Anyone else like the Tintin books here? They are suitable for anyone aged between 6 and 60 and I just fall into this category 8). The books were increasingly very well researched with excellent drawings featuring Tintin, his dog Snowy and loyal but drunken friend Captain Haddock. There was a Tintin exhibition in London very recently which I went to with my daughter. The early books were cruder and indeed racist 'Tintin au Congo' which turned into something of an embarrassment to Herge. 'Tintin in America' was another early book and full of stereotypes but in the end Tintin ended up wearing a 'Ban the Bomb' symbol on his motorcycle helmet and became much more politically correct (Tintin and the Picaros). My favourite books are 'The Calculus Affair', 'The Castafiore Emerald' (where not much happens but it is more humorous as a consequence) and 'Tintin in Tibet' which symbolised a personal crisis for Herge. Tinting and Captain Haddock are aided and abetted by the opera singer 'Bianca Castafiore' with her constant renditions of 'The Jewell Song' from Gounod's 'Faust'. In 'Explorers on the Moon' where our heroes appear to be trapped in their lunar landscape Captain Haddock's asks their base to put the radio on to cheer them up just as 'The Gravedigger' by Schubert is being broadcast. The English translations were very accomplished as Tintin is, of course, from Belgium.
En enjoyable documentary, IMHO, "Tintin & I":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8trmVNUr2U0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tintin_and_I
Quote from: Turner on February 18, 2016, 09:12:23 AM
En enjoyable documentary, IMHO, "Tintin & I":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8trmVNUr2U0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tintin_and_I
Thank you. I saw a Tintin documentary on TV a while back and it was excellent but I think that it was delivered by the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner although I may be wrong. This one looks excellent too.
Here is the one I mentioned:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016xjqx
I can recommend 'Tintin & I' as well, it was broadcast some time ago here.
Quote from: North Star on February 18, 2016, 09:48:02 AM
I can recommend 'Tintin & I' as well, it was broadcast some time ago here.
Thanks - will look out for it. Are you a fan of the books?
Quote from: vandermolen on February 18, 2016, 10:37:16 AM
Thanks - will look out for it. Are you a fan of the books?
Yes I am. Very much agreeing with what you say of the books, too - although it's a very long time since I've read some of them, and quite a while from the last time I read any actually.
I am not really a great fan of comic books but I have loved Tintin ("Tim" as he is called in German translation, and Asterix) since childhood. (And I prefer the Tintin drawing style.)
The Tintin books were comparably expensive, so I could afford only a few (my parents strongly disliked all kinds of comics and cartoons, we were not forbidden to read them but it was in no way encouraged and we had to spend our own money) but a friend of mine and his brother had all of them.
As an adult, I bought most of them (again) a few years ago and still appreciate them (some more than others). I find it almost "prophetic" that the first stories appeared in a periodical called "Le Vingtième Siècle" because they really seem to cover most of that century, even if it's actually only about 50 years from the late 1920s to the early 1970s. From the international crises leading to WW II to perennial conflicts like the South American or Balkanian banana republics, oil dependency and depletion, dangerous scientific discoveries etc. He even put Tintin on the moon several years before 1969 (and with a rather different technology). All this without obvious politicizing or moralizing.
The first ones are weak and show crude and racist stereotypes. But already "The blue Lotos" is very good and reverses most of the racism (as Hergé had befriended a chinese guy and took pains to not fall into the crudest clichees about chinese culture). There are a few weaker ones (the one with the meteor and I am not too fond of the late one with the aliens either) but overall starting with the first two "sagas" that cover two books each (Unicorn/Rackham and the Inca story) they are very accomplished and hardly any bad ones.
Quote from: North Star on February 18, 2016, 10:40:18 AM
Yes I am. Very much agreeing with what you say of the books, too - although it's a very long time since I've raid some of them, and quite a while from the last time I read any actually.
Nice to hear. My mother threw the whole lot out whilst I was at university (apart from 'The Red Sea Sharks' which is v good despite racial stereotypes). I had to buy them all again as adults. My grown up daughter who came to the exhibition in London with me is now taking an interest in them.
