I'm sort of like you. It's cute, but I'm not exactly fond of it myself. I like them using the song, but I think they could have left both the party and interview credits off. Not that I've seen the other version, though.

I love the home movies at the end! The whole paddling pool thing comes up several times in the film, so it's fun to see what *really* happened in the pool. From what I've heard, the home movies are better than the interviews (I never did like that park a bike/balance a pint of beer line).

never saw the home movies bit, being a Brit - if I go when in Oz will I see a different ending?

I loved the home movies ending also. I kept thinking that Mark was thinking of his eighth birthday party with fond memories every time he saw Bridget--and especially at her birthday party. She hadn't changed much and neither had he, really, not underneath where it counts--they were still soul mates. Hee, hee.

(Kate, LouiseJ) I love the home movies at the end! Me three. Was v. glad RC (assuming it was his idea) elected to look back, not into the future like he did in both 4W and NH. Would've hated seeing BJ and MD cavorting with their child or reading in the park over a preganant abd.

(Louise)they were still soul mates (Kate, LouiseJ,Eileen) I love the home movies at the end! The home movie was such a pleasure to watch and see that their relationship really did have such a tender start, especially after watching them "re-find" each other in the main movie. They became soul mates early on, whether they realized it then or not. As I watched the home movie ending, even the first time, it also reminded me of the TV couple, Dharma and Greg, who are very similar to Bridget and Mark. Clever Lucy-like blonde with tall, dark, and handsome attorney/barrister. D & G also had a soul mate beginning when they ran into each other on a subway as children while with their parents. Someone jokingly mentioned BJD as a series in the UK, maybe D & G could be used as a model, *hee hee*.

I thought the home movie was really cute too, it didn't bother me at all.

(Rachael) never saw the home movies bit, being a Brit - if I go when in Oz will I see a different ending? Sorry Rachael, you will have to get the USA video or DVD, we have the same ending over here as you guys. Seems to be the trend; we had the same MLSF as you too.

there's a different MLSF? in what way? oops looks like I need to spend some more evening reading old boards

(Rachael) there's a different MLSF? in what way? Yup, again the ending. However, the video in the UK *is* the US version. You would've had to have seen the movie in the cinemas in order to see the UK/Aussie ending (which also omitted the waltzing in the rain bit). You would probably see a discussion of the MLSFs on the Spoiler board but way back.

aha. I have the video - ex rental from Blockbuster - curiously, the branch I usually go to had sold their copy of SLOW, (curses!) another branch in town is still renting it, and the other had never had it - something to do with culture and location I guess. ooh if I tried hard I could sound like Natasha *slaps self, opens bottle of Chardonnay*

"in my 32th year.."; "...you're forty..."; "I was eight and you were four"; pray tell how can all these statements go together? (don't throw tomatoes, no nasa scientist here) :-(

Where did I miss "...you're forty..."? I don't remember Mark's age being mentioned at all.

I don't remember Mark's age being mentioned at all. Me neither; I guess I'll have to go again tomorrow now, just to make sure ;-) Such hardship!!!

Yesterday, Cathy and I carefully reviewed whether it is mentioned that MD is 40 and didn't hear it anywhere. Seems like Price Waterhouse was brought in to carefully check the movie before it was released. ;-)

According to Teletext BJD is #1 in Australia, well done CathyP and everyone in Oz. who went to see Bridget & friends.

(dina)"in my 32th year.."; "...you're forty..."; "I was eight and you were four"; pray tell how can all these statements go together? Dina, I think it was all the publicity that we were reading when BJD hit the screens (and during its run) that always mentioned that CF was 40 that was in your (our) mind during the movie because I remember thinking during the kitchen part of the birthday scene (probably on the 3rd or 4th viewing) -- "Okay, CF is playing someone younger than he is...that's not hard for him to do at all" ;-).

I think Bridget says, "...you're 40" to Mark at his parents' Ruby anniversary party, when she takes him aside to say that she likes him too.

(Marianne) I think Bridget says, "...you're 40" to Mark at his parents' Ruby anniversary party, when she takes him aside to say that she likes him too. Nope, we checked.

I think Bridget tells him he's haughty, not forty.

Brilliant, Mark, I think you've cracked it. She does tell him he's haughty. BTW, we waved at you.

Yup, I think Mark is right. I have no recollection of Mark's age being mentioned in the movie, other than him saying he was 8 and Bridge was 4 during the infamous paddling pool "incident".

Which makes him about 37 in the film. Effortlessly believable. "Okay, CF is playing someone younger than he is...that's not hard for him to do at all" ;-). And he has played lots of such roles from his earliest days - in AC, Dutch Girls, Tumbledown...

Obviously, I wasn't paying attention ... will just have to back and see BJD yet again.

I wanted to place an advance order for BJD on Amazon (along with the new P&P2 dvd), but they are not showing that BJD is due out on Sept. 18. Please tell me that Amazon is just being foolishly dilatory in not raking in advance sales, and that someone else will have BJD available on that date. Has anyone found it offered elsewhere?

