The Picture of Dorian Gray
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Movie Reviews of The Picture of Dorian Gray
Movie Review: Release this dvd...................
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a copy that was already rleased in europe but cannot play becuse it is region 2. Why does europe get movies before here? please issue this movie now..................Movie Review: Stays close to the book
Summary: 4 Stars
I agree with an earlier post that the narration is somewhat distracting, but overall it is a superb rendition. Somewhat cartoonish with the portrait itself being shown in color; it would have been more creepy in black and white with the rest of the picture. I appreciate directors who stay close to the original story and not change it to put their own mark on a tale.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS EXCELLENT MOVIE ON DVD???
Movie Review: An Exceptional Film Adaptation of the Classic Novel
Summary: 5 Stars
This 1945 film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic novella is more that likely the best adaptation one will ever see. This may seem to be a big statement, but Albert Lewin's direction along with Harry Stradling Sr.'s Oscar winning Cinematography for 1946, appears almost flawless when comparing the classic novel with the film.
George Sanders as Lord Henry Wotton should have won the Oscar that year for best supporting actor because his performance is faultless, brimming with style and wit. To my mind, he is Oscar Wilde, snobbish, intelligent and uses his tongue as a sword, cutting anyone down to size who cares to challenge him. Some of his lines from the screenplay are pure gems that Wilde is so famous for:
"I like persons better than principles and persons with no principles better than anything at all."
"Forgive me for the intelligence of my argument; I'd forgotten you were a Member of Parliament."
Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) is a slightly effeminent aristocrat who makes a Faustian pact to gain eternal youth. Gray's portrait, however, reveals Gray's soul, as he plunges himself into the dark and criminal world of 19th century London. Gray is selfish, uncaring, and arrogant and portrays the true 19th century hedonist; a Wildean character in the truest sense, as the then infamous novel, during the famous Wilde trials, was partly responsible for his four year imprisonment. This was the time when homosexuality was illegal, and Oscar Wilde became a scapegoat for the English's notorious hypocrisy.
Angela Lansbury as Sibyl Vane won her the Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. She is beautiful in this role, touching and almost pitiful as her innocence is corrupted by the cruel Dorian Gray.
What is curious about this film is that it is black and white; however, the actual portrait of Dorian is shown four times through the film in colour.
This was the only novel Oscar Wilde ever wrote, as he was predominantly a playwright and poet. The book also is a comment on the "Art for Art's Sake" sensibility and a philosophical commentary on the Aesthetic movement. The film also touches on these points, albeit on a superficial level.
This is a wonderful film and one hopes that in the near future it will be available on DVD.
Absolutely excellent.
Movie Review: "5" for the movie, "1" for no DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one the best films of all time.
TURNER, WARNER, SOMEBODY : FOR ALL THAT IS GOOD AND HOLY, PLEASE MAKE A DVD OF THIS CLASSIC.
The reviews on this item reflect the greatness of this movie. We need a DVD.
Movie Review: The Lost Meaning of Evil and Terror.
Summary: 5 Stars
With the exception of the fact that Sybil Vane is reduced from a stage actress to a club singer, this movie actually holds to the book quite well. In an age where horror movies revolve around the absurd overuse of blood and effects, and evil is portrayed as someone who just carries the label and dresses in black, this movie carries the true meaning of evil and terror. (Notably lost in modern times!) As in the book, we meet Lord Henry (played most convincingly by George Sanders). While he does have some redeeming points, he basically represents the devil. He is more of an observer, and he considers the common behavior of people beneath him. And as comically vicious as he gets, like the devil he never really tells outright falsehoods. One perfect example is when he expresses that women represent morality over mind and men represent mind over morals. Well, we then meet the young Dorian who is having his portrait painted. Lord Henry plays the devil and tells Dorian youth is only temporary and even if unintentionally tempts and leads Dorian into making a pact with evil. (He'll remain young while the picture ages.) Dorian then falls in love with Sybil Vane. And they plan to marry. But Lord Henry again plays the devil and gives Dorian advice that SOUNDS good, but will lead to Sybil's death when carried through. (Like the devil, Lord Henry can tempt, but NOT FORCE Dorian to do anything!) After Sybil's death, Lord Henry shows a redeeming moment when he is concerned over Dorian. But the harm is done. Dorian is now on his way to degeneration. It is not the pact itself that leads to Dorian's degeneration, but his vanity that leads him to a cold indifference to the needs of others. (While this behavior was comical in Lord Henry, it appears quite disturbing in Dorian.) Without blood or effects, this movie is really scarey as we gradually see Dorian degenerate into evil. Despite what action movies tell us, the true meaning of evil is when we become a prisoner of our own vanity and we desire to satisfy ourselves no matter what the cost to others. Dorian makes this clear when he says: "I enjoy scandals about others, but scandals about me do not interest me. I find them boring." In a moment of disturbing terror, Dorian murders the uncle of the Gladys (whom he now loves). And in his arguably most evil moment, he becomes the tempter. While he asks for Alan Campbell's help in disposing of the body, he tempts but again doesn't force. (And this will lead to Campbell's suicide. The tempted has become the tempter!) But Sybil's brother is still out there and he wants revenge for the death of his sister. We heard of Adrian Singleton earlier when Basil expressed his fear over the degeneration of Dorian's friends, and we see him as a disturbing eccentric who interestingly carries reason. Jim's death is creepily ambiguous. Did Dorian set up the hunting party in hopes that Jim would walk into a bullet, or did Jim's desire for revenge lead to his downfall? We don't know, but we DO know that for this evil to have fallen on Jim, Jim had to consent at least in part to it when he persued the evils of revenge. (Something the utterly stupid 'Time to Kill' couldn't figure out.) Moving on, Dorian has defeated all his enemies, but he just can't live with himself anymore. (An ending above and beyond action movies that have a hero kill his enemies, fall in love, and live happily ever after!) Well, Dorian breaks his pact with evil and pays a HIGH price. Not only is this movie a phenomenal remake of the book itself, but it also reminds us of the REAL meaning of evil and terror. And as a bonus, it shows the shortcomings of modern movies that just don't get it. If you liked the book, you'll love the movie!