1.
The Monk
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The Monk, A Romance is a Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, published in 1796. A quickly written book from early in Lewiss career, it was published before he turned twenty and its convoluted and scandalous plot has made it one of the most important Gothic novels of its time, often imitated and adapted for the stage and the screen. Agnes is Don Lorenzos younger sister and Don Raymonds lover and her mother fell ill while pregnant with Agnes and promised to send Agnes to the convent if she delivered her safely. She is a young lady who intends to marry Don Raymond but her parents want her to become a nun. Their plans are foiled and, thinking Don Raymond has abandoned her forever, Ambrosio is an extremely devout monk about 30 years old. He was found left at the Abbey doorstep when he was too young to tell his tale, the monks consider him a present from the Virgin Mary and they educate him at the monastery. Antonia is a timid and innocent girl of 15 and she was brought up in an old castle in Murcia with only her mother Elvira and is therefore very sheltered. She is the object of Don Lorenzos attentions, the novels evil characters are considered to be better written than the virtuous ones, and Antonias character is so virtuous that some have found her “deadly dull”. Baptiste is a living outside of Strausbourg. He lets travelers stay in his house so that he may rob and his two sons by a previous wife, Jacques and Robert, assist him to this end. He then forced Marguerite to marry him, Marguerite, however, is disgusted by his life of crime. Cunegonda An old nun who is held by Don Raymond to prevent her telling of his elopement with Agnes. Elvira is the mother of Antonia and Ambrosio and she married a young nobleman in secret. His family does not approve of her and because of this she and her escape to the Indies. After 13 years, when Antonia is very young, her husband dies, Leonella is Elviras sister and Antonias spinster aunt. She takes a dislike to Ambrosio after hearing his sermon. She believes Don Christovals polite attentions are more significant than they actually are and is hurt when he fails to call at her house and she eventually marries a younger man and lives in Cordova. Don Lorenzo de Medina is Agness older brother and friend of Don Raymond, immediately intrigued by Antonia after meeting her at Ambrosios sermon, Don Lorenzo resolves to marry her
2.
Matthew Lewis (writer)
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Matthew Gregory Lewis was an English novelist and dramatist, often referred to as Monk Lewis, because of the success of his 1796 Gothic novel, The Monk. Lewis was the child of Matthew and Frances Maria Sewell Lewis. His father, Matthew Lewis, was the son of William Lewis and he attended Westminster School before proceeding to Christ Church, Oxford, where he received his bachelors degree in 1769 and his master’s in 1772. That same year, he was appointed as the Chief Clerk in the War Office, the following year, Lewis married Frances Maria Sewell, a young woman who was very popular at court. She was the daughter born to Sir Thomas Sewell and was one of eight children born in his first marriage. Her family, like Lewis’, had connections with Jamaica, as a child, she spent her time in Ottershaw. In December 1775, in addition to his post as the Chief Clerk in the War Office, with one exception, he was the first to hold both positions at that same time. Lewis owned considerable property in Jamaica, within four miles of Savanna-la-Mer, or Savanna-la-Mar and his son would later inherit this property. In addition to Matthew Gregory Lewis, Matthew and Frances had three children, Maria, Barrington, and Sophia Elizabeth. On 23 July 1781, when Matthew was six and his youngest sister was one, during their estrangement, Frances lived under a different name, Langley, in order to hide her location from her husband. He still, however, knew her whereabouts, on 3 July 1782, Frances gave birth to a child. That same day, hearing of the birth, her husband returned. Afterwards, he began to arrange a legal separation from his wife, however, as these bills were rarely granted, it was rejected when brought to a vote. Consequently, Matthew and Frances remained married until his death in 1818, Frances, though withdrawing from society and temporarily moving to France, was always supported financially by her husband and then later, her son. She later returned to London and then finished her days at Leatherhead, rejoining society. Frances and her son remained quite close, with her taking on the responsibility of helping him with his literary career and she even became a published author, much to her son’s dislike. Matthew Gregory Lewis began his education at a school under Reverend Dr John Fountain. Fountain was a friend of both the Lewis and Sewell families, there Lewis learned Latin, Greek, French, writing, arithmetic, drawing, dancing, and fencing
3.
