Michael Powell Retrospective Bonus Video!: Bluebeard's Castle
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- Is this little-seen adaptation of Bela Bartok's opera Michael Powell's last great film? Let's discuss.
You can start my Michael Powell retrospective here: • Michael Powell Retrosp...
And here's my review of The Tales Of Hoffmann: • Michael Powell Retrosp...
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Really interested to hear your commentary, as, while I am not a huge opera fan myself, it is nonetheless an art which interests me and which I respect, and I've noted that it has been largely ill-served by cinema. So any successful screen iteration of opera is valuable automatically, and Powell's involvement in this project is an added bonus.
As I've mentioned elsewhere, this Bartók classic has strong claim to be the single finest Hungarian example of the genre, and indeed stands as the composer's sole contribution to the form. The work is striking, and emblematic as a modernist vision, in its emphasis on inner, psychological tension over outward dramatic incident. The story is essentially a dialogue between the two characters who sing their lines (the original stage version has a spoken narrator introducing the scene), and can effectively consist of these figures standing together on a minimal stage. One's curiosity is definitely excited to see how a master filmmaker like Powell interprets this theatrically sparse but thematically compelling material.
Thanks, Barry. If you get to see the Powell version, would love to know your thoughts on it.
You manage to make opera sound intriguing...the fact that I'm even considering watching this is a testament to your pitching skills.
Thanks, Frank. I'm wasted in this job. I should have been one of those Hollywood producers you see in Robert Altman's The Player! "Look, I got this great idea for a movie...this UA-camr comes to America to make a western..."
They just showed this in the MOMA in NY and I was absolutely blown away. Brilliant film.
Incredible, isn't it? Thanks for your comment, Thomas!
Really excellent review of one of Michael Powell’s lesser known films. I have subscribed because you are covering some of favourite directors/producers such as Michael Powell, Val Lewton. One of my favourite films in Night of the Demon. I first came across your channel because of your Dr Who coverage.
Thank you very much.🎉🎉🎉
You're welcome! I'd love to cover more Dr Who stuff, but I don't have many subscribers who are into it, sadly. And I'm not interested in the modern stuff, I'm very old school. But, hey, we'll always have Night of the Demon, which I watched last week for the 54,000th time!
Thanks for this recommendation, Mike! "Bluebeard's Castle" looks like something I would enjoy. I have found it on UA-cam and plan to watch it tonight when I get home from choir practice. I will report back after I have seen it. 😀
Hi, Julie, when I search the site for "michael powell bluebeard's castle", I come up with a promotional clip from the BFI of the Powell production, but otherwise only find a full upload of a 1988 made-for-television production directed by a certain Leslie Megahey. This seems interesting in its own right, but is unfortunately not the version Mike discusses here.
@@barrymoore4470 Hi, Barry. I'm back home now and able to take a better look at the video I found on UA-cam. I did find some excerpts from Powell's 1963 movie, but not a full length video of it. I am disappointed. I also found the video you did (1988 TV) and another TV version (1981).
@@julieborel3043 I just finished watching the 1988 production, and enjoyed it. Though I was unfamiliar with the personalities involved, it's an engaging work in its own right, and the lyrics are sung in the original Hungarian, a plus in my book.
@@barrymoore4470 Thanks, Barry. I'll watch it too. 👍
Leslie Megahey is an interesting director in his own right, actually. He made Schalcken The Painter, one of the BBC Ghost Stories for Christmas. (I do hope, though, it doesn't spoil your enjoyment of the Powell film! Often the first version we see of something has an advantage over versions we watch later - we've already got an impression in our minds...)