Its been a little while since i have done a book versus movie debate post but as i have recently read the stepford wives i figured that rather than just share my thoughts on the book, i would do a book and film comparison instead. The stepford wives is a stunning film, one that is a genre classic, and if you enjoy old school horror, then this is a must see film. Ira levins original 1972 novella the stepford wives was both suspense and witty satire. The the stepford wives community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. If there is a stepford syndrome, its mediadriven, says new york plastic. The story concerns joanna eberhart, a photographer and young mother who suspects the frighteningly submissive housewives in her new idyllic connecticut neighborhood may be robots created by their husbands the book has had two feature film adaptations, both using the same title as the novel. Stepford wives organization supports and promotes the stayathomemother. The novel may not be the bestselling book of the year, the most praised, or the most highly awardedthough awards. I just enjoy the book, consider the first film a masterpiece, and find the remake perfectly ok just try not to notice the gaping plot holes. Pretty actresses, big in the bosom but small in the talent, playing suburban housewives unconvincingly, too niceynice to.
Used to describe a servile, compliant, submissive, spineless wife who happily does her husbands bidding and serves his every whim dutifully. I know im going to have to go look that up, but in the meantime ill say what little i have to say about the book. Book is in good condition with minor general wear and tear and moderate to heavy page discolourationspotting throughout. The stepford wives is a beautifully written, nasty little piece of work, and i mean that as the highest compliment. Its plot follows a woman who relocates with her husband and children from new york city to the connecticut community of stepford, where she comes to find the women live unwaveringly subservient lives to their husbands. But the version i read had an introduction by chuck palahniuk that i found interesting and i thought showed up a little flaw in the book. The stepford wives film analysis uk essays ukessays. The stepford wives is a 1972 novel by ira levin, according to what ive read its a satirical thriller whatever that is. The stepford wives project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. In the story, men of this seemingly ideal town have replaced their wives with attractive robotic dolls devoid of emotion or thought. Another bad idea from the bad ideas factory and this ones just about as bad as. Section one provides an introduction and a brief history of the decade. The internationally bestselling novel by the author of a kiss before dying, the.
Beginning with 1970 and proceeding chronologically by year of its release in the united states, section two offers. Irrational changes of personality occur almost overnight among wives soon after they move to the suburbs of stepford. The stepford wives is a much shorter book than i had anticipated. Its also a solid example of what i would term suburban horrorthe whole idea that in the suburbs no one will give you too much grief about insert horrible thing you do here so long as your house is. An alternate ending to the 2004 film, in several chapters. Stepford wives by ira levin in djvu, doc, txt download ebook. In the closing scene, joannas robot is seen walking down a grocery aisle.
Esquire ira levin is the swiss watchmaker of the suspense novel. Stepford, also known as stepford village, is the idyllic, modernday suburban connecticut town in the united states of america and it is home to its iconic and creepily beatific and biomechanical housewives publicly dubbed the stepford wives. I know im going to have to go look that up, but in the meantime ill. Dressing stepford style let us start with stepford nevers. The stepford wives by levin, ira and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
His plays include no time for sergeants, critics choice, and the longestrunning thriller in broadway history, deathtrap. Did the robot not fully activate until the real jonna was killed. The stepford wives is a 1972 satirical thriller novel by ira levin. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. When the guy from the mens association asks her to record herself reading the word list, she agrees right away. Bobbies husband and son are upstairs, with loud rock music playing as if to cover screams. In the ending of the 1975 stepford wives, joannas robot is seen gazing at her with empty, black eyes. The story concerns joanna eberhart, a photographer and young mother who begins to suspect that the frighteningly submissive housewives in her new idyllic connecticut neighborhood may be robots created by their husbands. Since it is still summer, we will cover this seasons recommendations. Pretty actresses, big in the bosom but small in the talent, playing suburban housewives unconvincingly, too niceynice to be real. Most critics just called it a ripoff, and said that the 1975 bryan forbes film was vastly superior. This detailed filmography covers these and 225 more.
The stepford wives by ira levin goodreads share book. The stepford wives is a 1975 american satirical horror film directed by bryan forbes, written by william goldman, and starring katharine ross, paula prentiss, and peter masterson. The stepford wives by ira levin 1972, hardcover for sale. It told the story of joanna eberhart, a semiprofessional photographer who moves to a small town in connecticut away from new york city. My copy is only 116 pages long, but it achieves a lot in those few pages and bulking out of the story would only have spoiled it. Even if you hadnt seen the film, you knew what a stepford wife was. The stepford wives symbols, allegory and motifs gradesaver. Levins book, that was made into a movie as well would be by watching the early seasons of mad men. I would imagine that most people will be familiar with the concept of stepford wives, the book is a very well written short read with what i thought was a brilliant introduction by chuck palahniuk.