Vincent Cassel
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Vincent Cassel is a French actor best known to English-speaking audiences through his film performances in Oceans Twelve and Oceans Thirteen, as well as Black Swan. Cassel is also renowned for playing the infamous French bank-robber Jacques Mesrine in Mesrine, Killer Instinct and Mesrine, Cassel was born on 23 November 1966 in Paris, France, to Sabine Litique, and French actor Jean-Pierre Cassel. Cassels brother, Mathias, is a rapper with the group Assassin under the name Rockin Squat and his half-sister, Cécile Cassel, is an actress. Cassels breakthrough role was in Mathieu Kassovitzs critically acclaimed film La Haine where he played a youth from the deprived outskirts of Paris. In 2006, he appeared in Sheitan, in which he played a shepherd who carries out satanic rituals, in 2008, he appeared in two movies about Jacques Mesrine, who was Frances public enemy number one in the seventies. Cassel received the 2009 Cesar award for best actor for his performance in Mesrine directed by Jean-Francois Richet, an early appearance on British television was as Nicoles boyfriend in the 1994 Renault Clio advert which was used in the UK. In October 2008, Cassel was signed to be the face of a new Yves Saint Laurent mens fragrance, the new fragrance, La Nuit de lHomme, was launched worldwide in March 2009. In 2009, he made his debut as a singer on Zap Mamas album ReCreation, singing alongside them on the singles Paroles, Paroles and he played Thomas Leroy in Darren Aronofskys critically acclaimed Black Swan, alongside Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. He will play Zumi in Rupert Sanderss samurai adventure fantasy film The Lost Sea Horizon, opposite Sandra Bullock, Cassel met Italian actress Monica Bellucci on the set of their 1996 film The Apartment. They married in 1999, and have two daughters, Deva and Léonie, Cassel and Bellucci announced their divorce on 26 August 2013. Cassel has a passion for the art of capoeira and displayed his talent in the movie Oceans Twelve. He also trains in wing chun, since 2013, Cassel lives in Rio de Janeiro, initially in Arpoador and after their divorce, in Morro do Vidigal. He is known for having great identification with Brazil, being a specialist in capoeira, besides his native French, Cassel speaks English, Portuguese, Italian and basic conversational Russian which he learned for his role in Eastern Promises. Vincent Cassels Films at subtitledonline. com Vincent Cassel at the Internet Movie Database CNN interview with Vincent Cassel
4.
Catherine Mouchet
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Catherine Mouchet is a French actress. She studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, following the courses of Jacques Lassalle and her performance in the film Thérèse, directed by Alain Cavalier, won her the César Award for Most Promising Actress for 1987. Having been acclaimed for her appearance in Thérèse, she appeared in Claude Gorettas Si le soleil ne revenait pas in 1987. She appeared in works by Luigi Pirandello, and Alfred de Musset, amongst others and she returned to the screen in Jean-Pierre Mockys Bonsoir 1993, and in Louis and Xavier Bachelots short film La Plante. On television she appeared in the saga Jalna, directed by Philippe Monnier from the books of Mazo de la Roche and she then studied for a degree in philosophy. She returned to the screen and played supporting roles in two Olivier Assayas films, Fin août, début septembre and Les Destinées sentimentales and she played a prostitute in Patrice Lecontes Rue des Plaisirs. She continues to appear in a variety of roles in both auteur films and popular comedies, and for both first time directors and established talents
5.
Alberto Iglesias
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Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi is a Spanish composer. He has written the music for several Spanish films, mostly from Pedro Almodóvar and he has been nominated for an Academy Award for his work in the films The Constant Gardener, The Kite Runner and again for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. His other film credits include soundtracks for Steven Soderberghs Che. alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi was born in 1955 in San Sebastián. Iglesias has composed a number of scores from films directed by Pedro Almodóvar, such as The Flower of My Secret, Live Flesh, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, Bad Education and Volver. In addition, Iglesias also scored the music for the 2001 film, Sex and Lucia and he has also scored the music for Oliver Stones documentary, Comandante. Iglesias garnered his first Oscar nomination for his score in Fernando Meirelless film adaptation of The Constant Gardener, Iglesias also composed the score for The Kite Runner, based on Khaled Hosseinis 2003 novel of the same name. He earned his second Oscar nomination for that score, in 2008, Iglesias composed Steven Soderberghs 2008 two part biopic, Che, starring Benecio Del Toro as Che Guevara. The next year, Iglesias continued to collaborate with Almodóvar with Broken Embraces, in 2011, Iglesias reunited with Almodóvar with The Skin I Live In. That same year, Iglesias composed the music for Tomas Alfredsons film adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Iglesias told the Los Angeles Times, explained to me very well what this film is about. Its a film about loyalties and human relationships and their spies are victims of this moment. That was the most important thing he told me, the film and the music show the more human side. He received his third Oscar nomination for the latter film, Iglesias was the brother-in-law of the late Spanish sculptor, Juan Muñoz
6.
