Dorian Gray

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Dorian Gray - 9/9/2009 9:02:08 PM

Empire Admin

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This is awful - 9/9/2009 9:02:08 PM

artilleryman

Posts: 100
Joined: 9/1/2008

And for the record, The Picture of Dorian Gray is hardly the last great Gothic novel. Wilde was hardly concerned with the Gothic. It's a novel of society as well as something of a satire. The reviewer seems to have as much of an understanding of the source material as the makers of this film - that is, not much.

< Message edited by artilleryman -- 9/9/2009 9:03:17 PM >

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Post #: 2

I liked it - 11/9/2009 10:38:22 PM

Ed_girl12

Posts: 1
Joined: 6/3/2007

It was different and far more gory than i expected, but i enjoyed it. I though Colin Firth was brilliant in his role and Charlie Chaplin. I did think Hurd-Wood's performance was rather bland but thats just me...she did have great moments in the film.
Overall I think its worth a watch.

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Post #: 3

Dorian Grey - 11/9/2009 11:49:46 PM

jennifer1981

Posts: 5
Joined: 21/6/2006

Can someone please confirm if the screen went green and the sound disappeared when they went to see this? Not sure exactly how far into the film, but it was during one of the parties/ orgies. The cinema tried to say that it was part of the film, but if so it didn't work at all as everyone in the cinema looked around and started to complain about the projector. Was that just the viewing I went to, or was it indeed a part of the film? I'm not convinced it was intentional.

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Post #: 4

Gothic Update Of The Infamous Tale. - 12/9/2009 4:04:38 PM

joanna likes films

Posts: 987
Joined: 27/10/2007
From: Bexhill

The Picture Of Dorian Gray is indeed gothic and disturbing to read, not one to be alone and in the dark with. Many films have come out and tried to make the character just like the novel, some good while others failed. Now with this, it is indeed a gothic update and better than I first thought. The cast is good enough to hold you throughout the film, Colin Firth and Rebecca Hall were pefect for their parts. At first, I didn't highly rate Ben Barnes being Dorian Gray. Thought he was a bit wet and weak to play such a important character. But today, it has changed. He was very good and bought a much darker side to Dorian that hasn't been touched before, you atcully feel his pain and has given a pefomance that Hollywood should notice. It's also scary, the way the painting ages is frightening especially the ending which was very unsettling. I do recommend people to go and see this if they loved the novel, the cast and crew have done a good job and was a great watch this morning.

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Post #: 5

Dorian Gray - A Movie Review - 15/9/2009 12:16:49 PM

nicola_sloan

Posts: 1
Joined: 15/9/2009

A nicely dark, moody and atmospheric adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s 1895 novel. Unfortunately Colin Firth’s Lord Henry Wotton comes across as sinister and slightly pervy rather than charming and witty as he does in the novel. The lines are delivered too bluntly and lose all their subtlety. This is not the only thing that’s blunt about this movie. The nature of Dorian’s sins and degradation is made clear in the film, whereas in the book it is only hinted at. His ’is he, isn’t he?’ homosexual side in the book becomes a definite ‘yes’ in the film. Both men and women, in fact, become the victims of Dorian’s decadent desires. But the more graphic nature of the film when compared with the book is to be expected in a modern adaptation, and does not spoil the story.
The future Wilde could never have imagined as Dorian grows older, of cars, trains and WWI, fits neatly as a backdrop as the plot develops. There is possible renunciation for Dorian in his love for Henry’s daughter, but there is by no means a happy ending in this film. The horror side of the novel is brought out very strongly in the film. The portrait of Dorian, with which he has exchanged his soul, writhes with maggots and leers menacingly at the beholder as Dorian’s soul becomes more and more corrupted. In a film concerned with vanity, it is natural that mirrors should play a significant part. Basil, the artist who painted Dorian’s portrait, is stabbed to death by Dorian with a shard of glass from a broken mirror: yet another victim of Dorian’s broken and corrupted soul. It is interesting that near the beginning of the movie Dorian’s portrait is hung opposite that of his violent grandfather, of whom he often has flashbacks. Since the ‘poisonous book’ of the novel has been removed from the plotline of the movie, this seems to suggest that Dorian has grown to ’mirror’ his grandfather, making the influen

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Post #: 6

RE: Dorian Gray - A Movie Review - 19/9/2009 9:28:17 PM

Dr Lenera

Posts: 3448
Joined: 19/10/2005

A solid adaptation of Oscar Wilde's brilliant novel,with a surprisingly effective performance from Ben Barnes [who was so awful in Prince Caspian] as the title character,though Colin Firth gives the standout performance and shows what a strong actor he can be when given the chance. It works fairly well as a semi-gothic horror piece,and retains the morality and some of the depth of the novel. It's about as close to the book as one could expect,though there are some changes and additions which are sometimes a little pointless,and the book's best scene [in which Dorian visits a pub populated entirely by people he has corrupted],which was actually done in the somewhat more elegant,refined 1945 version,is reduced to almost nothing. The painting is a major disappointment,being almost laughable especially with it's noises and CG additions,while the many montages showing Dorian's excesses are sometimes awkward-obviousdly the filmmakers wanted to be more explicit with this version but kind of pussyfoot around a bit. Overall it's a fairly worthwhile effort,despite a great many flaws,and with it's pertinent themes of eternal youth,indulgence and moral corruption it's a shock that this at the time of writing,has no distributer in the US.

I've given this three stars,but my ideal rating would be three and a half!

_____________________________

check out more of my reviews on http://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/

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Post #: 7

Not a badly painted Picture! - 21/9/2009 6:32:27 PM

Columbina

Posts: 1
Joined: 3/1/2007

Just watched Dorian Gray. To share my opinion, I liked it.
Of course this was not a literal adaptation of the book (it does say it was based on it), but another point of view of the story. Neverthless I thought it was worth it.
It is dark enough (not suposed to be a horor film, I think).There were some solid performances, Colin Firth as Lord Henry is delicious with his sharp cynicism and Rebecca Hall delivered her "short" part very well.
As for the leading man, even though he has yet to master the transition from docile young lad to regretlessly cold "player", I believe he managed to desmonstrate talent which no doubt will develop in time.
It's not a cult film, but as a fan of costume drama it will definetly become a feature in my DVD collection.

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Post #: 8

Dorian Gray - 27/9/2009 6:21:48 PM

Soprano168

Posts: 47
Joined: 17/9/2009

The latest adaptation of Oscar Wilde's tale is an uneven portrait of self destruction. With that said its dark, moody, accomplished and the period detail is well realised. Although one cant help but think that this is a mature story that has been softned for the junior dollar.

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Post #: 9

- 28/9/2009 12:34:10 PM

nclowe

Posts: 954
Joined: 15/2/2006
From: UK

Enjoyable turn by Ben Barnes as highly impressionable Dorian and Colin Firth as Lord Henry (who in my opinion stole the show). Never having read the book I cant say how it compares, but from a newbies POV the gothic tones seemed to come accross well on the screen. Was nice to see Ben Chaplin back on the big screen - haven't seen him in anything for ages!

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Post #: 10

- 14/12/2010 10:35:55 AM

reminn

Posts: 142
Joined: 22/10/2010

Average.

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Post #: 11

RE: Dorian Gray - 1/8/2012 2:40:44 AM

RockDiva

Posts: 1
Joined: 1/8/2012

The last great Gothic novel? Is this person serious, or have they never heard of this little known book called Dracula, published 7 years after Dorian Gray, which some people call the GREATEST Gothic horror novel and the quintessential tome of the genre? Terrible lack of literary knowledge, Empire Admin.

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Post #: 12