Wilt Thou Readeth My Picks?
Sep 22 '01
The Bottom Line For a little dose of culture with all the color and flavor of another time, give these period pieces a try!
I really enjoy reading about the Renaissance, and studied art history, which covers a lot of this period. Movies have been made that have touched on the Renaissance, from Shakespeare to the historical events of that time, but to me, some of the films captured the flavor of the period much better than others.
Here are my picks:
10. Masque of the Red Death (1965)
Vincent Price (who is always good for a look) plays the evil Prince Prospero, who invites guests to his eerie castle for a ball while plague ravages the surrounding countryside. It’s an adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe tale
photographed by the director Nicholas Roeg. Good realization of the plague and the effect it had on this time period. Also very stylish.
Stars: Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher (who almost became Mrs. Paul McCartney), Patrick Magee, David Weston.
Director: Roger Corman
9. Hamlet (1990)
Mel makes a dreamy Hamlet, although not quite as well-versed as Olivier, in this first of my Zeffirelli picks. The Dane of Castle Elsinore discovers that his father was murdered, and his mother has married the culprit. And it’s not completely faithful to the original play, but the costumes are amazing, and the solid acting by the cast makes it a good bet. It was filmed in Scotland, giving it the lovely murky feel that Denmark would have.
Stars: Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena Bonham Carter, Pete Postlethwaite
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
8. Lady Jane (1985)
Tells the story of the hapless Lady Jane Grey, who ascended the English throne for 9 days in 1553. England is thrown into confusion after the death of Henry VIII’s Protestant son Edward, and Queen Mary (Catherine of Aragon’s devout Catholic daughter) aims to have the throne so she can return the English people to the TRUE religion. Through the efforts of a group of noblemen and the Anglican clergy, Jane is placed on the throne only to later become a victim of fate. A poignant story, with the acting top notch. This was Bonham-Carter’s first film, and caused folks to begin taking notice of Elwes before he soared to stardom in The Princess Bride.
Stars: Helena Bonham Carter, Cary Elwes, Michael Hordern, Joss Ackland, Patrick Stewart
Director: Trevor Nunn
7. Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
Another Tudor reference. This movie is a lavish, costumed version of the story of Henry VIII and the second of his six wives. Henry VIII made world history when he decided to divorce his first wife (the Spanish Catherine of Aragon) for the very beautiful Anne Boleyn. This led to the formation of the Anglican church, and when he tired of her as well, Henry’s beheading of Anne. Richard Burton received an Oscar nomination, and Quebecois actress Genevieve Bujold is wonderful as Anne.
Stars: Genevieve Bujold, Richard Burton, Irene Papas, Anthony Quayle, John Colicos, Michael Hordern
Director: Charles Jarrott
6. Taming of the Shrew (1967)
Lavishly costumed, and wonderfully bawdy screen version of the Shakespeare play. Another Zeffirelli hit. Liz and Dick get to act out their real life marriage here, since they were having problems when it was filmed. The photography is lovely, and the acting is terrific! The musical score by Nino Rota is also nice. Katherine and Bianca are sisters, and Bianca cannot wed until Katherine does. When Petruchio, a fortune hunter, comes to town to marry a wealthy wife, he gets more than he can handle in the fiery Kate. This story was also the basis for the Cole Porter musical "Kiss Me Kate", and the recent movie “10 Things I Hate About You.”
Stars: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael York, Michael Hordern, Cyril Cusack
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
5. A Man For All Seasons (1966)
Paul Scofield magnificently portrays Sir Thomas More in this adaptation of the Robert Bolt play. He is an advisor to King Henry VIII who absolutely refuses to support the king’s decision to divorce and break from the Roman Catholic Church. This causes great personal and professional conflict. Robert Shaw (the crusty sailor from “Jaws”) turns in a rip roaring performance as the belligerent king. Scofield is more quietly powerful as More. The Oscars heaped on this movie were many: Best Actor (Scofield), Best Adapted Screen play, Best Color Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Film, Best Screenplay. There were also Golden Globe Awards aplenty.
