Beowulf - the movie
Bob Zemeckis" 2007 I wish I'd seen this in 3D! Much better than I feared it would be, and quite an interesting narrative device to excuse the liberties they took with the story.
The structure of the story telling is straightforward - it begins with the slaughter in the hall, and ends with the death of Beowulf. However, the narrative is turned from an epic warrior poem into a tragedy - of the frailty of male chauvinism. The way they achieve this is to tell the 'true' story of Beowulf, and make it clear that the poem is simply the mythical/politically corrected version constructed after the event to the glory of the protagonists.
The kings of the Danes (Anthony Hopkins and Ray Winstone) in turn are both snared by the beauties of Grendel's mother (an enhanced (?) Angelina Jolie), the offspring of the unnatural unions are warped monsters that try to wreak revenge on their fathers. Beowulf does not kill Grendel's mother he sleeps with her - he lives an unhappy life as a consequence of his failure to live up to his reputation, until he redeems his life at the end.
Beowulf: 'It blew me away' - Features, Film & TV - The Independent:
The structure of the story telling is straightforward - it begins with the slaughter in the hall, and ends with the death of Beowulf. However, the narrative is turned from an epic warrior poem into a tragedy - of the frailty of male chauvinism. The way they achieve this is to tell the 'true' story of Beowulf, and make it clear that the poem is simply the mythical/politically corrected version constructed after the event to the glory of the protagonists.
The kings of the Danes (Anthony Hopkins and Ray Winstone) in turn are both snared by the beauties of Grendel's mother (an enhanced (?) Angelina Jolie), the offspring of the unnatural unions are warped monsters that try to wreak revenge on their fathers. Beowulf does not kill Grendel's mother he sleeps with her - he lives an unhappy life as a consequence of his failure to live up to his reputation, until he redeems his life at the end.
Beowulf: 'It blew me away' - Features, Film & TV - The Independent:
Comments