Rhinoceros
1974
This adaptation of Ionesco's absurdist classic was part of the American Film Theater series, conceived in the 1970s by producer Ely Landau and meant to be shown theatrically just like a play, with tickets sold in advance. Gene Wilder stars as Stanley, a depressive young man who abhors virtually all of humanity with the .. Read more
| Starring | Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Karen Black, Anne Ramsey |
|---|---|
| Director | Tom O'Horgan |
| Genres | Comedy, Comedy |
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Rhinoceros
This adaptation of Ionesco's absurdist classic was part of the American Film Theater series, conceived in the 1970s by producer Ely Landau and meant to be shown theatrically just like a play, with tickets sold in advance. Gene Wilder stars as Stanley, a depressive young man who abhors virtually all of humanity with the exception of his neighbor John (Mostel, in a bravura performance) and a beautiful young coworker named Daisy. Morosely cultivating his nonconformity, Stanley is disturbed at first when the inhabitants of his town begin turning into human rhinos, explained initially as rhinoceritis by local pundits. However, when just about everyone in town begins falling prey to the disease except for himself, Stanley wonders whether something else may be responsible for the phenomenon.
| Starring | Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Karen Black, Anne Ramsey |
|---|---|
| Director | Tom O'Horgan |
| Studio | IND-DVD LTD |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 40 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy, Comedy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 23 Aug 2004 Production year: 1974 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews
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Producer Ely Landau's American Film Theater series of filmed plays has thrown up some interesting movies, including a superbly cast The Iceman Cometh and a magnificent A Delicate Balance. However, the allegorical material of Eugène Ionesco's absurdist play Rhinoceros has always been seen as self-defeating, and actors as distinguished as Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles, among others, have fallen foul of it. Here, the leads from The Producers, Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, are reunited under the iconoclastic direction of Tom O'Horgan, of Futz fame, and the result, though fascinating, is very much an acquired taste.
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Most helpful member's review
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5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
quirky but rewarding
This American screen adaptation of a French play actually works!
A revelation for those of us who were brought up at the time of Trois Hommes et un Couffin...
Amazing performances by Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder.
You've got to be in the right mood for this one, though. And I'm not quite sure what mood that is, hence the lukewarm rating. -
Most recent members' review
View all -
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
quirky but rewarding
This American screen adaptation of a French play actually works!
A revelation for those of us who were brought up at the time of Trois Hommes et un Couffin...
Amazing performances by Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder.
You've got to be in the right mood for this one, though. And I'm not quite sure what mood that is, hence the lukewarm rating. -
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