Call Me By You Name

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Posted by tonnaree
January 30, 2018 3:46 pm
#1

Yea, I'm in love.
Movie and book.

Anyone out there interested in discussing either or both? 
All opinions welcome.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Proud President and Founder of the OSAJ.  
Honorary German  
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not".
 -Vaclav Havel 
"Life is full of wonder, Love is never wrong."   Melissa Ethridge

I ship it harder than Mrs. Hudson.
    
 
 
Posted by SusiGo
January 30, 2018 8:16 pm
#2

First I have to say that I have only read the book since the film has not been released over here yet. 

Tbh, I was disappointed since there had been so much praise on Tumblr, many people who had hoped for Johnlock changing over to CMBYN. Therefore I was surprised that the story ends the way it does (I think the film is different, ending with the separation and dispensing with the "what happened later" part). To me Oliver choosing to marry a woman is not much different from John Watson choosing to marry a woman if we regard both men as bisexual. I found that the ending lacked a certain dynamic.

On the plus side: the gay love between the protagonists is never questioned or criticised from a moral point of view which is nice. 

But - and this is my personal experience - the love story simply did not grip me, it did not feel authentic to me. After some time I got impatient with the hesitation between the two men since I could not understand why they did not act on their feelings much earlier, especially since there was no moral judgement in their environment. I could not feel the passion. 

After reading that the author is a middle-aged, allegedly heterosexual college professor I started wondering about his motives. Because if he is writing from experience, I would have expected more passion. And if this is autobiographical, why did he choose to write from Elio's point of view instead of Oliver's (assuming that Oliver would be his alter ego). 

I think I shall give the film a try and see how I feel about it. Anyway, as you can see the book gave me food for thought which is always a good thing. 

P.S: The film I just ordered and which I am very excited for is "God's Own Country". Maybe we can watch both films and then compare opinions. 

Last edited by SusiGo (January 30, 2018 8:17 pm)


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"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 
Posted by Yitzock
January 31, 2018 1:58 am
#3

I haven't seen this film, but I've seen a mix of opinions about it. I thought about going to see it at the cinema, but I'm not sure I need to see it before it's available at home that badly.
The only things I know are that the actor (Timothée) portrays young love well, apparently, and that there's a sexual encounter involving a peach.



Clueing for looks.
 
Posted by SusiGo
January 31, 2018 8:40 am
#4

Ahem, yes. The peach. This was one of the moments in the book that did not impress me at all. 


------------------------------
"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 
Posted by tonnaree
January 31, 2018 2:36 pm
#5

Yes, opinions are very mixed and I completely understand why some people are disappointed.
I read the book after seeing the movie so I was picturing the actors while I read and they really were enchanting in the film.  Plus, the book does go a bit further so that was a bonus.

For me the ending (book and movie) made me sad, but I wasn't disappointed or offended by it.
All along I saw both characters as bisexual so their relationship wasn't defined by the fact that they were both men.  I'm sure this is heavily influenced by the fact that I am bisexual.  The fact that I ended up marrying someone of the opposite sex doesn't mean I stopped being bi. 
So, I didn't see Oliver marrying a woman as a betrayal or denial or who he is. 
I was disappointed that Oliver and Elio didn't end up together, but not because Oliver married a woman.
Oliver went with what was easy.  He could have possibly stayed with Elio, but it would've been hard. 
And in the end it might not have worked out anyway.
I believe their relationship, while beautiful and real, was one of those things that aren't meant to last.  They happen at a particular place and time and can change us forever, but from the start they have an expiration date.  Elio and Oliver loved each other in a bubble; and while it might have been possible to take it further, ultimately Oliver choose to go back to the real world.

On an additional note, even if you don't like the ending, the movie is absolutely gorgeous!  The cinematography, the music and the performances are all outstanding.  And Timothee Chalamet is quite deserving of his Oscar nomination.

Last edited by tonnaree (January 31, 2018 2:38 pm)


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Proud President and Founder of the OSAJ.  
Honorary German  
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not".
 -Vaclav Havel 
"Life is full of wonder, Love is never wrong."   Melissa Ethridge

I ship it harder than Mrs. Hudson.
    
 
 
Posted by tonnaree
January 31, 2018 2:39 pm
#6

PS.  Susi, I have heard great things about "God's Own Country" too.  Will have to see it.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Proud President and Founder of the OSAJ.  
Honorary German  
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not".
 -Vaclav Havel 
"Life is full of wonder, Love is never wrong."   Melissa Ethridge

I ship it harder than Mrs. Hudson.
    
