Latest news with #WutheringHeights'
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Soulmates: 'the most dangerous concept in dating since apps'
Analysis: The notion of the soulmate reflects a persistent burning to stash fictions into our fantasies of love Wuthering Heights, the immortal novel that troubled generations of Leaving Cert students, continues to disturbingly haunt cultural notions of love, obsession, and that tall, dark, brooding 'One' where " whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same". Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga was inspired by, and consistently references, Wuthering Heights. E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey, which originated as Twilight fanfiction, echoes Wuthering Heights' motifs. Even Sally Rooney's Normal People evokes Brontë's influence in the class-conscious, self-centred struggles between Connell and Marianne. Over 175 years later, Bronte's dark romance still refuses to slumber quietly, shaping our ideas of passion, inseparable loves and impossible desires. The notion of the soulmate lingers in culture and our emotional unconscious, reflecting a persistent burning to stash fictions into our fantasies of love. In chasing these shadows, we glimpse both the thrill and the peril of romanticised passion. From RTÉ Archives, James O'Malley provides a Leaving Certificate English guide to Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights for Telefís Scoile in 1973 Soulmates may be the most dangerous concept swamping contemporary dating and love culture since apps colonised courtship. Like dating apps, soulmates are all symbols and no substance, abbreviated, imprecise, and profoundly immature. Soulmates are a fantasy, not a reality; an ideal worth understanding, but perilously treacherous to believe in. Nonetheless, soulmates are like emotional pornography. Why let unreality get in the way of a quick fantasy fix? The language of soulmates is a siren's call to destruction. You can admire them but never steer your emotional ship toward their enticing and allluring echoes. Cathy and Heathcliff can wander the moors eternally bound, because we never see them navigating the mundane but critical realities of relationships, such as IKEA lamps, householding and credit card bills. Soulmates have always travelled the same path towards a destruction that freezes the ideal since Romeo and Juliet. Thank you, David Nicholls' One Day. We used to idealise unconsummated love, but modern Connells and Mariannes definitely get it on, but without consummating an actual relationship into actually relating openly, honestly and sometimes ordinarily with each other. Remember that a relationship involves relating, actual meeting and talking, not texting or emoji-ing. Anything else is really only a 'situationship' with neither motion nor emotion. From RTÉ Radio 1's This Week, reporter Gavin O'Callaghan finds out if dating apps are losing their spark Here, then, are 10 things to bear in mind with soulmates (1) Intense feelings are intense because they're fuelled by fantasy, not reality. Remember your feelings are yours, so own them. Get to truly know the other person. The more you do, the more they'll collapse that fantasy, but the better chance you both will have of actually seeing each other. (2) We all claim looks don't matter, but they do, but each of us is drawn to our own kind of beauty, unless we've been brainwashed by society's standards. Remember 'tall, dark, and handsome' all too often translates as selfish, vai and emotionally stunted. I always encourage 'kind, curious and light humoured'. (3) Chasing a soulmate who is "more myself than I am" carries a whiff of narcissism which often masks deep insecurity. Differences in relationships are healthy when they are compatible and complement/respect each other. Only through difference do we grow; sameness leaves us stuck unevolved, underdeveloped. Everyone believes in one soulmate - until the relationship, affair or fantasy ends (4) If you want a soulmate, then be a mate to your own soul; that part within that makes you you, get to know your soul, explore it, enjoy it, have your own relationship with yourself. Discover what you love and pursue your own hobbies and interests. Never hand someone else the job of caring for your soul; that way lies disappointment. (5) Everyone believes in one soulmate, until the relationship, affair or fantasy ends. Then it's either denial ('they weren't the one!') or a new myth (two great loves per lifetime). Take a bow, Sex and the City's Charlotte York. Life holds many people, many kinds of love and lovers, there is no one way or person. (6) Soulmates hurt. Heathcliff destroyed the lives, loves and dreams of everyone around him. Connell and Marianne didn't have to get their kink on to inflict pain. Those who cling to the "soulmate" ideal are often emotional masochists, indulging in la douleur exquise, the delicious pain of suffering. Life is for living, not enduring. If your 'One' is being mean, then that can only mean they aren't meant for you. From News at One, how sole mates and running clubs have become an alternative to dating apps (7) It's no accident that Wuthering Heights is dispensed to teenagers and that Normal People has young-adult protagonists. Only in youth and