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downloads > A TV Dante - Cantos 1-8 (Greenaway) £5.99
synopsis
Prix Italia Special Prize
Winner, Festival International du Nouveau Cinema et de la Video Finalist Award, New York International Film & TV Festival A TV DANTE In 1991, Peter Greenaway won the Prix Italia for Cantos I-VIII of A TV Dante, his ambitious project to produce a video version Dante’s Inferno. This literary masterpiece has proved an irresistible challenge to artists from Botticelli via William Blake to Rauschenberg – now it meets state-of-the-art technology. Greenaway was first inspired by artist Tom Phillips’ illustrated translation of the work and conceived the idea of creating a series of eleven-minute videos illustrating each of the thirty-four Cantos. He collaborated with Phillips on the first eight programmes, using all the resources available to the electronic media, and the press was unanimous in welcoming their bold new approach to the art of television when they were transmitted on Channel Four in 1990: “That rare and beautiful thing, an attempt to do something new with the medium.” (The Observer) CANTOS 1 - 8 By Peter Greenaway and Tom Phillips Peter Greenaway gained international recognition for his screenplay and direction of The Draughtsman's Contract. He has long been established as one of Britain's most innovative film makers, with features such as A Zed and Two Noughts and The Belly of an Architect and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. His film, Drowning by Numbers, won the prize for Best Artistic Contribution at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. Prospero's Books, released in the UK in 1991, won wide critical acclaim. It was his association with the late Sir John Gielgud in the making of A TV Dante which led to Sir John starring in this film, Greenaway's version of The Tempest It was the artist Tom Phillips’ published translation of the work, which he illustrated with 139 of his own images, that inspired Peter Greenaway to embark on a collaboration with him to create an ambitious video equivalent of his work, using all the resources currently available to the electronic media – the first comprehensive treatment of the text in moving images. The first eight cantos, produced by Greenaway and Phillips, are not conventionally dramatised, rather they are illuminated with layered and juxtaposed imagery that comments, counterpoints and elucidates. Visual footnotes, which explain the many references, symbols and allusions in Dante’s work and are delivered by appropriate authorities, are an integral part of the videos and sometimes perform the function of commentary as well as that of illustration. Narration of the text (in Phillips’ translation) is delivered by Sir John Gielgud as Virgil, Bob Peck as Dante and Joanne Whalley-Kilmer as Beatrice. Greenaway’s and Phillips’ concept has been described as creating “a thinking person’s pop video”. The multi-layered images conjure up a contemporary vision of Dante’s Hell – a vast bureaucracy, conceived in the light of two world wars and today’s newspaper headlines. They achieve a startling and unique contemporary relevance as well as exploring Dante’s text. Tom Phillips is a painter of international reputation, whose work is represented in most European museums and widely in the USA. He is a member of the Royal Academy but is perhaps best known for his work in the field of the artist’s book through such pioneering examples of visual poetry as A Humument. He has had some success also as a composer (his opera Irma has been frequently produced and twice recorded) and is a highly regarded writer on art. His massive illustrated version of Dante’s Inferno was the subject of critical acclaim. Press Comments on Cantos 1 - 8: “Entirely gripping, literally without a dull moment or a wasted scrap of the screen, it was enough to upset the orthodoxy that the only way to present poetry on television is to read it out and show the word.” The Listener “...a thinking person’s pop video which mixes news footage, talking heads and fictional drama in a mind-blowing torrent of images and sound.” The Times “This sampler is a dazzling and inventive piece of video image-making...Phillips and Greenaway gave us the most eye-stitching use of television we've had for days.” The Guardian “Computer graphics and the video maker’s box of tricks realised Dante’s imagery in a way which was neither too far-fetched nor simple-minded... Roll on the next 33 cantos, please.” Daily Telegraph “Nothing quite like it has been seen on television before. The extraordinary, multi-layered images on the screen are not so much state-of-the-art video but the state after that.” The Times Saturday Review “That rare and beautiful thing, an attempt to do something new with the medium.” The Observer “...a freshness and excitement which will make TV professionals sit up... a slice of TV history in the making” Daily Mail “No television programme has gone out of its way to exercise the eyes quite so much as A TV Dante.” The Independent CANTO I: Dante, having lost his way in a gloomy forest, and being hindered by certain wild beasts from ascending a mountain, is met by Virgil who promises to show him the punishments of Hell, and afterwards of Purgatory; following which, he shall then be conducted by Beatrice into Paradise. He follows the Roman poet. CANTO II: After the invocation which poets use to preface their works, Dante shows that on consideration of his own strength he doubted whether it sufficed for the journey proposed to him, but that, being comforted by Virgil, he at last took courage and followed him as his guide and master. CANTO III: Dante, following Virgil, comes to the gate of Hell; where, having read the dreadful words that are written thereon, they both enter. Here, as he understands from Virgil, those were punished who had passed their time (for living it could not be called) in a state of apathy and indifference both to good and evil. Then, pursuing their way, they arrive at the river of Acheron; and there find the old ferryman Charon, who takes the spirits over to the opposite shore; as soon as they land, Dante is seized with terror, and falls into a trance. CANTO IV: The poet, being roused by a clap of thunder, and following his guide onwards, descends into Limbo, which is the first circle of Hell, where he finds the souls of those who, although they lived virtuously and have not to suffer for great sins, nevertheless, through lack of baptism, do not merit the bliss of Paradise. Hence he is led on by Virgil to descend into the second circle. CANTO V: Coming into the second circle of Hell, Dante at the entrance beholds Minos, the Infernal Judge, by whom he is admonished to beware how he enters those regions. Here he witnesses the punishment of carnal sinners, who are tossed about ceaselessly in the dark air by the most furious winds. Amongst these, he meets with Francesca di Rimini, through pity of whose sad tale he falls fainting to the ground. CANTO VI: On his recovery, the poet finds himself in the third circle, where the gluttonous are punished. Their punishment is to lie in the mire, under a continual and heavy storm of hail, snow and discoloured water, with Cerebus barking over them with his threefold throat and rending them piecemeal. One of these, who on Earth was named Ciacco, foretells the divisions with which Florence is about to be distracted. Dante proposes a question to his guide, who solves it; and they proceed towards the fourth circle. CANTO VII: Dante describes his descent into the fourth circle, at the beginning of which he sees Plutus stationed. Here both the prodigal and the avaricious meet the same doom which is to meet in dire conflict, rolling great weights against each other with mutual upbraidings. From hence Virgil takes occasion to show how vain the goods that are committed into the the charge of Fortune, and this prompts Dante to enquire what manner of being Fortune is. Virgil resolves the question and they descend into the fifth circle, where they find the wrathful and gloomy tormented in the Stygian lake. Having walked around the lake, they come at last to the base of a lofty tower. CANTO VIII: A signal having been made from the tower, Phlegyas, the ferryman of the lake, speedily crosses it and conveys Virgil and Dante to the other side. On their passage, they meet with Filippo Argenti, whose fury and torment are described. They then arrive at the city of Dis, the entrance whereto is denied, and the portals closed against them by many demons. download information
Cast: Sir John Gielgud, Bob Peck and Joanne Whalley-Kilmer Customer Reviewspeople who bought this product also bought...
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