A lifetime sentence of perfidious men, in short successive bursts

Prospero's Books
Peter Greenaway
An adaptation of The Tempest by Shakespeare


Peter Greenaway is an artist. He turns films into more than a film.

Prospero's perfidious brother, Antonio, casts Prospero and his daughter Miranda to their death. But they survive and live on an island. Here Prospero learns his magic and uses it to protect his daughter by controlling the monster man, Caliban and Ariel, a magical spirit.




Epilogue

Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own,
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell;
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands:
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free .

Peter Greenaway is so visual to be far away from any ordinary film. But the story rings loud and clear. There is the flavour of The Cook, The Thief, His wife and her Lover.
Superb! And not mainstream.