The Tempest

I love The Tempest. It's my favorite Shakespeare play. It's got all the right elements, and it's so different from everything else that he wrote. The one that comes closest is A Midsummer Night's Dream, but this is a little darker and more vengeful- the tragicomedy of the Romances just works so well.

(Mine would sir, were I human).

Ariel is absolutely, completely my favorite character of everything. (Second is Puck, the similarities to Midsummer yet again). We just finished reading The Tempest in my Shakespeare class (which I love love love, by the way) and I loved analyzing and understanding the play that much more.

(Do you love me master? No?)

Likewise, I found out that my favorite director (besides, of course, the illustrious John Gwardyak), Julie Taymor directed a version of The Tempest with a cast heaps of my favorite actors. (Little LitNerd say yaaaaaaay) Like Helen-goddess-of-acting-Mirrin, Ben Whishaw (<3), David Strathairn, Alan Cumming, Felicity Jones....and Russell Brand and Alfred Molina, though I disliked them in this and believe that it was a poor casting choice.

(In every cabin, I flamed amazement)

I rented the movie from iTunes, and when I'd finished watching it I felt a little disappointed. They'd changed some passages, and I feel that a lot of the artistic integrity had been lost.

(By my so potent art)

Of course, I then watched it about 5 times over the course of the weekend. Despite my complaints, it was, actually, really well done and gorgeous. The way they did Ariel was wonderful, the Harpy scene was OMFGTOTALLYAWESOMEHELOOKSSOBADASS.

(But remember, for that's my business to you...I have made you mad)

So while I may not order it for myself, I am definitely putting it on my Christmas list. (This version, which we've been watching in class, I did order, however. :p) I also bought the soundtrack on iTunes- for the most part, I thought the music was fantastic, and the singing was pretty great too (even though they STOLE SOME OF IT FROM TWELFTH NIGHT), I'm willing to overlook!

(Little LitNerd say yaaaaaay!)