tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926362191208217417.post8109940331248127656..comments2023-05-27T08:23:00.733-05:00Comments on On Chicago Theatre: Discussing "The Tempest"Zev Valancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10239062791827527067noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926362191208217417.post-53496390278640626432014-07-30T04:21:48.435-05:002014-07-30T04:21:48.435-05:00Just watched this -- thought 8 of the 11 leads wer...Just watched this -- thought 8 of the 11 leads were good or great, four not so much. Mirren, Brand, Conti, Cumming, Hounsou, Molina, Straithairn, and Whishaw all held my interest or better. Scenes with some of the others had me pushing the DVD remote's skip chapter button. It's interesting, and to me unsurprising, that the best performances were by Brits, the worst by Yanks. I would have bet that the music was by Michael Nyman, it sounded so much like the latter's score for 'Prospero's Books'. Special effects and CGI were enchanting enough. With Shakespeare, casting is all, and this movie was 2/3 of the way there.noochinatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12584058407655395128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926362191208217417.post-6122522456740005382011-01-07T13:32:49.312-06:002011-01-07T13:32:49.312-06:00I haven't seen this one...but just from one co...I haven't seen this one...but just from one conversation with Zev, I think I got the same empty, deflated effect that actually seeing it would have given me.<br /><br />Helen Mirren is an absolute treasure. I've never seen her perform poorly, ever. (And I've got a sort of weird girl crush on her myself...She's stunning.) I am going to have to avoid anything that would taint my opinion of her. I know, living like an ostrich doesn't expand a person's life or experience, but I think I have the right to make this decision.<br /><br />As for Julie Taymor...My eye rolling disgust for her began when I saw 'Across the Universe'. Another example of terrible casting, a plot that wasn't there, and a bizarre take on what 'gender queer' means in film. Finding out about this flop and the absolute disaster of Spiderman just adds fuel to the fire of my dislike for Taymor.<br /><br />Jessica, I agree and disagree with you at the same time. I hate the idea that a 'feminist' flick needs to fit into such a specific category. However, having spent my college daze studying under a brilliant feminist film theorist, I can point out why one could complain about the way Taymor makes films. The biggest thing is that the spectacle she creates follows all of the traditionally masculine Hollywood standards. She uses the eye of the camera for what could be considered voyeurism, and doesn't actually provide female actors with truly interesting parts or decent direction that gives them power to take back the 'look'. Granted, I agree with your comment that directors who just happen to be women shouldn't have to defend their womanhood/femininity/feminism just because they don't always beat you over the head with it and because not every story is so distinctly 'feminist', whatever the hell that really means.<br /><br />A great film that balances the spectacle and the 'look' with a true mind for gender queer casting and directing, as well as a brilliantly 'feminist' take on character is Sally Potter's adaptation of "Orlando". I realize I'm sort of on a tangent at this point but I always have to share that flick whenever lady directors and disastrous films with cross casting are mentioned.Rosiehttp://facebook.com/thedevilsradionoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926362191208217417.post-10203747261031048142011-01-07T12:21:12.615-06:002011-01-07T12:21:12.615-06:00As the author of the "feminist" quip, I ...As the author of the "feminist" quip, I should probably clarify: I'm not saying it's good or bad, just that she's not terribly dogmatic. Not just about gender, but about anything; Taymor's all about the style, a bit less so about the meaning, and I love her for it.<br /><br />But still & all, the gender-swapping I've seen in Shakespeare is usually done in the service of a very particular political argument, of which there is absolutely none here.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926362191208217417.post-23069371362167638942011-01-07T12:07:25.216-06:002011-01-07T12:07:25.216-06:00I agree with most of your comments, re: The Tempes...I agree with most of your comments, re: The Tempest. I remember seeing a silent film version of it from the early 1900s on TCM's SILENT SHAKESPEARE episode that pretty much jettisoned the text and enjoyed the magic (cutting loose with the most dream-like old timey SFX), and I felt no loss.<br /><br />I can't imagine saying that about many other Shakespeare plays.<br /><br />And yes, Tempest is one of the few plays that I think reward weird adaptations. Bohemian Theatre Ensemble in Chicago did a version where Prospero is actually a mental patient, fantasizing the whole thing and casting his "tormentors" and caretakers in all the roles. Really makes sense of Prospero's most alpha-male manipulations.Mr. Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489439585866708542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-926362191208217417.post-18517044409750712852011-01-07T11:44:25.122-06:002011-01-07T11:44:25.122-06:00Oh man, it hurts so good. One quick thing, though...Oh man, it hurts so good. One quick thing, though. I'm a wee bit tired of hearing how a female director who doesn't go out of her way to incorporate big parts for women in her movies isn't 'feminist.' Of her four big films, Frida was a woman's biopic, Across the Universe had several prominent women characters, and now Prospera's a woman. So actually, Taymor's got many ladies.<br /><br />Which shouldn't even matter, really. Women should be as free as men to tell any damn story they please, whether it's got women in it or not. Now in this case, she told a piss poor story, but still...y'know. Man, boobs on Ariel. Whyyyyyy???<br /><br />I think my point is this: we need to stop beating the 'moar feminist' drum whenever a film isn't about Merchant Ivory ladies getting their periods, because at this point I'M getting annoyed with so-called 'feminists' who bitch about EVERYTHING, and I AM a feminist. I...I like coffee. Sorry Zev, I'm a MANIAC today. But my point still stands. Let women tell their stories and don't worry about whether they're 'feminist' or not. Just take the story as it comes.<br /><br />I'm also curious as to why you didn't write a speech titled 'why Alfred Molina, Jesus why?' That, that is a question.Jessica Cluessnoreply@blogger.com