Peter Greenaway takes on The Tempest, and the result is
even more of a feast for the eyes than The Cook, The Thief,
His Wife, and Her Lover. Because Greenaway is working
familiar Shakespearean territory, he and cohort Sacha Vierny
run wild with the visuals, embedding frames within frames,
composing each shot like an independent work of art, and
flanking the main action with acres of naked human flesh. John
Gielgud's performance as Prospero (and just about everyone
else) is wonderful, and Michael Nyman’s layered, minimalist
score enhances the multi-layered spectacle.
Since Miramax has provided us with only poorly-framed, fuzzy
video copies for our viewing pleasure, try and see this on a
proper screen if it shows on a campus or at an art house near
you. Good luck: Greenaway's next film, The Baby of Macon, has yet to
receive a proper theatrical or video release in the U.S.
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