The German folklore of Dr. Faust has inspired a number of classic tales, notably legendary playwright Christopher Marlowe’s tragedy “Doctor Faustus”. The literary piece was a modernized morality play in essence, which played an instrumental role in popularizing the thematic significance of the story—the binary of good and evil instincts and the complexities of human nature showcased through supernatural elements of occultism. Shigeru Mizuki’s iconic manga Akuma Kun revolves around the themes explored in Marlowe’s play and additionally incorporates a narrative that includes elements of the diverse world mythology as well. The anime adaptation of its first volume, which was released in the late 1980s, garnered a massive fan following among children, and a continuation of the series as a part of the 100th birth anniversary celebration of the mangaka has recently been released on Netflix.
The continuation of Akuma Kun turned out to be another...
The continuation of Akuma Kun turned out to be another...
- 11/14/2023
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
Graphic: Images: IMDBCoriolanus (2014)
Caius Martius Coriolanus is a war hero, banished from his home, seeking to come back.
Rating: 8.5/10
Stars: Tom Hiddleston (Caius Martius Coriolanus), Rochenda Sandall (First Citizen), Mark Stanley (Second Citizen), Dwane Walcott (Third Citizen), Mark Gatiss (Menenius)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins.
Caius Martius Coriolanus is a war hero, banished from his home, seeking to come back.
Rating: 8.5/10
Stars: Tom Hiddleston (Caius Martius Coriolanus), Rochenda Sandall (First Citizen), Mark Stanley (Second Citizen), Dwane Walcott (Third Citizen), Mark Gatiss (Menenius)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins.
- 10/28/2023
- avclub.com
If you’ve been counting down the days for the second season of Good Omens so fervently that the mere thought of its arrival makes you exclaim “I am having a moment here!” then you might need to have a sit down: Good Omen Season Two Is Finally Here.
If you’re new to Good Omens, now’s the time to catch up: this fantasy series is based on the 1990 book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and stars a demon, Crowley and an angel, Aziraphale who are unlikely best buds/soulmates.
Season one saw them try to prevent the end of the world after the antichrist is born, and as for season two? Well, Crowley and Aziraphale are only just getting used to being exiled from their respective heavenly/hellish bosses when Aziraphale’s former boss, Archangel Gabriel turns up dazed, confused and totally nude. It’s up to...
If you’re new to Good Omens, now’s the time to catch up: this fantasy series is based on the 1990 book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and stars a demon, Crowley and an angel, Aziraphale who are unlikely best buds/soulmates.
Season one saw them try to prevent the end of the world after the antichrist is born, and as for season two? Well, Crowley and Aziraphale are only just getting used to being exiled from their respective heavenly/hellish bosses when Aziraphale’s former boss, Archangel Gabriel turns up dazed, confused and totally nude. It’s up to...
- 7/28/2023
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Peter Brook, the innovative film and theater director known for groundbreaking adaptations of classic literary works and bringing prominent non-Western influences into the theater world, has died at the age of 97. The news was confirmed by BBC.
For the majority of the 20th century, Brook was consistently viewed as one of the most important directors working in the theater world. Born in London in 1925, he began directing Shakespeare productions at Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1940s. He quickly became known for his willingness to infuse classic texts, including operas and Christopher Marlowe plays, with experimental aesthetic choices. After several of his productions transferred to Broadway in the 1960s, Brook moved to Paris in the early 1970s. He founded an experimental theater company known as the International Centre for Theatre Research, which traveled throughout Africa and the Middle East to work with local artists on collaborative theater pieces.
As time went on,...
For the majority of the 20th century, Brook was consistently viewed as one of the most important directors working in the theater world. Born in London in 1925, he began directing Shakespeare productions at Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1940s. He quickly became known for his willingness to infuse classic texts, including operas and Christopher Marlowe plays, with experimental aesthetic choices. After several of his productions transferred to Broadway in the 1960s, Brook moved to Paris in the early 1970s. He founded an experimental theater company known as the International Centre for Theatre Research, which traveled throughout Africa and the Middle East to work with local artists on collaborative theater pieces.
As time went on,...
- 7/3/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Warning: this A Discovery of Witches review contains spoilers.
A pregnancy! Something really has stuck its finger into the creature gene pot and swirled it around hasn’t it? First it was daemons born to witches and vice versa, now a vampire and a witch have conceived, going against millennia of biology. Whatever next – big, fiery birds swooping out of people’s midriffs to smite their enemies? Yes, exactly! Don’t you just love fantasy?
Corra the firedrake is Diana’s long-promised familiar, an elemental creature unlocked by reaching level six of her weaver training. Knot of one: the spell’s begun. Knot of two: the spell is true. Knot of six: Ca-Kaw! Ca-Kaw! In the same way that Diana’s spellbound powers sprang up to defend her from danger, Corra is here to protect Diana from her foes.
This week, those foes were the cartoonish Kit and Louisa, who...
A pregnancy! Something really has stuck its finger into the creature gene pot and swirled it around hasn’t it? First it was daemons born to witches and vice versa, now a vampire and a witch have conceived, going against millennia of biology. Whatever next – big, fiery birds swooping out of people’s midriffs to smite their enemies? Yes, exactly! Don’t you just love fantasy?
Corra the firedrake is Diana’s long-promised familiar, an elemental creature unlocked by reaching level six of her weaver training. Knot of one: the spell’s begun. Knot of two: the spell is true. Knot of six: Ca-Kaw! Ca-Kaw! In the same way that Diana’s spellbound powers sprang up to defend her from danger, Corra is here to protect Diana from her foes.
This week, those foes were the cartoonish Kit and Louisa, who...
- 3/5/2021
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
“It always is Christmas Eve, in a ghost story” – Jerome K. Jerome, 1891
In the English countryside, dinner had ended, and the company retired to the drawing room. They gathered around the fire as the parson, who sat in a high-backed oak chair, proceeded to tell of goblins and ghosts. The squire, not a superstitious man himself, listened intently as the parson spoke about the crusader who rose from his tomb for a nighttime ride. The old porter’s wife added to the tale with her own of the crusader’s march on Midsummer Eve, when fairies became visible.
Such was Christmas Night at Bracebridge Hall, England, in 1820.
The story set in the fictional manor was written by American author Washington Irving, and published in 1820 in the fifth installment of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. This was less than three months before the world was introduced to the Headless...
In the English countryside, dinner had ended, and the company retired to the drawing room. They gathered around the fire as the parson, who sat in a high-backed oak chair, proceeded to tell of goblins and ghosts. The squire, not a superstitious man himself, listened intently as the parson spoke about the crusader who rose from his tomb for a nighttime ride. The old porter’s wife added to the tale with her own of the crusader’s march on Midsummer Eve, when fairies became visible.
Such was Christmas Night at Bracebridge Hall, England, in 1820.
The story set in the fictional manor was written by American author Washington Irving, and published in 1820 in the fifth installment of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. This was less than three months before the world was introduced to the Headless...
