Othello: The Tragedy of the Moor (2008)
I'm currently watching this CBC movie, as it's airing. First commercial break, and here are some opinions:
1. Some of the actors cannot get their mouths around the language, and it makes for entirely wooden acting. Upon remarking that I haven't read this since probably Grade 12, I saw a bit of acting from the soldiers that looked like it WAS from Grade 12. The costume design is muddled, and looks to be borrowed from the Stratford costume shop: a little from this era, a little from that. Mostly, it's just meh, but for a few standouts.
Othello (Carlo Rota, who is known for his work in Little Mosque on the Prairie) is good. Really good. Too good for this, really. He's genuine and likeable, and the emotions play across his face so easily, that he can quickly turn from the loving, doting husband to the military general with the temper. Iago (Matthew Deslippe) is very slimy and manipulative, as he should be. He is bawdy and brash, and quiet and cunning, and full of rage. Graham Abbey, the mainstay of the mainstage at Stratford, plays Cassio. Nothing really new from Mr. Abbey, but he's been doing this professionally for ten years plus. Christine Horne, right now, is not outstanding as Desdemona, but she is sincere.
The one thing that they are leaning on is the machinations of Iago, as they do tend to drive the action of the play. They amp up the affectation of the use of "honest" a lot, and the camera tends to linger on Iago when that word is said, since he has such an "honest" face. Deslippe plays it so well, but doesn't mug to the camera, which is a credit to him. While the supporting cast is weak, the leads are strong; it still doesn't balance thoroughly. The direction isn't very subtle, but then it can't be for most audiences. They need to be very blunt with the voiceover of Desdemona's father, repeating her deception of him. Then there's the visions Othello keeps seeing, of his wife and Cassio going at it in his bed, which are visibly driving him mad. Though, so soon he's TOO crazy. Only for Rota's ability to do it, would it be far too over the top.
Wow, Iago's got the mouth on him. I had forgotten that, or maybe back then I couldn't get all the bawdy references. And hey, the references to men in the barracks being very cozy in close quarters.
This review has gone by the wayside. There's a storm outside, and the TV keeps getting fuzzy. I should get off the internet.
1. Some of the actors cannot get their mouths around the language, and it makes for entirely wooden acting. Upon remarking that I haven't read this since probably Grade 12, I saw a bit of acting from the soldiers that looked like it WAS from Grade 12. The costume design is muddled, and looks to be borrowed from the Stratford costume shop: a little from this era, a little from that. Mostly, it's just meh, but for a few standouts.
Othello (Carlo Rota, who is known for his work in Little Mosque on the Prairie) is good. Really good. Too good for this, really. He's genuine and likeable, and the emotions play across his face so easily, that he can quickly turn from the loving, doting husband to the military general with the temper. Iago (Matthew Deslippe) is very slimy and manipulative, as he should be. He is bawdy and brash, and quiet and cunning, and full of rage. Graham Abbey, the mainstay of the mainstage at Stratford, plays Cassio. Nothing really new from Mr. Abbey, but he's been doing this professionally for ten years plus. Christine Horne, right now, is not outstanding as Desdemona, but she is sincere.
The one thing that they are leaning on is the machinations of Iago, as they do tend to drive the action of the play. They amp up the affectation of the use of "honest" a lot, and the camera tends to linger on Iago when that word is said, since he has such an "honest" face. Deslippe plays it so well, but doesn't mug to the camera, which is a credit to him. While the supporting cast is weak, the leads are strong; it still doesn't balance thoroughly. The direction isn't very subtle, but then it can't be for most audiences. They need to be very blunt with the voiceover of Desdemona's father, repeating her deception of him. Then there's the visions Othello keeps seeing, of his wife and Cassio going at it in his bed, which are visibly driving him mad. Though, so soon he's TOO crazy. Only for Rota's ability to do it, would it be far too over the top.
Wow, Iago's got the mouth on him. I had forgotten that, or maybe back then I couldn't get all the bawdy references. And hey, the references to men in the barracks being very cozy in close quarters.
This review has gone by the wayside. There's a storm outside, and the TV keeps getting fuzzy. I should get off the internet.