Dir. Peter Greenaway / UK, France / 1991 / 2hrs 9mins (15)
Lavish, excessive cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest that combines mime, dance, opera, and animation. The daughter of Prospero, an exiled magician, falls in love with the son of his enemy, while the sorcerer’s sprite, Ariel, convinces him to abandon revenge against the traitors from his earlier life.
John Gielgud stars as Prospero, the protagonist who provides the narration and the voices to all characters. But mostly, he describes the books and, as he does, the screen fills with extravagant paintings, calligraphies and diagrams – and lots of naked people. Set against a score by Michael Nyman.
Part of our Filmmaker/Composer programme strand.