- 12/19/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Ian McKellen, Lesley Manville, Lennie James and Joseph Fiennes are among the British talent delivering monologues as part of a new fundraising initiative by actors’ union Equity and actor Michelle Collins.
The #ForTheLoveofArts monologues are between 2-5 minutes long and recorded remotely at the actors’ homes in a bid to raise money for Equity during the coronavirus pandemic. Actors involved also include Miriam Margolyes, Adrian Dunbar, Alex Lawther, Elaine Paige, Mandeep Dhillon, Derek Jacobi and Sue Johnston, among many others.
In the clip below, Fiennes performs King Edward’s monologue from “Edward II” by Christopher Marlowe.
The project, which can be viewed on the Equity Benevolent Fund’s YouTube channel, also features a number of new, original pieces of writing from the likes of Hugh Dennis, Tom Wright, Damon Rochefort, Andrew Lynford, Chloe Moss, Susan Oudot, Martyn Hesford, Stewart Permutt, Tyler Rigby and Tony Grounds.
Genesis Pictures’ Debbie Gray and...
The #ForTheLoveofArts monologues are between 2-5 minutes long and recorded remotely at the actors’ homes in a bid to raise money for Equity during the coronavirus pandemic. Actors involved also include Miriam Margolyes, Adrian Dunbar, Alex Lawther, Elaine Paige, Mandeep Dhillon, Derek Jacobi and Sue Johnston, among many others.
In the clip below, Fiennes performs King Edward’s monologue from “Edward II” by Christopher Marlowe.
The project, which can be viewed on the Equity Benevolent Fund’s YouTube channel, also features a number of new, original pieces of writing from the likes of Hugh Dennis, Tom Wright, Damon Rochefort, Andrew Lynford, Chloe Moss, Susan Oudot, Martyn Hesford, Stewart Permutt, Tyler Rigby and Tony Grounds.
Genesis Pictures’ Debbie Gray and...
- 5/21/2020
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Somewhere, Ken Jennings is stroking a fluffy white cat and cackling. Menacingly.
Monday’s episode of Jeopardy! marked the final outing for fan-favorite contestant James Holzhauer (aka “Jeopardy James”), whose 32-day winning streak was unceremoniously ended by Chicago librarian Emma Boettcher during a savage round of Final Jeopardy.
Atop the final round (category: “Shakespeare’s Time”), Boettcher led the pack with $26,600. Holzhauer followed closely with $23,400, while Jay Sexton rounded out the group with $11,000. The clue was: “The line ‘a great reckoning in a little room’ in As You Like It is usually taken to refer to this author’s premature death.
Monday’s episode of Jeopardy! marked the final outing for fan-favorite contestant James Holzhauer (aka “Jeopardy James”), whose 32-day winning streak was unceremoniously ended by Chicago librarian Emma Boettcher during a savage round of Final Jeopardy.
Atop the final round (category: “Shakespeare’s Time”), Boettcher led the pack with $26,600. Holzhauer followed closely with $23,400, while Jay Sexton rounded out the group with $11,000. The clue was: “The line ‘a great reckoning in a little room’ in As You Like It is usually taken to refer to this author’s premature death.
- 6/3/2019
- TVLine.com
After 32 straight wins and over $2.4 million in winnings, Jeopardy! star James Holzhauer has lost. Holzhauer’s final bout will air in most TV markets tonight, Monday June 3rd, though as Deadspin notes, a clip of the “Final Jeopardy!” question leaked Sunday, while the episode has already aired on several television stations.
In total, Holzhauer racked up an impressive $2,462,216 and averaged, per The New York Times, $77,000 a game. He also set multiple new single-game winnings records and now owns the top spot with $131,127 — as well as the next 15 spots on the list.
In total, Holzhauer racked up an impressive $2,462,216 and averaged, per The New York Times, $77,000 a game. He also set multiple new single-game winnings records and now owns the top spot with $131,127 — as well as the next 15 spots on the list.
- 6/3/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
An actor’s multiple personalities conflict when he wins a leading part in a play
This low-budget British effort throws comedy, drama, tired psychological thriller conceits and some broad satire to make a bag about as mixed as they come. Sandy Batchelor, who just about earns the film a little more forgiveness with a performance that’s both ripe as old cheese but also a parody of Ott acting, stars as Rupert Lindsay, an aspiring actor afflicted with dissociative identity disorder, a condition previously known as multiple personality disorder.
Wouldn’t you know it, that affliction turns out to be a boon when his extremely angry, shouty, Scots-accented identity comes to the fore during an audition for the role of an angry, shouty puritan in what’s supposed to be a lost Christopher Marlowe play. Unfortunately, sometimes another personality, a lascivious English-accented smoothie (think Terry-Thomas on ecstasy) assumes control, and...
This low-budget British effort throws comedy, drama, tired psychological thriller conceits and some broad satire to make a bag about as mixed as they come. Sandy Batchelor, who just about earns the film a little more forgiveness with a performance that’s both ripe as old cheese but also a parody of Ott acting, stars as Rupert Lindsay, an aspiring actor afflicted with dissociative identity disorder, a condition previously known as multiple personality disorder.
Wouldn’t you know it, that affliction turns out to be a boon when his extremely angry, shouty, Scots-accented identity comes to the fore during an audition for the role of an angry, shouty puritan in what’s supposed to be a lost Christopher Marlowe play. Unfortunately, sometimes another personality, a lascivious English-accented smoothie (think Terry-Thomas on ecstasy) assumes control, and...
- 4/26/2019
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Each year the day after the Oscars, there is a water cooler debate about which movie should have won. Usually these debates are quickly forgotten and lost in awards history except to the most ardent movie lovers. However, there is occasionally an Oscar upset so great that people don’t forget. This year marks the 20th anniversary of such an upset: “Shakespeare in Love” winning Best Picture by beating “Saving Private Ryan” (watch the flashback video of that stunner above announced by Harrison Ford).
I was one of the many who was stunned by this win on March 21, 1999. Everyone thought Spr would win, despite the fact that Shakespeare had the lead in nominations that year. How could a flighty fictional love story win over a fact-based WWII drama? The heavily-financed Miramax campaign led by the now-disgraced Harvey Weinstein caused some to feel Shakespeare stole the win from Ryan. This year...
I was one of the many who was stunned by this win on March 21, 1999. Everyone thought Spr would win, despite the fact that Shakespeare had the lead in nominations that year. How could a flighty fictional love story win over a fact-based WWII drama? The heavily-financed Miramax campaign led by the now-disgraced Harvey Weinstein caused some to feel Shakespeare stole the win from Ryan. This year...
- 1/24/2019
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
“I never, ever, ever intended to act,” Tilda Swinton says, laughing, as she sits down in a Beverly Hills hotel suite. “I still don’t intend to act. I mean, I’m thoroughly distracted from what I really want to do, which I’m never gonna really get to if I don’t stop doing this stuff.”
