with life's horrors written in a unique way. Brick Lane by Monica Ali an enthralling tale of London life set in Tower Hamlets. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier a very underestimated writer who deals so effectively with atmosphere and the clash of personalities; no two people come away with the same view of the central character. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver breaks some of the taboos on parents and their feelings. "The time to read is any time: no apparatus, no appointment of time and place, is necessary. It is the only art which can be practised at any hour of the day or night, whenever the time and inclination comes, that is your time for reading; in joy or sorrow, health or illness." Holbrook Jackson

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell - about one of the most dysfunctional families but at the same time one of the warmest. Middlemarch by George Elliot - a rich understanding of human nature and how ordinary people can live a heroic life - one of the finest novels ever written. Wild Swans by Jung Chang - so vivid you feel like you are actually there in China. East of Eden by John Steinbeck - perhaps his best novel, this is rich and compelling. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - by Nigeria's most famous novelist, this is a gripping account of a downfall of a civilisation and way of life.

Film Choice
(in no particular order)

The Matrix the ideas are still fresh and exciting, and it works better alone, without the two sequels. The Long Good Friday the best British gangster film that set the standard for all the ones which followed. Get Carter raw greatness in Michael Caines performance and a script which crackles with energy and force. The Shawshank Redemption its power lies in the growing relationship between the two lead characters and their refusal to become victims of the system. Cinema Paradiso - about the beauty and magic of films and their ability to shape our lives. Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have Caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything. Aaron Siskind

Amelie a fantastic film about ordinary people and how making a small difference can have a great impact. One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest this film boils with anger and frustration at the petty injustices of life - terrific. A Taste of Honey shocking for some at the time, this still has the power to move me as it explores the struggles of the lead character to find a life for herself. Barton Fink this film gets better and better with each viewing its dark comedy worming itself more under your skin. Rois et Reine (Kings and Queen) this complex film following the parallel stories of two individuals repays the viewer a hundredfold.

To Sir, With Love an inexperienced teacher struggles with his students as he also questions his purpose and direction; this is story telling at its best. Its a Wonderful Life would the world miss you if you had not been born? A film about the connectedness of life and the difference one person can make. The English Patient an astonishing film for its richness and structure, there is something here to delight everyone. Pay it Forward an inspirational film with a simple message at its heart, everyone should see this.

Kids a controversial film that does not seek to judge its cast, this is raw and forces you to confront your own preconceptions. A Walk to Remember although marketed as a teen movie, this is for those of any age who want to believe. The Bridges of Madison County a passionate and graceful film about the ties which bind us and constrain our lives. Life Is Beautiful a film which reveals the brutality of the Nazi persecution through the attempt of a father to shield his son from it through humour. Citizen Kane one of the most significant films ever made, this still has huge power to move and challenge as it explores the roots and consequences of greed. Chinatown a classic film which explores the dark side of Los Angeles with one of the best scripts ever. still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on. Alfred Hitchock

If it's a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would

Three Colours Blue although part of a trilogy of films, this works fantastically well by itself and the lead actress gives an astonishing performance. Cry Freedom - an amazing film about one mans fight for justice against apartheid, all the more inspirational for being true. Metropolis - while a favoured elite enjoy a life of luxury a vast army of nameless workers live in a grim underground city toiling ten hour shifts a film to make you think. Thelma and Louise smart and funny, this film is as much about friendship as anything and the climax is gob-smacking in its daring. Casablanca a perfectly formed film which avoids simplistic endings because it understands that life does not always fall that way.

Hope and Glory I watch this almost every year and it is still an absolute joy, as much for the little things, a glance, an expression, as for the story itself; this understand us. Billy Elliot a film about trying to express yourself as you want not as others tell you to, you need to watch this more than once. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown colourful and inventive, this is modern farce with some cracking performances from the cast.

The Lord of the Rings the trilogy which has it all: action, romance, pain and joy, from the smallest detail to the broadest epic sweep this is impeccable filmmaking. The Usual Suspect even when you know the twist in the tale this repays rewatching to appreciate its careful construction and understanding of people.

American Beauty once you start watching this you have to finish, it draws you in and makes you care as the central character tries to regain control over his life. Harold and Maude the most unlikely romance you will ever see, this is darkly comic, uplifting and very, very funny. Manhattan some the sharpest dialogue Woody Allen has written (and that is saying something), truly incredible cinema. Ferris Buellers Day Off one of the best feel good movies, as a group of friends bunk school to make the day their the best ever - seize the day. The Pianist based on a true story about one man struggling to survive against the odds - shocking and unbelievably moving. "Never treat your audience as customers, always as partners." Jimmy Stewart

Blood Diamond a Hollywood blockbuster which is thought-provoking and will leave you seeing the world differently. The Godfather the masterpiece of American cinema, about family, loyalty, deceit and the effect this has on individuals and their families an incredibly good film. Delicatessen quirk and very funny, the film is set in a post-apocalyptic world where meat is almost literally murder. Goodbye Lenin a great film about lying this is both comic and tragic at the same time. Memento this is a film which repays repeated viewing, with its complex structure and compelling action. Joel: That's the movies, Ed. Try reality. Ed: No thanks. Ellen Herman, Northern Exposure

