Rating: 
Summary: Art for art's sake
Review: Derek Jarman's vision of The Tempest is a strange but artistic one. Although at times it can be too weird to really take seriously, Jarman's film deserves to be seen by those who love Shakespeare and those who love movies. In The Tempest, Jarman combines elements of traditional Shakespeare, Stanley Kubrick, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show to create an extraordinary vision of the classic play. Baz Luhrmann owes a lot to this movie for his adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, as evidenced by the combination of genres, the bizarre imagery, and especially Elisabeth Welch's performance as a Josephine Baker-inspired chanteuse, which mirrors Desiree's incarnation as Billie Holiday in Luhrmann's film. It is worth noting that those who were not open-minded enough to appreciate Luhrmann's film should probably not see this one. Despite all of these innovations, however, The Tempest moves too slowly to keep up with its own progressive style. The movie would have greatly benefited from being shortened by about half an hour. The one reason to sit through the tedious moments is to watch Karl Johnson, who, as a nervous Ariel, gives by far the most interesting performance.
Rating: 
Summary: Boy, Am I Sorry I Bought This !
Review: I am not literate in Shakespeare and I'm a newcomer to the work of Derek Jarman so it is difficult for me to describe this film. I liked his rendering of "The Tempest" for several reasons. Mainly because I enjoy films that are challenging and a cause for discussion. Here, I find both. The acting is most remarkable because of the complexity of the material. Therefore Jarman's directorial achievement deserves note as well as the actors' work. The setting for this tale is an island that seems lost in an unknown universe. The house inhabited by the characters seems lost as well---as if in time itself. The characters seem to have been just dropped there out of nowhere and are making do with what's available---as with one character who stumbles out of the sea and seeks shelter in the house. Occultism plays a part in the proceedings giving the film yet another otherworldly layer. But by far the most bizarre aspect is the wedding scene at the end featuring Elisabeth Welch in a Josephine Baker-ish costume performing "Stormy Weather" also a la Baker. This scene is just incredible featuring dancing sailors and garishly costumed midgets. The whole film just reminds me of Peter Greenaway's work. Everything seems to be occurring in another time and another dimension. Definitely worth watching if you're familiar with Shakespeare's play and are a Jarman fan as I probably will be.
Rating: 
Summary: LOST IN TIME....
Review: I am not literate in Shakespeare and I'm a newcomer to the work of Derek Jarman so it is difficult for me to describe this film. I liked his rendering of "The Tempest" for several reasons. Mainly because I enjoy films that are challenging and a cause for discussion. Here, I find both. The acting is most remarkable because of the complexity of the material. Therefore Jarman's directorial achievement deserves note as well as the actors' work. The setting for this tale is an island that seems lost in an unknown universe. The house inhabited by the characters seems lost as well---as if in time itself. The characters seem to have been just dropped there out of nowhere and are making do with what's available---as with one character who stumbles out of the sea and seeks shelter in the house. Occultism plays a part in the proceedings giving the film yet another otherworldly layer. But by far the most bizarre aspect is the wedding scene at the end featuring Elisabeth Welch in a Josephine Baker-ish costume performing "Stormy Weather" also a la Baker. This scene is just incredible featuring dancing sailors and garishly costumed midgets. The whole film just reminds me of Peter Greenaway's work. Everything seems to be occurring in another time and another dimension. Definitely worth watching if you're familiar with Shakespeare's play and are a Jarman fan as I probably will be.
Rating:
Summary: Dreadful
Review: I have read all of Shakespeare's plays, seen productions of a majority of them and even acted in and directed some. I do not necessarily believe that Shakespeare must be done in the "traditional" fashion, but I hated this movie.
There is nudity that is gratuitous and unnecessary. There is grotesqueness that is far beyond what I believe Shakespeare intended. Some of the dialogue is incomprehensible, and there are those elements, like the singing and dancing that add no meaning to the movie, but replace Shakespeare with the director's self-indulgences.
I am sorry to say that I wasted perfectly good money to buy the DVD of this movie.
Rating:
Summary: very good
Review: i have to see the movie first so that i can have a better review of i
Rating:
Summary: Imaginative but disappointing
Review: I really wanted to like this production, and it definitely has its moments: the film is quite stylish and certainly provocative and uninhibited. Nevertheless, I am in something of a hurry to express my dismay on a number of fronts. A very important part of understanding and appreciating Shakespeare is to grasp his vision of the magical and mystical realms. The sprite-inhabited forest of "Midsummer Night's Dream" and the transformative enchantment of Arden forest in "As You Like It" are indicative of the Bard's far-reaching insight involving alternate perspectives and, yes, alternate realities. Here lies much of the abiding richness and charm of the plays, especially the comedies. I believe that Prospero and Ariel are intended to participate and represent the "Brave New World" of these realities. Thus, these characters necessarily will fall quite a bit short of expectation when they are portrayed as adynamic, dull, and manifestly unwise. The sad result is a production that lacks "spirit" and is incapable of achieving a desired goal of enchantment and upliftment. What we are left with instead is a "dance of the sailors" and a curious rendition of "Stormy Weather" -- far from satisfying, in contrast with other productions I have seen. As for the Caliban character, he needs to be presented as earthy and brutish, yes, but not, I think, maniacal. I was also puzzled about his being portrayed as being in his fifties (or sixties) when simple mathematics, not to mention tradition, would suggest a much younger creature.