(Louise) but they are not showing that BJD is due out on Sept. 18. I doubt the date is any good. The DVD will be out on 10/9. Both are typically released on the same date.

Darn. It was going to be part of my birthday present to me, but Oct 9 is too late. Here's hoping they're not kidding about P&P2 on Sep. 25. Must remember that will have Londinium in early Sept, P&P2 in lated Sept, and BJD on Oct 9. Talk about a hat trick. Am going to splurge on DVD player. My VCR's slo-mo/pause just doesn't do justice to ODB.

According to Teletext BJD is #1 in Australia, well done CathyP and everyone in Oz. who went to see Bridget & friends Thanks Ann. My opening line when I meet anyone I even remotely know is "have you been to see BJD yet? its a great movie, you must see it. If you need someone to tag along with you, just give me a call; I'll be available" Must be working ;-)

So it's not just me who did that tagging along line ... ;)

Update on the BJ DVD, from DVD reviews. Hmmm . . .no mention of deleted scenes. Am certain is oversight.;-) Take a peek at Bridget Jones's Diary August 1, 2001 One of the biggest box office surprises of the year has been the romantic comedy that kickstarted Renee Zellweger's career, Bridget Jones's Diary. The film, based on the Helen Fielding novel, pulled in over $71 million, and now it's coming to DVD from Miramax. This hilarious romantic comedy is the story of Bridget Jones (Zellweger), a 32 year old "singleton" who decides to take control of her life by keeping a diary. With a taste for adventure and an opinion on every subject - from her circle of friends, to men, food, sex and everything in between, she's decided to turn the page on a whole new life. Despite her efforts to get her act together, she finds herself caught between two men - a man who's too good to be true, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and a man who's so wrong for her he could be right, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). The new DVD will come with an anamorphic transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks in English and French. The disc will also contain an audio commentary with director Sharon Maguire, a behind the scenes featurette, music videos for Shelby Lynn's "Killin' Kind" and "Out of Reach" by Gabrielle, International End Credit Sequence, and original Bridget Jones Columns. "Bridget Jones's Diary" has been a crowd pleaser in theatres. On October 9th, the film will come home to DVD.

Here's the cover:

Sign up here to have the Sharon Maguire's audio commentary replaced by one of Col's......well, shoot we can hope can't we.

I think, as a minimum, one of those round table discussions, like the cast of "The Winslow Boy" did on the DVD, would be most agreeable...

From THR: "The United Kingdom record industry had its best-ever second quarter this year as releases from acts including Dido, Stereophonics, Travis and Destiny's Child drove album revenue up year-on-year by almost 18% to #227.8 million ($325.6 million), the Bitish Phonographic Industry said Monday. Total revenue from U.K. recorded music in the April-June period was up 14.1% to #254.5 million ($363.8 million) over last year. Other albums that helped boost sales included new releases by Shaggy and R.E.M.;compilations from Billy Joel and Eddy Grant; "Now 48," an all-star compilation of artists from EMI, Virgin and Universal; and the the soundtrack from the film "Bridget Jones's Diary."

With this, I'd say we can put any sequel filming to rest for some time. From Variety: Renee Zellweger is poised to join Catherine Zeta-Jones as the larcenous murdering dancer-singers who topline "Chicago," the Miramax version of the Tony-winning Bob Fosse musical being prepped for an early 2002 shoot. While Zellweger wouldn't seem the most obvious choice for a song-and-dance film, the actress has been eyed for some time by the studio that distributed her last hit, "Bridget Jones's Diary." Zellweger showed off her talents to the film's director, Rob Marshall, in Gotham late last week and demonstrated enough singing and dancing ability to win an offer for the role of Roxie. She accepted, and the dealmaking is commencing. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010808/en/film-zellweger_1.html

Good for Renee..going for muscial comedies.The only singing I've heard was the Christmas party in BJD. Doubt that would have gotten the Roxie role in Chicago;-)

Hmmm, I dunno about this. I love RZ, and I hope she does well, but can she and CZ-J handle the dancing? The original choreography was Fosse, and the revival was based on his choreography. Fosse dancing is a definite style, and (I've read) not easy to learn. I've seen plenty of musicals where they've dubbed the singing, but you can't dub the dancing. Well, you could body-double, but I doubt the producers would do that.

Karen-have almost *exploded* from inability to ask this question in the last 24 hours ;-) On your Locarno page at The Bucket, what question is CF answering when he refers to the "sequel"? I assume that he's talking about the book (EOR), but for a brief, irrational time, I thought it might be the movie. Was v. excited and overwrought. Am calm now... ;-) So glad to have the conferences back!

