I saw two really good movies over the weekend, one on DVD and the other was in the theater.
The DVD was the 2003 remake of the Lion in Winter, with Glenn Close and Patrick Stuart reprising the Katherine Hepburn and Peter O’Toole roles. The story (for those of you who are unfamiliar with the 1968 classic which won an Oscar for Hepburn) gives us a riveting look at the tumultuous relationship of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, and their troubles with their three, power-hungry sons. Both films were based on the same play, and much of the story and dialogue are identical.
Not surprisingly, the production values of the newer version are superior to the original (better sets, costuming, music, etc.), but the most noticeable difference is its length. The original was just over two hours, while the newer film is closer to three (and that, I think, was one of its failings).
Close and Stuart are among my favorite actors and they give wonderful performances in this film (as do the entire cast), but I couldn’t help comparing them to their larger-than-life predecessors and feeling that they just didn’t quite get it right. Don’t get me wrong, the movie is spectacular and there’s technically nothing wrong with it (except maybe its length), but I have to say that I liked the original version better.
My Score (out of 10): 7.5
The other film of the weekend was Neil Gaiman’s fantasy, Stardust. I went into the theater as a blank canvas; I knew nothing about it beyond the bare bones I just laid out in my first sentence. But I love fantasy, and there were some impressive names attached (Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro being the biggest), so I was curious to see what it was all about.
Magical. Charming. Heartwarming. Delightful. The film is all of these things and more. Stardust is visually stunning and beautiful, with a well-paced plot that sweeps you along on a wild adventure. Since part of the enjoyment, for me, was not knowing what was coming next, I won’t say another word. Except: Go see this film!
My Score (out of 10): 9
The DVD was the 2003 remake of the Lion in Winter, with Glenn Close and Patrick Stuart reprising the Katherine Hepburn and Peter O’Toole roles. The story (for those of you who are unfamiliar with the 1968 classic which won an Oscar for Hepburn) gives us a riveting look at the tumultuous relationship of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, and their troubles with their three, power-hungry sons. Both films were based on the same play, and much of the story and dialogue are identical.
Not surprisingly, the production values of the newer version are superior to the original (better sets, costuming, music, etc.), but the most noticeable difference is its length. The original was just over two hours, while the newer film is closer to three (and that, I think, was one of its failings).
Close and Stuart are among my favorite actors and they give wonderful performances in this film (as do the entire cast), but I couldn’t help comparing them to their larger-than-life predecessors and feeling that they just didn’t quite get it right. Don’t get me wrong, the movie is spectacular and there’s technically nothing wrong with it (except maybe its length), but I have to say that I liked the original version better.
My Score (out of 10): 7.5
The other film of the weekend was Neil Gaiman’s fantasy, Stardust. I went into the theater as a blank canvas; I knew nothing about it beyond the bare bones I just laid out in my first sentence. But I love fantasy, and there were some impressive names attached (Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro being the biggest), so I was curious to see what it was all about.
Magical. Charming. Heartwarming. Delightful. The film is all of these things and more. Stardust is visually stunning and beautiful, with a well-paced plot that sweeps you along on a wild adventure. Since part of the enjoyment, for me, was not knowing what was coming next, I won’t say another word. Except: Go see this film!
My Score (out of 10): 9
2 comments:
Wow, a 9 out of 10!
I agree with you, 100%
Stardust was an amazing film.
we saw "The Last Legion" on Friday....I liked it a great deal....but I am probably in the vast minority...
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