Always loved the Ripley books (all Highsmith, actually). Read them all again a couple of years ago, they still hold up. It's fascinating now living in France, where most of the later books are set - and not a million miles from where Ripley lives - to see the differences and similarities between then and now. What I liked about the recent Netflix series - despite Scott being 20 years too old - was how they captured the slow-burning tension that Highsmith creates. You see this most clearly in a non-Ripley novel, Tremor of Forgery, in which almost nothing happens but you stay on the edge of your seat ...
Yes, he was too old and the wrong colouring too, I felt, but he did a good job- it was very tense. Interesting that they changed the ending as perhaps (SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE ELSE READING THIS) they felt the idea he inherit's Dickie's wealth rather far-fetched.
Fantastic! I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Highsmith -so far that’s three books. I do intend to read everything by her eventually, but unfortunately I never see her books in the charity shops (which is where I get the majority of my books from). “Deep Water” is excellent - highly recommend it!
Whenever I (re)ead Highsmith, I'm continuously surprised by just how good she was. Her ability to make you feel for the real-life monster is on the level of Nabokov and Dostoevsky. She was an extraordinary talent who knew her limits (within the genre) but transcended them. Great video, Outlaw.
Interesting and informative video as usual. Thank you for incorporating her books with the film adaptations into this exploration of her works. I thought you were going to do something on Highsmith when I saw those DVDs on the shelf behind you in your last video.
That was really outstanding. One of your best videos. Organized, thorough, special effects, new camera angles (not the most important thing, but just to let you know that I noticed.) Books ranked! Books compared to books; books compared to films; films compared to films. I totally forgot about My American Friend. I run hot and cold on Wim Wenders myself. Problematic elements discussed! A balanced discussion of them too. Biography brought in! Interesting biographical thoughts and moments. I just felt this video was juicy and well put together thank you very much.
Thanks Walt. I am going to bring film more into the equation. I've been meaning to make this video for ages and I should have got it out before the TV series, but work/life/illness etc...very pleased you liked it.
Another very interesting video Steve . I recently saw the film for the first time and was surprised how much I enjoyed it . The books sound great more to seek out 👍🏻
'The Talented Mr Ripley' (1999) I assume? Yes, it's a good film, I like it a lot, but you MUST read the novels then watch the other films, all worth seeing.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal yes sorry I did mean the talented mr Ripleythe movie Steve ! I’ll definitely have a look for the books I do like a few different genres to read .
Patricia Highsmith now will move closer to my radar of authors to add to my reading. Many thanks as always for the in-depth information as I would have to troll dozens of channels for just a quarter of the information you give in one video.
It boils down to one thing, there are the people who have read Ripley beyond the first novel and the rest of the world. They really are quite something. There are other videos out there about the films, but none of them seem to be by anyone who has read all the books. I launched my International Crime Fiction Book Club with a Highsmith night in 2016, aided and abetted by Crime author Sarah Hilary, the night is just popping back into my head as I type this....
I have only read Highsmith's short stories, including The Terrapin mentioned, so have all of the Riply series to look forward to. Although I did see the Netflix series which I really enjoyed. Great insights in this video as always.
This will give you the full background as it were. I enjoyed the Netflix series, but it's topped by 'Purple Noon' and 'Ripley's Game' as films, but you must read the books first, they're amazing.
I didn’t realise that there were a further two Ripley novels. I have the excellent hardcover Everyman Library Ripley trilogy which has the first three novels. Oh well, another two books to be added to my already extensive ‘wants’ list!
Yep, Penguin Random House need to pull their finger out and reissue the lot in hardcover as singletons, but there may be a rights problem, as the last book was Bloomsbury in hardcover- at least in the UK.
It is so nearly impossible for me to leave a salient comment upon watching your episodes, OB, that I sometimes give up before I begin because you make so many excellent points that it's hard to know where to begin. So I'll pick this one: When I was perhaps 12yrs old I saw "From Russia, With Love" and immediately became hooked on the whole Bond thing. Fast forward to my late teens and I saw "The French Connection" and the car chase scene in that movie is so intense, it defies describing. As I watched, I was immediately reminded of the fight scene in the train between Connery and Shaw. I concur wholeheartedly that is the best fight on a train scene ever. Closing note: Highsmith's Ripley character, I wonder how difficult or easy it was for her to invent him and give him verisimilitude? Either she did exhaustive research or she was living vicariously through him. Your thoughts? Great presentation as always, and this one I must say, really caught me up. Cheers!