Well, CZJ started out as a dancer, doing musicals since her teens. As for RZ, this kid is fearless and an incredibly hard worker. She's not afraid to put herself out there and take risks. And Spacey and Bates are to be in this one, too? I'll be there when they open the doors! :-)

Rene Zellwegger is going to be on one of the talk shows this week. I know. I saw it on http://www.tvreviewer.com

I see that amazon.uk is selling a Bridget Jones's Diary Karaoke VHS tape on Aug. 27. Does anyone here know what that might be? And Renee will be on a rerun of the View on Aug.21. I don't think I've seen that one.

Don't know about the karaoke part. Unless they mean Bridget singing "All by Myself" in her jammies, "I Can't Live (if living is without you)" at Christmas party, and Happy Birthday sung during fight?

A guess, purely a guess, on my part is that you can buy karaoke versions of most of the songs on the soundtrack to play at parties, etc. Do people do that???

Saw this while thumbing through this week's Newsweek. It gave me a chuckle. Romancing New Readers To woo young women, bodice-rippers try to get hip By Jane Spencer NEWSWEEK Aug. 20 issue � In �See Jane Date,� a soon-to-be published novel, the heroine is a 28-year-old Manhattan publishing assistant who dreams about DKNY sweaters, frets about her hip measurements and goes through men almost as fast as she goes through Marlboro Lights. She spends her weekends drinking cosmopolitans at trendy TriBeCa bars and fantasizes about her Pierce Brosnan-esque boss. But even though the book is being published by Harlequin Enterprises Ltd., the reigning champion of supermarket trash, there are no Fabio look-alikes, wealthy cowboys or amnesiac brides anywhere within its 284 pages. �SEE JANE DATE� represents the cheeky new face of the $1.4 billion romance industry. In an effort to seduce younger readers, romance publishers are expanding into the exploding �chick lit� genre. The new titles aim to surf the commercial wave created by Penguin�s �Bridget Jones�s Diary,� a British import that sold more than a million copies in the United States and spawned a recent hit Miramax film. The loyal following of shows like HBO�s �Sex and the City� also convinced romance publishers that they needed to freshen their image. In recent months they�ve started peppering their plots with career-driven heroines, spicier sex scenes and urban settings. Harlequin is taking things a bit further, launching a new imprint called Red Dress Ink. �They�re edgy, they�ve got attitude and a certain hipness to them,� says Margaret Marbury, editor of the series. �See Jane Date� by Melissa Senate, due to hit stores this November, is the first book in the line. Harlequin intends to distance the new line from the lowbrow stigma associated with romance fiction. The name Harlequin won�t appear anywhere on the book jacket. (Harlequin will continue to publish its traditional offerings as well.) While eying the attractive new demographic, the traditional romance market is not about to fizzle out. Nearly 20 percent of all books sold are romances, and industry profits increase dependably each year. In the mid-�90s, however, many supermarkets and drugstores dropped their romance lines in favor of megasellers by authors like Stephen King and Danielle Steel. The change dramatically reduced the number of outlets stocking romance novels and considerably tightened competition in the field. Romance sales are also particularly weak among readers under 35, as titles like �The Widower�s Folly,� and �Outlaw�s Bride� may not strike a chord with the Bridget Jones crowd. To lure those readers, publishers are kissing the traditional romance-plot formula goodbye. Until now, novels followed a very familiar story line, says Harold Lowry, president of Romance Writers of America: �Boy meets girl, boy loses girl because of a problem of some sort, and then they work it out and live happily ever after.� All romances conclude with the promise of marriage, if not an actual walk down the aisle. (Publishers of gay and lesbian romances make a few necessary gender adjustments.) Harlequin�s Red Dress Ink books might be best described as �girl meets boys� stories, and they promise no tidy endings. Many in the romance world believe the uncertainty will resonate better with younger readers. �They might have trouble seeing a 28-year-old heroine settling down at the end for happily ever after,� says Hope Tarr, who writes romances for Jove�s Seduction line. In hitting the singles scene, romance publishers are once again showing their ability to target extremely narrow markets. Existing romance subgenres include Regency historicals (set in 19th-century England with titles like �The Prude and the Prodigal�)[ed. note: Pfft!], Westerns (populated by strapping Texan ranch hands), inspirationals (spiritual themes and no consummation of love) and Rubenesques (heroines are not perfect 10s). But in this instance, romance writers face ample competition from literary publishers and each other. �Personally, I think they�re getting there a little late,� says Donald Maass, president of the Donald Maass Literary Agency, which represents roughly 100 commercial-fiction authors. �There have been so many �Bridget Jones� imitations about neurotic women dealing with bad bosses.� And there has been some grumbling in the romance world over the break with tradition. However, many view the chick-lit invasion as simply the latest twist in a field that has been growing and changing since the day Jane Eyre laid eyes on Mr. Rochester at Thornfield Hall. �If we have a nuclear war, the only things left would be cockroaches and romance novels,� says Jennifer Crusie, a best-selling romance author for St. Martin�s Press. �You just can�t kill it.� Here's a link to the article and a poll (sorry, Ev) where you can vote for your favorite "chick lit" book. http://www.msnbc.com/news/612298.asp

Westerns (populated by strapping Texan ranch hands) Oooooh!! Visions of tight jeans. Any titles provided?? ;-) �If we have a nuclear war, the only things left would be cockroaches and romance novels,� ROTFLOL!

and Cher

(Eileen)Here's a link to the article and a poll (sorry, Ev) where you can vote for your favorite "chick lit" book. LOL. OK ,I voted....just because the *others* looked like "cockroaches". Bridget Jones's Diary" 31% "Girls' Guide To Hunting and Fishing" 11% "Sex and the City" 26% "Mr. Maybe" 2% Other 30%

The Prude and the Prodigal??!!! LOL! Now that is funny!!!

