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Tristan und Isolde (1983)
Great opera, exceptional singing.
"aberrancy" must not have much fun watching opera videos - the idea is that singers are normally cast because of their vocal abilities, not their youth and physical beauty - especially in Wagner. Yes, Kollo and Meier were in their 40's when this was filmed (no lying about ages here). And Ms. Meier's hair really is blonde - she was famous for having long blonde hair and not wearing wigs on-stage, unlike most other opera performers. God forbid that "they both have jowls"! Justin Timberlake and Brittany Spears may be more youthful looking, but they certainly couldn't sing their way out of the proverbial paper bag when up against a full Wagnerian orchestra. A certain amount of physical heft is required in order to produce enough vocal sound to be heard over the orchestra. For the most part, Kollo and Meier are up to the daunting task of singing this music - a rarity in 1983 or any other time. BTW, Hanna Schwarz is a mezzo, and unlike some of her colleagues, she has resisted the temptation to sing soprano roles, whether or not she looks "younger". A "romanticization of adultery" is it? Well, this little tale has been told for the past 850 years, so their must be numerous people without "aberrancy's" hangups about the subject matter. Yes, Wagner always took his time in presenting his music dramas - they're called "acts" by the way, not "scenes." His shortest stage works run 2 1/2 hours, and those are the ones with only one act! 4 to 5 hours is the norm for his operas. And since Wagner died in 1883, he could not have been a "Nazi" although he did have many bigoted views. Sorry you didn't enjoy "Tristan und Isolde" which is widely held to be one of the greatest creations of Western civilization!
Tristan + Isolde (2006)
LONG before Wagner
jonhochman's view is a very narrow one. I also love Wagner's music drama "Tristan und Isolde" but it was based on a folk tale that was already over 700 years old at the time of Wagner's setting, and has been set and reset many times. I hope the present film will be a very good one - it has 886 years of tradition behind it!
Tristan makes his first appearance in 1120 in Celtic folklore that circulates in the North of France. Although the oldest stories concerning Tristan are lost, some of the derivatives still exist. The two most famous are the re-tellings of the Anglo-Norman poet Thomas of Britain, whose poem was followed by the German poet Gottfried von Strassburg, and of the French poet Beroul. Arthurian romancer Chretien de Troyes mentions in his poem Cligés that he wrote a version of the tale, but, if so, there are no physical remains.
Like other Arthurian knights, Tristan and his tale vary from poet to poet. Even the spelling of his name varies a great deal, though "Tristran" is the most popular spelling. In one tale, Tristan is an overweight knight, who is constantly teased yet astounds everyone by defeating the Great Serpent guarding the Cave of Micheal. In Tristran and Yseut by Beroul, Tristan is as brave and fit as any knight, but he relies on trickery and doesn't uphold the moral standards expected of a knight. In fact, he is considered the greatest swordsman in Arthur's court. At times, indeed, Tristan is second only to Lancelot in valor.
In Beroul's tale, Tristran goes to Ireland to bring back the fair Yseut for his uncle King Mark to marry. Along the way, they accidentally ingest a love potion that causes the pair to be madly in love for three years. Although Yseut marries Mark, she and Tristran are forced by the potion to seek one another out for adultery. Although the typical noble Arthurian character would be shamed from such an act, the love potion that controls them frees Tristran and Yseut from responsibility. Thus Beroul presents them as victims. The king's advisers constantly try to have the pair tried for adultery, but again and again the couple uses trickery to preserve their facade of innocence. Finally the love potion wears off, and the two lovers are free to make their own choice as to whether they cease their adulterous lifestyle or continue. Beroul's ending is morally ambiguous, which differs greatly from his contemporaries such as Chretien de Troyes and adds a bit of mystique to the legend of Tristan. Also, according to Celtic myth, Tristan owned a horse named Bel Joeor.
In the 19th century, Richard Wagner composed the opera Tristan and Isolde, now considered one of the most influential pieces of music from the century. In his work, Tristan is portrayed as a doomed romantic figure.
The Brothers Grimm (2005)
Bettelheim helps
Many people, viewers and critics alike, are panning this movie. As a Gilliam fan, I wanted to see it for myself. As it happens, I liked it a great deal. I think that part of the issue for those who don't like it is that this is not an example of linear storytelling. In fact, later in the film, realism is totally eliminated - the story moves into the realm of the symbolic.
I think that reading "The Uses of Enchantment" by Bruno Bettelheim would enhance the enjoyment of this movie for many people. Gilliam's use of the symbolism from many of our most famous archetypal fairy tales had my head spinning (that's in a positive way!)
OK, maybe it sounds like a real drag for someone to suggest that you read a book before you see this movie. Actually, I'm not suggesting that - most people wouldn't be interested in doing that, anyway. It's a shame, though, because ultimately I don't think there is a large audience for this movie. I feel that it will achieve "cult status" (as so many of Gilliam's movies have before).
It really does help to have the background in the archetypal aspects of "Hansel and Gretel", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Rapunzel", "Sleeping Beauty", "Snow White" and others that the Bettelheim book provides, though - with that knowledge, this film can be seen as a really exceptional piece of entertainment.