HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS 1993
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1997 Timothy Voon
5 angry :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( for the dead
Starring: Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Vanessa Redgrave, Vincent Gallo, Maria Conchita Alonso Director: Bille August Screenplay: Bille August based on the novel LA CASA DE LOS ESPIRITUS by Isabel Allende Music: Hans Zimmer
This is the story of a male, chauvinistic pig, who has nothing; gains something; marries a girl from a respectable family; thinks his spinster sister is having an affair with his wife, so exiles her; rapes his servant girls in the heat of passion; beats his daughter for falling in love with a peasant boy; but mellows out in his old age.
Need I say more?
I think I had better. Jeremy Irons plays the role of the sadistic pioneering plantation owner, who unfortunately doesn't age fast enough. Meryl Streep, arguably the best character actress of her generation, is laughable as a sixteen year old girl, but swings into class acting mode after adolescence. Glen Close plays the elderly spinster sister to a teen - hey she is a spinster! Isn't she? Winona Ryder carries that wide-eyed innocent sweetness that we have come to know and love. Antonio Banderas at this point in time was probably still learning English as his third or fourth language. He speaks the words but what do they mean?
Comment: Clearly the 'House of the Damned'.
House of Spirit Feel Scale: 0% *UNMARKED GRAVE* / coffin / crypt 100%
Timothy Voon e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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