BJD is been advertised on tv now, but there`s only a short glimpse of Colin (from behind).Yet lot`s of HC. Was it like that in UK too?

Aha! Just voted in the chick lit poll. As a matter of research, I visited the site a second time. In case anyone is curious, yes, it is a "cookied" poll. (Odessa)BJD is been advertised on tv now, but there`s only a short glimpse of Colin (from behind). Depending on the shot, that isn't all bad. If it's the shot from first time we see him at the turkey curry buffet...

I really liked those glimpses from behind. I think that is how Andrew Davies added the Darcy element. It happens several time in P&P, too.

BJD is winning a lot of new converts to P&P! I enjoyed reading this (posted at IMDB) :-) "Brilliant - I only wish I'd caught it first time round. I recently read Pride and Prejudice, having read and enjoyed Bridget Jones and knowing that it is based on P+P. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, although it took a long time to get through as the writing is such good quality. I remembered the series being shown in 1995, and although I was too young to watch it or have any interest then, I still remember the way it captured the hearts of the whole nation in a way that nothing else had done before or has done since. I managed to scab the video off a friend, and settled myself down one evening to start watching it with my mum. I was expecting it to be good, but - what can I say, it blew me away. We watched about 2 hours that night, and the next day I was so impatient to see the rest that I watched the next 3 hours in one go, without my mum, who wasn't best pleased with me... All of the humour of the book was captured perfectly. The characters of Mr and Mrs Bennet, Miss Bingley, Lydia and Mary were all hillarious, although I must admit, there were times when all I wanted was to see Darcy! (That lake scene... I have never seen anything quite so erotic!) You could feel the sexual tension and chemistry between Elizabeth and Darcy, they must be one of the best screen pairings ever. Not many others could say so much with one look. I recommend this very VERY highly, although I do bitterly disappoint having missed out on the frenzy of 6 years ago. Hopefully some other such thing will come along soon. :-)"

(IMDB post)although I do bitterly disappoint having missed out on the frenzy of 6 years ago This fan seems to think the frenzy was something that took place 6 years ago and is now over. Little does she know...

Who's going to tell her? :-)

From Ananova: Bainbridge blasts 'chick lit' women's fiction Beryl Bainbridge has denounced women's stories about the search for Mr Right. Feminist writer Doris Lessing agreed and asked why women write such "instantly forgettable" books. However, Helen Fielding - creator of Bridget Jones's Diary - said critics had missed the point and the book was not meant to be taken seriously. Popular author Bainbridge, favourite to win the Booker Prize for fiction, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is a froth sort of thing. What is the point writing a whole novel about it? "As people spend so little time reading it is a pity they perhaps can't read something a bit deeper, a bit more profound, something with a bit of bite to it." Lessing said: "It's a pity that so many young women are writing like that. I wonder if they are just writing like this because they think they are going to get published. "It would be better, perhaps, if they wrote books about their lives as they really saw them and not these helpless girls, drunken, worrying about their weight and so on." Fielding said: "Sometimes I have had people getting their knickers in a twist about Bridget Jones being a disgrace to feminism and so on. "But it is good to be able to represent women as they actually are in the age in which you are living." Feminist and author Jeanette Winterson defended the "chick lit" genre: "I am unashamedly high art. There is such a thing and we need it in our lives," she said. "But I also like entertainment. Chick lit? No problem. Bridget Jones's Diary? Love it, just great, and I feel completely easy with all that." And former Booker winner Pat Barker said reading such books was just a phase readers grew out of. "Young people, because they have an insecure sense of their own identity, love reading books that confirm that identity," she said. "I think as people get older they need that from their reading less and less and most of us end up much broader minded about what it is we are prepared to read."

Pat Barker said: Young people, because they have an insecure sense of their own identity, love reading books that confirm that identity," she said. "I think as people get older they need that from their reading less and less and most of us end up much broader minded about what it is we are prepared to read." My response to that, as someone not yet twenty one, is "F*** off, you patronising cow". (sorry) She may well have written Regeneration etc but that does not put her in a position to comment on the reading habits of young people. I read books I enjoy, whether high or low art (I'm with the excellent Winterson on this).

