Prospero's Books (1991)

Director:

Peter Greenaway

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play)
Peter Greenaway (writer)

Release Date:

30 August 1991 (UK)

Genre:

Fantasy | Drama

Tagline:

A magician's spell, the innocence of young love and a dream of revenge unite to create a tempest.

Plot:

An exiled magician finds an opportunity for revenge against his enemies muted when his daughter and...

Plot Keywords:

Shakespeare References | Theatre | Cult Director | Experimental Film | Shakespearean Quote

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

John Gielgud	...	Prospero
Michael Clark	...	Caliban
Michel Blanc	...	Alonso
Erland Josephson	...	Gonzalo
Isabelle Pasco	...	Miranda
Tom Bell	...	Antonio
Kenneth Cranham	...	Sebastian
Mark Rylance	...	Ferdinand
Gerard Thoolen	...	Adrian
Pierre Bokma	...	Francisco
Jim van der Woude	...	Trinculo
Michiel Romeyn	...	Stephano
Orpheo	...	Ariel
Paul Russell	...	Ariel
James Thiérrée	...	Ariel

Runtime:

129 min | 124 min

Country:

France | Netherlands | UK | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (bw) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Allarts

Trivia:

Prospero was John Gielgud's favorite stage role and he had attempted to mount a film of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" for decades, contacting Orson Welles, Akira Kurosawa and 'Ingmar Bergman' about directing and Welles and Albert Finney about playing Caliban. The version with Welles directing and playing Caliban was in preparation until the financial failure of Welles' and Gielgud's film of 'Falstaff (1966)' forced the project to fall through, where it laid dormant until Gielgud finally convinced Peter Greenaway to make this version.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#11.2)" (1998)

Cinematic Magic - the Bard is the touchstone for today's technology

Peter Greenaway has given us a visual cinematic treat. This dazzling blend of technology, allegory and imagination is a multi-layered treat for those who seek the art that video and the digital world promise. Watch this movie on video to properly savour the intelligence and artistic genius that guides this visual delight.

Do not expect rationality or straight-line logic. Rather, enjoy this as a unique and idiosyncratic artistic cinematic vision. Pure cinema. All you need to know is the basic story of "The Tempest". Shakespeare. I am sure, would have understood what Peter Greenaway was about in providing such entertainment for a 20th century audience.