Well, it’s too late to stop now. Over a 30-plus-year career, what she dismissively refers to as “this stuff” has proven to be some of the most electrifying and resonant screen acting of recent memory.
Well, it’s too late to stop now. Over a 30-plus-year career, what she dismissively refers to as “this stuff” has proven to be some of the most electrifying and resonant screen acting of recent memory.
- 10/31/2018
- by Tim Grierson
- Rollingstone.com
Producer Gary Kurtz, director Greg Hall and screenwriter Francis Hamit are teaming up for Christopher Marlowe, a film about the 16th-century British playwright, a friend and rival to William Shakespeare, who may also have been a spy.
The film plans to advance the idea that Marlowe, who died 425 years ago on May 30 at age 29, may have been assassinated by the order of Queen Elizabeth.
“Marlowe is a tragic figure, undone by his own fatal flaws,” Hamit said.
Hall, whose directorial credits include the indie feature The Plague, commented, “The storyline is quite dynamic. It’s more ...
The film plans to advance the idea that Marlowe, who died 425 years ago on May 30 at age 29, may have been assassinated by the order of Queen Elizabeth.
“Marlowe is a tragic figure, undone by his own fatal flaws,” Hamit said.
Hall, whose directorial credits include the indie feature The Plague, commented, “The storyline is quite dynamic. It’s more ...
- 5/31/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Producer Gary Kurtz, director Greg Hall and screenwriter Francis Hamit are teaming up for Christopher Marlowe, a film about the 16th-century British playwright, a friend and rival to William Shakespeare, who may also have been a spy.
The film plans to advance the idea that Marlowe, who died 425 years ago on May 30 at age 29, may have been assassinated by the order of Queen Elizabeth.
“Marlowe is a tragic figure, undone by his own fatal flaws,” Hamit said.
Hall, whose directorial credits include the indie feature The Plague, commented, “The storyline is quite dynamic. It’s more ...
The film plans to advance the idea that Marlowe, who died 425 years ago on May 30 at age 29, may have been assassinated by the order of Queen Elizabeth.
“Marlowe is a tragic figure, undone by his own fatal flaws,” Hamit said.
Hall, whose directorial credits include the indie feature The Plague, commented, “The storyline is quite dynamic. It’s more ...
- 5/31/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Star Wars” producer Gary Kurtz and British crime film director Greg Hall are teaming on an untitled feature film about iconic British poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe.
Kurtz and Hall announced the project on Wednesday, the 425th anniversary of the death of Marlowe at the age of 29. Marlowe is best remembered as William Shakespeare’s friend and rival, but the film will explore the aftermath of his role as a spy for the British crown while a student at Cambridge University.
Marlowe wrote “The Jew of Malta,” “Edward the Second” and “Doctor Faustus.” His death has long been assumed to have been as a result of a fight between friends over a bar bill. But, according to the filmmakers, he was assassinated as a matter of state policy because of his involvement in secret affairs.
The script, by Francis Hamit, details Marlowe’s career as a spy as part of the early English Secret Service,...
Kurtz and Hall announced the project on Wednesday, the 425th anniversary of the death of Marlowe at the age of 29. Marlowe is best remembered as William Shakespeare’s friend and rival, but the film will explore the aftermath of his role as a spy for the British crown while a student at Cambridge University.
Marlowe wrote “The Jew of Malta,” “Edward the Second” and “Doctor Faustus.” His death has long been assumed to have been as a result of a fight between friends over a bar bill. But, according to the filmmakers, he was assassinated as a matter of state policy because of his involvement in secret affairs.
The script, by Francis Hamit, details Marlowe’s career as a spy as part of the early English Secret Service,...
- 5/30/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Story about life of Elizabethan playwright and spy out to casting.
Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz is lining up a drama based on the life of the Elizabethan playwright and spy Christopher Marlowe.
Los Angeles-based Wolfmill Entertainment and The Kit Marlowe Film Co, registered in England and Wales, plan an autumn shoot, mostly in Wales. Lightyear Entertainment of Los Angeles will distribute in North America and released foreign language Oscar nominee Tanna in 2016.
Greg Hall will direct the project from a screenplay by Francis Hamit that chronicles Marlowe’s life, from his time as a...
Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz is lining up a drama based on the life of the Elizabethan playwright and spy Christopher Marlowe.
Los Angeles-based Wolfmill Entertainment and The Kit Marlowe Film Co, registered in England and Wales, plan an autumn shoot, mostly in Wales. Lightyear Entertainment of Los Angeles will distribute in North America and released foreign language Oscar nominee Tanna in 2016.
Greg Hall will direct the project from a screenplay by Francis Hamit that chronicles Marlowe’s life, from his time as a...
- 5/30/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Tilda Swinton stars in Venice 1991 Golden Lion nominee.
Film Movement has acquired North American rights to Derek Jarman’s Edward II and plans to give the 1991 drama a limited theatrical release on its Film Movement Classics reissue label, with digital and home entertainment releases to follow.
Tilda Swinton and Steven Waddington star in Jarman’s highly stylised adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s 16th century play about Britain’s only openly gay monarch.
Featuring modern costumes and settings, the film relates how Edward II, a weak monarch with a tenuous grasp on the throne, rejects his wife Queen Isabella and takes a male lover,...
Film Movement has acquired North American rights to Derek Jarman’s Edward II and plans to give the 1991 drama a limited theatrical release on its Film Movement Classics reissue label, with digital and home entertainment releases to follow.
Tilda Swinton and Steven Waddington star in Jarman’s highly stylised adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s 16th century play about Britain’s only openly gay monarch.
Featuring modern costumes and settings, the film relates how Edward II, a weak monarch with a tenuous grasp on the throne, rejects his wife Queen Isabella and takes a male lover,...
- 3/30/2018
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Oscar-winning actress discussed her career at Doha Film Institute’s talent-development event Qumra
Tilda Swinton kicked off a masterclass in Qatar on Friday with the surprising admission that she has been trying to quit acting for the best part of 20 years, to focus instead on her first love of writing and other projects.
“I don’t have a sense of myself on screen at all and I think the reason for that is that I never intended to be on screen and honestly I never do,” Swinton said. “Every film I make, I intend to be the last. I have...
Tilda Swinton kicked off a masterclass in Qatar on Friday with the surprising admission that she has been trying to quit acting for the best part of 20 years, to focus instead on her first love of writing and other projects.
“I don’t have a sense of myself on screen at all and I think the reason for that is that I never intended to be on screen and honestly I never do,” Swinton said. “Every film I make, I intend to be the last. I have...
- 3/10/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Czech director Jan Svankmajer is probably best known for his two freewheeling adaptations of literary favorites: Alice (1988), from the Lewis Carroll book, and Faust (1994), inspired by the writings of Goethe and Christopher Marlowe. Both films were surreal, darkly comic retellings of classic stories that mix live action with stop-motion and claymation animation techniques to memorable effect.
