Now Playing: Hugo

Perfect Picture Book Friday will return in September.

Until then,

Welcome to the Bookish Ambition 

Summer Drive-In

The Circle Drive-In from my childhood. Still open and now with double features on two screens!

Now Playing: Hugo
The Invention of Hugo Cabret, written and illustrated by Brian Selznick
Scholastic Press, 2007
Ages 8-12, Lexile 8200L

Hugo, G K Films, 2011

The Invention of Hugo Cabret,
Written and illustrated by Brian Selznick

 

Highlights from the book? 

• The subtle and emotional art
• The creation of a half-novel-half-wordless book
• Selznick's amazing blend of fiction and reality
• The sequential, cinematic feel of the book
• The re-introduction of art-heavy books for "big kids"

Highlights from the movie?

• Perfect cinematic depiction of the novel
• Ben Kingsley
• Steam, clockworks, and automata
• Directed by Martin Scorsese
• Score by Howard Shore

Opening:

You'll find the opening pages on Brian's website.
http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/slideshow.htm

Movie Trailer:


Thoughts:
The book is almost a movie the way it tells a story through wordless art sections and magical prose. Only film makers with a keen eye and dedication to the original novel could pull off a worthy adaptation, and boy does the crew of this movie do just that. Some viewers may find the pacing slow, because it definitely runs at a thoughtful speed, but the careful observer will revel in the details. Fans of the book will notice familiar camera angles and close-ups. Newcomers will be fascinated by the intricate world-building.

This interview with Brian Selznick by Ed Vulliamy for the Guardian compares the book and movie better than I ever could and sneaks a peek at Wonderstruck coming to theaters in October.

Reminisce with intermission commercials
from Captain Bijou on You Tube.

Visit Our Snackbar!

If you fondly recall anthropomorphic food dancing across the screen, then you know this week's snackbar must-have is PIZZA!

If you're ever in Northeast PA, grab a wood fired pizza pie at Big Ten, one of my all-time favorite pizza places. Comet Ping Pong in downtown DC is a must-see. Their balsamic "Dream" pizza is worth driving a few hours out of your way. And if you're "down the shore," stop in at DJ's new location for a personal flatbread.

In the mood for something sweeter?
Hungry Happenings designed a strawberry-kiwi fruit pizza that looks like a watermelon. Confusing, but delicious.


Nostalgic for a drive-in movie? There are over 5,000 drive-in theaters across the U.S. mapped for you on Cinema Treasures.

Buy new-vintage at Lawnchair USA

If you can't see past your dashboard, you can bring your own seating. Remember those aluminum folding chairs from the early fifties? We must have rewebbed our a dozen times over. Shelterrific has posted beautiful step-by-step instructions for a vintage look. Modern DIYers may have more comfotable solutions. Lindsay on Better After posts a clever canvas and rope solution, while both DIY Network and A Beautiful Mess opt for macrame versions.

Have you seen Hugo? What's your opinion?
Reviewed The Invention of Hugo Cabret? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the Summer-Drive-in reviews for 2017.
Tune-in next week for the Marvelous Middle Grade Monday review for The Invention of Hugo Cabret, coming July 31, 2017.