I read a biography of Patricia Highsmith by Joan Schenkar called The Talented Miss Highsmith. The book read like an exploration of psychopathy. Much of the latter part of her life was lived in France. The book also explored her relationship with her mother. I was interested in the period of her life when she wrote for the comic books to which Schenkar devotes some research.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal I enjoy reading about authors. I will check the book you recommended. Schenkar's biography explores her loves but I think because she is from a generation that hid their sexuality it possibly caused confusion. She was a very complicated personality, enigmatic is the word I think of.
Good stuff! I have read all except the last of the series and all are very fun. Tom Ripley is possibly the most relatable psychopath in literature. Also love the story "The Terrapin", which is in the collection "Eleven". Do you think this could be about Tom Ripley as a child?
That's it- 'Eleven'. It's a good theory, but I seem to recall the story is set in France...though I may be wrong about this as it's been years since I've read it.
I agree that this version of Ripley's Game is superior to the Wim Wenders version! They are supposed to make all of the books (hopefully) into limited series with Andrew Scott if all goes well.
Great video. I read all the Ripley books, the last one when tv series came out. I agree about Wim Wenders' version, I didn't like it at all. I feel pretty much the same about every Wenders film. He is terribly overrated, in my opinion. Concerning the new tv adaptation, I think it's very close to the novel as far as Dickie is portrayed. Jude Law was great, but his Dickie isn't Dickie from the book. I agree that new version of Ripley's Game is way better, it's brilliant if you ask me, even though I think that Ray Winstone was miscast as Reeves Minot. For me first novel is the best, followed by third, second, fifth, and The Boy Who Followed Ripley wich, I must say, didn't like very much. Maybe I like it more on a reread.
When the MInghella version was announced, I assumed Law would be Ripley and felt that might work, but of course it wasn't that way. 'Ripley's Game' with John M I loved, saw it in the cinema, I don't think it's ever had a bluray release, shocking. Agree about Winstone as Reeves, totally wrong. NIce to hear from someone who has read the lot.
You mentioned Paul Bowles' African novel, I take it you mean The Sheltering Sky? I'm told it's kinda similar to The Process (read) by Brion Gysin.. both friends of Burroughs, of course.
Yes, but most of his stuff was set in North Africa, but 'The Sheltering Sky' and 'Let It Come Down' predominate for me- 'The Two Faces of January' is , of course, set in Crete- but the hot setting and an American couple in jeopardy in lands they never made is what prompted me to link the two. It's quite different to 'The Process' - which I have, but I'll admit I haven't read for decades. But yeah, Gysin and Bowles were go-to guys for me alongside WSB.
Looks great! This film has Alain Delon-whom I really like thanks to L’Eclisse, The Leopard, Le Samouraï and Le Cercle Rouge-and is also based on a Highsmith novel. Those are two really good reasons for me to find and watch it.
Well, put it this way- the more 'vanilla' readers...ones who don't get beyond similar 'cosy crime' may not. The Ripliad is about getting away with murder and is thus- as I think I said- antiheroic. But put it this way, every crime writer I've ever spoken to loves Christie, but they all love Pat Highsmith too. I find Christie unreadable, personally- even at 12 I found her work dead on the page, but that's just me. HIghsmith is unique and more akin to Modernist literature in intent, but she's insanely readable: so ultimately, yes.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Thanks for the reply. My older sister was an avid reader of Christie years ago and I've always been looking for other mystery/crime writers she might like. Her 2 biggest literary interests have always been mystery/crime (primarily Christie) and biographies. From your description I'm thinking she would not like these novels...she is an unapologetic (and to me, unrealistic) idealist (she got fired from 2 jobs where she questioned her boss's unethical behavior) and prefers mystery/crime novels where virtuous people triumph.
