Several years ago, when the LDS Church presented the 70mm LEGACY at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in downtown Salt Lake City, I was drawn back to see it several times. That film, which ran around 60 minutes, had, so the grapevine said, been edited down to that length from a much longer first cut. After seeing it I had wished that a longer version could have been prepared and somehow shown. Well, THE WORK AND THE GLORY has all of the beauty and power of LEGACY, plus the added strength that it gains with a 110 minute length.
THE WORK AND THE GLORY is a beautiful film in everyway. The cinematography and score rank with the best that Hollywood has done. However, it is the script, direction and acting that make the difference in a film like this -- the heart and soul that goes beyond the surface look -- and the film shines in all departments.
Word-of-mouth from members of the LDS faith will carry this one further then any other independent LDS themed movie to date. I have not read the books that the film is based upon, but I would predict that those who have will be very pleased with what they see on the screen. And those who have not read them (like me) will drawn in by the power of the story and its masterful presentation.
I truly believe that a new era for LDS cinema has been ushered in with this film.
THE WORK AND THE GLORY is a beautiful film in everyway. The cinematography and score rank with the best that Hollywood has done. However, it is the script, direction and acting that make the difference in a film like this -- the heart and soul that goes beyond the surface look -- and the film shines in all departments.
Word-of-mouth from members of the LDS faith will carry this one further then any other independent LDS themed movie to date. I have not read the books that the film is based upon, but I would predict that those who have will be very pleased with what they see on the screen. And those who have not read them (like me) will drawn in by the power of the story and its masterful presentation.
I truly believe that a new era for LDS cinema has been ushered in with this film.