Quote from: Jo498 on February 18, 2016, 11:06:37 AM
I am not really a great fan of comic books but I have loved Tintin ("Tim" as he is called in German translation, and Asterix) since childhood. (And I prefer the Tintin drawing style.)
The Tintin books were comparably expensive, so I could afford only a few (my parents strongly disliked all kinds of comics and cartoons, we were not forbidden to read them but it was in no way encouraged and we had to spend our own money) but a friend of mine and his brother had all of them.
As an adult, I bought most of them (again) a few years ago and still appreciate them (some more than others). I find it almost "prophetic" that the first stories appeared in a periodical called "Le Vingtième Siècle" because they really seem to cover most of that century, even if it's actually only about 50 years from the late 1920s to the early 1970s. From the international crises leading to WW II to perennial conflicts like the South American or Balkanian banana republics, oil dependency and depletion, dangerous scientific discoveries etc. He even put Tintin on the moon several years before 1969 (and with a rather different technology). All this without obvious politicizing or moralizing.
The first ones are weak and show crude and racist stereotypes. But already "The blue Lotos" is very good and reverses most of the racism (as Hergé had befriended a chinese guy and took pains to not fall into the crudest clichees about chinese culture). There are a few weaker ones (the one with the meteor and I am not too fond of the late one with the aliens either) but overall starting with the first two "sagas" that cover two books each (Unicorn/Rackham and the Inca story) they are very accomplished and hardly any bad ones.
I totally agree with your perceptive comments. There was I think a 'golden era' in the late 40s, 50s and early 60s which took in the Calculus Affair (which features my favourite scene when insurance agent Jolyon Wagg picks up Haddock's emergency call from a helicopter whilst chasing the crooks over Lake Geneva). The best is perhaps the Castafiore Emerald as the whole thing takes place at Marlinspike Hall and nothing much happens. I think that the best scenes were often at Marlinspike Hall. The Seven Crystal Balls and Prisoners of the Sun are also terrific stories. There is an excellent book by Harry Thompson, who sadly died young:
[asin]1848546726[/asin]
As a kid I did not much care for the "Castafiore Emeralds" because of these restriction to the castle (and the surprising solution of the case). But as an adult I also find it brilliantly done (although for sentimental reasons it will not replace other favorites).
Of the pre-war ones I probably like "King Ottokar's Sceptre" best, but "The Black Island" was the first I bought myself, so despite a fairly standard "mystery" plot it will also remain a sentimental favorite.
The Calculus Affair might be the best (and has been voted as the best several times, I think) but I am happy to have some variety.
Quote from: Jo498 on February 18, 2016, 01:26:01 PM
As a kid I did not much care for the "Castafiore Emeralds" because of these restriction to the castle (and the surprising solution of the case). But as an adult I also find it brilliantly done (although for sentimental reasons it will not replace other favorites).
Of the pre-war ones I probably like "King Ottokar's Sceptre" best, but "The Black Island" was the first I bought myself, so despite a fairly standard "mystery" plot it will also remain a sentimental favorite.
The Calculus Affair might be the best (and has been voted as the best several times, I think) but I am happy to have some variety.
Me too. I like many of the 'middle period' Tintins. As a wedding present a Dutch friend bought me a framed poster of the (original) cover of 'The Black Island'. I also have a copy of a reprint of the original 1943 version which is interesting to compare with the 1966 update. The old turbo-prop aircraft at the end, for example, being replaced with a British Airways (or BEA) Trident jet aircraft. It is perhaps my favourite of the ones that pre-date Captain Haddock. The air show with the Thompsons is very funny:
1966 version followed by 1943 version (I did not have to pay £999 for my copy!)
[asin]1405206187[/asin]
1943 version:
[asin]0686545869[/asin]
Interesting: The new cover picture keeps the island, the birds and Tintin almost in place (and on the diagonal).
"The Black Island" was the most frequently re-drawn/up-dated of all books, I think. The impressive care and precision with which Hergé and his team attended to airplanes, cars, ships (and also firearms, I think) has been remarked upon frequently.
When going back to the early one's one tends to miss Haddock, of course, but this is somewhat unfair. And the one that introduces Haddock as a very unreliable drunkard, "The crab with the golden claws", is not really one of the better ones, I think, partly because Haddock is rather different from the later (more sober, but still irascible and funny) character.