Thriller-drama film
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Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a film genre that falls under the general thriller genre. The thriller films key characteristics are excitement and suspense, the suspense element, found in most films plots, is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. Tension is created by delaying what the audience sees as inevitable, a strict definition of the thriller film is that the films overarching goal is to build tension in audiences as the film approaches its climax. Tension is built through situations that are menacing or where escape seems impossible, Life is typically threatened in thriller film, such as when the protagonist does not realize entering a dangerous situation. Thriller films characters conflict with other or with an outside force. Thriller films are typically hybridized with other genres, there exist adventure thrillers, science fiction thrillers, Western thrillers, Thriller films also share a close relationship with horror films, both eliciting tension. In plots about crime, thriller films focus less on the criminal or the detective, common themes include terrorism, political conspiracy, pursuit, or romantic triangles leading to murder. Alfred Hitchcocks first thriller was his silent film, The Lodger. His next thriller was Blackmail, his and Britains first sound film and his notable thrillers in the 1930s include The Man Who Knew Too Much and The 39 Steps. 326 —this film would be an inspiration for the future James Bond films, the German film M, directed by Fritz Lang, starred Peter Lorre as a criminal deviant who preys on children. Hitchcock continued his suspense-thrillers, directing Foreign Correspondent, the Oscar-winning Rebecca, Suspicion, Saboteur and Shadow of a Doubt, notable non-Hitchcock films of the 1940s include The Spiral Staircase and Sorry, Wrong Number. In the 1950s, Hitchcock added technicolor to his thrillers, now with exotic locales and he reached the zenith of his career with a succession of classic films such as, Strangers on a Train, Dial M For Murder with Ray Milland, Rear Window and Vertigo. Non-Hitchcock thrillers of the 1950s include The Night of the Hunter —Charles Laughtons only film as director—and Orson Welless crime thriller Touch of Evil, director Michael Powells Peeping Tom featured Carl Boehm as a psychopathic cameraman. After Hitchcocks classic films of the 1950s, he produced Psycho about a lonely, mother-fixated motel owner, J. Lee Thompsons Cape Fear, with Robert Mitchum, had a menacing ex-con seeking revenge. A famous thriller at the time of its release was Wait Until Dark by director Terence Young, john Boormans Deliverance followed the perilous fate of four Southern businessmen during a weekends trip. In Francis Ford Coppolas The Conversation, a bugging-device expert systematically uncovered a covert murder while he himself was being spied upon, Peter Hyams science fiction thriller Capricorn One proposed a government conspiracy to fake the first mission to Mars. His notable films include Sisters, Obsession, which was inspired by Vertigo, Dressed to Kill. Other films include Curtis Hansons The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and Unlawful Entry, detectives/FBI agents hunting down a serial killer was another popular motif in the 90s
7.
Girona
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It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès. It is located 99 km northeast of Barcelona, Girona is one of the major Catalan cities. The first historical inhabitants in the region were Iberians, Girona is the ancient Gerunda, later, the Romans built a citadel there, which was given the name of Gerunda. The Visigoths ruled in Girona until it was conquered by the Moors in 715, finally, Charlemagne reconquered it in 785 and made it one of the fourteen original counties of Catalonia. It was wrested temporarily from the Moors, who recaptured it in 793, from this time until the moors were finally driven out,1015, the city repeatedly changed hands and was sacked several times by the moors. Wilfred the Hairy incorporated Girona into the County of Barcelona in 878, Alfonso I of Aragón declared Girona a city in the 11th century. The ancient county later became a duchy when King Pero III of Aragon gave the title of Duke to his first-born son, in 1414, King Ferrando I in turn gave the title of prince of Girona to his first-born son, Alfonso. The title is currently carried by Princess Leonor of Asturias, the second since the 16th century to do so, the 12th century saw the Jewish community of Girona flourish, having one of the most important Kabbalistic schools in Europe. The Rabbi of Girona, Moshe ben Nahman Gerondi was appointed Great Rabbi of Catalonia, the presence of the Jewish community of Girona came to an end in 1492, when the Catholic Monarchs expelled all the Jews from Catalonia. Today, the Jewish ghetto or Call is one of the best preserved in Europe and is a major tourist attraction, on the north side of the old city is the Montjuic, where an important religious cemetery was located. Girona has undergone twenty-five sieges and been captured seven times and it was besieged by the French royal armies under Charles de Monchy dHocquincourt in 1653, under Bernardin Gigault de Bellefonds in 1684, and twice in 1694 under Anne Jules de Noailles. Finally, the French conquered the city in 1809, after 7 months of siege, Girona was center of the Ter department during the French rule, which lasted from 1809 to 1813. The defensive city walls were demolished at the end of the 19th century to allow for the expansion of the city, in recent years, the missing parts of the city walls on the eastern side of the city have been reconstructed. Called the Passeig de la Muralla it now forms a tourist route around the old city, in the Köppen climate classification, Girona has a humid subtropical climate, with cool winters and hot summers. In winter, temperatures can drop to below −3 °C, in summer, temperatures often soar to 30–35 °C. Although rainfall is spread throughout the year, it is more common in spring. Girona is a destination for tourists and Barcelona day-trippers - the train journey from Barcelona Sants to Girona takes approximately forty minutes on express trains. The old town stands on the hill of the Capuchins to the east of the river Onyar
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