The 83-year-old Svankmajer, whose work has inspired filmmakers ranging from Terry Gilliam to the Quay Brothers to Benh Zeitlin and his Court 13 collective, has made several movies since, including the underrated 2005 whatchamacallit Lunacy. For his latest effort, the director decided...
The 83-year-old Svankmajer, whose work has inspired filmmakers ranging from Terry Gilliam to the Quay Brothers to Benh Zeitlin and his Court 13 collective, has made several movies since, including the underrated 2005 whatchamacallit Lunacy. For his latest effort, the director decided...
- 2/2/2018
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jared Woods Feb 5, 2018
From Bart Simpson's "Eat my shorts" to Rick And Morty's "Wubba lubba dub-dub", we look at the origins of a bunch of cartoon catchphrases...
Ah yes, the cartoon catchphrase. That quote uttered by your favourite character so many times that it has pried open your skull and set up home in your everyday vocabulary. A trademark when executed at precisely the right time, it functions as the laziest punchline in existence, triggering the warm chemicals of familiarity right down into your lungs, knocking out a laugh even though you’ve heard it an immeasurable amount of times already. And before you know it, you find your voice reciting the slogan itself, dropping the phrasing into casual conversation like a winking in-joke that only those who watch the same animations as you will understand, while you scoff at those who raise their eyebrows at your inappropriate response.
From Bart Simpson's "Eat my shorts" to Rick And Morty's "Wubba lubba dub-dub", we look at the origins of a bunch of cartoon catchphrases...
Ah yes, the cartoon catchphrase. That quote uttered by your favourite character so many times that it has pried open your skull and set up home in your everyday vocabulary. A trademark when executed at precisely the right time, it functions as the laziest punchline in existence, triggering the warm chemicals of familiarity right down into your lungs, knocking out a laugh even though you’ve heard it an immeasurable amount of times already. And before you know it, you find your voice reciting the slogan itself, dropping the phrasing into casual conversation like a winking in-joke that only those who watch the same animations as you will understand, while you scoff at those who raise their eyebrows at your inappropriate response.
- 11/9/2017
- Den of Geek
D. Dominick Lombardi: Saints, Sinners, and the Collective Unconscious (2014-2017) Hampden Gallery University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Ma
Saints, Sinners, and the Collective Unconscious is riveting. Mr. Lombardi is an artist with an intimate understanding of history in regard to religion and popular culture. After careful viewing of the 30 works in the exhibition, I was compelled to research the titles of the works because they seemed to hold the key to unlocking Lombardi’s intentions. I focused on the works in the Saints section of the exhibition because I found their cryptic iconography most intriguing. The research of the saints depicted in Lombardi’s work opened up a new route for me to access the works’ meaning.
Saints Francis of Paola (2016-2017)
Lombardi started this piece (below) in 1964 when he was first getting into painting as a ten-year-old boy. He came back to it fifty years later. He first painted...
Saints, Sinners, and the Collective Unconscious is riveting. Mr. Lombardi is an artist with an intimate understanding of history in regard to religion and popular culture. After careful viewing of the 30 works in the exhibition, I was compelled to research the titles of the works because they seemed to hold the key to unlocking Lombardi’s intentions. I focused on the works in the Saints section of the exhibition because I found their cryptic iconography most intriguing. The research of the saints depicted in Lombardi’s work opened up a new route for me to access the works’ meaning.
Saints Francis of Paola (2016-2017)
Lombardi started this piece (below) in 1964 when he was first getting into painting as a ten-year-old boy. He came back to it fifty years later. He first painted...
- 9/29/2017
- by Matt Oliver
- www.culturecatch.com
William Shakespeare will have to share authorship on three of his plays in the Oxford University Press’ new compilation of his work. The new Oxford edition, which will be released in November, will credit “Doctor Faustus” writer Christopher Marlowe as co-author, the publisher said. According to the Associated Press, the decision was made by the new edition’s four editors and Shakespeare scholars following years of research and analysis into the authorship of Shakespeare’s work. Also Read: 'Westworld' Episode 1 Shakespeare Quotes Explained Florida State University’s Gary Taylor, one of the editors, cited a 2009 study of the vocabulary in “Henry VI” by Hugh Craig.
- 10/24/2016
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
They weren't long for the Game of Thrones world, but Kit Harington and Rose Leslie's real-life relationship looks to be thriving. The former costars - whose characters on the HBO series are both deceased - celebrated the premiere of Harington's new West End production of Christopher Marlowe's Elizabethan play Doctor Faustus at London's The Cuckoo Club on Monday night. Posing together at the show's after-party, Leslie and Harington, both 29, looked polished in complementary white shirts. Harington matched his button-down with a three-piece suit, while Leslie paired her tailored shirt with slim-fitting black pants.The pair's Thrones cast mate...
- 4/26/2016
- by Lindsay Kimble, @lekimble
- PEOPLE.com
All over the world, Game of Thrones viewers are speculating fiercely over the fate of Kit Harington's Jon Snow in season six of the HBO series, which began airing Sunday. Meanwhile, in London's West End, those watching Harington play the title role onstage in Doctor Faustus can feel reassured that, however much prolific director Jamie Lloyd and playwright Colin Teevan may have tinkered with Christopher Marlowe's 16th-century text, at least one thing is certain: Faustus is going to hell. But even if the last act can't be spoiled, there are still some pleasant surprises to be had from this lively,
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- 4/25/2016
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Spoiler alert! Bear in mind that if you haven’t watched season 5 of Game of Thrones and keep reading, you might just come across some spoilers.
The season finale of the show sparked debates among fans regarding the fate of the character who knows the least of them all – Jon Snow. Now speculations might come to an end as Kit Harington had something to say about his character.
In an interview with Digital Spy he shared:
"I was hoping that there would be an outcry of 'why?' and 'oh god, no, no' rather than 'thank god.' That was the right reaction as far as I was concerned! People didn't want me to die, but he's dead. So there you go, everyone has to get used to it."
But is Kit Harington splashing delusions into our eyes and will he, at the end, prove to know nothing just like Snow?...
The season finale of the show sparked debates among fans regarding the fate of the character who knows the least of them all – Jon Snow. Now speculations might come to an end as Kit Harington had something to say about his character.
In an interview with Digital Spy he shared:
"I was hoping that there would be an outcry of 'why?' and 'oh god, no, no' rather than 'thank god.' That was the right reaction as far as I was concerned! People didn't want me to die, but he's dead. So there you go, everyone has to get used to it."
But is Kit Harington splashing delusions into our eyes and will he, at the end, prove to know nothing just like Snow?...
- 1/28/2016
- by Katie Mikova
- GeekTyrant
The BBC Breakfast Facebook posted video interview with Game Of Thrones actor Kit Harington to discuss his current role in the theatre production of Doctor Faustus in London, England. Naturally the hosts of BBC Breakfast asked Kit some questions about the character of Jon Snow in Game Of Thrones.