Quote from: Jo498 on February 19, 2016, 12:09:22 AM
Interesting: The new cover picture keeps the island, the birds and Tintin almost in place (and on the diagonal).
"The Black Island" was the most frequently re-drawn/up-dated of all books, I think. The impressive care and precision with which Hergé and his team attended to airplanes, cars, ships (and also firearms, I think) has been remarked upon frequently.
When going back to the early one's one tends to miss Haddock, of course, but this is somewhat unfair. And the one that introduces Haddock as a very unreliable drunkard, "The crab with the golden claws", is not really one of the better ones, I think, partly because Haddock is rather different from the later (more sober, but still irascible and funny) character.
Yes, I agree with you as Haddock, whilst drunk and hallucinating in the desert tries to remove Tintin's head with a corkscrew or something like that and sets fire to a lifeboat to keep warm. By 'The Shooting Star' he was a much more sympathetic character. I also like the contrast between the old and new fire engine in 'The Black' Island. In the last completed one 'Tintin and the Picaros' it was a surprise to see Tintin wearing flared trousers with a 'Ban the Bomb! Symbol on his motorcycle helmet. Pity that 'Alph Art' was never completed.
I read these works as a youngster in grade school and quite enjoyed them.
Quote from: -abe- on February 20, 2016, 01:35:24 AM
I read these works as a youngster in grade school and quite enjoyed them.
Pleased to hear it. :)
Just a passing note - heard the other day of a local fellow here whose travel destinations were always chosen from places mentioned in the Tintin stories - he was trying visit all of them ... quite an unusual idea.
Quote from: Turner on September 12, 2016, 11:00:12 AM
Just a passing note - heard the other day of a local fellow here whose travel destinations were always chosen from places mentioned in the Tintin stories - he was trying visit all of them ... quite an unusual idea.
Good luck getting to the Moon.
Quote from: North Star on September 12, 2016, 11:47:18 AM
Good luck getting to the Moon.
Hopefully he´d feel satisfied with the earthly destinations :)
I guess Bulgaria or some other Balkan state can serve for Syldavia and maybe Colombia or Venezuela for the banana republics of General Alcazar and General Tapioca...
Quote from: Jo498 on February 18, 2016, 01:26:01 PM
As a kid I did not much care for the "Castafiore Emeralds" because of these restriction to the castle (and the surprising solution of the case). But as an adult I also find it brilliantly done (although for sentimental reasons it will not replace other favorites).
Of the pre-war ones I probably like "King Ottokar's Sceptre" best, but "The Black Island" was the first I bought myself, so despite a fairly standard "mystery" plot it will also remain a sentimental favorite.
The Calculus Affair might be the best (and has been voted as the best several times, I think) but I am happy to have some variety.
I must say I really enjoy the
Castafiore Emeralds for several reasons but primarily for the relative complexity of its plot. I also believe it is
the Tintin episode that is most taught in college level French courses in the U.S.
Quote from: Ghost Sonata on September 12, 2016, 02:03:52 PM
I must say I really enjoy the Castafiore Emeralds for several reasons but primarily for the relative complexity of its plot. I also believe it is the Tintin episode that is most taught in college level French courses in the U.S.
It is my favourite too as nothing much happens and there is considerable humour in it (Bianca Castafiore's parrot for example). I've always thought that the best scenes take place in Captain Haddock's ancestral home of Marlinspike Hall and here the whole story is based there. I enjoyed Professor Calculus's early experiments with Colour Television too. Also I like 'Mr Bolt' the builder who is 'much too busy' to fix the broken marble step in Markinspike Hall and yet he is shown relaxing in an armchair reading the newspaper.
A colorized version of "Tintin au pays des soviets", the first album published by Hergé at the age of 21 will be published in jan 2017.
http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2016/09/22/tintin-et-le-retour-colorise-des-soviets-en-librairie_5001956_3246.html (http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2016/09/22/tintin-et-le-retour-colorise-des-soviets-en-librairie_5001956_3246.html)
A christmas present for Vladimir Putin ?
