The Tempest (2010)

Shakespeare's epic play is translated from page to screen, with the gender of the main character, Prospero, changed from male to female.

Director:

Julie Taymor

Writers:

Julie Taymor (screenplay), William Shakespeare (play)

Stars:

Helen Mirren, Felicity Jones, Djimon Hounsou

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Felicity Jones	...	Miranda
Jude Akuwudike	...	Boatswain
Reeve Carney	...	Prince Ferdinand
David Strathairn	...	King Alonso
Tom Conti	...	Gonzalo
Alan Cumming	...	Sebastian
Chris Cooper	...	Antonio
Helen Mirren	...	Prospera
Ben Whishaw	...	Ariel
Djimon Hounsou	...	Caliban
Russell Brand	...	Trinculo
Alfred Molina	...	Stephano
David Scott Klein	...	Prospera's Husband
Bryan Webster	...	Guard

Storyline

In Julie Taymor's version of 'The Tempest,' the main character is now a woman named Prospera. Going back to the 16th or 17th century, women practicing the magical arts of alchemy were often convicted of witchcraft. In Taymor's version, Prospera is usurped by her brother and sent off with her four-year daughter on a ship. She ends up on an island; it's a tabula rasa: no society, so the mother figure becomes a father figure to Miranda. This leads to the power struggle and balance between Caliban and Prospera; a struggle not about brawn, but about intellect.

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Plot Keywords:

female protagonist | storm at sea | staff | spirit | banishment | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some nudity, suggestive content and scary images

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 January 2011 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

A Tempestade

Filming Locations:

Steiner Studios, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$42,436, 12 December 2010, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$277,943

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$405,861

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, TalkStory Productions, Artemis Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alfred Molina's second work in a Shakespearean film since As You Like It (2006).

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Goofs

The metal-thread piping on the outfits of Antonio and several others are actually zippers. This is clear in the close-ups for the spell circle scene where a zipper on his sleeve is open and the slider is visible as Prospera talks to him. The zipper sliders on the top of the outfit that Prospera wears after this scene are still attached (they look like points, or ends of laces).

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Quotes

Prospera: Be cheerful sir, our revels now are ended.

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Crazy Credits

Throughout the credits we see Prospera's books sinking in the ocean one by one, presumably after she tossed each of them in.

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Connections

Version of The Tempest (1912)

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Soundtracks

Coda
Performed by Beth Gibbons
Music by Elliot Goldenthal
Lyrics by William Shakespeare

User Reviews

Dame Helen reigns supreme

In casting Helen Mirren as Prospera, director Julie Taymor adds an interesting spin to this Shakespeare adaptation.

Also CGI effects help make more sense of the story.

On the downside, film versions of the bard's plays rarely work perfectly (with the honourable exception of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet) and unless you know the play already, the action here is pretty hard to follow. Also, it's a bit strange seeing comic genius Alan Cumming in a straight role.

Ultimately though, the main joy of the movie is Dame Helen. She does bitterness superbly. I loved the scene when Miranda first meets Ferdinand - Mirren's ironic commentary added a whole new dimension to the play for me.

I also loved Tony Conti as the aged senator Gonzalo. His performance is so masterful it puts his character at the forefront of the story for once - no bad thing.

Overall I think Shakespeare fans will really enjoy this film. Other people may be left a little bored and bewildered.