Re: Perfume
 

huh. I really liked the movie. maybe it's because I never read the book... but I thought the movie was great.

Re: Perfume
 

I'm not trying to piss on anyone's parade here, but I was supposed to read this book for a class on modern german authors and barely made it past page 50. I just didn't care.

Seeing the trailer two nights ago did nothing to kindle my interest.

I'm making every attempt to not be biased, but the more and more I see and read about it, the less interested I am.

Re: Perfume
 

grady, have you read/do you like gunter gras? just curious because I see a lot of similarities in the style.

Re: Perfume
 

Interestingly, or perhaps not, I've twice given up on The Rat by Gunter Grass because I really couldn't get very interested or care about what was going on. Probably killed off much chance of me giving the more famous Tin Drum a look.

Re: Perfume
 

if you like the movie don't read the book then :P

Seriously, the Perfume was a movie that shouldn't be that "effecty", although you would think there is no other way to make it work, my opinion is that all this ubber styled production and the chessy visual effects, killed completely all the perfect sadism of The Perfume.This movie should be more like 20 times more lowfi... the whole thing about the scences and aromas should be way more abstract.. well yes.. i disliked completely this film.

The other book i love about Suskind is "La Contrabase", maybe youshould start with this Grady ;)!

Re: Perfume
 

i would say that is interesting. I forced myself through the tin drum, kind of having the same response Grady describes regarding Perfume. But then I found myself recalling the Tin Drum's style reading the perfume, but thinking Perfume is such a more taut, brilliant, effective work. But that could be where opinion comes in. which is why I asked Grady.

Both writers are undeniably german in style. Both viscerally brutal. They both use deformity in the face of society as a literary device, both writers require a peppering of misanthropy in the reader's personality for the experience to be enjoyed
But again the difference is suskind works. gras didn't for me.

Re: Perfume
 

yess!!! That's exactly how I would have done it. its like movie directors know of only one way of telling a story.

Re: Perfume
 

Along those lines, to a degree anyway, I'd heavily recommend Celine's Journey to the End of the Night, or the great Knut Hamsun's more early works, particularly the great Hunger.
Another book that has come to mind was nearly a masterpiece but it maybe dragged a little bit in the latter half, was Ripley Bogleby Robert MacLiam Wilson, a story of an Irish down and out in London. Must actually get my hands on it again. Don't try and give up cigarettes while reading this book.

Re: Perfume
 

Neither worked here either. Book was kinda ok maybe. Helped me get to sleep.:D

Re: Perfume
 

I see I recommended Hunger by Hamsun. What I meant to recommend was Mysteries.