So, I picked up the John Adams miniseries that aired last year on HBO, and the little woman and I have been watching an episode or two most every night after putting the kids to bed, and all I can say is wow. I love movies, and I see a lot of them, but this is some of the best filmmaking I've ever seen. Everything about it is fantastic. And it's a story that's worth becoming acquainted with. Adams has never gotten the accolades he deserves, probably because he was such an incorrigible prick at times, but if you ever want to come to a deeper respect for the commitment and sacrifice of the Founding Fathers, this is very worthwhile stuff. Adams is one of the most complex characters in our history. He was prickly and could be exceedingly arrogant. But he was also a brilliant and amazingly high-integrity man who valued doing the right thing over scoring political points, and cared deeply for the future of the country, and he deserves to be mentioned with Jefferson, Washington, and Franklin. Be warned that sporadically throughout the series there is some very harsh violence and other disturbing imagery that probably would border on an R rating. I find it well worth it since it's integral to the story. Aaron sez: see it, peoples.
I especially liked the part when he was having "the talk" with his 13 year old. It was totally awkward, because - as you know - Adams Jr. had been "loving" Cornelia, the sow, for about two weeks before "the talk".
ReplyDeleteIt was handled beautifully, with some of the best writing a screenplay ever had. Excerpt:
John Adams: Son, your mother expressed some concern in regard to your education regarding carnal knowledge.
John Q. Adams: Father. I ******* Cornelia.
I know almost nothing of John Adams...the only thing I know of him is what you just informed me of.
ReplyDelete