Angels in America (2003– )

Playwright Tony Kushner adapts his political epic about the AIDS crisis during the mid-eighties, around a group of separate but connected individuals.

Stars:

Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson

Won 5 Golden Globes. Another 34 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Al Pacino	...	Roy Cohn (2 episodes, 2003)
Meryl Streep	...	Ethel Rosenberg (2 episodes, 2003)
Emma Thompson	...	Nurse Emily (2 episodes, 2003)
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Harper Pitt (2 episodes, 2003)
Jeffrey Wright	...	Belize (2 episodes, 2003)
Justin Kirk	...	Prior Walter (2 episodes, 2003)
Ben Shenkman	...	Louis Ironson (2 episodes, 2003)
Patrick Wilson	...	Joe Pitt (2 episodes, 2003)
James Cromwell	...	Roy's Doctor (2 episodes, 2003)

Storyline

God has abandoned Heaven. It's 1985: the Reagans are in the White House and Death swings the scythe of AIDS. In Manhattan, Prior Walter tells Lou, his lover of four years, he's ill; Lou bolts. As disease and loneliness ravage Prior, guilt invades Lou. Joe Pitt, an attorney who is Mormon and Republican, is pushed by right-wing fixer Roy Cohn toward a job at the Justice Department. Both Pitt and Cohn are in the closet: Pitt out of shame and religious turmoil, Cohn to preserve his power and access. Pitt's wife Harper is strung out on Valium, aching to escape a sexless marriage. An angel invites Prior to be a prophet in death. Pitt's mother and Belize, a close friend, help Prior choose.

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Plot Keywords:

death | aids | religious | marriage | closet | 

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Taglines:

The messenger has arrived.

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

HBO

Country:

USA Italy

Language:

English Hebrew Aramaic Yiddish French

Release Date:

7 December 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ameerika inglid

Filming Locations:

Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avenue Pictures Productions, HBO Films, Panorama Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

352 min 352 min (6 parts)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The play "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches" on which the first three episodes are based won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1993.

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Goofs

Prior says that "Thomas Jefferson died on his birthday". Jefferson died on 4 July 1826 but was born on 13 April 1743.

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Quotes

Joe Pitt: You said something about my friend. Is this about Louis? Is he...?
Prior Walter: [shouting] Is he what? Sad, hot, happy? Talk to him yourself, Bullwinkle! What do I look like, a marriage counselor?

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Crazy Credits

Person Generally in Charge of Everything Aaron Geller

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Connections

Features The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)

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Soundtracks

"Shall We Gather At The River?"
(hymn written in 1864)
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lowry (1826-1899)
Performed by Meryl Streep and choir

User Reviews

Angels in America, a great example of directing

Angels in America is an incredible example on how to adapt a play for the screen. Nothing is left behind and director Mike Nichols makes sure to get the best from each department. His great knowledge of cinema helped him to take advantage of all the qualities of this beautiful play. The way the story is told, the way characters are portrayed, the stunning editing just make this mini series a must see, something you cannot miss out. Moreover it is better than an acting class watching Maryl Streep, Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, Mary Louise Parker give life to more than one character each, changing their voices, posture, actions in a way a few actors can do. They are so well directed they just follow their actions and reveal the fantastic side of the play, where the imaginary world mixes with hard reality. There is no objective explanation for the angels coming to the earth, the audience has to find a reason, in the heart. As actors, filmmakers, director of photography you'll simply find this movie a great example on how to work properly, and that assuming that tvmovies are always bad is simply a commonplace, it's just a matter of doing your job well.