Stars: Paul Scofield, Robert Shaw, Orson Welles, Wendy Hiller, Susannah York, John Hurt, Vanessa Redgrave
Director: Fred Zinneman
4. Queen Margot (1994)
[Rated R- French with subtitles] Catholic Queen Catherine de Medicis of France attempts to wed her daughter, Marguerite de Valois, to the Protestant Henri de Navarre, even as she attempts to put her son Charles IX on the French throne in 1577. Marguerite and Henri are not overly concerned about each other or the marriage until Catherine’s lackeys order the massacre of the Huegenots gathered for the wedding. The brutal bloodbath becomes known as the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. Isabelle Adjani is as beautiful and as powerful an actress as ever. Look for the amazingly hot Vincent Perez as Marguerite's lover. 60s foreign movie goddess Virna Lisi looks pretty haggard as Catherine. And look for the new French crop of les beaux hommes.
Stars: Isabelle Adjani, Vincent Perez, Daniel Auteuil, Virna Lisi, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Pascal Greggory, Miguel Bose', Julien Rassam
Director: Patrice Chereau
3. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
A wonderful, richly-photographed, and high-spirited version of Shakespeare that is full of fun. The scenery is incredible, as it is photographed in and around a real Tuscan villa. The Renaissance detail really shows in the costumes, sets, and aura. Everything about the film is authentic, except for the one drawback: Keanu Reeves. Try to ignore him and his atrocious attempt at Shakespeare, and merely marvel at the wonderful mood. Benedick and Beatrice are battling acquaintances brought together by the efforts of their friends. Meanwhile, Hero and her true love must weather the seas of true love when the evil Don John attempts to spread nasty untrue rumors about her. Branagh is a hoot as Benedick, and Thompson is marvelously shaded in her portrayal of his sworn enemy Beatrice. A true Renaissance great!
Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Robert Sean Leonard, Kate Beckinsale, Keanu Reeves, Michael Keaton, Brian Blessed, Phyllida Law
Director: Kenneth Branagh
2. Dangerous Beauty (1998)
[Rated R for nudity, sexual content] - Veronica Franco was groomed by her mother to be a courtesan in 16th century Venice. When she could not have the wealthy man she wanted legitimately, she became a courtesan so she could spend time with him anyway. Catherine McCormack (Mel Gibson’s ill-fated love in “Braveheart”) does a remarkable job of playing the lovely lady of the evening, and Rufus Sewell her nobleman amour. Plus, she has to deal with a jealous wife, nasty ex-suitors, disease outbreak, and the Inquisition. Beautiful false views of Renaissance Venice, lovely costumes, and even a bit of women’s lib thrown in for good measure. Make no mistake, definitely an adult film. Director Marshall Herskovitz is famous for his work on “Thirtysomething” in the 80s.
Stars: Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell, Moira Kelly, Jacqueline Bissett, Oliver Platt, Fred Ward, Jeroen Krabbe, Joanna Cassidy
Director: Marshall Herskovitz
1. Romeo and Juliet (1968)
[PG] – Another Zeffirelli masterpiece of Shakespeare. When most people refer to a film version of Romeo and Juliet (in the classic sense, not the gun-wielding post modern sense), they mean this one. The two teenage leads were unknowns before the release. Hussey went on to have a marginal film career in B roles. Whiting virtually disappeared. But they are believable and convincing in their ardor. The problem with the 1930s version of this play was that Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer were WAY too old to be portraying teenagers. This movie captures EVERYTHING that needs capturing—the sets, the costumes, the characters, the cinematography…everything works together to convince you that you are sitting in another age. John McEnery is a powerful Mercutio. Again, wonderful period-type music by Nino Rota. Stunning photography by Pasquale de Santis, which won an Oscar, and lovely costumes by Danilo Donati (also Oscar winning!) If that wasn’t enough, it is narrated by Laurence Olivier, the master of Shakespeare himself. See for yourself the beauty of this film.
Stars: Olivia Hussey, Leonard Whiting, Michael York, Milo O’Shea, John McEnery
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
miselainis
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Member: Laini
Location: Rowlett, Texas, USA
Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 15 members
About Me:
"Chagrinned and Bewildered"
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.