Another possible appearance??? Dinard film fest arranges date with "Bridget" "Bridget Jones's Diary" will make its French debut at the 12th Dinard Festival of British Film (Oct. 4-7), whose highlights this year include a tribute to the late John Gielgud.

Penny, love yuor response to the Pat Barker comment! "As people spend so little time reading it is a pity they perhaps can't read something a bit deeper, a bit more profound, something with a bit of bite to it." Maybe if you can't see the underlying depth in something like BJD, it's you who's not so profound, Ms Bainbridge. And if you make "chick-lit" more "deep" (trans: dull), people will spend even less time reading. Sad jealousy, IMO. Jeanette Winterson's viewpoint is as usual refreshing, and HF herself is serenely calm and non-defensive.

Ms Bainbridge is clearly just desperate for publicity so she can get a Booker prize. She's probably just bitter that Booker didn't give her one of her Cash 'n' Carry cards so she has to pay full price for her Chardonnay and ciggies and decided to go all pretentious and gobby instead of taking the Bridget route.

BBC News' take on same article. A few more quotes and more filler between them: Female fiction 'dumbs down' Has chick lit reached the end of the line? By arts correspondent Rebecca Jones Women are spoilt for choice. Go into any bookshop and there will be a pile of paperbacks, written by women, about women, who are invariably searching - for men. Among those on offer is a sweeping tale of love between cousins on an Argentinian ranch. Another is about a frustrated florist whose life "isn't coming up roses" and yet another promises to be "an eye-wetting read" about a smart single girl. Women buy more books than men and the publishing world is falling over itself to sell them what's become known as "chick-lit". But a literary row is brewing. The novelist Beryl Bainbridge has dismissed chick-lit as "a waste of time, this froth sort of thing". Beryl Bainbridge is one of the most influential writers of her generation, and is favourite to win this year's Booker Prize. On Friday she will be speaking at the Edinburgh Book Festival, discussing her new novel According to Queeney, about the last years of Dr Johnson. She despairs of literary dumbing down. "As people spend so little time reading it's a pity they perhaps can't read something a bit deeper, a bit more profound, something with a bit of bite to it," she says. The writer and feminist icon Doris Lessing agrees. And she cannot understand why women want to write what she calls instantly forgettable, poor literature. "It's a pity that so many young women are trying to write that," she says. "I wonder if they're just writing like this because they think they're going to get published? "It would be better perhaps if they wrote books about their lives as they really saw them, and not these helpless girls, drunk and worrying about their weight." The godmother of the genre is arguably Helen Fielding, who created Bridget Jones's Diary - about a single girl's struggles with sex and slimming. It has sold more than 1.5 million copies. Helen Fielding thinks critics of Bridget Jones have missed the point: the book is not meant to be taken seriously. "It's good for women to be able to be funny about women and not to be afraid to be funny," she says. "Sometimes I've had people getting their knickers in a twist about Bridget Jones being a disgrace to feminism and so on. "But the point is, it's good to be able to represent women as they actually are in the age you're living when you're a writer." But if Bridget Jones, and the hundreds of pale imitiations she has spawned, merely hold a mirror up to women's lives, they will never expand horizons or stretch intellects in the way serious literary fiction can. Surprisingly perhaps, the writer and feminist Jeannette Winterson, does not think that matters. "Look, I'm unashamedly high art, there is such a thing and we need it in our lives," she says. "But I also like entertainment. I have no problem with chick lit, I love Bridget Jones's Diary, it's just great. "It's all the muck in the middle I mind. I hate anything that's middle brow. Let's have art or let's have entertainment." And Pat Barker, a former winner of the Booker Prize says that type of entertainment is just a phase - ultimately it is something readers should grow out of. "I think chick lit and lad lit are to do with age," she says. "I think young people, because they have an insecure sense of their own identity love reading books which confirm that identity, which mirror their lifestyle choices back to them. "I think as people get older they need that from their reading less and less - most of us end up much broader-minded about what it is we're prepared to read."

"I think chick lit and lad lit are to do with age," she says. "I think young people, because they have an insecure sense of their own identity love reading books which confirm that identity, which mirror their lifestyle choices back to them. ] and I read PG Wodehouse and EM Forster does that mean I want to live in Victorian (Georgian?) England? I read for escapism. Reading about the escapades of Bridget or Elizabeth or whoever is WHY I read the books, should they mimic my life at the time, is purely coincindental and I will not sue;)

Sacrilege!! He should be erased from the movie and soundtrack. Is veritable slap in the face of all Bridgetophiles. ;-) (from the WeMakeUpPeopleNews site) Robbie in chocolate row: Singer turns down Milk Tray job Many women might swoon at the idea of Robbie Williams swooping through their bedroom windows armed with a box of chocolates and a cheeky grin. This image, however, will have to remain in the imagination for now � the former Take That singer has turned down an offer to be the new Milk Tray man. Cadbury offered the resurrected role to the singer, but angered him when they issued a statement advertising the fact. A source close to Robbie said: 'It looks like they deliberately linked their name with Robbie's for a bit of free publicity.' A Cadbury's spokesman said: 'Our offer remains � we'd still love him to be the Milk Tray man.'