Quote from: Spineur on September 27, 2016, 12:39:50 PM
A colorized version of "Tintin au pays des soviets", the first album published by Hergé at the age of 21 will be published in jan 2017.
http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2016/09/22/tintin-et-le-retour-colorise-des-soviets-en-librairie_5001956_3246.html (http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2016/09/22/tintin-et-le-retour-colorise-des-soviets-en-librairie_5001956_3246.html)
A christmas present for Vladimir Putin ?
Interesting! Thanks for the info.
Quote from: vandermolen on September 13, 2016, 01:50:45 AM
It is my favourite too as nothing much happens and there is considerable humour in it (Bianca Castafiore's parrot for example). I've always thought that the best scenes take place in Captain Haddock's ancestral home of Marlinspike Hall and here the whole story is based there. I enjoyed Professor Calculus's early experiments with Colour Television too. Also I like 'Mr Bolt' the builder who is 'much too busy' to fix the broken marble step in Markinspike Hall and yet he is shown relaxing in an armchair reading the newspaper.
Total agreement here. The gypsy red herring aspect of it is also not w/o social interest. Mr. Bolt and the pratfalls that can be blamed on him are quintessential French humor. Btw, I am one of those vegetarians Cap. Haddock rails against. :)
Met a guy at a jazz fest this past summer with a dog that was the spitting image of Snowy. Most unfriendly chap and weary of Tintin fans admiring his dog. "his name is Horatio" I was gruffly informed, but I know Snowy when I see him (he was undoubtedly working undercover). 8)
Quote from: Ghost Sonata on September 27, 2016, 01:13:07 PM
Total agreement here. The gypsy red herring aspect of it is also not w/o social interest. Mr. Bolt and the pratfalls that can be blamed on him are quintessential French humor. Btw, I am one of those vegetarians Cap. Haddock rails against. :)
Met a guy at a jazz fest this past summer with a dog that was the spitting image of Snowy. Most unfriendly chap and weary of Tintin fans admiring his dog. "his name is Horatio" I was gruffly informed, but I know Snowy when I see him (he was undoubtedly working undercover). 8)
'Horatio' was clearly a pseudonym but you were right not to blow Snowy's cover when he was clearly working undercover on an important mission. ;)
Quote from: Ghost Sonata on September 27, 2016, 01:13:07 PM
Total agreement here. The gypsy red herring aspect of it is also not w/o social interest. Mr. Bolt and the pratfalls that can be blamed on him are quintessential French humor. Btw, I am one of those vegetarians Cap. Haddock rails against. :)
Met a guy at a jazz fest this past summer with a dog that was the spitting image of Snowy. Most unfriendly chap and weary of Tintin fans admiring his dog. "his name is Horatio" I was gruffly informed, but I know Snowy when I see him (he was undoubtedly working undercover). 8)
You are right about the Gypsy red herring episode having social interest. Tinting has had a bit of a political awakening since his days in the USSR, the Congo and on the Red Sea.
The political awakening can be pinned on the acquaintance Hergé made with a young Chinese student and it shows already clearly in the "Blue Lotos". While the Japanese are still the "bad guys" (and frankly, that's correct in the historical situation in the 1930s) and look their part there is a section where Chang? enlightens Tintin about western prejudices wrt China.
I have never seen the "Tintin and the Soviets" but this was supposed to be propaganda in line with conservative (catholic) magazine it appeared in and this applies to the "Kongo" (Belgium as benevolent colonial power), "America" (hotbed of crime and unrestricted capitalism) stories as well, although to a lesser extent. This clearly changes with the "Blue Lotus"
Sure, there are some clichés as well all over several of the other books. But overall the later ones usually show that there are real power conflicts and "the West" is not better than (because usually involved and meddling with their politics) in the "Banana Republics", corrupt Balkan states or oil rich Emirates.
There definitely was some biases in Tintin album, the most offensive to me were the pre-WWII antisemit cartoons. Those were actually edited after the war, so the crooked nose jews became long bearded characters.
But some of the bias, sometimes corresponded to actual reality. Like this one in Tintin aux pays des soviets.