Rating: 
Summary: a masterwork of english romanticism
Review: i saw this glorious masterwork in london at its premiere 20 years ago; in those days a new jarman movie was an event you attended without even asking what exactly you were going to see. the great renaissance man and last torchbearer of the englsih romantic tradition, jarman was a popular artist and hugely likeable man-about-town - he seemed to be everywhere - sitting next to you in pizza express, behind you at the theatre, hanging out on a street corner in the charing cross road gossiping with his friends. 'the tempest' was shown, interestingly, with jarman's three short films of songs from marianne faithfull's 'broken english' album, which had just been released. the combination of marianne's 'witches song' and prospero's 'cloud capp'd towers'speech (which marianne would herself record on 'secret life' some fifteen years later) defines that particular and poignant moment in UK post-punk culture. jarman places that speech at the end of the film, jettisoning shakespeare's finale/farewell to his art in favor of something more transformational, and moving, and transcendent. at least, that's how it plays. this is a gorgeous magickal masterpiece by the late and much-loved jarman, a true visionary among filmmakers. a previous review purports to be written by a teacher of english who cannot be bothered consistently to spell jarman's name correctly,and is bothered by the (also late, and lamented) jack birkett's rendering of caliban, suckling at sycorax's breast (sycorax being portrayed by the splendid claire davenport). there's not a 9th grade class -or its equivalent- in the united kingdom that would find such scenes perverse, or boring, or sniggerworthy, which might give some pause for thought about the nature of prurience in american society - and its sources. but then i'd worry about any teacher who thinks that "as a teacher of english, seleced (sic) scenes were worth showing to my ninth grade class" is an intelligible or accurate construction. oh, and by the way - the other great rendition of 'the tempest' on film is 'forbidden planet' which finds a wonderful visual poetry to tell a respectfully faithful sci-fi adaptation of shakespeare's most beguiling play.
Rating:
Summary: Irreverent, yet stunningly true to the SPIRITof the original
Review: I was dragged, kicking & screaming, to this film the first time I saw it. Staggeringly enough, I wound up being utterly captivated. While the film most closely resembles a fantasia on themes from Shakespeare's play, its spirit is so at one with the original I don't think anyone but the most literal-minded purist could possibly object. With appallingly limited means, but a virtually limitless visual imagination, Jarman creates a true world of wonder. There are moments of stunning beauty throughout -- Miranda's vision of herself as a child, Ferdinand dragging himself naked from the sea and staggering, half-drowned, along the shore -- and magnificent character choices -- Karl Johnson's still, sad-faced Ariel, Jack Birkett's egg-sucking, North Country Caliban, Heathcote Williams' youthful, vigorous, anarchic Prospero. All crowned, however, by an indescribably joyous "wedding masque" -- a loopy sailors dance followed by Elizabeth Welch sweeping in, all in gold, to sing (what else?)"Stormy Weather" as the entire cast practically melts in bliss. Only certain segments of Fellini's "The Clowns" have ever made me catch my breath the way I did repeatedly during this film. Made on a shoestring, this film is a triumph of wit & imagination. I tear up just thinking about it.
Rating:
Summary: Irreverent, yet stunningly true to the SPIRITof the original
Review: I was dragged, kicking & screaming, to this film the first time I saw it. Staggeringly enough, I wound up being utterly captivated. While the film most closely resembles a fantasia on themes from Shakespeare's play, its spirit is so at one with the original I don't think anyone but the most literal-minded purist could possibly object. With appallingly limited means, but a virtually limitless visual imagination, Jarman creates a true world of wonder. There are moments of stunning beauty throughout -- Miranda's vision of herself as a child, Ferdinand dragging himself naked from the sea and staggering, half-drowned, along the shore -- and magnificent character choices -- Karl Johnson's still, sad-faced Ariel, Jack Birkett's egg-sucking, North Country Caliban, Heathcote Williams' youthful, vigorous, anarchic Prospero. All crowned, however, by an indescribably joyous "wedding masque" -- a loopy sailors dance followed by Elizabeth Welch sweeping in, all in gold, to sing (what else?)"Stormy Weather" as the entire cast practically melts in bliss. Only certain segments of Fellini's "The Clowns" have ever made me catch my breath the way I did repeatedly during this film. Made on a shoestring, this film is a triumph of wit & imagination. I tear up just thinking about it.
Rating:
Summary: Boy, Am I Sorry I Bought This !
Review: I was hoping that this production would introduce me to Shakespeare's "Tempest." Before I bought this DVD, I wish I knew that it is filled with ..., silly giggling, needless nudity, and superficialities that fail to convey anything of Shakespeare's insight and wit. Shakespeare seems to be the pretext for much joyless prancing and mugging in front of the camera. Truly aweful.
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