The Magic Flute (2006)

During World War I, in an unnamed country, a soldier named Tamino is sent by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the clutches of the supposedly evil Sarastro. But all is not as it seems.

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writers:

Emanuel Schikaneder (libretto), Kenneth Branagh (adapted for the screen by),

Stars:

Joseph Kaiser, Amy Carson, René Pape

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joseph Kaiser	...	Tamino
Amy Carson	...	Pamina
René Pape	...	Sarastro
Lyubov Petrova	...	Queen of the Night
Benjamin Jay Davis	...	Papageno
Silvia Moi	...	Papagena
Tom Randle	...	Monostatos
Ben Uttley	...	Priest
Teuta Koço	...	First Lady
Louise Callinan	...	Second Lady
Kim-Marie Woodhouse	...	Third Lady
Rodney Clarke	...	First Officer
Charne Rochford	...	Second Officer
Peter Wedd	...	First Armed Man
Keel Watson	...	Second Armed Man

Storyline

During World War I, in an unnamed country, a soldier named Tamino is sent by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the clutches of the supposedly evil Sarastro. But all is not as it seems.

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Plot Keywords:

queen | evil | escape | classical music | quest | 

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Genres:

Music

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

France UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 2006 (France)

Also Known As:

A varázsfuvola

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Idéale Audience, Peter Moores Foundation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The 'singing sandbags' in the rainy trench are digitised impositions of the faces of the two Armed Men, Keel Watson and Peter Wedd.

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Quotes

Papageno: A birdman's work is never done From crack of dawn to set of sun, In unrewarded servitude He labours to protect his brood. I feed and train my chirping pets, I lay down traps and cast out nets, I speak in fluent 'Pigeonese' And charm the birds right off the trees.

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Crazy Credits

The overture to the opera is played both at the beginning and the end, but only at the end is it played over the film's credits.

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Connections

Version of The Magic Flute (1978)

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Soundtracks

"Closing Credits Music: Overture to 'The Magic Flute'"
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Conducted by James Conlon

User Reviews

Good-humoured, fresh and inventive screen-staging

Branagh starts as he means to go on - a daring, 'one-shot' sequence for the opera's overture, as an abstracted version of early 20th century conflict in cartoonish primary colours. It's at once humorous and disturbing, and (with it's digital gloss) indicates his intentions for the rest of the film.

The film uses opera singers miming to their own studio recording. This works well, freeing up the performers to really throw themselves into the drama. Joseph Kaiser is a striking and sympathetic leading man: Amy Carson, a gorgeous, bright-eyed, charming Pamina. Their mutual attraction is very natural and convincing. René Pape's Sarastro is a youthful Solomon, though necessarily restraining himself from the lustfulness that intoxicates most of the other characters. Ben Davis' Papageno and Tom Randle's Monostatos are frustrated opposites played off Pamina's chastity. Lyubov Petrova's Queen of the Night and her Three Ladies are quite a kinky gang - thank goodness for the simple charm of the Three Boys.

Around this characterful core there is a marvellous web of computed animated fantasy and flashback. There are also plenty of in-screen effects and inventive shooting. I particularly liked the fiery Queen of the Night filmed, mid-coloratura, with a semi fish-eye lens making her look completely bonkers.

A heavily stylised, entertaining run out of The Magic Flute. It may not be the best way to encounter the opera properly. It's profusion of ideas often works in conflict with the natural progression of the drama as scored by Mozart. There's plenty to enjoy though.