Every magazine seems to have somekind of article about BJD/RZ/CF (because the premiere is tomorrow). One interview was made with the same style as Bridget`s interview with Colin. The interviewer was sorry that Colin`s shirt wasn`t more transparent, admired his voice, etc. (The actual situation had been very professional, I think)

My response to that, as someone not yet twenty one, is "F*** off, you patronising cow". Pfft! Love it, Penny--I'm with you. Helen Fielding rules!:-)

Hey Mark, something that is deep is not neccessarily dull. Take in our film discussions some day. ;-) "As people spend so little time reading it is a pity they perhaps can't read something a bit deeper, a bit more profound, something with a bit of bite to it." I like to do both.

Lord this condescending attitude of Beryl Bainbridge is so annoying. Why must we all be labeled as being shallow simply for liking BJD and such ? I hate it when the media has to put restricting lables on people and categorize them as only one sort of another. I have a stack of books by my bed that contains Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope,Charles Dickens, Paul Theoroux, Judith Krantz, and Helen Fielding. Sometimes I am in the mood for something heavy, sometimes I want the mindless escapism of Princess Daisy. Is that wrong of me ? Does that make me shallow ? I really don't think so. I strongly resent it when it is implied that I am some weak willed little doormat of a woman, simply binding time until my Prince Charming arrives to take me away to his castle, just by reading light fiction from time to time. Get over yourself, Beryl.

Not that I would ever intentionally point ppl toward literary theory ;) but there's an interesting body of work on the symbolism of the 'romance' and its development in modern culture. Some of the older books are painfully classist highbrow vs lowbrow stuff; later stuff is more accessible (if it isn't too academic), like the collection of essays edited by Jayne Ann Krentz (Dangerous Men & Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance, sez amazon). My point, slowly arrived at :), is that there's a lot more going on in romances than a literal 'search for a man', and these critics might see that if they weren't so determined that chick-lit is fluff before they even start reading.

these critics might see that if they weren't so determined that chick-lit is fluff before they even start reading. You don't think that these literary snobs have actually read any so-called "chick-lit", do you? The closest they have ever come to it is probably reading the sales figures for "chick-lit" and getting their knickers in a knot because the C-L figures are geometrically greater than their own "award-winning" book sales. It's "libris" envy, that's all.

A few months ago I tried to read Beryl Bainbridge - I found her pretentious and utterly boring needless to say I did not finish the book. I too have Trollope, Austin, Dickens etc. amongst my many books. The 'Booker' prize in my opinion is a bit of a farce - have any of you tried to read Salman Rushdie.

Nope, I did try Ben Okri's The Famished Road though, does that count ? Am not at liberty to divuldge if I got any further than Bridget did.

(Louise) It's "libris" envy, that's all. LOL! (Anne) The 'Booker' prize in my opinion is a bit of a farce - have any of you tried to read Salman Rushdie. Aw, I wouldn't condemn the Booker, as there have been many fine books/authors honored by its panel. (Possession won it!) However, I find it amazing that Bainbridge took out after chick lit, when she shares the shortlist with Nick Hornby's How to Be Good. While that's a good book, an enjoyable read that approaches philosophical issues, a literary agent I know in NYC, a veteran of the world of publishing, said that such a book would never be nominated for our Pulitzer, PEN Faulkner, National Book, or National Book Critics Circle Award.

Moon: Hey Mark, something that is deep is not neccessarily dull. Take in our film discussions some day. ;-) I know this (and the film discussions confirm it). It's Beryl's definition of deep that I was translating as dull. (But I did spot the winkie) ;-)

(Karen), Aw, I wouldn't condemn the Booker, as there have been many fine books/authors honored by its panel. (Possession won it!) Although P is a slow starter, IMO, that is the only exception. Have you tried the others? ZZZZ How to Be Good. While that's a good book, an enjoyable read that approaches philosophical issues, Philosophical issues ala Hornby? LOL!

(Louise) It's "libris" envy, that's all. (Anne) A few months ago I tried to read Beryl Bainbridge - I found her pretentious and utterly boring I think Beryl could use a good...*never mind* ;-)

good response from Jenny Colgan in today's G2 about the whole chick lit thing - if you can't get it via the web site I'll type it out for anyone who wants it

From Variety: In Germany, the video game-inspired picture [Final Fantasy] reaped about $1.69 million over three days, ahead of "Bridget Jones's Diary," which took about $1.29 million. In Austria, "Bridget Jones" took top spot with about $171,000, while "Final Fantasy" took $153,000.

BGD is still playing at a couple of theaters in Austin. Any idea on the DVD release date? I want to offer it on our website.

"It's Raining Men" is very popular in Italy this summer, even my boys know it. The original is so much better.

