Heliotropic List #17
Electricity
This week features two new favourite films, a read, a recipe and a crochet project.
A film - ‘The Electrical Life of Louis Wain,’ a tear-jerking, inspiring and whimsical biopic about about the tragic, yet beautiful life of Louis Wain (1860-1939) and his relationship to cats, electricity and his tumultuous inner life. Benedict Cumberbatch Plays Louis and Nick Cave also makes a brief appearance as H.G. Wells who famously said of Louis “he invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world.” It was directed by Will Sharpe (who played Ethan in White Lotus Season 2). See Louis’ art below, which became increasingly psychedelic throughout his life.
Louis Wain A recipe - Randomly, I decided to try make a fish pie this week, maybe because I once had food-envy when my partner ordered one in Bali. It was a lot easier to make than I thought and turned out really well. I referenced two recipes, this one and this one with the celebrated British chef Fergus Henderson.
Words - These two musings by Darby Hudson caught my eye this week.
Reads - I recently listened to August Blue by Deborah Levy on audible, I regret that because I think it would’ve been better appreciated in written form. I read her other book Hot Milk, which I loved much better. It’s hard to say whether it’s because her books translates better when read on the page, or because it’s genuinely a better book… I think maybe a bit of both.
Another film - I cried multiple times through this incredible film. It’s called Good Luck to You Leo Grande and was originally a play, which explains it being predominantly shot in one room. The wonderful Dame Emma Thompson plays the uptight Nancy Stokes; a 55-year old widow who’s never had an orgasm and uncharacteristically decides to do the most ‘adventurous thing I’ve ever done in my life’ and hire escort Leo Grande to make up for lost time. Leo Grande is eloquent, empathetic and takes on what Thompson describes in an interview, as an almost a ‘sex carer’ role in her life, which transforms her relationship with her repressed sexuality. The premise might sound uncomfortable and there are admittedly a few ‘cringe’ moments in the film — but it is such a powerful and cathartic story for all woman I think, based on universal themes of female desire, ageing and body confidence. The acting is of course ridiculously good also.
A recent crochet project - you can find the pattern for this vest here.
Another read - I read this years ago, and it remains to be one of my favourite books of all time. I suspect this was the book that catalysed the growing conversation around the need for our modern world to acknowledge its inextricable connection with nature. I picked up my copy again this week to refresh my memory. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend. It’s one of those books that will undoubtably influence your worldview, even just a little bit.
