Barnes & Noble

This stunning, fever-dream of a movie magnificently recreates Samuel Taylor Coleridge's classic poem about an ill-fated sea voyage through its impressive marriage of visual artistry and dramatic narration. Beautifully tinted Gustave Doré engravings of gaunt, helpless mariners and the churning sea are brought to life by director Larry Jordan's restless, prowling camera. Lingering on individual details and overlaying a few startling visual effects, Jordan skillfully creates the illusion of movement and motion in these sublimely intricate but nonetheless static images. The unforgettable visual poetry is evocatively accompanied by an effective synthesizer score from Mark Ellinger, and the poem itself is brilliantly read by the great Orson Welles. Of course, the radio-schooled Welles's rich, assured intonations are perfectly suited to the story of a man haunted by his past, and his delivery adds another level of drama to this interpretation. A masterful handling of both poetry and animation, Coleridge's famed ghost story here enjoys the finest presentation imaginable. Amy Robinson

All Movie Guide

Directed by Raul daSilva, this two-part take on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's celebrated epic begins with a biography of the poet himself, beginning with his turbulent childhood and delving into his misguided attempts at machismo, problems with drug addiction, and brief military service. His inspiration for the Rime of the Ancient Mariner is also discussed at length, and segues into an adaptation of the poem as narrated by Sir Michael Redgrave. The cast features Roland Curram and Miriam Margolyes. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Product Details

• UPC: 032031112193
• Source: KULTUR VIDEO
• Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
• Language: English
• Time: 53:00
• Sales Rank: 22,250

DVD MENU