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Post by Vits on Sept 1, 2019 10:23:35 GMT
For some reason, THE TEMPEST 1979 has a surreal psychological horror film-type of atmosphere, which doesn't really match the plot. It makes the comedic moments feel lifeless. David Meyer's performance is bad and he has no chemistry with Toyah Willcox. This adaptation also has mostly the same flaws as the play, which I saw 3 years ago when the Bedouin Shakespeare Company came to the Globe Theatre Roma. The scenes with PROSPERO, MIRANDA, ARIEL and FERDINAND and the scenes with CALIBAN, TRINCULO and STEPHANO felt like 2 different plays. While I admired the use of supernatural elements in a realistic setting (something that probably wasn't common in the 17th century), I didn't care about any of the characters. There were times where some characters began to sing, but felt out place since it wasn't established as a "musical genre universe." People always talk about William Shakespeare as the synonym of sophisticated theatre (even in comedy). Imagine my surpise to see a fart joke. And that wasn't the only instance of low-brow humour. 1/10 THE TEMPEST 2010 also has the same flaws as the play but, unlike the other adaptation, the atmosphere is appropriate. Helen Mirren and Alfred Molina's performances are good. The production design is pretty, but not beautiful enough to make the audience ignore the weak visual effects. 3/10 ------------------------------------- You can read comments of other movies in my blog. |
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Post by claudius on Sept 1, 2019 11:17:06 GMT
There's also the 1960 Hallmark TV production with Maurice Evans, Roddy MacDowall, Richard Burton, and Lee Remick, and PROSPERO'S BOOKS (1991).
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Post by mikef6 on Sept 1, 2019 14:54:39 GMT
Haven’t seen the 1979 production but the 2010 (directed by Julie Taymor) has much to recommend it. The gender switch from Prosper o to Prosper a works. The mother/daughter relationship makes a lot of sense and fits the lines they are given to speak. American actors David Strathairn and Chris Cooper comport themselves like experienced Shakespeareans, which they may very well be. All Shakespeare productions have to have some contemporary references (I think it is international law) so casting Djmon Hounsou as Caliban and emphasizing that he was the island’s original inhabitant who had been forced into servitude by the newcomers, strongly alludes to the British (and American) history of colonialism and slavery. I understand what you mean about the disconnect between the main and sub-plots. That is a flaw in Taymor’s film. However, I saw a live Shakespeare In The Park production last decade and everything fitted together smoothly so I think this is something directors have to deal with to make it work – but it can work. I never bought into the idea that Prospero – renouncing his magic – represents Shakespeare, himself, retiring from show business. For one thing, this concept was unknown until Samuel Taylor Coleridge came up with it about 1807. (The whole idea that Shakespeare revealed his inner life and the events of his life in the plays and sonnets is pernicious in many ways.) Before this film I never realized that Alfred Molina was British. Helen Mirren (as Prospera) and Felicity Jones (very fetching as Miranda)  |
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Post by Vits on Sept 4, 2019 19:02:11 GMT
I understand what you mean about the disconnect between the main and sub-plots. That is a flaw in Taymor’s film. However, I saw a live Shakespeare In The Park production last decade and everything fitted together smoothly so I think this is something directors have to deal with to make it work – but it can work. But I said I saw the play first.
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Post by Eλευθερί on Sept 4, 2019 21:02:47 GMT
I haven't seen either of those. I started to watch the Mirren one, but I wasn't in the right frame of mind at the time, so put it back on the shelf for later. Vits have you seen Peter Greenaway's version (Prospero's Books)? I purchased a VHS copy a few months back but haven't watched it yet. If it's Greenaway, you know it will be visually stunning and there will be lots of nudity. lol |
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Post by hi224 on Sept 4, 2019 22:11:46 GMT
Haven’t seen the 1979 production but the 2010 (directed by Julie Taymor) has much to recommend it. The gender switch from Prosper o to Prosper a works. The mother/daughter relationship makes a lot of sense and fits the lines they are given to speak. American actors David Strathairn and Chris Cooper comport themselves like experienced Shakespeareans, which they may very well be. All Shakespeare productions have to have some contemporary references (I think it is international law) so casting Djmon Hounsou as Caliban and emphasizing that he was the island’s original inhabitant who had been forced into servitude by the newcomers, strongly alludes to the British (and American) history of colonialism and slavery. I understand what you mean about the disconnect between the main and sub-plots. That is a flaw in Taymor’s film. However, I saw a live Shakespeare In The Park production last decade and everything fitted together smoothly so I think this is something directors have to deal with to make it work – but it can work. I never bought into the idea that Prospero – renouncing his magic – represents Shakespeare, himself, retiring from show business. For one thing, this concept was unknown until Samuel Taylor Coleridge came up with it about 1807. (The whole idea that Shakespeare revealed his inner life and the events of his life in the plays and sonnets is pernicious in many ways.) Before this film I never realized that Alfred Molina was British. Helen Mirren (as Prospera) and Felicity Jones (very fetching as Miranda) didn't recognize jones at all.
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Post by mikef6 on Sept 4, 2019 22:42:35 GMT
I understand what you mean about the disconnect between the main and sub-plots. That is a flaw in Taymor’s film. However, I saw a live Shakespeare In The Park production last decade and everything fitted together smoothly so I think this is something directors have to deal with to make it work – but it can work. But I said I saw the play first. But not the production I saw. I also said I realized that handling the disconnect required special attention from the director. The director of the show I saw gave it that attention. The director of the play you saw obviously didn't.
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Post by hi224 on Sept 4, 2019 22:45:24 GMT
But I said I saw the play first. But not the production I saw. I also said I realized that handling the disconnect required special attention from the director. The director of the show I saw gave it that attention. The director of the play you saw obviously didn't. you pumped for that new macbeth coming.
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Post by mikef6 on Sept 5, 2019 0:41:20 GMT
But not the production I saw. I also said I realized that handling the disconnect required special attention from the director. The director of the show I saw gave it that attention. The director of the play you saw obviously didn't. you pumped for that new macbeth coming. Are you addressing me or vits? If me, then I never "pumped" for the new movie. I saw one thread about it and forgot it. I had to look it up again just now. The database hasn't even put a date to it so its release is still a ways off. Just a reminder: it is the Coen Bros adapting the play with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as the the Macbeths. I, for one, am not particularly anxious to see it but probably will because I eventually watch most Shakespeare when it comes along.
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Post by wmcclain on Sept 5, 2019 11:43:08 GMT
I haven't seen either of those. I started to watch the Mirren one, but I wasn't in the right frame of mind at the time, so put it back on the shelf for later. Vits have you seen Peter Greenaway's version (Prospero's Books)? I purchased a VHS copy a few months back but haven't watched it yet. If it's Greenaway, you know it will be visually stunning and there will be lots of nudity. lol It is stunning. I'll do a review someday. You have to get into the mind of the director here: the play takes place all in the mind of a mage of the Italian Renaissance. Gielgud reads all the lines.
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Post by Vits on Sept 5, 2019 17:57:49 GMT
Vits have you seen Peter Greenaway's version (Prospero's Books)? No, only the 2 I mentioned before.
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