inexperience can we love so wildly, blindly, and naïvely. First loves should be joyous, messy, overwhelming, and necessarily embarrassing. Enjoy them, learn from them, then move on. In the long run, relationships across life are decathlons, not sprints. (8) Romance is magical, but love is real. The soulmate idea often avoids reality, especially for the exhausted singles or the frustrated partnered. It can excuse and hide anything, from a hidden life with cats, to a disastrous affair justified as fate. After all who can say no to a soul-mate? "The One" becomes a treacherous carte blanche, a get-out-of-emotional-jail card that always comes at a cost and a long sentence. The One is solitary, a sole mate. Keep on dreaming of them if you want to stay single and alone (9) Focus more on the "mate" than the "soul," and you may find a true lifelong companion. They might not be howling undying love at your window each night, but they're more likely to offer a lasting partnership—or at least an honest ending. Passion fuels fleeting affairs; friendship sustains real relationships. (10) The One is solitary, a sole mate. Keep on dreaming of them if you want to stay single and alone. Dr Ray O'Neill will be discussing soulmates and other relationship topics on the Ray D'Arcy Show (3pm, RTÉ Radio 1) today
Courier-Mail
10-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
‘Aggressively provocative': Test screener for Margot Robbie's ‘Wuthering Heights' film gets mixed reviews
Don't miss out on the headlines from Upcoming Movies. Followed categories will be added to My News. Wuthering Heights devotees are in for a rude shock, it seems. The beloved 1800s novel written by Emily Brontë is yet again being adapted for the screen, with Australian actress Margot Robbie and fellow Aussie Jacob Elordi in the lead roles of Catherine and Heathcliff. Directed by Saltburn filmmaker Emerald Fennell, the upcoming feature film has already copped significant controversy after photos emerged from the set earlier this year, with many taking issue with Robbie's age, her costume and styling, and even with her face looking too 'modern' for a story set in the late 1700s. Now, a test screener hosted in Dallas, Texas, is said to have generated a deeply mixed reaction among viewers, described as 'aggressively provocative' and 'tonally abrasive'. Never miss the latest entertainment news from Australia and around the world — download the app direct to your phone. Margot Robbie pictured on set of 'Wuthering Heights' in the UK in March. Picture: BACKGRID According to movie website World of Reel, 'There's hypersexualised imagery — far more explicit than any previous adaptation of this material.' The outlet further claims, 'The film opens with a public [redacted] that quickly descends into grotesque absurdity, as the condemned man ejaculates mid-execution, sending the onlooking crowd into a kind of orgiastic frenzy. A nun even fondles the corpse's visible erection. 'Later, a woman is strapped into a horse's reins for a BDSM-tinged encounter. There are several masturbation scenes shot in that now-signature Fennell style — intimate, clinical, and purposefully discomforting.' The publication cites an attendee saying Robbie and Elordi have 'great chemistry', but described the characters as 'unlikeable'. Australian actor Jacob Elordi plays Heathcliff in the film. Picture:It's not usual for reviews to emerge from highly-confidential test screenings, which are traditionally held by production companies to gauge audience reaction prior to the film's completion and ultimate release. Production on Wuthering Heights, which took place in the UK, officially wrapped in April. And a warning, some story spoilers below. The book – considered one of the most famous pieces literature ever written – follows the doomed romance between Catherine and Heathcliff, whose passionate love story is marred by societal constraints. Juliette Binoche alongside Ralph Fiennes in the 1992 version of Wuthering Heights. Forgotten Film That Launched Margot Robbie's Career Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 01:28 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Forgotten Film That Launched Margot Robbie's Career more more began when she was cast in two films in the late 2000s before she ever set foot in Ramsay St. Take a look at where Margot's career...... ... more Amid the backlash when Robbie – a three-time Oscar nominee – was cast, many took issue with the actress' age. At 35, the Queensland-born star is some 16 years older than Catherine. While it's certainly not uncommon for mature actors to portray younger characters, much of the tragedy of the novel lies in the premature nature of Catherine's death during childbirth, as Heathcliff lives on tormented to have lost her before they have a chance to be together. Others also felt Robbie didn't quite capture a 17th-century woman, with one critic claiming she looks 'straight out of Sephora'. Previous adaptations saw actress Merle Oberon, then in her late twenties, star alongside Laurence Olivier in a 1939 movie, as well as Juliette Binoche, also in her twenties, alongside Ralph Fiennes in the 1992 version. Actress Kaya Scodelario was 19 when she played Cathy in a 2011 film adaptation, alongside James Howson as Heathcliff. With a flurry of adaptations having already been made, it's perhaps unsurprising Fennell is looking to infuse some shock factor. Warner Bros is distributing the film, with a planned February 2026 cinema release. Originally published as 'Aggressively provocative': Test screener for Margot Robbie's 'Wuthering Heights' film cops mixed reviews
