The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)

Directors:

Michael Powell
Emeric Pressburger

Writers:

Dennis Arundell (English libretto)
Jules Barbier (from the French text by)

Release Date:

13 June 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance | Fantasy | Music

Tagline:

You Will Never See Anything Finer On The Screen!

Plot:

This a film version of the opera "The Tales of Hoffmann", however it is NOT just a film of a staged performance...

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Ballet | Quack Doctor | Filmed Opera | Fake Doctor

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Moira Shearer	...	Stella / Olympia
Ludmilla Tchérina	...	Giulietta
Anne Ayars	...	Antonia
Pamela Brown	...	Nicklaus
Léonide Massine	...	Spalanzani / Schlemil / Franz
Robert Helpmann	...	Lindorf / Coppelius / Dapertutto / Dr Miracle
Frederick Ashton	...	Kleinsach / Cochenille
Mogens Wieth	...	Crespel
Robert Rounseville	...	Hoffmann
Lionel Harris	...	Pitichinaccio
Philip Leaver	...	Andreas (Prologue and Epilogue)
Meinhart Maur	...	Luther
Edmond Audran	...	Partner to Stella in Dragonfly ballet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Ford	...	Nathaniel (Prologue and Epilogue)
Richard Golding	...	Hermann (Prologue and Epilogue)

Also Known As:

Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann (UK) (complete title)

Runtime:

Japan:124 min | UK:138 min (reduced to 128 mins before release) | USA:128 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | West Germany:12 (w)

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Archers, The

Trivia:

George A. Romero, writer/director of Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978) has cited "The Tales of Hoffman" as his all-time favorite movie, saying that it was the movie that originally inspired him to get into film-making.

Quotes:

Chorus of Students: Some drink, drink, drink, drink, drink: do you hear us about? You lazy lout! We want some beer; we want some wine! Pour out the wine, and drink and drink till morning. Pour out the wine for drinking is divine. It is divine. We want some beer; we want some wine. We want some beer; we want some wine.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hollywood Uncensored (1987)

Soundtrack:

Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann, A Fantastic Opera

What a gorgeous film!

I saw this film when it first came out and was overwhelmed by the music (by Jacques Offenbach) and the gorgeous 3-strip Technicolor. I even bought the LP soundtrack album (twice). When the Criterion laserdisc version came out, I forked out beaucoup bucks for it -- and was not disappointed! I suspect this film was the first music video, for all the sound (singing and music) was pre-recorded, which gave it a more pure quality. Nearly all the on-camera players were ballet stars, who lip-synced singing by opera stars! It is an opera, after all, so perhaps it could be accused of being a bit stagey, but so what!! It is a pure delight, and I am now happy to report that Criterion has released the DVD! It has been restored and digitally remastered for a truly glorious presentation. Comments by Martin Scorcese only add to the release!