Anticipated Treasure...

I have written before of my love affair with Chocolat. No, not the confection, although that is, indeed, very wonderful! But the movie with Juliette Binoche. I love, love, love that movie, and I have made no secret about trying to "own or capture" it as many ways as possible. I guess you might say I collect Chocolat...

So, I own the DVD... I had to purchase two CDs because I broke my original on a cold January day... Did you know CDs became more fragile when they are below zero? I have the VCR... I bought the movie on iTunes, it's on my iPad at all times... And my iPod... Yep. Money wasted in part... I believe it all can be traced to the time I fell in love with a little French town.... In Chocolat. I inhaled Vianne in one wild transfusion... Voila! The metamorphosis was complete. I am Vianne...... ( without all the figure to die for, beautiful dark curls, high heels and tight sweaters, captivating Irish pirate vagabond... Baggage!)

Actually, my spirit is the problem! I crave to be Vianne.... I don't even care about the Johnny Depp part. I just love her vivacious spirit, her wisdom with her comments, the energy and elan of that little shop.... I want that. I want to come into something that's all dirty and unloved and turn it into a shop of magical, soothing elixirs.... or bits of "ephemera" that speak to the soul--- I want that. I want to read people and magically give them a bit of something delicious I made that will fix their lives..

As I've told you before, I saw this movie at least six times when it was released at the little movie theater in Moberly. I saw it all alone.... Well, others were there, but I went alone. After the first time, I took gold wrapped chocolates to every show and gave them to everyone before the movie. Got a lot of weird stares!!! I love the music.... It's almost all I play in the car any more.

I have watched Chocolat at home probably way more than 100 times. It soothes my soul; the music cheers me; the effervescence of Vianne inspires; the singleness cheers; the happy twist of finding Anouk safe after the angst of the explosion at the River Docks delights; the quirkiness tickles me... When I've had to recover from melancholy over my life choices...( and who hasn't?), I often turn it on at night and go to sleep with it.... Ah, the DVD experience to awaken to the repeat pattern of the opening choice screen...

One might say that I'm obsessed! This movie alone sparked my love of French things... Decor, clothing... I had a French theme in my room at school for years... Which always generated some young thing to say... "But you teach Spanish?!?!?!" Indeed.

Of course, I read the book.... I LIKED IT, BUT I PREFERRED THE CHARACTERS THE WAY THEY WERE IN THE MOVIE. Sorry, Joanne Harris, but I liked it the way you or whoever wrote the screenplay.... However, Harris did create Vianne. Harris is a very readable, captivating author.... So imagine my surprise tonight. My Sweetie tells me that This adored movie is available for free on Amazon Prime streaming video.... Yay! I love that! I don't always have it handy enough... Nothing like putting it on to inspire me to clean...to stir up hot cocoa with a dash of cayenne... Or to be more outgoing and my own person....    (-----------update: on second reading, I Love! The book...  Still prefer the plot/characters in Juliette's movie, but really click with the author's style and caliber of writing...----)

Then, what did I see...news in fact? What? Joanne Harris has THREE books with my Vianne as the main character. .????? All available on Kindle... With me sitting here wishing WISHING W.I.S.H.I.N.G.... FOR something captivating to replace the little ache I feel for missing school.....

So here I go... A re-reading of the original... Then book two... A Girl with No Shadow....

And finally, Peaches for Monsieur Le Curė.....

I'll follow that with the movie, of course... If I can wait that long......

I can't. I know I won't.

I'll be back when I come up for air!!! au revoir.....
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Linking with Share Your Cup Thursday

Hugs and Whimsy!