well, aren't I whimsical and strange?
Jan. 14th, 2005 11:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ink_splotchOut of curiousity, even though it's a movie about the crusades and all that, how many people do you think are going to see 'Kingdom of Heaven'?
Even if it is an Orlando Bloom movie, I will definitely go see it; literally tens of my favorite actors and actresses are in it - there's even a Danish actor in here [Tess corrected this; there are in fact two]. Impressive.
Okay, maybe I should see this movie once, by myself, before I subject anyone else to it with me. I re-read it today, as well as looking at different reveiws, and yes. The play is sort of anti-semitic, even with the 'hath not a Jew hands...' speech and even with obvious shows of discrimintation. But I think there's something deeper there, than just anti-semitism; it's also in many ways a picture of how twisted we become when we are outsiders and allow hatred into our lives (perhaps unavoidably). It doesn't change the fact that - though he unquestionably is the villian - Shylock is given motivation, strong motivation for what he does. And his is indefinitely more sympathic than the reasoning of many other Shakespeare villians. I'm not justifying anti-semitism, honest, but the context of the time is different, that must be understood, and the ideas that are seen are interesting. Add to that, that our "hero" Antonio is hardly painted in flattering lights himself and it does seem less dramatic than it was at first. I hope.
None-the-less. Still going to see it alone first, I think.
Now, to the more fun portion! What the Reveiwers Have to Say:
from BBC Movies
Their summations of the characters: In Shakespeare's time, Shylock was played as a crude, anti-Semitic caricature. Radford's film, however, offers a far more contemporary interpretation, with the Jew's scheme against Jeremy Irons' Antonio motivated by an outsider's sense of injustice and persecution. Irons, too, has a psychological burden to carry as his merchant's decision to indebt himself to Shylock is a result of his unspoken homosexual lust for Joseph Fiennes' fortune-hunting playboy Bassanio.
*snerk* Apparently BBC agrees more with Sparknotes and Joseph Fiennes, than Jeremy Irons and Maurice Charney when it comes to Antonio's motivation.
Also, the just said what I wanted to say about Shylock in two sentences. Hm.
The more critical reveiws I read, all of them iffy at best, the more I want to see this movie. Clearly, there are many things wrong with me. (I'm not linking to all of those, because they weren't that amusing. If you want them, simply google 'Merchant of Venice' and 'film' and about 50 should show up. All sounding more-or-less like this)
This, however, is pretty positive. It falls in the Yay! Pacino category - apparently you either hate him or love him in this.
This one, I especially like, but that could just stem from the superstition in it: As with every Shakespeare play, except the Scottish one.
And finally CNN doesn't particularly like the movie or Pacino, but their reveiw did include this cute aside:(There's almost as much all-male action here as there was during the three-hour "Alexander.")
This song? Rocks. I'd forgotten...well, not forgotten, but I haven't listened to Billy Joel in a while and it's nice to hear he still moves me and makes me think. *cuddles Billy*
Even if it is an Orlando Bloom movie, I will definitely go see it; literally tens of my favorite actors and actresses are in it - there's even a Danish actor in here [Tess corrected this; there are in fact two]. Impressive.
Okay, maybe I should see this movie once, by myself, before I subject anyone else to it with me. I re-read it today, as well as looking at different reveiws, and yes. The play is sort of anti-semitic, even with the 'hath not a Jew hands...' speech and even with obvious shows of discrimintation. But I think there's something deeper there, than just anti-semitism; it's also in many ways a picture of how twisted we become when we are outsiders and allow hatred into our lives (perhaps unavoidably). It doesn't change the fact that - though he unquestionably is the villian - Shylock is given motivation, strong motivation for what he does. And his is indefinitely more sympathic than the reasoning of many other Shakespeare villians. I'm not justifying anti-semitism, honest, but the context of the time is different, that must be understood, and the ideas that are seen are interesting. Add to that, that our "hero" Antonio is hardly painted in flattering lights himself and it does seem less dramatic than it was at first. I hope.
None-the-less. Still going to see it alone first, I think.
Now, to the more fun portion! What the Reveiwers Have to Say:
from BBC Movies
Their summations of the characters: In Shakespeare's time, Shylock was played as a crude, anti-Semitic caricature. Radford's film, however, offers a far more contemporary interpretation, with the Jew's scheme against Jeremy Irons' Antonio motivated by an outsider's sense of injustice and persecution. Irons, too, has a psychological burden to carry as his merchant's decision to indebt himself to Shylock is a result of his unspoken homosexual lust for Joseph Fiennes' fortune-hunting playboy Bassanio.
*snerk* Apparently BBC agrees more with Sparknotes and Joseph Fiennes, than Jeremy Irons and Maurice Charney when it comes to Antonio's motivation.
Also, the just said what I wanted to say about Shylock in two sentences. Hm.
The more critical reveiws I read, all of them iffy at best, the more I want to see this movie. Clearly, there are many things wrong with me. (I'm not linking to all of those, because they weren't that amusing. If you want them, simply google 'Merchant of Venice' and 'film' and about 50 should show up. All sounding more-or-less like this)
This, however, is pretty positive. It falls in the Yay! Pacino category - apparently you either hate him or love him in this.
This one, I especially like, but that could just stem from the superstition in it: As with every Shakespeare play, except the Scottish one.
And finally CNN doesn't particularly like the movie or Pacino, but their reveiw did include this cute aside:(There's almost as much all-male action here as there was during the three-hour "Alexander.")
This song? Rocks. I'd forgotten...well, not forgotten, but I haven't listened to Billy Joel in a while and it's nice to hear he still moves me and makes me think. *cuddles Billy*
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(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 12:10 am (UTC)So far, the count is none. I feel woefully behind. You always seem to know which movies are coming up!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 01:21 am (UTC)Actually, I've known about Kingdom of Heaven for a while, because after I saw 'Dreamers' I wanted to know what else Eva Green was in - Kingdom of Heaven is the only other movie she's been involved in. I just neglected to mention it until now. However, it should get promoted up the wazoo when it's finished; that many Hollywood greats almost gaurentees that we'll be hearing about it for months.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 01:30 am (UTC)Eeee! I'm looking forward to it... *g* I must start saving up! (never mind that there are, like, four other movies I want to see - all but one small and independdent (I think))
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 01:34 am (UTC)Me too! I...I don't know how I'm going to survive; I need money for Phantom, Wednesday; Home at the End of the World with Rasmus sometimes soon; Merchant, in Febuary and then there's 2 theatre performances this month. But. Very worth it.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 01:41 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 02:40 am (UTC)Anyway, there are actually *two* Danish actors in the movie. Nikolai Coster-Waldau and Ulrich Thomsen. So, yeah. Denmark will go nuts when it opens.
Also, you? Are a geek. Much love from me.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 02:43 am (UTC)Ooh, true. I completely skipped Ulrich. I suck.
Thank you! *curtsies*
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 03:57 am (UTC)You do suck, just a little. KNow your Danish actors and...hmm...life will be better?
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-16 04:04 am (UTC)Oh, I know of him, but I just didn't see him listed.