At the end of season 5, Jon Snow met his demise and was killed off in the last scene. Rumors spread over the internet that Kit Harington was on set during filming of season 6 of Game Of Thrones and that his character will allegedly be resurrected in season 6 of the HBO fantasy series. Other actors from the show have all debunked these rumors of the return of Jon Snow and as you can read from the interview below Harington denies these rumors as well.
Kit: All I can tell you is Jon Snow is dead. He died at the end of the last season.
At the end of season 5, Jon Snow met his demise and was killed off in the last scene. Rumors spread over the internet that Kit Harington was on set during filming of season 6 of Game Of Thrones and that his character will allegedly be resurrected in season 6 of the HBO fantasy series. Other actors from the show have all debunked these rumors of the return of Jon Snow and as you can read from the interview below Harington denies these rumors as well.
Kit: All I can tell you is Jon Snow is dead. He died at the end of the last season.
- 1/28/2016
- by J.B. Casas
- LRMonline.com
While he maintains that Jon Snow is indeed dead, Game Of Thrones‘ Kit Harington is prepping for a return to the living theater — and a deal with the devil. He’ll play Doctor Faustus at London’s Duke of York Theatre from April 9 with tickets on sale from today. Baz Bamigboye at the Daily Mail was first with the news which Harington’s publicist confirmed to Deadline. Olivier Award winner Jamie Lloyd is helming this take on Christopher Marlowe’s classic which transports the…...
- 1/26/2016
- Deadline TV
Read More: Watch: Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes Get Obscene in 'A Bigger Splash' Trailer "Edward II" (1991) Derek Jarman's accomplished adaptation of the Christopher Marlowe play features Swinton at her most regal and commanding. Winner of the Best Actress Prize at the Venice Film Festival, Swinton is an emotional powerhouse as Queen Isabella, the rejected wife of King Edward II, who falls into a provocative mind game between her husband and his lover, Piers Gaveston. The three all harbor passionate desires, though mounting political threats force them to use one another as chess pieces in a royal game of power. As lovers become enemies and allies find themselves torn apart by affairs, Swinton expertly charts her character's journey with the nobility she deserves. Measured and reserved, Swinton always seems just seconds away from cracking her poised facade and revealing her scorned soul. "Orlando" (1992) Swinton's striking androgyny is one of.
- 11/5/2015
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Managing Director Jeff Griffin, presents Doctor Faustus, adapted by David Bridel and Andrei Belgrader from the play by Christopher Marlowe, starring Chris Noth 'Law amp Order,' 'Sex and the City,' 'The Good Wife', and directed by Andrei Belgrader Csc's production of The Cherry Orchard. Previews will began June 2 with an official opening tonight, June 18 at Csc 136 East 13th Street. Performances have been extended through Sunday, July 12.
- 6/18/2015
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Managing Director Jeff Griffin, have announced complete for their upcoming production of Doctor Faustus, adapted by David Bridel and Andrei Belgrader from the play by Christopher Marlowe, starring Chris Noth 'Law amp Order,' 'Sex and the City,' 'The Good Wife', directed by Andrei Belgrader Csc's production of The Cherry Orchard. Joining Noth in the cast are Tony Award nominee and 'The Good Wife' co-star Zach Grenier as Mephistopheles, Jeff Binder, Ken Cheeseman, Carmen M. Herlihy, Walker Jones, Geoffrey Owens and Lucas Caleb Rooney. Previews begin Friday, May 29 for a limited engagement through Thursday, July 2 at Csc 136 East 13th Street. The official press opening is Thursday, June 18.
- 4/30/2015
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Tamburlaine, Parts I and II Directed and Edited by Michael Boyd Written by Christopher Marlowe Theatre for a New Audience Polonsky Shakespeare Center, Brooklyn, NY November 1, 2014 - January 4, 2015
Blood, fittingly, gets on everything in Theatre for a New Audience's Tamburlaine, Parts I and II. For the stylized violence in this adaptation of two of Christopher Marlowe's Elizabethan box-office hits, that sometimes means literal buckets of vital fluid; other times, the hem of a white garment trails through a pool of it, or a hand leaves a partial print on a lover’s face. Ably condensed into two 90-minute plays with a half-hour intermission (the minimum amount of time needed to sufficiently de-gore the stage), Tamburlaine's epic military conquests raise him from shepherd to emperor on a bare stage adorned only with hanging plastic strips at the rear that render the world of the play as a meat locker or Patrick Bateman's living room.
Blood, fittingly, gets on everything in Theatre for a New Audience's Tamburlaine, Parts I and II. For the stylized violence in this adaptation of two of Christopher Marlowe's Elizabethan box-office hits, that sometimes means literal buckets of vital fluid; other times, the hem of a white garment trails through a pool of it, or a hand leaves a partial print on a lover’s face. Ably condensed into two 90-minute plays with a half-hour intermission (the minimum amount of time needed to sufficiently de-gore the stage), Tamburlaine's epic military conquests raise him from shepherd to emperor on a bare stage adorned only with hanging plastic strips at the rear that render the world of the play as a meat locker or Patrick Bateman's living room.
- 12/26/2014
- by Leah Richards
- www.culturecatch.com
New York – Peter Sarsgaard and Chris Noth will test their classical theater chops, taking on the lead roles in, respectively, William Shakespeare's Hamlet and Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. The productions are part of the 2014-15 season lineup of off-Broadway's Classic Stage Company, which gets underway in the fall with a revival of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's rarely produced 1947 musical, Allegro, directed by John Doyle. Sarsgaard, who previously has appeared at Csc opposite his wife, Maggie Gyllenhaal, in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya and Three Sisters, returns as the depressive Danish prince in a January production of Hamlet, for
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- 3/6/2014
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rebooting a classic work of literature for the big screen, by setting it in the present day and reworking its storyline for a modern audience, is currently a big trend in Hollywood. This month sees the release of The Avengers director Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing, set in modern day California. Later in the year viewers will be treated to Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut, Don Jon, a Jersey Shore inspired version of the classic Don Juan story, co-starring Scarlett Johansson.
Movie goers have already witnessed how successful modernised adaptations of classics can be: great examples include teen comedies Easy A (The Scarlet Letter) and 10 Things I Hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew). Meanwhile, TV’s award-winning Sherlock rebooted Arthur Conan Doyle’s Victorian detective stories by setting them in present day London and incorporating modern day technology.
Such successes have proved that classic literature can...
Movie goers have already witnessed how successful modernised adaptations of classics can be: great examples include teen comedies Easy A (The Scarlet Letter) and 10 Things I Hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew). Meanwhile, TV’s award-winning Sherlock rebooted Arthur Conan Doyle’s Victorian detective stories by setting them in present day London and incorporating modern day technology.
Such successes have proved that classic literature can...
