The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a serial killer - featuring John Malkovich; Laura Aikin; Aleksandra Zamojska; Orchestra Weiner Akademie (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)The 2009 play "The Infernal Comedy" - confessions of a serial killer by Austrian dramatist Michael Sturminger is a "comedy" only in the most dark and ironic sense. Based on the true events surrounding the conviction, release and recapture of Jack Unterweger, this is a strangely compelling vision. John Malkovich created the role and is, essentially, talking to his audience as if they are witnessing a lecture and book signing from the "Vienna Woods Killer", back from the dead. The drama and vision are made more complete and surreal by having a Baroque orchestra accompany two sopranos as a form of commentary throughout the monologue. The arias are chosen carefully for their depiction of various operatic women in abused, subjugated, disadvantaged and mistreated roles. The two sopranos, Laura Aikan and Aleksandra Zamojska, perform wonderfully and also serve to act as if they are but two of Unterweger's many victims. In real life, Unterweger had written a book, gone on tour, exhibiting the same charm that no doubt gave him access to women, all while still executing an additional nine women, only to commit suicide while awaiting trial in prison. The irony and the palpable "deadly charm" that Jack Unterweger probably possessed are carried off brilliantly by Malkovich, who excels at portraying unusual characters in intense ways. The opera extracts and the performances by the sopranos - musically and dramatically - actually highten the mood and make one want to learn more about this strange case. The orchestra, playing period instruments conducted by Martin Haselbock plays wonderfully and this play/opera/commentary makes a fascinating addition to anyone's collection. The "comedy" is present, especially in some of Jack's almost "throw away" dialogue (like his disgust with the laptop computer provided him) but ultimately the realization that this man was real and notorious and scarily unique make the comedy less funny and more - infernal.

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'The Infernal Comedy' is a stage-play for a Baroque-Orchestra, twoSopranos and one actor. It is based on the real-life story of JackUnterweger, a convicted murderer, acclaimed imprisoned poet, pardonedand celebrated author and journalist, notorious womanizer,and prime example of reintegration, who gradually was suspected ofkilling a growing number of prostitutes in Vienna, Graz,Prague and Los Angeles, later vanished from Vienna, fled into theU.S, got arrested in Miami, transferred to Austria, accused and finallycommitted suicide after being convicted of homicide in eleven cases.'If you wear this name, women will love you or hate you - call you a liar or pervert - but they will never leave you alone.'BONUS: inside THE INFERNAL COMEDYThe deceitful criminal history of Jack Unterweger, the prisoner convicted of killing a woman who subsequently became aliterary sensation and was considered to be a model of rehabilitation, is the true source and subject of the musical theatrepiece for Baroque orchestra, two sopranos and an actor. This role is perfectly impersonated by John Malkovich. Observationsat the rehearsals for this unusual and genre-leaping theatre evening are interwoven with historic background information.

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Death of a Salesman & Private Conversations (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was glad to find this DVD just shortly after reading the play. While I enjoyed reading it very much, I found the play to be very confusing. Just from the text alone it was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. Seeing the film version of this triumphant play really helped a lot. "Death of a Salesman" is a sad and tragic drama that emotionally involves you from start to finish.
Willy Loman is a tired and heart-broken salesman who no longer lives in the world of reality. Instead, he is trapped in his world of delusions. Each day that passes by seems to be worse and worse for Willy. He spends way too much of his time in the past when he needs to be focusing on the future. His wife and two sons have no idea what they should do for him as they know that he is heading towards disaster in this unforgettable drama.
Like I said, to actually see this really made me appreciate the play more than just reading it from the text. It can get confusing when you only have the words, but when you see it performed it all comes together and make sense. The acting is terrific. Dustin Hoffman really does an outstanding job of playing Willy Loman. Not only does he just "act" the part out, he "becomes" Loman. I admit that I had my doubts at first, because I didn't see him playing the part. My doubts quickly fled from my mind after the first 10 minutes or so. Everybody else is also terrific as well. (Wow, look how young John Malkovitch looks!) I think the movie does a fine job doing Arthur Miller's play justice.
The DVD is pretty neat as well. The picture quality is good, considering the fact that it is an old movie. The DVD also includes a feature length documentary behind the movie, which is really entertaining, and a still gallery. While it may seem like this DVD doesn't have a lot to offer, the documentary really makes it worth-while.
"Death of a Salesman" is a powerhouse drama that hooks you from start to finish. Reading it is one thing, but to actually see it makes it much more enjoyable. If you just read the play from the text it can be pretty confusing at points. If you're looking for a great dramatic movie with great acting and writing, then this is something you should really think about checking out.

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The Libertine (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you go into THE LIBERTINE envisioning Johnny Depp in his previous role as Captain Jack Sparrow or Willy Wonka, forget it. You won't find a similar persona here.
THE LIBERTINE is a dark film that the studio wisely decided to release only after the Christmas holiday season. In it, Depp plays John Wilmot, the second Earl of Rochester (b. 1647 - d. 1680), whose life of debauchery was a public scandal even in a society that tolerated the loose morality of King Charles II and his court. Ironically, as the film makes a point of depicting, Charles (John Malkovich) reluctantly, but regularly, banished Rochester from the royal presence for the liberties the latter took in lampooning the former's free-wheeling lifestyle.
THE LIBERTINE is a depressing affair mainly because there's nobody in it to like. Moreover, neither Wilmot nor the viewers' sensitivities are spared the ravages of tertiary syphilis, the disease that ultimately kills the Earl; the film is a great argument for the advent of penicillin. Only Rosamund Pike as Rochester's long-suffering wife may gain audience sympathy. Elizabeth Barry (Samantha Morton), the struggling actress whose career Rochester takes upon himself to further, apparently for uncharacteristically altruistic reasons, matter-of-factly accepts his help but remained unengaging to this viewer. The gloom is enhanced by a cinematography accomplished in somber, washed-out tones, particularly brown and dark green, with lots of shadows and murky candle light. Even the daylight is muted, as if in winter.
Now having said why THE LIBERTINE isn't light and airy, I have to also say that it's a powerful display of Depp's superlative talent. If the film wasn't so bleak, I'd expect a stampede to nominate Johnny for an Oscar. Rochester's two monologues for the camera, at the beginning and the end, the latter as his face recedes into darkness, are but hints of the excellence in between.
At one point in the movie, Rochester says (if I remember correctly): "Life isn't a sequence of 'urgent nows', but a listless trickle of 'why should I?s'." The tragedy for Rochester is that, at least in this screenplay, answers to the latter are piteously few. However, your answer to the question when contemplating seeing the movie should be: "Because Johnny Depp is as good as you'll ever seem him."

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Oscar® nominee* Johnny Depp delivers "a tour de force performance" (Baz Bamigboye, The Daily Mail) in the "seductively entertaining" (Jan Stuart, Newsday) The Libertine.As the celebrated writer and bad boy John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, Depp brings to life a decadent 17th century London.There, Wilmot falls passionately in love with his aspiring actress muse (Oscar® nominee Samantha Morton**), but is cast from the heights of privileged society when he scandalizes King Charles II (Oscar® nominee John Malkovich***) with a shockingly audacious play.At the depths of ruin, the rebel seeks redemption on his own terms."Johnny Depp is brilliant," raves Cosmopolitan, while Peter Travers of Rolling Stone calls The Libertine a "one-of-a-kind spellbinder."

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