Two Words, One Answer.
Kevin Kline
 Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Kline, Ronstadt, Smith, Routledge, Delacorte Theater (Broadway Theatre Archive) $24.99 This Broadway rendition of Pirates made in Central Park (80's) is probably the best performance I've seen with this cast. I was hoping to find the movie with the same cast (Angela Landsbury is in the movie as the maid), but this copy will have to do until it is out on DVD. The quality is poor in places, but the music, singing, and acting is the best ever! It's worth the purchase! Kevin Klein IS the pirate king! No one has done it better.  The Emperor's Club (Widescreen Edition) $9.99 The Emperor's Club, 2002, is a story about a history teacher's romanticism of men of Ancient Greece and of the Roman Empire (only men, no mention of Cleopatra, etc.) and a student whose mild rebellion overwhelms the teacher. Kevin Kline and Emile Hirsch are convincing, but only in a world far removed from common American societies. (Who knows then if the writer depicted an atypical society accurately?) There is a token woman in the movie to belay anyone's concern (writer, actor or gaff boy) the teacher is homosexual, as this unmarried fella drools over "great men" of the past in an all-boys school, and becomes infatuated with a student "rebel." The teacher's knowledge and love of the subject matter is impressive, but the scholars in this dainty world are so impressed by Latin phrases they confuse them with truth, e.g., "The end depends on the beginning" (not so true) - compare to the lyric by David Ford, "I've had more second chances than I care to recall" (so true). I enjoyed the actors and the setting. I did not enjoy the writer's use of token references to convey "his" story. Is the writer Robin William's biggest fan - Dead Poets Society, 1989; Good Will Hunting, 1997?  Trade $14.98 I first saw this film at the international film festival in Santa Barbara and was deeply moved by the impact it had on me. Definitely a must-see! |
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