- 6/10/2013
- by Francesca Street
- Obsessed with Film
With Cannes screening Cleopatra (marking its 50th anniversary) two nights ago and yesterday’s re-release screenings at 75 theaters countrywide, we’re feeling the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton love. The twice-divorced, Vatican-condemned couple continues to capture the public’s imagination and interest. In the past three years, we’ve seen Sam Kashner’s Furious Love and Richard Burton’s diaries become bestsellers, Liz & Dick being the most notable thing in Lifetime’s line-up, and John le Carré writing in The New Yorker just last month about working with Burton on The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and those are just a few things that spring to mind. Although their film collaborations have gotten a bit of a bum-rap over the years (somewhat deservedly), here are five Taylor-Burton films that we think are worth watching, out of the eleven that they made together. Feel free to share your own...
- 5/23/2013
- by Diana Drumm
- SoundOnSight
Joseph Losey's superb 1963 film about class and sex is once again in cinemas – but to locate its elusive gay gene, you have to revisit its source in Robin Maugham's extraordinary and disturbing novella
Homosexuality is everywhere and nowhere in The Servant. Harold Pinter's superbly controlled, elliptical, menacing dialogue is able to hint, to imply, to seduce, to repulse, in precisely the manner that gay men were forced to adopt in 1963, when homosexuality was still a criminal offence, and when representing homosexuality on screen was forbidden. To locate the gay gene in The Servant, you have to go back to its source, the 1948 novella written by Robin Maugham, the nephew of W Somerset Maugham. The Servant has its spark in an extraordinary event in Maugham's own life, to be treasured by connoisseurs of British sex and class.
Maugham had rented a house, which came with its own servant,...
Homosexuality is everywhere and nowhere in The Servant. Harold Pinter's superbly controlled, elliptical, menacing dialogue is able to hint, to imply, to seduce, to repulse, in precisely the manner that gay men were forced to adopt in 1963, when homosexuality was still a criminal offence, and when representing homosexuality on screen was forbidden. To locate the gay gene in The Servant, you have to go back to its source, the 1948 novella written by Robin Maugham, the nephew of W Somerset Maugham. The Servant has its spark in an extraordinary event in Maugham's own life, to be treasured by connoisseurs of British sex and class.
Maugham had rented a house, which came with its own servant,...
- 3/27/2013
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
While we pore over the details of the allegations against Jimmy Savile, we turn a blind eye to other forms of exploitation
Christopher Marlowe's most quoted exchange comes in The Jew of Malta when Bernardine, a friar, tries to accuse the antihero Barabas of murder. "Thou hast committed…" he begins. "Fornication?" interrupts Barabas as he deflects attention from a capital crime to a charge too footling for serious people to care about. "But that was in another country, and besides, the wench is dead."
Barabas's cool assertions that no one could prove a sex charge – "but that was in another country" – and no one need care – "and besides, the wench is dead" – have haunted writers and audiences for centuries. Ts Eliot used them at the beginning of Portrait of a Lady to illustrate male indifference to female suffering. Colin Dexter and Pd James wove them into their thrillers.
I...
Christopher Marlowe's most quoted exchange comes in The Jew of Malta when Bernardine, a friar, tries to accuse the antihero Barabas of murder. "Thou hast committed…" he begins. "Fornication?" interrupts Barabas as he deflects attention from a capital crime to a charge too footling for serious people to care about. "But that was in another country, and besides, the wench is dead."
Barabas's cool assertions that no one could prove a sex charge – "but that was in another country" – and no one need care – "and besides, the wench is dead" – have haunted writers and audiences for centuries. Ts Eliot used them at the beginning of Portrait of a Lady to illustrate male indifference to female suffering. Colin Dexter and Pd James wove them into their thrillers.
I...
- 10/7/2012
- by Nick Cohen
- The Guardian - Film News
An Adaptation of the classic Elizabethan tale Doctor Faustus, starring Doctor Who sidekick Arthur Darvill as Mephistopheles, is among a trio of theatre productions heading to the big screen.
Shakespeare's Globe in partnership with Arts Alliance Media have launched a Globe On Screen season by releasing the stage versions of All's Well That Ends Well, Much Ado About Nothing and Doctor Faustus to cinemas in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Originally staged at Shakespeare's Globe in 2011, the three productions will be shown in their entirety on screens in hundreds of local cinemas, including the Showcase in Coventry. A trailer for the upcoming season is included below.
All's Well That Ends Well kicks off the season on September 26 and is followed by Much Ado About Nothing on October 10 and Doctor Faustus from October 24.
With sumptuous costumes and acclaimed original music, All's Well That Ends Well is directed by John Dove...
Shakespeare's Globe in partnership with Arts Alliance Media have launched a Globe On Screen season by releasing the stage versions of All's Well That Ends Well, Much Ado About Nothing and Doctor Faustus to cinemas in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Originally staged at Shakespeare's Globe in 2011, the three productions will be shown in their entirety on screens in hundreds of local cinemas, including the Showcase in Coventry. A trailer for the upcoming season is included below.
All's Well That Ends Well kicks off the season on September 26 and is followed by Much Ado About Nothing on October 10 and Doctor Faustus from October 24.
With sumptuous costumes and acclaimed original music, All's Well That Ends Well is directed by John Dove...
- 9/22/2012
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
Hoyts Cinemas join Palace Cinemas in screening productions from the famous Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. The screen season includes All’s Well That Ends Well, Much Ado About Nothing and Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. The announcement:
Hoyts Cinemas are excited to announce they will join Palace Cinemas in screening for the first time in Australia, a season of films from the world renowned Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. This extension of cinema screens will enable more Australian’s to experience the magic of these critically acclaimed productions, in glorious High Definition.
The Globe on Screen Season 2012 will launch nationally on September 26 with All’s Well That Ends Well, followed by Much Ado About Nothing on October 10, and Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus on October 24.
Originally staged at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2011, the three productions will be shown in their entirety, offering a truly distinctive cinema experience as audiences are immersed...
Hoyts Cinemas are excited to announce they will join Palace Cinemas in screening for the first time in Australia, a season of films from the world renowned Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. This extension of cinema screens will enable more Australian’s to experience the magic of these critically acclaimed productions, in glorious High Definition.
The Globe on Screen Season 2012 will launch nationally on September 26 with All’s Well That Ends Well, followed by Much Ado About Nothing on October 10, and Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus on October 24.
Originally staged at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2011, the three productions will be shown in their entirety, offering a truly distinctive cinema experience as audiences are immersed...
- 9/13/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
There are anachronisms aplenty and hilariously unsubtle hints of homoeroticism in Derek Jarman's piece about Edward II's disastrous reign – but he gets away with it
Edward II (1991)
Director: Derek Jarman
Entertainment grade: A–
History grade: C
Edward II became king of England in 1307. His 20-year reign was politically disastrous for the nation and ended with him being deposed by his own wife.
Sexuality
Derek Jarman's film begins with Edward II (Steven Waddington) and his favourite, Piers Gaveston (Andrew Tiernan), lounging on a bed, while two sailors have it off in the background. Next, a naked man crowned in gold kisses a great big snake. If you look very closely, you may detect an extremely subtle hint of homoeroticism here.
So, was Edward II gay? It's difficult to prove who had sex with whom in history unless children were produced, but there is no doubt that the king...