 
 
Posted by DramaQueen
March 4, 2018 3:38 pm
#7

I've read the book about one year ago and was overwhelmed with the almost painful honesty of Aciman's writing. After my deep impression of the book it was definitely worth of waiting for the movie which is beautuful, moving and excellent performed. Excellent. I liked all of it, the music, the acting, the sunny landscapes, the subtle sensuality.

Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet are both superb at expression of these fragile feelings, heartbreakingly honest and absolutely human. I think, many of us could totally identify themselves with the characters of Elio or Oliver.

It’s amazing to know, that Luca Guadagnino is sure about the sequel.

Now I've read also " Harvard Square" and "Out of Egypt" by Aciman and just received also the very new book of him , "Enigma Variations ". I like his style, his language, his sense of humour.

Last edited by DramaQueen (March 4, 2018 3:42 pm)


__________________________________________________

Men should be what they seem, 
Or those that be not, would they might seem none!



 
 
Posted by besleybean
March 4, 2018 3:50 pm
#8

I so want to see this film.


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http://professorfangirl.tumblr.com/post/105838327464/heres-an-outtake-of-mark-gatiss-on-the
 
Posted by DramaQueen
March 7, 2018 9:05 am
#9

Go and watch.
DVD and Blu-ray are also released.


__________________________________________________

Men should be what they seem, 
Or those that be not, would they might seem none!



 
 
Posted by Yitzock
March 26, 2019 1:34 pm
#10

Sorry if I am about to be a wet blanket, but I finally watched the movie and I have some thoughts.
I'll start with the mostly  positive stuff. The piano music in this movie is the only part of the soundtrack I like, even though I sometimes felt it was giving an emotional cue that didn't quite fit the scene.
I thought the scenes of dancing were nice, as were the scenes among beautiful scenery. There are sone really nice locations in this film. I also thought the endcreduts were an interesting choice, showing Elio in a static closeup the entire time.
Without meaning to stereotype, the setting felt SO European. Eating outside, bicycling everywhere, fresh fruit from the tree...

But I didn't love this film. I only sort of liked it. Because so much of the rest of the plot seemed ridiculous! I didn't feel what Elio and Oliver had was special, it was all lust. And the sexual scenes for the most part struck me as odd. Like

when Opiver just randomly asks Elio to drop his pants and fellates him in the doorway and then just leaves.

also, there was so much fruit-picking and eating, I was constantly bracing myself for the moment. And it wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting, but I didn't particularly like it either.
It seemed to me the script would have read more as an erotic novel than a great romance,. I was expecting the latter.

I also don't like Sufjan Stevens' songs. Not my taste. But that's a minor quibble.

Anyway, I have a question for those who have also read the book. Is the book also just the story of that summer fling or is there more afterwards. Someone told me there was more in the book, but Borh of us were only going off of what we had heard from others.



Clueing for looks.
 
Posted by besleybean
March 26, 2019 5:04 pm
#11

I have the film sitting on my shelf waiting to watch and I'm not really sure I want to now.
Ha!


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http://professorfangirl.tumblr.com/post/105838327464/heres-an-outtake-of-mark-gatiss-on-the
 
Posted by SusiGo
March 26, 2019 6:30 pm
#12

Yitzock, I am quite relieved to hear that I am not the only one who is not in love with this film. By now I have both read the book and watched the film and can only say that they do not work for me. I have watched a lot of gay-themed movies: Maurice, The Circle, A Single Man, God's Own Country, The Normal Heart and others and every single one felt to me more honest and convincing. 

For one thing - funny enough - the love scenes between Elio and the girl seemed to me more genuine and loving than the ones between him and Oliver. And I can only agree with you about the other points. 

In the book there is not much more at the end. A summary of their future but nothing that would change the outcome of the film. 

And finally - I know there has been a lot of demand for gay-themed films with a positive ending where the gay characters do not suffer constantly or die or are depicted as villains. And precisely therefore I am astonished at the success of this film. 

 


------------------------------
"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 
Posted by Yitzock
March 27, 2019 2:16 pm
#13

besleybean wrote:

I have the film sitting on my shelf waiting to watch and I'm not really sure I want to now.
Ha!

