The Magic Flute (2006)

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writers:

Emanuel Schikaneder (libretto)
Kenneth Branagh (adapted for the screen by)

Release Date:

13 December 2006 (France)

Genre:

Music

Plot:

A prince and his companion battle evil forces to rescue a princess. |

Plot Keywords:

Opera

Cast

Joseph Kaiser	...	Tamino
Amy Carson	...	Pamina
René Pape	...	Sarastro
Lyubov Petrova	...	Queen of the Night
Benjamin Jay Davis	...	Papageno
Silvia Moi	...	Papagena
Tom Randle	...	Monostatos
Ben Uttley	...	Priest
Teuta Koço	...	First Lady
Louise Callinan	...	Second Lady
Kim-Marie Woodhouse	...	Third Lady
Rodney Clarke	...	First Officer
Charne Rochford	...	Second Officer
Peter Wedd	...	First Armed Man
Keel Watson	...	Second Armed Man

Also Known As:

Flûte enchantée, La (France)

Runtime:

135 min

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Finland:K-7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Norway:7 | Ireland:PG

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Idéale Audience

Trivia:

The 'singing sandbags' in the rainy trench are digitised impositions of the faces of the two Armed Men, Keel Watson and Peter Wedd.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Magic Flute (1986) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Magic Flute

Too many tricks, Mr. Branagh.

Ingmar Bergman had the right idea -- present 'The Magic Flute' as a filmed stage presentation, complete with audience, intermission and a certain amount of behind-the-scenes byplay. Branagh's version suffers from being a straight movie, more-or-less realistically filmed, though with an overabundance of Art Direction and Set Design, and cheap CGI for the magical effects. The stage gives the distance that allows enchantment, the film's realism negates that. The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life. Would it have been better if the budget had been bigger? Possibly, but maybe not. The story is sweet, but, in fact, rather silly - Schickaneder was, after all, not Goethe. In the post-'Lord of the Rings' era we expect our heroes to undergo rather tougher trials in pursuit of the Magic Dingus, and we expect our villains to be more effectual. Dramatic conflict is on the low side of gripping. That said, the movie was generally pretty to look at, the singers were good-looking and svelte, their acting was pretty decent, ***** the MUSIC WAS GLORIOUS *****, and they sang it well. I sat the whole time with a smile on my face, my soul vibrating along with the singers' vocal cords. Somebody, I hope, will tell Kenneth Branagh that the circling-camera trick is corny. And tell Mr. Frye that double (feminine) rhymes, though all right in an inflected language like German, sound goofy in English.