Rising from the dead

Or at least, it feels like it.

I’ve been horribly ill with parainfluenza, complicated by an eye infection in both eyes. I don’t get sick often, but this one was really a doozy and knocked me down and out. Today’s the first day in a week and a half that I’ve felt slightly better than the previous day, instead of worse. Hopefully I’m on the mend. The Pontiff got sick with the same symptoms (other than the eye infection) at the same time, but had a much more rapid recovery than I did, other than the near-constant cough. At least he was able to get out and around.

You’d think that might be a good excuse for putting my feet up and knitting, but even that was too difficult – I’d knit a row or two and just feel worn out. Even watching a movie seemed too much of an effort.

So what to do when not sleeping or napping? An audiobook turned out to be the perfect thing. I could curl up on the couch and close my eyes, and just listen to the book. I’d downloaded ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier from my local library. I’ve read it before, of course, but it had been a long time. If ever a book was a perfect fit for an audio version, this was it. The first-person narrative style of writing, combined with the perfection of the reading by Anna Massey, was as if the young Mrs. de Winter herself was in my living room telling me her story. (Part 1 of the audiobook is on YouTube here, if you want a preview.)

I found out after finishing the audiobook that Anna Massey played the part of Mrs. Danvers in a 1979 BBC mini-series of ‘Rebecca’. I’ve only seen the 1940 Alfred Hitchcock version (which I enjoyed, other than the change to a key element of the book – apparently necessary because of the ridiculous Hays act), and the 1997 Masterpiece Theater version (perfectly dreadful in my opinion*), so I will definitely have to watch the BBC one. It’s supposed to be more true to the book. Apparently it was never released on DVD, but it seems to be on YouTube in its entirety. I’m in Part 2 now, and it definitely is more true to the book in both casting and tone. I wish it had better production values, as it’s pretty typical for 1970’s made-for-TV movies, but it’s done well enough for me to overlook that.

Thanks to YouTube, all versions are available for your viewing pleasure:

1940 Alfred Hitchcock Version

1979 BBC mini-series

1997 Masterpiece Theater Part 1 and Part 2 (if you must… but perhaps good for a laugh.)

*I guess it might not be so dreadful if taken as a movie by itself, but I though it was a horrible adaptation of the book – badly miscast in every role, and completely different in feel from the book – more like a romance than a psychological thriller and tale of jealousy. And the odd changes to the plot? Why?

Oh, and go say Happy Birthday to The Cookie.