Edward II (1991)
Director: Derek Jarman
Entertainment grade: A–
History grade: C
Edward II became king of England in 1307. His 20-year reign was politically disastrous for the nation and ended with him being deposed by his own wife.
Sexuality
Derek Jarman's film begins with Edward II (Steven Waddington) and his favourite, Piers Gaveston (Andrew Tiernan), lounging on a bed, while two sailors have it off in the background. Next, a naked man crowned in gold kisses a great big snake. If you look very closely, you may detect an extremely subtle hint of homoeroticism here.
So, was Edward II gay? It's difficult to prove who had sex with whom in history unless children were produced, but there is no doubt that the king...
- 8/16/2012
- by Alex von Tunzelmann
- The Guardian - Film News
Finally, a way to view a performance at London's legendary Globe Theatre without having to sit in the pit. Three plays from the Globe are heading to movie theaters in the U.S. this October, and will also screen in Australia, New Zealand and the U.K this fall for the event "Globe on Screen."
One featured work is Shakespeare's "All's Well That Ends Well," a lesser-known play with a heavy dose of cynicism, depicting the tale of orphan Helena and her quest to marry the son of the Countess. Next is "Much Ado About Nothing," also by the Bard, in which two pairs of lovers endure trickery, gossip, misunderstandings and a happy ending in an iconic Shakespearian dirty comedy. It is, however, written mostly in prose. The final play is "Doctor Faustus," by Shakespeare's contemporary Christopher Marlowe. Starring Arthur Darvill of "Dr. Who," the piece tells the now classic...
One featured work is Shakespeare's "All's Well That Ends Well," a lesser-known play with a heavy dose of cynicism, depicting the tale of orphan Helena and her quest to marry the son of the Countess. Next is "Much Ado About Nothing," also by the Bard, in which two pairs of lovers endure trickery, gossip, misunderstandings and a happy ending in an iconic Shakespearian dirty comedy. It is, however, written mostly in prose. The final play is "Doctor Faustus," by Shakespeare's contemporary Christopher Marlowe. Starring Arthur Darvill of "Dr. Who," the piece tells the now classic...
- 8/15/2012
- by Priscilla Frank
- Huffington Post
In a twist on Jacques’ declaration in As You Like It that “all the world’s a stage,” Shakespeare’s stage is now coming to the world.
Three plays performed last year in London’s Globe Theatre, a reconstruction of the home of William Shakespeare’s plays in the latter half of his career, will be screened in movie theaters in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. starting this fall.
EW has the exclusive trailer and poster for this year’s “Globe on Screen” season, which features productions of two comedies by the Bard, All’s...
Three plays performed last year in London’s Globe Theatre, a reconstruction of the home of William Shakespeare’s plays in the latter half of his career, will be screened in movie theaters in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. starting this fall.
EW has the exclusive trailer and poster for this year’s “Globe on Screen” season, which features productions of two comedies by the Bard, All’s...
- 8/15/2012
- by Emily Rome
- EW.com - PopWatch
In this curious sci-fi thriller, directed by Josh Trank, three high school misfits from a Seattle suburb, all vaguely acquainted with the ideas of Schopenhauer, accidentally discover a source of telekinesis and become supermen. Unfortunately, like Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus, neither the boys nor the film's director and screenwriter (Max Landis, son of John Landis and costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis) can think of anything to do with these special gifts that is not frivolous, playful or malevolent. Maybe that's the point.
Science fiction and fantasyThrillerPhilip French
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds...
Science fiction and fantasyThrillerPhilip French
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds...
- 2/5/2012
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
The film Anonymous falls for ill-informed Victorian prating – sadly, many still find fantasy more compelling than mere truth
However much we may claim to be curious about hat really happened in history, it seems we often prefer our stories about the past to follow the pattern of fairytales. Shakespeare understood this very well. He gave his audiences Richard III, the hunchbacked wicked uncle, rightfully destroyed by the good avenging prince, for instance, rather than the complex politician of history, defeated and killed by an invading opportunist. History may provide good raw material for drama, but it will need a bit of underlying myth if it is really going to stay in the imagination.
To that extent, the film Anonymous – which offers a version of Elizabethan history obsessed with monarchy, parenthood and usurpation, in which the rightful heir to the English throne is wickedly kept from his inheritance – is only doing...
However much we may claim to be curious about hat really happened in history, it seems we often prefer our stories about the past to follow the pattern of fairytales. Shakespeare understood this very well. He gave his audiences Richard III, the hunchbacked wicked uncle, rightfully destroyed by the good avenging prince, for instance, rather than the complex politician of history, defeated and killed by an invading opportunist. History may provide good raw material for drama, but it will need a bit of underlying myth if it is really going to stay in the imagination.
To that extent, the film Anonymous – which offers a version of Elizabethan history obsessed with monarchy, parenthood and usurpation, in which the rightful heir to the English throne is wickedly kept from his inheritance – is only doing...
- 10/26/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
The elusive playwright's genius is examined again in Roland Emmerich's new film. But while the debate about who wrote the plays rages, only one thing remains sure: by his works shall we know him
During an age of conspiracy theories, nurtured by the world wide web, none perhaps is as persistent as the mystery of William Shakespeare. How could one man write such universal plays?
Anonymous, a forthcoming film by Roland Emmerich, the director of disaster movies such as Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, addresses the Shakespeare authorship question in a mash-up of fact and fiction that will reignite the perennial fascination with an elusive genius, some say the greatest writer who ever lived.
It's always the frustration of Shakespeare that, although his words are everywhere, the man is invisible. Anonymous exploits this, inviting audiences to entertain the ultimate plot: that the writer of Macbeth or The Tempest is not,...
During an age of conspiracy theories, nurtured by the world wide web, none perhaps is as persistent as the mystery of William Shakespeare. How could one man write such universal plays?
Anonymous, a forthcoming film by Roland Emmerich, the director of disaster movies such as Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, addresses the Shakespeare authorship question in a mash-up of fact and fiction that will reignite the perennial fascination with an elusive genius, some say the greatest writer who ever lived.
It's always the frustration of Shakespeare that, although his words are everywhere, the man is invisible. Anonymous exploits this, inviting audiences to entertain the ultimate plot: that the writer of Macbeth or The Tempest is not,...
- 10/24/2011
- by Robert McCrum
- The Guardian - Film News
While Limitless is a slickly-made sci-fi drama starring Bradley Cooper, it’s also, Ryan writes, a Faustian tale for the modern age...
There are some stories that remain so powerful that, in spite of being told over and over again, they continue to resonate down the centuries. One such story is Faust, the German folk tale about an academic who sells his soul to the devil to quench his thirst for knowledge.
A story that has been in print ever since the birth of the first printing presses, Faust has been reinterpreted by numerous writers, most famously in Christopher Marlowe’s play, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (1604), and later in Johann Goethe’s tragedy, simply called Faust.
In each instance, the details of the story change, but the underlying skeleton remains intact. The protagonist’s desire for greater knowledge prompts him to compromise his morals in order to obtain it.
