The Death of Klinghoffer (2003)

Director:

Penny Woolcock

Writer:

Alice Goodman (libretto)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

An adaptation from the John Adams opera on the true life incident that took place in the mid 80s. |

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Palestinian | Based On Opera | Murder | Hostage

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Sanford Sylvan	...	Klinghoffer
Christopher Maltman	...	Captain
Yvonne Howard	...	Marilyn Klinghoffer
Tom Randle	...	Molqui
Kamel Boutros	...	Mamoud
Houda Echouafni	...	Fatima
Leigh Melrose	...	Rambo
Emil Marwa	...	Omar
Susan Bickley	...	Omar (singing voice)
Vivian Tierney	...	Swiss Grandmother
Dean Robinson	...	First Officer
Kirsten Blase	...	British Dancing Girl
Nuala Willis	...	Austrian Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Banks	...	Bernie, American Hostage
Neil Bell	...	Jim, British Hostage
Rachel Bell	...	Betsy, American Hostage
Syan Blake	...	Helen, British Hostage
Ray Charleson	...	Ben, Israeli Hostage
Lara Clifton	...	Lorraine, British Hostage
Lin Clifton	...	Mother
Julie Cox	...	Young Hannah
Dylan Fielding	...	Bob, American Hostage
Kelli Hollis	...	Lisa-Marie, American Hostage
Juliette Kaplan	...	Miriam, American Hostage
Tony Kirkland	...	Steve, British Hostage
Della McCrae	...	Grieving Relative
Alec Newman	...	Young Benjamin
Rebecca R. Palmer	...	Stella, British Hostage
Alexander Popplewell	...	Didi
Joyce Springer	...	Hannah

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Filming Locations:

Cyprus

Company:

Blast! Films

Movie Connections:

Version of The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro (1989) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Death of Linghoffer

I was enthralled for the entirety of this innovative film/opera

I just saw the premiere at Sundance 1/23/2003. This film is an adaptation of Adams' wonderful opera of the same name about the 1985 takeover of the Achille Lauro cruise ship and the death of one of the passengers. The film's music is exceptional as conducted by the composer with the London Symphony Orchestra. The singers are more than adequate in this difficult score and the character of the singing is revelatory as most of it was recorded live on a cruise ship. The choruses were particularly moving.

The action was not filmed on stage, but on a real cruise ship and the suspension of disbelief is remarkable. The acting is in large part astounding as events and arias pass and the interactions between characters are completely believable, despite that they are singing--it's as if this is a view into an alternate world, where music and song are ubiquitous and this is a document--a profound documentary at that--of those few days aboard the ship. Beyond that, director Woolcock uses flashbacks, flashforwards, and archival footage of Palestinian and Zionist history in the years after World War II to create a truly epic and humane account of the tragic events that could lead two peoples to initiate such acts of hatred and violence against each other.

The film is an amazing adaptation of an opera that everyone should see if they are a lover of music and life--Adams and Woolcock have done a beautiful thing in making this work (hopefully) more accessible to everyone. In the program for the film it said something like, 'the film is sure to stir up heated discussion'--I believe the film will do something far more important: it will put to rest some of the questions and misunderstandings most of us have of the world and her peoples.