Back on the Beryl Beat... from The Times last Thursday: Q&A: chick lit Beryl Bainbridge, whose novel According to Queeney has been nominated for this year's Booker Prize, has denounced chick lit as "froth". Melissa Katsoulis, The Times Deputy Literary Editor, offers a guide to the genre. What is chick lit? It's cheap and cheerful, easy-to read fiction by, for and about thirtysomething women. Usually focusing on the quest for the perfect man / job / flat / hairdo. The warts and all successors to Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins. Who invented it? Helen Fielding was the star of chick lit with Bridget Jones's Diary, but of course women's writing about finding a man is hardly a 20th-century phenomenon. Who are the big chick-lit authors? Marian Keyes has made her fortune with novels like Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married and Sushi for Beginners, and Wendy Holden has just followed the successes of Simply Divine, Bad Heir Day and Shell Shock with a new contribution, Pastures Nouveax. Other big names are Louise Bagshawe, billed as a young Jackie Collins, Anna Maxted and Freya North. What are the cheap imitations? You could say that the whole genre is a cheap imitation of writers such as Fay Weldon, Margaret Atwood and Angela Carter, all of whom have written about women's lives with real intellectual panache. Anna Maxted made her name as a writer of sex guides before segueing in to fiction with Running in Heels. Can men write chick lit? I think not. Realistic, affectionate, funny writing about the truth of women's lives today is something women do best. Plus many female readers want to read books by other women because turning to a book is like turning to a girlfriend - someone who automatically understands you and doesn't think less of you for crying over a dodgy haircut. Is there a trick to writing chick lit? The diary format of Bridget Jones was key to its success, but it has not been widely imitated. The trick seems to be having a flawed heroine - a woman whose life is not perfect and to whose anxieties about work, family and self-image we can all relate. Do any authors admit to writing chick lit? Not to my knowledge. I don't think women even refer to themselves as chicks these days, do they? How popular is it? The bestseller charts have been chick-lit-heavy for the last few years, and of course as many books are lent and borrowed as bought. So we can assume that most women under 40 are at least acquainted with the genre. Are there problems with defining chick lit as a genre? Men are probably put off, but I fear that their reading books about needy, scheming, thirtysomething women would only put them off women as well. One problem with the genre is the kind of jazzy, lower-case, pink-themed cover designs that suggest primary school reading schemes rather than grown-up fiction. Why is Beryl Bainbridge so critical of chick lit? Bainbridge is an important literary figure of many years' standing. Even if she does sit around fretting about her carbohydrate intake and dreaming about Colin Firth, she is not likely to consider such trifles the stuff of great literature. Writers are as diverse as any other profession and there is room for everyone - spring chicks as well as old mother hens. Is there an equivalent "lad lit"? Recently writers such as Tony Parsons and Toby Litt have joined Nick Hornby on the bestseller lists with books about thirtysomething men facing roughly the same problems as Bridget et al. So far these exponents of "lad lit" have not been received with the same degree of disdain - Parsons, Litt and Hornby are all good writers. But as the genre grows there will be more room for bad books. That's when the claws will come out.

she does sit around fretting about her carbohydrate intake and dreaming about Colin Firth LOL! Now she's hitting on a universal theme.

I can see the next iteration of this story. The headline will read: Bainbridge A Fraud!!! The Times discloses she's a rabid calorie counter and obsessed with Colin Firth. ;-)

From THR: Bridget Jones's Diary" will have its French premiere when it opens the 12th Dinard Festival of British Film on Oct. 4, organizers said Monday.

I don't think women even refer to themselves as chicks these days, do they? I dunno, I do. In a rather ironic way, anyway. "Stop the PCing of language - reclaim yourself as a chick!" - ? There's a wink-wink-nudge-nudge Darcy reference in the Earlene Fowler book I'm reading; I'll type it in when I'm at home.

I don't think women even refer to themselves as chicks these days Well... in this context I'd have to refer to myself as old bird - and that I absolutely refuse to do. ;-P

There was an article in the Canadian news today about how the Toronto-based Atlantis-Alliance film company is turning a profit this year with much thanks to BJD. I don't know what their share of the money was since there were so many companies represented in the opening of the film (Studio Canal, Universal, etc.). That reminded me of all the people given credit for "Romeo and Juliet" in SIL. Meanwhile, BJD is still playing here albeit in the cheap theatres, but many films have come and gone since BJD's release. The prints must be absolutely shredded by now. Maybe I should go and check. Or can I hold out for the DVD? I suppose I should get a DVD player :-)

Wednesday August 29 4:06 AM ET Bullock, Grant pair for laffs By Dana Harris HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant will star in an untitled romantic comedy targeted a Christmas 2002 bow in theaters. Bullock will play a successful but somewhat neurotic attorney, with Grant as her enchanting, reckless and moneyed boss. Bullock's Fortis Films will produce the picture. Shooting will begin next February on location in Gotham. The Castle Rock/Warner Bros. project was written by Marc Lawrence, who will make his directing debut on the film. His writing credits include Castle Rock's ``Miss Congeniality,'' starring Bullock, and ``Mickey Blue Eyes,'' starring Grant. Bullock and Grant are coming off strong box office performers, ``Miss Congeniality'' and ``Bridget Jones's Diary,'' respectively. Castle Rock's next release is ``Hearts in Atlantis,'' a coming-of-age tale starring Anthony Hopkins. It is set for a Sept. 28 release.