If you've already got it, there's no harm in watching it to see what you think. You might not think the same as I do. Like I tried to say in my post, it's not all bad. But I don't think it's all good either, and things that I think were intended to move me just didn't.
And if you don't like it, I suppose you can give it away to someone else who might.

SusiGo wrote:

Yitzock, I am quite relieved to hear that I am not the only one who is not in love with this film. By now I have both read the book and watched the film and can only say that they do not work for me. I have watched a lot of gay-themed movies: Maurice, The Circle, A Single Man, God's Own Country, The Normal Heart and others and every single one felt to me more honest and convincing. 

For one thing - funny enough - the love scenes between Elio and the girl seemed to me more genuine and loving than the ones between him and Oliver. And I can only agree with you about the other points. 

In the book there is not much more at the end. A summary of their future but nothing that would change the outcome of the film. 

And finally - I know there has been a lot of demand for gay-themed films with a positive ending where the gay characters do not suffer constantly or die or are depicted as villains. And precisely therefore I am astonished at the success of this film. 

 

I also thought that the scenes with Elio and Marzia tended to seem a bit more passionate, or at least they were less elliptical and seemed to last longer.

I get what you mean about "positive" ending for LGBTQ+ characters. On the one hand, I think that if it's based on a true story and there was struggle, it shouldn't be completely ignored. And I think generally that the fictional stories I enjoy most often have hardship or death. Lots of straight and cisgender characters in film and literature die, too. But I do think people like to see films with characters who don't have such a sad ending, like in this film. Elio's "sadness" at the end is something that could happen to anyone who's had a first love, of any sexuality or gender. And for once, the parents' disapproval was not a plot point, because Elio's parents supported him.
 



Clueing for looks.
 
Posted by Liberty
March 27, 2019 2:45 pm
#14

I haven't seen CMBYN, but if you're looking for a positive film, I really enjoyed

God's Own Country https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/reviews-recommendations/gods-own-country-francis-lee-males-love-dales

.  I've put the name in spoilers as I suppose I'm giving away the fact that it has a positive ending!  The flim was marketed as a Yorkshire Brokeback Mountain, so I went in expecting it to be about rural homophobia and was pleasantly surprised!   I highly recommend it! 

 
Posted by besleybean
March 27, 2019 5:14 pm
#15

I just went and checked my DVD shelf.
It's actually God's own Country, I have...obviously!


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http://professorfangirl.tumblr.com/post/105838327464/heres-an-outtake-of-mark-gatiss-on-the
 
Posted by Liberty
March 27, 2019 9:39 pm
#16

That's so funny, BB!  And of course, I've only just realised that GOC was mentioned further up the thread as well - I didn't look back before I replied!  I didn't really need the spoiler tag!  Anyway, I haven't seen CMBYN so can't compare, but GOC is definitely worth watching. 

 
Posted by besleybean
March 27, 2019 9:40 pm
#17

Good stuff.


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http://professorfangirl.tumblr.com/post/105838327464/heres-an-outtake-of-mark-gatiss-on-the
 
Posted by SusiGo
March 28, 2019 10:03 am
#18

I think *God's Own Country" is an excellent film. Realistic, sometimes dirty and dark but with heartbreaking moments of compassion and love. A believable depiction of rural life, of family problems everyone of us know and about finding love in the midst of all this. 

Yitzock, of course I think that sad or tragic true stories should be told the way they happened. But if stories are fictional one may choose how to tell them. What bothered me about the end of CMBYN was not so much the fact that there is no happy ending for the male couple but that Oliver seems so - how shall I put it - indifferent. As if it was completely normal to be engaged with a woman and have an affair with a teenage boy and then return to your old life as if nothing had happened. For me Oliver's character is one of the main problems I have with the film and the book. He is not a very nice person but the other characters do not seem to realise this. 

Last edited by SusiGo (March 28, 2019 10:03 am)


------------------------------
"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 
Posted by Yitzock
March 28, 2019 7:20 pm
#19

Yeah, I didn't find Oliver particularly likeable, either (or attractive, for that matter - characters would say he was handsome and I was thinking "sure, if you say so." That's personal preference, of course.). He doesn't really seem invested in the relationship, more like it's a kind of game for him or something. Just a diversion.
I actually didn't think the ending was that sad, but that could have been part of the reason why, other than the fact that nobody dies or gets harassed/shamed/attacked for their sexuality.



Clueing for looks.
 


 
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