The Name of the Rose (1986)

The Name Of The Rose

I have been looking for this movie for 2 or more years. I have seen them on VHS but wanted it on DVD. It is an excellent movie that you want to watch over and over. There is a good love scene in the movie and is very unexpected to an unsuspecting subject. The plot has twist and turns in it and that is what makes it a movie you want to see several times. This movie has all the elements, greed, lust, deceit, politics, and oh yes more than several deaths. Was it murder, if so, who did it? Each time I watch the movie I see something that I missed which helps to fill in the blanks and makes it a wonderful evening of entertainment. September 30, 2008

Simply, Superb !

This is a remarkable film. No more words for a classic of all times. Great actors, great mystery film, great music. September 13, 2008

Why do all the monks look so weird?

After arriving at an abbey in which one of the monks has recently died under mysterious circumstances, former Inquisitor, Br. William of Baskerville (Sean Connery), proceeds to solve the mystery of this death and the subsequent deaths of a number of other monks, with the assistance of his young novice, Adso (Christian Slater).

Over the past 10 years, I have read "The Name of the Rose" twice (I consider it to be among my top 10 books of all time) and seen the movie twice. The first time I saw the movie, I was disappointed by it, as it pales by comparison to the novel, but watching the film a second time, some years after my last reading of the book, it doesn't seem like such a bad movie after all. Whether in book form, or as a movie, "The Name of the Rose" is a really great story. It's a great mystery, but even if you already know who the killer is, this tale of greed, corruption, lust, and murder in a medieval monastery has all the makings of a top class thriller. The mystery elements simply serve to add structure to events that are already fascinating in their own right.

Sean Connery is perfectly cast as William of Baskerville, a character clearly modelled on Sherlock Holmes, as his name (a homage to "Hound of the Baskervilles") suggests and Christian Slater, in a very early film role, isn't bad, although I, personally, think he is at his best when he is playing slightly deranged characters, such as in "Heathers", which Adso is definitely not.

The main things I have against this film, are, firstly, that the film writers changed the ending of the book (although the killer remains the same, other aspects of the book's ending are changed to make it more convenient and "audience friendly", which ruined it for me), and secondly, all of the monks in the abbey are weird looking. I really can't figure out what possessed the makers of this film to make every monk in the abbey look like a freak, but I find that it detracts from the film. I am guessing that it is the filmmakers' way of saying that all of the monks are in some way corrupt and that that corruption is manifesting itself in their appearances (sort of like comic-book villains), but this is such a heavy-handed thing to do and seems out of place in an otherwise well-made movie.
July 21, 2008

sublime

The finest piece of literature (Umberto Eco's eponymous book) gave birth to one of the best thrillers ever directed.

Sean Connery's performance confirms why he is such an astounding actor. Christian Slater in, I believe, his first role shines here.

But most importantly, the cinematography and set are sublime (and trust me, I am not biased because I personally knew Tonino Delli Colli), it is truly sublime.
June 5, 2008

Medieval Murder among the Monks

The Name of the Rose, based on the novel by Umberto Eco, is a dark historical drama set during The Inquisition. Full of suspenseful atmosphere and medieval hardship, this moody film brings to life the brutality of the time. The feel, cinematography, dialogue, and soundtrack all provide the audience a unique view of the Middle Ages. A murder has happened among the monks, and William of Baskerville called on to solve the mystery. William and his young novice make an excellent investigative team for this world of the Inquisition and it's suppression of knowledge.

This rather quiet, quirky little film features the talents of Sean Connery as William, a very young Christian Slater as the novice, and F. Murray Abraham as Bernardo Gui. Additionally, there are a number of recognizable character actors in the supporting cast. The murder mystery whodunit plot develops at a slow, leisurely pace, continually building the intrigue through to the end.

Overall, The Name of the Rose is absorbing film which I found surprisingly interesting. I recommend it for fans of Sean Connery, Medieval history, murder mysteries, or period drama. It is just the thing for a quiet yet unusual evening at home.
May 26, 2008

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