Two great films - two great books.

Film or tv versions of books you've enjoyed reading are always a bit daunting.  The possibility of a much loved book being butchered by some ham-fisted buffoon, who then puts images in your mind that will haunt you forever, is ... worrisome:  I still haven't watched Gormenghast despite having bought it on video and dvd.

Nevertheless, the film versions of both Submarine and Norwegian Wood have received plaudits by the shedload (this is definitely the correct collective noun for plaudits - go look it up if you don't believe me).


Submarine is a dark coming-of-age comedy about a lovelorn teenage boy in 1980s Swansea, written and directed by Richard Ayoade (the one with the fascinating haircut in Channel 4's The IT Crowd - and yes we do have the dvds in-stock - thank you for asking), adapted from a novel by Joe Dunthorne.

The film has many things to recommend it, not the least of which must be the best role for a duffle-coat since Jonathan Creek (and no we don't have the dvds in stock!) The Swansea of Dylan Thomas's "ugly, lovely town", or more prosaically of Twin Town's definition, provides a perfect backdrop to the tale.

Murakami, ah, what can you say about Murakami?  The man's a genius damn it!  If you haven't read anything then rush out now and buy one oops, borrow one from your local library.  We've got lots - check here.

Norwegian Wood is a story of love and loss set in Tokyo in 1969, told in retrospect by the protagonist and narrator Toru Watanabe.  The film is directed by Vietnamese director Trần Anh Hùng, who previous films include the critically acclaimed The scent of green papaya.