If You've Read the Book, You'll Dislike the Movie . . .
Added 9/28/2009
For purists, nothing is more aggravating than to anticipate a movie of a beloved piece of literature, only to discover the villains are transformed into heroes, the heroes are made the buffoons and, in the interest of adding insult to injury? The screenwriters have completely changed the ending.
Such was my experience with "Captain Corelli's Mandolin".
Had I never read the book, had I never invested time and energy into following the author's train of thought, had I walked blindly into a viewing of this work with no preparation whatsoever, I still would have had issues with costume inaccuracies, lack of historical context, and all-too-convenient plot twists.
But I HAD read the book, so my list of grievances was far larger. The political framework of the Mediterranean theater of WWII was completely absent. The realization that what is beautiful can die and become evil is ripped away by the ennobling of a quite ignoble character. The symbolization of a particular gramophone was lost. One of the most poignant, heartbreaking unrequited love stories ever written is absent from the film, relegating the passionate self-sacrificing soldier into little more than a walk-on role, and the tragedy of a lifetime spent . . . waiting . . . was just . . . gone.
In speaking to those who had never experienced the brilliance of the original work, they enjoyed the film in a late-summer date-night sort of way . . .
It was as if . . . if you can imagine it . . . a "Hallmark Movie of the Week" version of "Gone With The Wind" had been made and marketed, pretending to be as good as the original. A sad recommendation for what could have been an epic piece of film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Captain's Corelli Mandolin
Added 8/10/2009
The item delivered by Amazon is very fine. The film is a bit of a "soft drink" with respect to the reality.
Captain Corelli was still alive a couple of years ago, he was in Florence (Tuscany). I guess he was wondering around with a mandolin on his shoulders (especially along military parades). In that event, about 8500-9500 Italian troops were executed by Germans/Nazis because they refused to surrend, and in the end they run out of ammonitions.
If I remember rigth, officers (many were young guys) were shoot one by one. This is remembered as the "Massacre of Cephalonia". I wish that such a tragedy would have been represented by a more highly profiled film.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Surprisingly Good
Added 4/7/2009
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, although when I got it I wasn't sure about it. As a war film it is extremely well-done, with the period uniforms and equipment true to the era. The plot was believable and the romantic plot was first rate. Only a couple of things kept me from giving it 5 stars.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Great But Not the Book: So What?
Added 3/27/2009
i love this film and i love the book. they're different; so what? ... btw, John Hurt (one of *best* actors alive) is by no means wizened. Penelope Cruz was also excellent (see her in "Don't Move"!) Nick Cage was also very good, except that the accent thing was overdone at times... nice to see Irene Pappas as well.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Added 1/9/2009
A very real portrait of what was going on in Axis occupied Europe during World War II. Based on historical events, it shows the impetuosity of youth while the confusion of war was raging around them. The depiction of Corelli by Nicolas Cage is superb, showing the romantic artist being thrown in a place where he did not belong. An excellent performance is also given by John Hurt, the wise old Greek doctor, who said that "it is not always best to win, especially if in the process you have to spill your fellow man's blood to achieve it." The movie, filled with romance and emotion appears with the background of a Greek island scenery.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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If You've Read the Book, You'll Dislike the Movie . . .
Added 9/28/2009
For purists, nothing is more aggravating than to anticipate a movie of a beloved piece of literature, only to discover the villains are transformed into heroes, the heroes are made the buffoons and, in the interest of adding insult to injury? The screenwriters have completely changed the ending.
Such was my experience with "Captain Corelli's Mandolin".
Had I never read the book, had I never invested time and energy into following the author's train of thought, had I walked blindly into a viewing of this work with no preparation whatsoever, I still would have had issues with costume inaccuracies, lack of historical context, and all-too-convenient plot twists.
But I HAD read the book, so my list of grievances was far larger. The political framework of the Mediterranean theater of WWII was completely absent. The realization that what is beautiful can die and become evil is ripped away by the ennobling of a quite ignoble character. The symbolization of a particular gramophone was lost. One of the most poignant, heartbreaking unrequited love stories ever written is absent from the film, relegating the passionate self-sacrificing soldier into little more than a walk-on role, and the tragedy of a lifetime spent . . . waiting . . . was just . . . gone.
In speaking to those who had never experienced the brilliance of the original work, they enjoyed the film in a late-summer date-night sort of way . . .
It was as if . . . if you can imagine it . . . a "Hallmark Movie of the Week" version of "Gone With The Wind" had been made and marketed, pretending to be as good as the original. A sad recommendation for what could have been an epic piece of film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Captain's Corelli Mandolin
Added 8/10/2009
The item delivered by Amazon is very fine. The film is a bit of a "soft drink" with respect to the reality.
Captain Corelli was still alive a couple of years ago, he was in Florence (Tuscany). I guess he was wondering around with a mandolin on his shoulders (especially along military parades). In that event, about 8500-9500 Italian troops were executed by Germans/Nazis because they refused to surrend, and in the end they run out of ammonitions.
If I remember rigth, officers (many were young guys) were shoot one by one. This is remembered as the "Massacre of Cephalonia". I wish that such a tragedy would have been represented by a more highly profiled film.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Surprisingly Good
Added 4/7/2009
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, although when I got it I wasn't sure about it. As a war film it is extremely well-done, with the period uniforms and equipment true to the era. The plot was believable and the romantic plot was first rate. Only a couple of things kept me from giving it 5 stars.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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