(http://www.alistgator.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/tintin-racist-moment-9.jpg)
Some Tintin drawing were auctioned today at Artcurial and sold for the price of impressionist masterpieces:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/sale-tintin-drawings-set-break-records-064837342.html (https://www.yahoo.com/news/sale-tintin-drawings-set-break-records-064837342.html)
Quote from: Spineur on November 19, 2016, 06:45:47 AM
Some Tintin drawing were auctioned today at Artcurial and sold for the price of impressionist masterpieces:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/sale-tintin-drawings-set-break-records-064837342.html (https://www.yahoo.com/news/sale-tintin-drawings-set-break-records-064837342.html)
Yes, this was on the BBC News today and there was an interview with a Tintinologist which, unfortunately, I didn't hear.
The french version is out. English version is coming
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51r%2B8N0JJOL._SY400_.jpg)
Quote from: Spineur on January 26, 2017, 02:36:08 AM
The french version is out. English version is coming
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51r%2B8N0JJOL._SY400_.jpg)
How very interesting - thanks for posting. For completionist purposes I shall have to get it but I bet that it will be very expensive as much Tintin stuff is.
It is rather crude anti-Soviet propaganda. I enjoyed going to the recent Tintin exhibition in London with my daughter. The book of the exhibition is great fun:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Tintin-Herges-Masterpiece-Pierre-Sterckx/0789329476/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485445667&sr=1-1&keywords=tintin+herge%27s+masterpiece
Quote from: vandermolen on January 26, 2017, 06:46:46 AM
....but I bet that it will be very expensive as much Tintin stuff is...
14.95€ on A.fr (OK) but 49$ on A.com (outrageous). There has been various changes from the original version to make it more "politically correct". I dont know how much they have done with this one.
Quote from: vandermolen on February 20, 2016, 04:47:01 AM
Pleased to hear it. :)
To be more specific, I came to the USA in the mid-90s as a non-English speaking immigrant. In grade school
Tintin books were the first works I read in English. I believe 70% of the written words went over my head...I had just arrived in the country one year prior. The pictures helped though! :)
Quote from: -abe- on January 26, 2017, 11:51:36 PM
To be more specific, I came to the USA in the mid-90s as a non-English speaking immigrant. In grade school Tintin books were the first works I read in English. I believe 70% of the written words went over my head...I had just arrived in the country one year prior. The pictures helped though! :)
I'm even more pleased to hear that you were helped in your studies by the Tintin books. I have a Tintin themed English-French dictionary at home.
I thought about getting some Tintin in French to improve my (almost non-existent) French although I recall from my school days that comic books are often not all that great for language learning because they are often surprisingly difficult, i.e. often use idiomatic or very short condensed and context dependent phrases.
Quote from: Jo498 on January 27, 2017, 07:30:28 AM
I thought about getting some Tintin in French to improve my (almost non-existent) French although I recall from my school days that comic books are often not all that great for language learning because they are often surprisingly difficult, i.e. often use idiomatic or very short condensed and context dependent phrases.
A good point as I thought of using them to improve my rubbish French too.
My alternative idea is some stories from "Le petit Nicolas" children's books by the great Goscinny. My sister re-read the first three Harry Potter books in French to get back into the language but hers was better to begin with as she had had at least a few years French at school unlike me who is relying on rusty Latin and Duolingo to get a very tentative grasp of that language.
Not quite Hergé magical universe, but Spielberg movie can be watched in French
https://www.youtube.com/v/-4kurNcO_-I
Thanks Jo498 and Spineur,
I've also thought of reading one of my favourite books (which was my mother's favourite too) 'Le Petit Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupery in the original French (of which I have a copy) alongside the English translation for when I get stuck.
A Finnish friend just drew this to my attention. I think it's great!
In the version that my friend sent me Tintin is saying:
'BIENVENUE SUR LA LUNE MR ARMSTRONG!'
This lower version was re-published this year to commemorate the Moon Landing of fifty years ago:
(//)
This rather amused me:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/mar/12/herge-heirs-sue-artist-over-his-tintin-edward-hopper-mash-ups
I had a brief experience of watching Tintin cartoons as a kid long time ago. We didn't have comic books in my country back then. Now, my daughter who is 6 is very curious about Tintin and Asterix and it's been a pleasure for me to revisit Tintin's adventures. I do have to skip over the political stuff when reading it to her, or when there's a scene in the opium cafe, etc.