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There is no other film on the subject of art that is better than this one in my idea. Irving Stone’s best-seller was a huge read, but in this case the film is better than the book. It centers on the creation of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and the contentious but invigorating relationship between Michelangelo and Pope Julius II; one drove the other “to complete his work”, and even their verbal battles were productive. It is about the courage of putting one’s vision into reality, the hard work, and the faith in one’s self and in God.
The script by Irving Stone and Philip Dunne is fabulous; the words swagger like sweet wine and there is not a single unnecessary scene, or rarely one that is not meaningful. The direction by Carol Reed is meticulous, the cinematography by Leon Shamroy a marvel, and the secure by Alex North adds remarkable to the film. The costuming and sets are lavish for the papal quarters and the Medici household, and give one a sense of 16th century Rome, and the depictions of the fresco painting technique is racy and educational.
Charlton Heston, gaunt and bearded, is sparkling as Michelangelo, as is Rex Harrison as the warrior pope. The interactions of these two actors is riveting, and the dialogue between them worth hearing repeatedly. Others of mark in the cast include Diane Cilento as the Contessina de Medici, Harry Andrews as Bramante, and Tomas Milian as Raphael (the most noted papal portrait I know of is by Raphael, of Pope Julian II) .
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Though Stone’s book and script seize powerful artistic license, there is also a genuine deal of accuracy. This period of 16th century Italy was one of the most bewitching in all world history, and Pope Julius II was not only one of its greatest art patrons, but also an unbelievable man.
This is a film that moves me to tears with its beauty, and brightens my mind with its words. If you are fervent in the artistic process, don’t miss this beautiful film.
The film includes a Prologue, a mini-documentary of modern-day Rome and Florence, which traces Michelangelo’s life, from his birth in Tuscany in 1475, showing his many wondrous works, including an early sculpture he did at the age of 15, through his death in 1564. Total running time is 139 minutes.
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I’ll leave the artistic merits of this movie for others to argue over. Suffice it to say that it moves at a unhurried breeze, and that the two main actors (Heston and Harrison) choose turns mugging, gnashing their teeth and chewing the comely scenery. However, since Amazon’s product listing doesn’t list the technical specs, here they are:
This DVD release of THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY was made from the unusual 65mm Todd-AO negative, digitally restored. Aspect ratio is suitable at 2.20:1, anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs. The colors are deeply saturated, and the portray looks quite piquant, with runt grain on my high-end Sony HDTV CRT.
Buy,Download, Or Stream The Agony and the Ecstasy! Click Here
Buy,Download, Or Stream The Agony and the Ecstasy! Click Here
The available soundtracks (all Dolby Digital) are 1.0 mono English, 2.0 stereo English, 1.0 mono French and 1.0 mono Spanish. (Contrary to what another reviewer here says, there is NO 5.1 surround soundtrack — a sorry deficiency for a film originally released in 6-track.) IMPORTANT: On my copy of the disc, the DEFAULT soundtrack is the 1.0 mono English. There is no separate menu for selecting the audio you want, so you must press the AUDIO button on your DVD remote ONCE to acquire the 2.0 stereo English soundtrack. You’d consider Fox would want people to hear the stereo track by default!
The superior news is that the 2.0 stereo track is very trim, with the unusual 5-channel conceal spread and directional dialogue faithfully preserved. It’s not as bulky and crisp as a new soundtrack, but remember that this was recorded forty years ago. If you listen with headphones, it’s easy to hear how powerful of the dialog was re-recorded on a dubbing stage. In a few intimate scenes, though, the whirring of the camera is faintly audible.
Alex North’s catch has some nifty stereo effects, even if the title theme is disturbingly reminiscent of Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra.
The disc includes the complete roadshow presentation: modern-day introduction (with ravishing aerial photography and closeups of Michelangelo masterpieces), intermission music, entr’acte music and exit music. There is also a demonstration of the 65mm restoration process, and some trailers of other Fox epics from the 50s and 60s, including THE ROBE and THE BIBLE. (None of these extras are mentioned anywhere on the packaging.)
If you’re hoping to delight in the grandeur of the 60s widescreen epics, this disc will not disappoint.