There are some stories that remain so powerful that, in spite of being told over and over again, they continue to resonate down the centuries. One such story is Faust, the German folk tale about an academic who sells his soul to the devil to quench his thirst for knowledge.
A story that has been in print ever since the birth of the first printing presses, Faust has been reinterpreted by numerous writers, most famously in Christopher Marlowe’s play, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (1604), and later in Johann Goethe’s tragedy, simply called Faust.
In each instance, the details of the story change, but the underlying skeleton remains intact. The protagonist’s desire for greater knowledge prompts him to compromise his morals in order to obtain it.
- 7/20/2011
- Den of Geek
Potential Minor Spoilers Ahead
A BBC press release says that a fourteen-episode seventh season has now been confirmed for "Doctor Who" with Matt Smith to reprise the role of The Doctor for the entire run. Whether Smith will hang around for an eighth season in 2013 - the franchise's 50th Anniversary - is unknown.
The deal cements in place production on this year's Christmas special and a standard 13-episode season next year, but does not discuss whether things will be split (like this year) or go back to a 13-week run in either the Spring or Fall. A lot will likely depend on the ratings of the second half of season six.
Despite Smith's return, it's now looking highly likely that neither Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) or Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) will be joining him. The longest regular run for a companion since the show's return in 2005 has been two seasons,...
A BBC press release says that a fourteen-episode seventh season has now been confirmed for "Doctor Who" with Matt Smith to reprise the role of The Doctor for the entire run. Whether Smith will hang around for an eighth season in 2013 - the franchise's 50th Anniversary - is unknown.
The deal cements in place production on this year's Christmas special and a standard 13-episode season next year, but does not discuss whether things will be split (like this year) or go back to a 13-week run in either the Spring or Fall. A lot will likely depend on the ratings of the second half of season six.
Despite Smith's return, it's now looking highly likely that neither Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) or Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) will be joining him. The longest regular run for a companion since the show's return in 2005 has been two seasons,...
- 6/8/2011
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The sad news of Elizabeth Taylor’s death last week marked the end of Hollywood’s Golden Era for me, the last remaining superstar finally expired. As a fan of Taylor’s since childhood – I’ll never forget seeing Cleopatra (1963) for the first time at 11 years old and literally being transfixed with the actress’s beauty for the entire 4 hour run time! – I’ve decided to abandon my usual Top 10 format and offer you her 20 greatest roles…because 10 is simply not a big enough number for the biggest diva of the screen!
Beginning in the industry at the tender age of 9, Taylor quickly rose to stardom on the MGM lot and become the most iconic actress of the 20th century. With an impressive 70 acting credits to her name, her life was plagued with illness but never prevented her from succeeding. Transcending her inimitable beauty, she proved that she was a...
Beginning in the industry at the tender age of 9, Taylor quickly rose to stardom on the MGM lot and become the most iconic actress of the 20th century. With an impressive 70 acting credits to her name, her life was plagued with illness but never prevented her from succeeding. Transcending her inimitable beauty, she proved that she was a...
- 3/31/2011
- by Stuart Cummins
- Obsessed with Film
We’ve lost a classic star, one that was almost too good to be true. She had brains and beauty in copious amounts, and film fans loved her every moment she was on screen. Not going to go into any of the ill will people threw upon her, this isn’t about any of that. This is about the legend Elizabeth Taylor and what she meant to us, movie lovers the world over. Of course this isn’t a definitive Top 10. This is mine, but I would love for anyone and everyone to contribute their own entries that they would pick instead.
10. Cleopatra (1963)
This was the film that introduced me to Elizabeth Taylor at a ripe young age of 5. Once she came on the screen, I was in love. Taylor was probably the earliest crush I could remember having (besides Drew Barrymore in E.T.) and I just couldn’t take my eyes off of her.
10. Cleopatra (1963)
This was the film that introduced me to Elizabeth Taylor at a ripe young age of 5. Once she came on the screen, I was in love. Taylor was probably the earliest crush I could remember having (besides Drew Barrymore in E.T.) and I just couldn’t take my eyes off of her.
- 3/25/2011
- by James McCormick
- CriterionCast
With the release of M. Night Shayamalan’s Devil on DVD and Blu-ray yesterday, Owf was challenged with chronicling the ten greatest performances by an actor/actress as the lord of the underworld!
Shayamalan’s horror/thriller – which sees a group of people trapped in an elevator begin to realise that the Devil is amongst them… – is one of the haphazard director’s better offerings of late and engages an interesting narrative.
However, the Devil, Lucifer, Satan, Mephistopheles (or whatever you want to call the epitome of evil!) have featured in film from as early as 1896 and a variety of talent has portrayed the character. Whether it has been for comedic effect or to generate fear in an audience, there have been some fantastic performances within the role. Below are, in my opinion, the ten best. Of course, as there have been no less than 725 known productions featuring the Prince of Darkness,...
Shayamalan’s horror/thriller – which sees a group of people trapped in an elevator begin to realise that the Devil is amongst them… – is one of the haphazard director’s better offerings of late and engages an interesting narrative.
However, the Devil, Lucifer, Satan, Mephistopheles (or whatever you want to call the epitome of evil!) have featured in film from as early as 1896 and a variety of talent has portrayed the character. Whether it has been for comedic effect or to generate fear in an audience, there have been some fantastic performances within the role. Below are, in my opinion, the ten best. Of course, as there have been no less than 725 known productions featuring the Prince of Darkness,...
- 1/25/2011
- by Stuart Cummins
- Obsessed with Film
Christopher Marlowe's Faust and Clive Barker's Hellraiser compared - academically. By Kriscinda Meadows.
Two stories of tempting the agony of hell separated by centuries are interesting both in their similarities and their differences. In Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Faust forsakes his earthly knowledge, of which he seems to have exhausted, for the forbidden knowledge of rituals, incantations, alchemy, and the summoning of demons to do one’s bidding. In Clive Barker’s film Hellraiser, like Faust, Frank Cotton also craves the forbidden, and although he follows the path of Faust in raising devils, his ends are distinctive and his desire unwavering. The initial desires of both men are similar in their intensity, but upon each man opening the horrid gates to their own hell, their willingness to continue sets the two men apart.
Between the two accounts, themes and characters converge; there are the...
Two stories of tempting the agony of hell separated by centuries are interesting both in their similarities and their differences. In Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Faust forsakes his earthly knowledge, of which he seems to have exhausted, for the forbidden knowledge of rituals, incantations, alchemy, and the summoning of demons to do one’s bidding. In Clive Barker’s film Hellraiser, like Faust, Frank Cotton also craves the forbidden, and although he follows the path of Faust in raising devils, his ends are distinctive and his desire unwavering. The initial desires of both men are similar in their intensity, but upon each man opening the horrid gates to their own hell, their willingness to continue sets the two men apart.
Between the two accounts, themes and characters converge; there are the...
- 12/17/2010
- by KMeadows
- Planet Fury
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