Margaret Atwood's novel came to people's attention a few years ago with the release of a Hulu miniseries based on it. I've seen the miniseries but not read the book. I decided to check out the first adaptation of her portrayal of a theocratic future United States turning fertile women into sex slaves.
Volker Schlöndorff's version of "The Handmaid's Tale" depicts Gilead's ruling class as more jovial than does the miniseries; this makes their evil deeds more insidious. If you've seen the miniseries - which has apparently extended past what the novel depicts - then you'll know what to expect here, as Offred (Natasha Richardson) gets raped by the Commander (Robert Duvall) while Serena (Faye Dunaway) lies behind her to experience the supposed pleasure. There's no shortage of "praise be" and "blessed be the fruit", while LGBT people get persecuted for "gender treason". Obviously the action is more condensed due to the time constraint; scary stuff nonetheless.
If the movie seems flat, well...it's no flatter than the miniseries. I've seen far worse. I hope to eventually read the book. In addition to the aforementioned cast members, there's also Elizabeth McGovern, Aidan Quinn, Blanche Baker (Carroll Baker's daughter), Victoria Tennant (Steve Martin's ex who co-starred with him in "All of Me" and "L.A. Story") and Muse Watson (the killer in "I Know What You Did Last Summer").
Volker Schlöndorff's version of "The Handmaid's Tale" depicts Gilead's ruling class as more jovial than does the miniseries; this makes their evil deeds more insidious. If you've seen the miniseries - which has apparently extended past what the novel depicts - then you'll know what to expect here, as Offred (Natasha Richardson) gets raped by the Commander (Robert Duvall) while Serena (Faye Dunaway) lies behind her to experience the supposed pleasure. There's no shortage of "praise be" and "blessed be the fruit", while LGBT people get persecuted for "gender treason". Obviously the action is more condensed due to the time constraint; scary stuff nonetheless.
If the movie seems flat, well...it's no flatter than the miniseries. I've seen far worse. I hope to eventually read the book. In addition to the aforementioned cast members, there's also Elizabeth McGovern, Aidan Quinn, Blanche Baker (Carroll Baker's daughter), Victoria Tennant (Steve Martin's ex who co-starred with him in "All of Me" and "L.A. Story") and Muse Watson (the killer in "I Know What You Did Last Summer").