After completing a new biography of Oscar Wilde, I realized that I had to read The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde's classic novel is one I've had on my shelves for decades, but I finally dusted it off so that I could read it in light of knowing more about the author. I was pleased.
The classic work is something akin to Dracula or Frankenstein (two other classics that have been butchered by Hollywood and bear no resemblance to the plethora of movies "based" on the novels). The Picture of Dorian Gray is a masterpiece of suspense, madness, and the macabre. And it was written in an age when this type of work was deemed largely "immoral" and was widely banned. Hence, I'm gonna read it!
The book was made into a movie in 1945, was shot in black and white (except for the portrait of Dorain Gray, which was filmed in color). I'm surprised no one has tried to write a new screenplay for this work. It's got all the makings of a great movie, ala Hitchcock.
Maybe I should get to work on writing it.
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