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, Ben Davis

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joseph Kaiser	...	Tamino
Amy Carson	...	Pamina
Ben Davis	...	Papageno (as Benjamin Jay Davis)
Silvia Moi	...	Papagena
René Pape	...	Sarastro
Lyubov Petrova	...	Queen of the Night
Tom Randle	...	Monostatos
Liz Smith	...	The Old Papagena
Teuta Koço	...	First Lady
Louise Callinan	...	Second Lady
Kim-Marie Woodhouse	...	Third Lady
William Dutton	...	First Boy
Luke Lampard	...	Second Boy
Jamie Manton	...	Third Boy
Rodney Clarke	...	First Officer

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:

evil | queen | walking wounded | based on opera | mozart | 

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Genres:

Drama | Musical | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK France

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 2006 (France)

Also Known As:

The Magic Flute

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,965,713

Company Credits

Production Co:

Idéale Audience, Peter Moores Foundation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was funded by the Sir Peter Moores Foundation. This institution has backed numerous operatic recordings in English released on CD. Although this movie is the Foundation's first movie, it is their second recording of the opera (the first was released on CD in 2005). The cast for this movie is entirely new.

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Quotes

Papageno: [singing] 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 Metropolitan Opera HD Live: Mozart's The Magic Flute (2006)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

A Wonderful Presentation, If Not Quite A Fitting Portrayal

If The Lord Of The Rings trilogy has showed us anything, it showed that myth and fantasy have a place in modern cinema. I have long & will still firmly believe that my favorite Mozart piece, Die Zauberflöte, can & should receive a properly reverent modern cinematic treatment, while respecting the original Mozart vision, & adding fantasy aspects that could appeal to the modern masses.

This presentation however, is not that treatment I still hope for, primarily due to what I consider to be an unnecessary & unfitting portrayal, in an awkwardly placed period. Plus, The direction tends to be as misplaced as the screen adaptation itself, though still a thoroughly picturesque visage.

In & of itself, it's a very enjoyable film to watch. The English adaptation by Fry is suitable, the performances from the cast are wonderful, the casting itself was splendid, & of course, the music is beyond beautiful.

I can only criticize the film for being something I'd rather it not be, as I don't believe The Magic Flute belongs set in this way. Why wouldn't you just present this piece in a more reverent way, as an entity belonging purely to the fantasy realm, the way one would expect from A Midsummer Night's Dream or the like? I would expect that someone with such respectable Shakespearean credits to his name would be thoroughly capable of rising to that challenge. The intrusion of a WWI theme only steals from the wonder of a would be mythical experience, in my opinion

You get an A+ for effort, an A for execution, & a B- for intention, which would have been lower had you not tried so very well to make the style & period work. Nonetheless, an enjoyable view, that leaves me to still want for the version I desire, & believe we all deserve