CNN
25-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Photos this week: July 17-24, 2025
A man stands at the broken windows of his house after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday, July 21. Residents of Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities faced another sleepless night on Sunday as Russia launched 450 missiles and drones overnight into Monday, Ukraine's Air Force said. The majority were shot down, the Air Force said, but 23 struck across three locations and debris from intercepted missiles landed in 12 areas. Efrem Lukatsky/AP A machine gun and flak jacket, belonging to a Ukrainian serviceman, hang on a wall near the Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar on Tuesday, July 22. Chasiv Yar is on the front lines of the country's war with Russia. Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukrainian Armed Forces/Reuters People gather in Folkestone, England, to dance to Kate Bush's 1978 hit song 'Wuthering Heights' on Sunday, July 20. They wore red dresses to re-enact Bush's iconic music President Donald Trump, second from left, tours the renovation site of the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, DC, on Thursday, July 24. He was joined by US Sen. Tim Scott, left, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, right. The long-simmering clash between Trump and Powell was on full public display during the tour. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images Children in Sanaa, Yemen, react as protesters, predominantly Houthi supporters, show solidarity with Palestinians on Friday, July 18. Khaled Abdullah/Reuters Lovely Jean Baptiste, a 16-year-old who was shot in the mouth by armed gangs, poses for a portrait Thursday, July 17, at the Argentine Bellegarde School, which has been turned into a shelter for displaced people in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Claraens Siffroy/AFP/Getty Images Mario Barrios, left, tries to avoid a punch from Hall of Fame boxer Manny Pacquiao during their welterweight title bout in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 19. Pacquiao, 46, was making his first appearance in the ring in nearly four years. He fell just short of taking the title of Barrios, who retained the WBC belt with a majority draw. John Locher/AP Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers, right, celebrates with teammates after he hit a walk-off home run to defeat the Kansas City Royals on Friday, July 18. He hit two homers in the Aguilar prepares to enter the flooded Barasoain church for her wedding in Malolos, Philippines, on Tuesday, July 22. The church flooded due to heavy rain from Typhoon Wipha, but she and her fiancé pushed through with their wedding anyway. Aaron Favila/AP This aerial photo, taken on Tuesday, July 22, shows surfers swimming past waves in the Atlantic Ocean near Carcans, France. Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images Dylan Mortensen gets a hug after speaking at the sentencing hearing of Bryan Kohberger at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday, July 23. Kohberger, who murdered four University of Idaho students in 2022, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Kyle Green/Pool/AP Late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert speaks to his audience on Monday, July 21. It was his first night back on 'The Late Show' since the shocking news that CBS is canceling it. The network, citing financial pressures, said the cancellation will take effect in May 2026, the normal end of the broadcast TV season. Scott Kowalchyk/CBS/Getty Images Scottie Scheffler hugs his wife, Meredith, and their son, Bennett, after he won the Open Championship in Portrush, Northern Ireland, on Sunday, July 20. It's the fourth major title for Scheffler, the world's top-ranked player who also won the PGA Championship earlier this season. Oisin Keniry/R&A/Getty Images Crime scene tape cordons off part of the area where a Bangladeshi Air Force jet crashed into a school in the capital of Dhaka on Monday, July 21. At least 27 people, mostly children, were killed, according to officials. Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images Aidan Keen and Mark McGlaughlin rest at Neebel Park in Hartley, Iowa, on Sunday, July 20. They were taking part in the first day of RAGBRAI, or Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. See last week in 32 photos. Ayrton Breckenridge/The Register/Imagn Images
CNN
25-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Photos this week: July 17-24, 2025
