‘They’re old stone houses, built by Neolithic Man 50-100,000
years ago.’
And when Sir Henry and Stapleton’s sister visit the place,
she waves her hand perfunctorily in the direction of some vague structure and
says:
‘That thing over there was their temple.’
Audiences must have been pretty damn naïve back then. Don’t
watch it until you’re ready to retire, Maddie. Just don’t.
And by the way, I’ve walked very many miles over Dartmoor, and it doesn’t look remotely like the set they
created for the film. Just so you know.
2 comments:
Yeah, but when it really comes down to it, "That was their temple" is really as good an interpretation as any. If she starts saying "It had to do with ritual," she might qualify for an honorary DPhil.
Ah, but that was the vague structure. She wasn't describing the circle itself. So what bugs me a bit is this:
1. The circle looks very like Stonehenge, so how many of the thirties audience thought that Stonehenge was located on Dartmoor?
2. How many of them took Dr Mortimer's words at face value and believed that stone circles are nothing more than ancient rustic cottages?
3. And of maybe less consequence, didn't they get the placement of the Neolithic just a bit out?
Bloody Hollywood! But does it matter? And I get the joke. Is a D.Phil the same as what we call a PhD?
Post a Comment