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Information
- Year
- 1991
- Runtime
- 124 min.
- Director
- Peter Greenaway
- Genres
- Drama, Fantasy
- Rating *
- 6.9
- Votes *
- 4,930
- Checks
- 866
- Favs
- 62
- Dislikes
- 17
- Favs/checks
- 7.2% (1:14)
- Favs/dislikes
- 4:1
Top comments
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Siskoid
Peter Greenaway's gorgeous adaptation of The Tempest, Prospero's Books is also an acting showcase for Sir John Gielgud, who does most of the voices, sometimes on top of the other actor's performance, at least until he lets go of the narrative. Odd sound design, perhaps, but it's Greenaway's way of showing the old magician is in total control. Another clever idea is having the spirits of the isle represented by a vast host of nude dancers, presumably invisible unless they speak. Intercutting the play's text with an itemized collection of wondrous books (a theme Greenaway returns to in The Pillow Book) gives us a sense that the film itself is similar collage. It has frames within frames, but more than that combines various media into a lush experience - theater, writing, painting, dance, calligraphy, music, opera... And many of its images are indelible (I watched this while at university and remembered much of it, though I didn't expect a young Mark Rylance to show up as Ferdinand). In the way the camera tracks along wide sets, it may remind audiences of Greenaway's The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, his most popular work (if we can use that word in connection with this director), but pending a rewatch of that film, I rather think Prospero's Books is his actual masterpiece. 2 years 3 months ago -
Eduardo Nasi
Beautiful adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Very powerful images. 13 years 1 month ago
Friends
Login to see which of your friends have seen this movie!In 4 official lists
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This movie ranks #11 in Gouden Kalf Award - Best Dutch Film
Gouden Kalf Award - Best…
11 -
This movie ranks #140 in 366 Weird Movies
366 Weird Movies
140 -
This movie ranks #481 in Halliwell's Top 1000: The Ultimate Movie Countdown
Halliwell's Top 1000: Th…
481 -
This movie ranks #492 in Jennifer Eiss's 500 Essential Cult Movies
Jennifer Eiss's 500 Esse…
492