A man stands at the broken windows of his house after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday, July 21. Residents of Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities faced another sleepless night on Sunday as Russia launched 450 missiles and drones overnight into Monday, Ukraine's Air Force said. The majority were shot down, the Air Force said, but 23 struck across three locations and debris from intercepted missiles landed in 12 areas. Efrem Lukatsky/AP A machine gun and flak jacket, belonging to a Ukrainian serviceman, hang on a wall near the Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar on Tuesday, July 22. Chasiv Yar is on the front lines of the country's war with Russia. Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukrainian Armed Forces/Reuters People gather in Folkestone, England, to dance to Kate Bush's 1978 hit song 'Wuthering Heights' on Sunday, July 20. They wore red dresses to re-enact Bush's iconic music President Donald Trump, second from left, tours the renovation site of the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, DC, on Thursday, July 24. He was joined by US Sen. Tim Scott, left, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, right. The long-simmering clash between Trump and Powell was on full public display during the tour. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images Children in Sanaa, Yemen, react as protesters, predominantly Houthi supporters, show solidarity with Palestinians on Friday, July 18. Khaled Abdullah/Reuters Lovely Jean Baptiste, a 16-year-old who was shot in the mouth by armed gangs, poses for a portrait Thursday, July 17, at the Argentine Bellegarde School, which has been turned into a shelter for displaced people in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Claraens Siffroy/AFP/Getty Images Mario Barrios, left, tries to avoid a punch from Hall of Fame boxer Manny Pacquiao during their welterweight title bout in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 19. Pacquiao, 46, was making his first appearance in the ring in nearly four years. He fell just short of taking the title of Barrios, who retained the WBC belt with a majority draw. John Locher/AP Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers, right, celebrates with teammates after he hit a walk-off home run to defeat the Kansas City Royals on Friday, July 18. He hit two homers in the Aguilar prepares to enter the flooded Barasoain church for her wedding in Malolos, Philippines, on Tuesday, July 22. The church flooded due to heavy rain from Typhoon Wipha, but she and her fiancé pushed through with their wedding anyway. Aaron Favila/AP This aerial photo, taken on Tuesday, July 22, shows surfers swimming past waves in the Atlantic Ocean near Carcans, France. Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images Dylan Mortensen gets a hug after speaking at the sentencing hearing of Bryan Kohberger at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday, July 23. Kohberger, who murdered four University of Idaho students in 2022, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Kyle Green/Pool/AP Late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert speaks to his audience on Monday, July 21. It was his first night back on 'The Late Show' since the shocking news that CBS is canceling it. The network, citing financial pressures, said the cancellation will take effect in May 2026, the normal end of the broadcast TV season. Scott Kowalchyk/CBS/Getty Images Scottie Scheffler hugs his wife, Meredith, and their son, Bennett, after he won the Open Championship in Portrush, Northern Ireland, on Sunday, July 20. It's the fourth major title for Scheffler, the world's top-ranked player who also won the PGA Championship earlier this season. Oisin Keniry/R&A/Getty Images Crime scene tape cordons off part of the area where a Bangladeshi Air Force jet crashed into a school in the capital of Dhaka on Monday, July 21. At least 27 people, mostly children, were killed, according to officials. Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images Aidan Keen and Mark McGlaughlin rest at Neebel Park in Hartley, Iowa, on Sunday, July 20. They were taking part in the first day of RAGBRAI, or Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. See last week in 32 photos. Ayrton Breckenridge/The Register/Imagn Images
India Today
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Veteran actor Jack Betts, known for Spider-Man, dies at 96
Jack Betts, best known for his roles in spaghetti Westerns and as Henry Balkan in Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' (2002), died peacefully in his sleep on June 19 at his home in Los Osos, California. He was 96. The news was confirmed by his nephew, Dean a career spanning over six decades, Betts left an indelible mark on stage, film, and television. A lifelong admirer of Laurence Olivier - whose performance in 'Wuthering Heights' inspired his pursuit of acting - Betts studied theatre at the University of Miami before making his Broadway debut in Richard III. He later headlined Dracula on Broadway for three years, beginning in the 1960s, Betts became a familiar face in Italian Westerns, notably starring in 'Sugar Colt' (1966), directed by Franco Giraldi. On television, he made memorable appearances in popular series like 'Seinfeld', 'Frasier', 'Friends', 'My Name Is Earl', and 'Everybody Loves Raymond'. In more recent years, Betts continued acting with roles in shows like Recovery Road and Good Trouble (2019), proving his enduring presence on screen. His performance as Henry Balkan in 'Spider-Man', opposite Willem Dafoe, remains one of his most recognised Betts is survived by his nephew Dean, nieces Lynee and Gail, and his sister Joan.
