Like something out of a TOAST catalogue

Never let me go is a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro that came out in 2005. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. I keep coming back to it, thinking about it.

From the film Never Let Me Go

Mark Romanek turned it into a film in 2010 but I never got around to watching it back then. I bought the dvd a few months ago and finally watched it. Romanek’s adaptation of the book is beautiful and haunting and captured the mood and the essence of the novel very well, I think.

From the film Never Let Me Go

On ravelry there’s a group dedicated to knit spotting in films, As Seen in the Movies, and since NLMG features a lot of knitwear it naturally recieved some attention. Someone commented on it and said that it was as if a TOAST catalogue had come to life. I agree!

Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan in the film Never Let Me Go

I love the earthy tones and simple style.

Kiera Knightley, Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan

From the film Never Let Me Go

From the film Never Let Me Go

From the film Never Let Me Go

From the film Never Let Me Go

From the film Never Let Me Go

Carey Mulligan in the film Never Let Me Go

From the film Never Let Me Go

From the film Never Let Me Go

The fingerless wool mittens I’m knitting right now, Twig, are actually directly inspired by the film. Not that anyone in it wears anything similar, but my choice of colour and style is inspired by it.

First mittens finished, need to weave in ends.

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Wild thing. You make my heart sing.

I’m sure you read and was fascinated by Maurice Sendak’s book Where the Wild Things Are (1963) when you were a kid just like I was.  I was far from wild and angry like Max in the book, but I wanted a wolf costume just like his and often fantasized about other worlds.

Where the Wild Things Are

I was thrilled when Spike Jonze did his take on the story with the film that came out in 2009. It’s not a very comfortable adaptation, but actually rather disturbing at times. Still comforting. I really like it. And being a knitting nerd, I can’t help but notice The Knits. The boy Max wears a lovely knitted sweater at the beginning of the movie that I find very inspiring. I want that sweater!

Max in the movie Where the Wild Things Are

Here’s another shot of the sweater

If I’d ever have a go at the wolf costume, I would probably sew one, but if you’d prefer to knit it, Tiny Owls Knits has designed a pattern including the crown! Perhaps I have to knit one, now that I think about it…

A magician, sinister gentlemen and a rabbit

Award winning stop-motion animation director Jamie Caliri has directed a video for a group called The Shins. I’d never heard of them before, but they sound pretty good. The video, though! Excellent, disturbing and beautiful. Check it out here. (I tried to embed the video, but it doesn’t seem to work. You’ll have to follow the link).

You might recognise the style of Jamie Caliri, he’s the artist behind the stop motion animation in the Lemony Snicket movie. Check out his other works here. I’m particularily fond of the “The sun and the seed”:

The Sun and the Seed from Jamie Caliri on Vimeo.

Coraline

I might have mentioned it before, but Coraline really is a brilliant film. I love stop-motion animation in general, but this movie really is special. It has such wonderful and inspiring characters and scenography. I want to live in that house! With a jumping mice circus upstairs! And I also want those groovy stripey gloves and that cosy blue jumper with stars on. The best part is that one can actually knit those things! No, I don’t mean the miniture ones, I mean real sized garments. There’s a girl in California who has actually made a pattern of the striped gloves! How cool is that?! Here’s a link.

Official movie trailer

The official Coraline website provids fans with an actaul knitting pattern for that adorable starry jumper, talk about knowing one’s fan base! I must knit this. Eventually.

Coraline and the starry jumper. Photo credits: Focus Features

There are a lot of knitting patterns and projects inspired by this movie on ravelry, for instance the Coraline cardigan by Ysolda (perhaps the most well-known), but also a pair of lovely mittens with the cat, the key and one of the jumping mice. There’s also a crocheted doll that looks like one of the ghost children.

I simply love these kinds of projects! Inspiration can be found anywhere. Well, I’m off searching my yarn stash for some suitable yarn for those stripey gloves…

Oh, I just want to mention that the intro to the movie may be my favourite part, where the beldam creates the Coraline doll. Unfortunately I can’t find it on Youtube.

The 70’s Never Looked So Good

If you haven’t already seen Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy I order you to do so immediatley! Not only is it a brilliant film with brilliant actors, it LOOKS so bloody good! I didn’t spot any particular knitwear, but it created an urge so knit something that could fit into that environment. Hm. Must find suitable pattern.

Gary Oldman in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Credit: Focus Features.

ParaNorman

I love stop motion animation and Coraline is naturally one of my favourites. There’s a new one out next year by the same studio, sans Henry Selick, though. But it’s looking good so far:

the woman in black

I love ghost stories. I’ve read the book by Susan Hill and I’m now eagerly waiting for the movie. With Daniel Radcliffe, none the less.