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In the early 80's I read a glowing review of this film in Rolling Stone Magazine. Since it promised Susan Sarandon (who I only new as Janet Weiss from Rocky Horror) in a bathing suit, it made the must see list. I saw it with a date in a Gainesville, Fla movie house that actually served beer by the pitcher. The second pitcher was empty just about the same time the goats began flying overhead in time to Liza Minelli's rendition of "New York, New York", and I realized I was watching something special.
Flash forward 20 odd years. I'm middle-aged myself, I've read Shakespear's The Tempest a half dozen times and have seen it on stage and in the theatre in numerous renditions, and Susan Sarandon, Molly Ringwold, and Raul Julia are now household names. The movie is out on DVD and I have watched it three times in the past three nights.
Even without the beer, I can honestly say this is a great, though overlooked movie. The acting is first rate. The production is wonderful. And the Script is VERY smart.
I think you need some familiarity with The Bard's version of The Tempest to really appreciate this movie. Sheakespeare wrote of and in a time of witches and faries and spirits. To make this movie work, the screenwriter (Mazurski) had to translate these creatures and characters into modern-day creations. The "Monster" Calaban, becomes Raul Julia's Calabano, a modern day "monster" who lusts after little girls, but settles for livestock. Prospero the Magician is transformed into a middle aged architect who in his crazziness believes he can control the weather and perhaps can. The King himself becomes the CEO of a Company and his court is transformed into an entourage of a lawyer, a doctor, and a stand-up comedian.. Ariel the Fairy, is Aretha, Susan Sarandon's character, a middleeastern night club singer from New Jersey who, like Ariel in the original, loves and hates and is imprisoned by and fails to consumate her love with Prospero.
The action swings back and forth between a greek island and the Island of Manhattan. This is the 1980s. New York is not very pretty. The World Trade Center is front and center. Atlantic City is under construction. Against this backdrop, the Actors act and sing and dance and have a good time.
Read The Tempest and then see this movie.
I can picture Sheakespeare smiling while watching this version of his play.
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