Waiting for Godot (2001)

Director:

Michael Lindsay-Hogg

Writer:

Samuel Beckett (play)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Based On Play

Cast

Barry McGovern	...	Vladimir
Johnny Murphy	...	Estragon
Alan Stanford	...	Pozzo
Stephen Brennan	...	Lucky
Sam McGovern	...	Boy

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Company:

Blue Angels Films

Quotes:

[first lines]
Estragon: [struggles to remove his boot and fails] Nothing to be done.
Vladimir: I'm beginning to come round to that opinion. All my life I've tried to put it from me, saying Vladimir, be reasonable, you haven't yet tried everything. And I resumed the struggle.
[to Estragon]
Vladimir: So there you are again.
Estragon: Am I?
Vladimir: I'm glad to see you back. I thought you were gone forever.
Estragon: Me too.
Vladimir: Together again at last! We'll have to celebrate this. But how? Get up till I embrace you.
Estragon: Not now, not now.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film (2003) (V)

Brilliant!

On June 30th 2001, this version of Waiting for Godot was on Ch 4 in England, as a part of their project "Beckett on film". Many of those who were lucky enough to see it will probably tend to agree that it was a thoroughly enjoyable film version of this fantastic play.

Waiting for Godot doesn't really invite filming, since it doesn't allow the utilization of the film medium; it is located in one single spot and has a very stationary character. Its main theme of the futility of man's aspirations comes across nicely though. The camera work was subtle but superbly done. The location chosen was very good, as well as the casting and the acting. The tree however looked too real for my taste. It fit nicely at the spot but I don't think it was used to support the activities. I gave this play-turned-film a 9. I would have given it a 10 if the tree had had the obviously fake expression usually used to support the absurd sense of the situation.

See it if you have the chance. If you are interested in the theatre, there is a good chance that you will like it.