IMDb > Prospero's Books (1991)
Prospero's Books
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Prospero's Books (1991) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   3,058 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 5% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Contact:
View company contact information for Prospero's Books on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 August 1991 (UK) more
Genre:
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... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
tMF Featured Trailer: Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank
 (From The Movie Fanatic. 12 September 2009, 6:58 AM, PDT)

tMF Featured Trailer: Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank
 (From The Movie Fanatic. 12 September 2009, 6:58 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
It's a ballet more (71 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
L'ultima tempesta (Italy)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for pervasive nudity.
Runtime:
124 min | 129 min
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
'The Book of Motion' notably features Caliban (played by Michael Clark), Prospero's main antagonist in the island. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Peter Greenaway in Indianapolis (1997) (V) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
13 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
It's a ballet, 6 June 2004
Author: Scott Nickell from Dayton, OH

I found Prospero's Books fascinating, on many levels, but it wasn't until my second or third time watching it that I realized the "key" to unlocking this film: It's a ballet.

This film is essentially images and motion choreographed to music (this realization struck me during the opening credit sequence in one viewing). Now, it's an unusual ballet: The "music" includes the mellifluous recitation of "The Tempest" by Gielgud, and the choreography includes things like digital manipulation of images, and the images are heavily influenced by renaissance paintings, but I maintain that the film is, fundamentally, a ballet.

That means that you shouldn't really expect a clear expression of the story, any more than you would from any other ballet. What you should expect is a series of interesting images choreographed to music inspired by "The Tempest". As with any ballet, you can follow it if you're already familiar with the story, but otherwise, you should read the play in advance.

And, just a couple of things about some of the most common criticisms: The naked people? Think of them as invisible - they are visual symbolic representations of the "airy spirits" Prospero commands, his magic. The infamous pissing? Ariel p***ing on a model ship is just an obvious visual metaphor for Ariel creating a storm over the real ship.

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