Tales Of Hoffman details
| Format: | U DVD |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Robert Helpmann, Leonide Massine, Moira Shearer, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Directors: | Michael Powell, Emeric Pressbu |
| Genre: | Music/Musical |
| Studio: | ELEVATION |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
Tales Of Hoffman |
U Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 59 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 25 Jun 2007 |
| Main languages: | English |
Write your own review
Most helpful review
Definately worth a look!
By S from UK , 22 Aug 2007[Highly rated reviewer]
I got this because I absolutely love 'A Matter of Life and Death' and 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' and 'The Red Shoes' - in fact pretty much everything Powell and Pressberger did together. I also saw Martin Scorcese rave about it and everything seemed to be adding up well!
The film is visulally stunning and many techniques must have been poineered here - also very brave to tackle a German story in 1951.
I found the score itself really hard going but would still recommend the experience (stick on the subtitles)!- Was this review helpful to you?
- (3) Yes |
- No (0)
All reviews
(6)Not for me
By a customer , 26 Jun 2011I can quite understand why this film was not a commercial success. It must have cost a lot of money to make and the stage costuming, make-up and props were extremely elaborate. The dancing of Moira Shearer was exquisite and for me made the film especially as Stella ( as the dragon fly) Apart from 'The Doll Song' and 'The Barcarole' the opera was so boring that it defeated itself. I remember seeing this years ago and being put off with it then, but thought I would give it another chance, when I was older, to appreciate it. I cannot recommend it as an evenings entertainment. Sorry.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (0) Yes |
- No (0)
Tales of Hoffman
By a customer from Aberdeen , 01 Nov 2009Excellent music and lyrics, and the dancing by Moira Shearer is amazing.
Some aspects of the plot are a little odd, but at least it is split into 3 stories, and it is a good moral tale.
Also recommend The Red Shoes.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (0) Yes |
- No (0)
Spellbinding
By a customer from Manchester , 18 Jan 2009A film of Offenbach's opera, choreographed by Frederick Ashton, designed by Hein Heckroth, and played by the Royal Philharmonic under Sir Thomas Beecham. Dear God, almost every second of it is overwhelmingly beautiful. If you loved 'The Red Shoes', you have to see this. One drawback, I am now hopelessly in love with Ludmilla Tcherina and would sell my reflection to obtain the two semi-lost Powell and Pressburger films she stars in, 'Honeymoon' and 'Oh Rosalinda.' If a certain DVD rental service could get hold of these I would be their slave forever.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (0) Yes |
- No (0)
Deadly and dated
By Boulbon (73 reviews) from Chiswick , 01 Aug 2008More hysterical than historic, time has not been kind to Powell and Pressburger's TALES OF HOFFMAN. The influence of success of THE RED SHOES was unfortunate in that it shifted the focus away from the music onto a kind of fruity ballet version of the opera. It comes from an age when Surrealism had been even further corrupted into a kitch parody of its own style.
And, oh dear, all that makeup, the green eyeshadow and dated high campery that may have looked good from the back of the stalls sixty years ago but now looks monumentally silly in close-up. Prancing queens, endless swishing curtains, grimacing and rolling eyes - deadly and dated. Over-egged, overdone and over-praised.
The opera itself is lost under all the nonsense; one could say it's been dragged down.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (0) Yes |
- No (0)
Tales of Hoffman
By a customer from Godalming , 10 Jun 2008This is an older recording but I thought it still worked well visually. Musically, the performance was very good. I particularly enjoyed this opera which is not one of the best known. Perhaps those newer to opera might agree.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (0)