Psycho despite being copied by so many bad films, this is shows exactly how fear and suspense should be built up to a knife edge. Coming to America quite simply one of the funniest films I have ever seen 12 Angry Men set in just one room as a man chips away at the prejudices and preconceptions of his fellow jury-members, this is a brilliant and amazing film. Bringing Up Baby perhaps the most perfect screwball comedy ever made, the coincidences and misunderstandings pile ever higher to brilliant effect. His Girl Friday some of the fastest, sharpest dialogue, this is comedy at breakneck speed utterly fantastic. Film is one of the three universal languages, the other two: mathematics and music Franck Capra

8 Men Out why would eight men deliberately lose the most important game of their life? Intelligent entertainment. King Kong (1933) shows that you do not need modern film effects to create action, atmosphere and emotion. Paris, Texas a haunting story about trying to rebuild you life from scratch powerful and wonderful. Field of Dreams a film about the hopes and dreams we all may have, it encourages you to pursue your ambitions and build you own world. Vertigo psychologically complex, this has intrigue and suspense in bucket loads with some of the best visual tricks the directors ever came up with. "If I didn't have my films as an outlet for all the different sides of me, I would probably be locked up." Angelina Jolie

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly almost literally a battle between good and bad, this is also far more than that and can be seen as a condemnation of American hypocrisy.

Schindlers List a stupendously beautifully crafted film that in the ends speaks of hope for future generations and the human ability to survive. The Butterfly Effect how different would our present be if we could undo the mistakes of our past? The past and present are not so clear cut in this thoughtprovoking film. LA Confidential about the glamour of corruption and the corruption which comes from glamour - brilliant in its plotting and subtle in its characterisation simply stunning. Good Will Hunting fresh, funny and emotionally charged, this is about the awkward ways people try to show friendship and affection as well as about people trying to cope with great gifts. A great movie is a perfect blend of truth and spectacle Franois Truffaut

The Shining in some sense a ghost story, this is about madness, fear and the horror of life - stunningly shot with one of cinemas greatest ever performances. The Black Dahlia an intelligent and gripping thriller centred around the infamous so-called Black Dhalia murder, this peers into the dark abyss of the human soul. Dont Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead - with its themes of the importance of team work/family and surviving with humour, this is very funny. Face Off amazing gun fights and action sequences, this also asks the question: what makes you you? The Alamo (2004) quite why this did not do so well at the box-office, I do not know as this is intelligent and moving filmmaking with a tremendous central performance.

"Film as dream, film as music. No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight room of the soul. A little twitch in our optic nerve, a shock effect: twenty-four illuminated frames a second, darkness in between, the optic nerve incapable of registering darkness." Ingmar Bergman

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon a film about honour and duty as well as loneliness and mortality, with a fantastic performance from the great John Wayne. Glory one of the greatest war films because it focuses more on the human characters than on the fighting - this is inspiring and challenging. Hotel Rwanda I challenge anyone to watch this without being moved by the fate of not just characters here but the whole country - exceptionally brilliant. Clockwork Orange still controversial at the time, this is a warning and a challenge to our ideas about the violence, both individuals and the states. Slumdog Millionaire its power lies in the fact that it does not sugar coat the grim realities of life on the streets of Indias cities and uses its relatively small budget to create a film of energy, heart and soul.

"How could you? Haven't you learned anything? We live in a society of laws! Why do you think I took you to all those Police Academy movies? For fun? Well, I didn't hear anybody laughing, did you? Homer Simpson

Hoop Dreams a completely absorbing documentary following the lives of two inner-city African American teenage basketball prodigies as they move through high school with dreams of superstardom and an escape from the ghetto. Blame it on Fidel a wonderful film about the effects on a young girl of her parents decision to change their lifestyle this is funny, wise, touching and genuine. Gallipoli - an outstanding drama, this resonates with sadness long after you have seen it. A Beautiful Mind this will inspire and uplift; it shows us the strength and determination of some people to succeed. Sophies Choice - a Polish survivor of a WWII concentration camp harbours a devastating secret - a beautiful and tragic tale that is profoundly moving and intelligent. "Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy." J. K. Rowling Some Like it Hot one of the best comedies ever made with three of cinemas great comic actors; this shows why Maralyn Monroe was so much in demand as an actor. The Elephant Man heartbreaking and inspirational - makes you appreciate the struggles some people face and the strength it takes to carry on. Etre et Avoir - Slow yourself down, sit comfortably and quietly...and enjoy pure cinematic delight. Downfall the last days of Hitler sounds like a bad idea for film but this is astonishingly good, showing the madness of the Nazi system stunning and compelling.

On the Waterfront gripping and powerful, Marlon Brandos character faces the choice of allegiance to his friends and community and loyalty to the woman he grows to love. "It's only the dreamers who ever move mountains." Werner Herzog

Kind Hearts and Coronets inventive, ingenious and inspired, worth watching just for Alec Guiness playing eight different characters. The Apartment (1960) romance at its most anti-romantic, this is a darkly comic and startlingly clear-eyed vision of the crazy decisions our hearts sometimes make. Apocalypse Now set during the Vietnam war this is about one mans journey into the heart of darkness with images which will haunt your mind for days on end. The Searchers with one of the most iconic endings in movie history, this is a rich and fascinating film with a complex and flawed character at its heart. Munich both an action film and a reflection on the Israeli-Palestine conflict, this is about the nature of revenge and its effects on us all.

If my film makes one more person miserable, I've done my job Woody Allen