Thanks, Mari. We now know of several HG films post BJD. What about ODB? Why is he not able to make a killing after the success of BJD? We need to get some psychology expert here to explain this phenomenon. ;-)

Let's put this in perspective. Huge has only made one film since Bridget (AAAB) and Colin has done the same (TIOBE). The only difference is that Huge's name has been floated in the press as being up for a number of movies, none of which is apparently being made as yet. We should be hearing something soon and it will likely be going under production far sooner than Feb. *fingers, legs, toes and eyes crossed*

Karen, I pray you're right. **Novena card in hand** I think Moon is just bracing for the letdown that some of us have experienced all too often. Moon, ah feel yo pain, honeychile.;-) Helen Fielding is listed as a guest on David Letterman's show this Friday. Not sure if it's a re-run--I don't recall her being on before. And speaking of Letterman, sorry, but I can't resist posting last night's top ten list: Top Ten Ways Gary Condit Can Improve His Image 10. New campaign slogan: "Oh, like you've never killed anybody!" 9. Blame everything on his idiot brother Jeb Condit 8. Stop screaming at reporters, "Holy crap! I'm actually getting away with it!" 7. Get himself really cool nickname, like "G. Conditty" 6. Release lengthy list of former interns he did not kill 5. Announce he hasn't been the same since the break-up with Nicole Kidman 4. Grow a full, reassuring, Kenny Rogers-style white beard 3. Confess, resign, serve 50-to-life 2. Focus on the 25% of voters who don't think he's a loathsome prick 1. Have sex with Monica Lewinsky

HF on Letterman? Interesting. Letterman isn't on reruns this week (although Leno is). (Mari) bracing for the letdown Wot! You know something I don't, like which project?? He's got to go back to work some time. Documentary filmmakers don't make all that much to support his lifestyle's requirements. ;-)

No inside info here. It's called fearing to hope for the best while preparing for the worst.;-) Hey, I'm a lifelong Phillies fan, after all. He's got to go back to work some time. Well, he does have those "film commitments" come . . . January.

(Variety) The Castle Rock/Warner Bros. project was written by Marc Lawrence, who will make his directing debut on the film. His writing credits include Castle Rock's ``Miss Congeniality,'' starring Bullock, and ``Mickey Blue Eyes,'' starring Grant. Two films with wonderful premises but awful scripts, IMO. Am glad CF is not attached to this new one. (Letterman) 7. Get himself really cool nickname, like "G. Conditty" ROTF! Too funny!

My personal favs are: 6. Release lengthy list of former interns he did not kill 5. Announce he hasn't been the same since the break-up with Nicole Kidman 2. Focus on the 25% of voters who don't think he's a loathsome prick (Mari) Well, he does have those "film commitments" come . . . January. Could be December or February too, but you know how it is on those hush-hush projects that no one else seems to have...

Gee, another romantic comedy for Hugh G, now THERE'S a shocker !!! It's nice to see Hughie stretching himself artistically. I can see him now, smiling bashfully at the judge, hair flopping O so endearingly into his eyes as he mumbles " Actually your honour, I'm terribly sorry but if its all right with you, I'd like to object. " Hysterical top ten Mari. Ya gotta love that Dave. But I have to ask, do a whopping 25% of Californians NOT think G Conditty is a loathsome pr*ck ? Who are these people and should we take up a collection to help pay for the medical care they obviously need ?

Funny, Mari! I might cheer up at his birthday bash. Top 10 Reasons why Colin can't attend his Birthday Bash: 10. Filming in Penn. 9. Filming in OK 8. Filming in NJ 7. Filming in D.C. 6. Filming in LA 5. Filming in Canada 4. Filming in London 3. Filming in Rome 2. Filming in Chicago 1. Filming in Miami *Hey, he just got that video cam. and Luca is sooo cute* ;-) Documentary filmmakers don't make all that much Calling her a DF is an exageration, please!!!

Now, those wouldn't be my "worst fears" hehehe

Love the list, Moon. Think #3 needs to drop to #10. ;-D

I just assume he was traveling, Eileen. ;-)

Bullock will play a successful but somewhat neurotic attorney, with Grant as her enchanting, reckless and moneyed boss Enchanting? I thought that Hughie was going to play a tennis pro who falls in love with an American during the Wimbledon fortnight (yawn, yawn). Or is that another project? Mark Herman's CV at PFD lists "New Cardiff" (in development Buena Vista/Fragile Films))as his current 2001 project (Writer/Director), which makes it sound pretty definite, for him at least!