While I am enjoying the films themselves in the Sonnet Project, one of the things that I like the most about it is that it has forced me to think about the material itself. As the Shakespearean language can be hard to grasp when the exposure is so brief, I have been reading the sonnets beforehand to get the words but also get an understanding of the meaning of them the best I can. At times this means I also have an idea of how I would approach it and what I would do and in the case of sonnet 25, I envisaged delivery of it at a sporting venue, with clips of sporting achievements and failures played out underneath. As a Knicks fan there are plenty of heroes become villains which would fit the text of the sonnet and I like the idea of a sports fan put through so much by these highly paid athletes ultimately taking comfort that he at least has consistency in his relationship.
Anyway, the film itself is set on the street outside Studio 54 and we see an older disco queen come out of the club, clearly a bit frustrated and maybe tired. The delivery matches the sonnet text as this woman seems to relate her frustration that she never "made it" and seems bitter while suggesting that those that did will fall with just a frown, so fragile is their success. Meyers does this very well, getting the right notes of bitterness and tiredness into her voice but still keeping it in line with the words she says. This is very nicely done as it adds a new context and meaning to the sonnet without losing the original text, so it presents it, but isn't overly literal or static with it (as was the case with #34). The camera captures a very clear and crisp image but mostly just lets Meyers work, which is a good decision as she is where the whole film is. It appears a very simple piece but it is very professionally and effectively done.
Anyway, the film itself is set on the street outside Studio 54 and we see an older disco queen come out of the club, clearly a bit frustrated and maybe tired. The delivery matches the sonnet text as this woman seems to relate her frustration that she never "made it" and seems bitter while suggesting that those that did will fall with just a frown, so fragile is their success. Meyers does this very well, getting the right notes of bitterness and tiredness into her voice but still keeping it in line with the words she says. This is very nicely done as it adds a new context and meaning to the sonnet without losing the original text, so it presents it, but isn't overly literal or static with it (as was the case with #34). The camera captures a very clear and crisp image but mostly just lets Meyers work, which is a good decision as she is where the whole film is. It appears a very simple piece but it is very professionally and effectively done.