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| You might like Northanger Abbey more than you think! |
Recently I was engaging in an online discussion about our favourite guilty pleasures. For me the term guilty pleasure can be rather problematic. I'm not the sort who buys in to the "it's so bad it's good" type of entertainment. I'm allergic to cheese. Things that are unintentionally funny can give me secondhand embarrassment. I don't watch horror movies, but if they're not frightening I'm not sure what is the point of watching them.
However I am aware that I enjoy movies that other people think are not very good. Sometimes I can see all the flaws in a film (or book!) yet there's something there that just appeals. It's part of the whole subjective experience of films of course. Of course this then undermines the whole idea of a guilty pleasure. No one should really feel bad about liking some form of entertainment, and we shouldn't look down on those who like the media we don't. We're all guilty of it at some time though. I know for one I do the latter a lot. Don't worry I'm aware of my failing though I am not sure if I'll ever overcome it.
Anyway when I do concede that I have a guilty pleasure one of the first examples that come to mind is the Jane Austen movie Northanger Abbey. In fandom discussions over the years I have often heard people malign this film, but I have adored it since I first came across it by chance in the wee hours of the morning. As you see in my review "A Case for Enjoying Northanger Abbey (1986)", I really think there's lots to enjoy in this film. Instead of feeling guilty about it, I say be prepared for some oddities and go in with an open mind.
As I mentioned in the review
Expect a quirky, unusual adaptation with some excellent characters and a dreamlike story and sit back and indulge in this offbeat journey.
What are your favourite "guilty" pleasures whether it be books, TV or film?
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