Bobbies husband and son are upstairs, with loud rock music playingas if to cover screams. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Some of these connect to themes we find in ethical considerations of technological. A new book explores why the stepford wives directed by bryan forbes, starring katherine ross, paula prentiss and peter masterson.
The stepford wives forbes, 1975 portrays the feminine condition in a bourgeois, patriarchal society boruzkowski, 1987. There are two film adaptations, one was released in 1975 and the other in 2004. Have your colors checked to make sure you are wearing the most flattering shades for your color type. This is never a fair place for a work of narrative art to find itself, but its especially unfortunate for this film, which. The story concerns joanna eberhart, a photographer and young mother who begins to suspect. The stepford wives is a 1972 satirical horror novel by ira levin. The stepford wives is about a small suburb where the women happily go about their housework cleaning, doing laundry, and cooking gourmet meals to please their husbands. Read the stepford wives online, read in mobile or kindle. If youre anything like me, you dont really feel like you need to read the stepford wives. The other responders are correct that stepford is a fictional town. Traditional american community, frilly aprons, nicely waxed floors, scarily upbeat housewives. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Joanna eberhart, a wildly successful president of a tv network, after a series of shocking events, suffers a nervous breakdown and is moved by her milquetoast of a husband, walter, from manhattan to the chic, upperclass, and very modern planned community of stepford, connecticut.
Unfortunately, bobbie and joanna discover that the villages wives have been replaced with. The stepford wives forbes, 1975 addresses these concerns with a terrified and gloomy look at the perfect woman. Stepford wives organization is a website that supports the idea of the homemaking wife who is not only the cheery domestic goddess, but a fantastic dresser, neat as a pin, a lady with good manners, and a gracious, wellbehaved, obedient wife who always puts her man first. Only women have babies in the town of stepford, they find young men and turn them into married, baby making machines. Please dont view this board as an endorsement of the stepford mindset. The stepford wives is a psychological thriller set in 1970s suburban connecticut.
The walter in the book is even more sinister than the walter in the movie. The original version, starring katharine ross might not have. Its short, its written lightly, and could easily be read in a days time, if you had the opportunity to sit down. An alumnus of new york university, levin also wrote the. In its original selfcontained form, i think it is excellent satire, commentary and science fiction that primarily critiques men. In the film, liberated females who are equal to, if not more powerful than their husbands and hold on. The films story is well layered and keeps you involved from. See more ideas about wife movies, katherine ross and film. If this book doesnt scare the shit out of you then youre really not paying attention. At once a masterpiece of psychological suspense and a savage commentary on a mediadriven society that values the pursuit of youth and beauty at all costs, the stepford wives is a novel so frightening in its final implications that the title itself has earned a place in the american lexicon.
The scene ends as bobbie brandishes a knife at her. Stepford wives, according to ira levinss original 1972 stepford wives novel. The stepford wives costume designer anna hill johnstone. The stepford wives cert 12a peter bradshaw friday 30 july 2004 the guardian. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. For that reason, it is easy to dismiss this book as just another lighthearted fiction novel.
The original hardcover jacket calls the stepford wives one of those rare novels whose very title may well become part of our. Novelist and playwright ira levin 19292007 was a native new yorker whose books include a kiss before dying, rosemarys baby, this perfect day, the stepford wives, the boys from brazil, sliver, and son of rosemary. The stepford wives, a comic reimagining of the 1975 suspense classic, follows the tale. I think another way of getting a view of connecticut other than mr. The stepford wives ira levin paperback harpercollins publishers. An efficient german motorcar of a bookmasterful, ridiculously well crafted, and, like the ladies of stepford themselves, flawless. It is the titular main setting of the popular 1972 satirical thriller book by writer ira levin as well as of its 1975 sciencefiction horror movie.
In the movie, she only agrees if hell arrange a meeting of the stepford wives. The stepford wives was also the inspiration for the 1998 teen thriller, disturbing behavior 1998, which starred james marsden and katie holmes, and was put together by some of the same people behind the television series, the xfiles 1993. Because honestly, we already know what its about, right. I remember a woman refusing to go on the pill because she feared doing another stint as a mindless, busty stepford wife. Boekverslag engels the stepford wives door ira levin 3e klas vwo. The stepford wives by ira levin book cover, description, publication history. The stepford wives by levin ira, first edition abebooks. The 2004 remake of this film is lighthearted and rather fun, but if that is the only version that you have seen you are missing out. The remake of the stepford wives doesnt aim for the.
1037 1574 289 702 1575 660 1241 59 412 1327 1548 460 367 1117 747 518 953 1137 782 909 1465 1586 739 71 1600 1567 1568 1178 1509 502 246 750 1026 779 1530 1 1376 1226 1402 616 1108 421