(Well, okay, in Hollywood’s rendering of Civil War Appalachia.)
I’d wager that most folks have at least one film that they watch every holiday season. It’s A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Home Alone. For me this ritual has slowly evolved to include a different kind of film altogether. Every December I get a hankering to watch the beautifully shot movie Cold Mountain. The cinematography is just spectacular, and between the landscape, the pretty people, and the gorgeous clothing, it is as much a feast for the eyes as that Christmas ham is for the belly.
I recently read the novel and absolutely loved it. I love the food they ate (I could easily live on beans and corn bread and eggs and bacon), their herbal knowledge (the goatwoman is one of my favorite scenes- in the film and the book), the simple way they handled the passing of loved ones (home funerals and “death midwifery” fascinate me), the extensive descriptions of fiddle making and fiddle music playing, and so much more. (It is, though, a rather dark and disturbing story. The Civil War era would have been one of the worst times to be alive I think, amazing clothes or not…) Continue Reading... (494 words + 1 image, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)
