Tempest : Raul Julia's performance was the best in the movie

Raul Julia's performance was the best in the movie

I enjoyed the movie up to the point where the lead character suddenly turned into some kind of god and magicked up a storm. What an utter load of nonsense. But Raul Julia was really magic!

But, you know, this IS a version of THE TEMPEST

Why was it nonsense for this Prospero-like character to be able to use the magic he's been working on? The movie overall is fairly fantasy-filled, and is, after all, based on THE TEMPEST--it sort of has to have a tempest. You can also interpret the storm as a manifestation of the intense anger and frustration Cassavetes' character has pent up, and it is, perhaps, all in his mind. Or, possibly this weather was simply going to happen, and it coincidentally did so as he was trying to conjure it, but actually had no relation to his mood or actions.




Multiplex: 100+ shows a day, NONE worth watching. John Sayles' latest: NO distribution. SAD.

Re: But, you know, this IS a version of THE TEMPEST

I had no idea that it had anything to do with Shakespeare until he started conjuring up that storm. Until then I thought I was watching just another movie about people going through various life crises as we all do, and as portrayed in hundreds of other movies that don't suddenly switch to fantasy.

Well, it is a fairly loose adaptation…

I can understand how you might not make that connection, given the NYC and Atlantic City settings. Things that would be clues include: his finding his way to a Greek island (though, I guess the island's nationality isn't specified in the play); his daughter being named Miranda, just as in the play; the similarity of the name Kalibanos to Caliban, from the play; a few other characters' names being the same, or similar to those in the play; Kalibanos getting drunk and crazy with Trink (counterpart to Trinculo in the play) and the other guy (or is it guys? I haven't seen TEMPEST in awhile); and probably some others. Susan Sarandon fills the role of Ariel, though they didn't go so far as to name her that. I suppose Gena Rolands' character is the counterpart to Prospero's treacherous brother, though, if I'm remembering properly, in both cases, Prospero and Phil come to recognize that their neglectful behavior was a big part of the reason for the betrayals, and Phil's wife and Prospero's brother (and the King of Naples, who helped steal Prospero's dukedom) are forgiven. ANYway, TEMPEST is a lovely movie, and the "bows" at the end, with the helicopter and Dinah Washington, are perfection.



Multiplex: 100+ shows a day, NONE worth watching. John Sayles' latest: NO distribution. SAD.

Re: Well, it is a fairly loose adaptation…

I have never seen The Tempest (the original) or read the play. We did Shakespeare in school and that turned me off Shakespeare for life. All that "Where for art thou?" stuff. It's not my cup of tea, I'm afraid. Therefore, it's not surprising that I wouldn't "get" the references to Miranda, Greece etc. (Jolly good job, otherwise I would have switched off much earlier!)
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