Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Brand: WELLSPRING/GENIUS EAN: 0796019794060 Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Weinstein Company Manufacturer: Weinstein Company Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Weinstein Company Region Code: 1 Release Date: July 04, 2006 Running Time: 114 minutes Sales Rank: 10945 Studio: Weinstein Company Theatrical Release Date: March 10, 2006
Description: 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.'
Amazon.com: The beautifully sculpted face of Johnny Depp fits right in with this masterpiece of design. The Libertine--filmed in a grainy, color-muted chiaroscuro--captures the lush costumes, extravagant decor, and remarkable filth of Restoration England. John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester (Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean, Ed Wood), warns the audience at the very beginning of the film that they will not like him. From there, he treats his wife cruelly, drinks to relentless excess, abuses his friendships, and generally wallows in dissipation, much to the dismay of King Charles II (John Malkovich, Dangerous Liaisons), who hopes that Rochester will write a play glorifying his reign. But Rochester finds his true inspiration (and the movie comes to life) when he sees a young actress named Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton, Minority Report, Morvern Callar). Rochester sets out to make her the greatest actress of their time--and she, with some reluctance, submits to his teaching. The weakness of The Libertine is not that Rochester is unlikable; it's that he doesn't want to do anything. Barry galvanizes the movie because she burns with ambition, but Rochester's only apparent aim in life is an agonizingly slow self-destruction. Still, The Libertine has lurid Saturnalian visions, Morton is superb, Malkovich gives a typically insidious turn, and Depp, as always, finds moments of sad poetry in the bitterest of speeches. --Bret Fetzer
Digital Life Reviews
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Impressive piece of bawdy tragedy
This is a very entertaining film with great acting. The story is slightly OTT but has some great moments in it, especially between Johnny Depp (a great performance from him) and either John Malkovitch or Samantha Morton, who are also outstanding.
This story draws you in & in places repels, but it's very entertaining and pretty dark. Recommended.
Rating: - No, I don't like you.
This is a beautiful, depressing miasma of a movie, with gorgeous sets and emotionally wrenching performances. Between the literal and metaphorical mud, the venereal rotting away of body and society, and the absolute amorality of the earl of Rochester, the film offers an unflinching look at corruption. There's something gleeful and wonderful in it under all the decay. My only point is that you should know this about the movie when you sit down to watch it. I guess it's a tribute to Depp's talent as an actor that I can watch his work and enjoy it when he plays characters I can only like in spite of themselves.
Rating: - Depp best performance
Although this movie is only for adults, it is Johnny Depp's best acting role. His performance shows his range in acting from comedy to drama. He has absorbed the person of John Wilmot and when the movie is over you feel as if you knew the man. A great work overlooked for an Oscar and one day will be a must have for all Depp collections and admirers.
Rating: - For once the deleted scenes were needed!
Usually the deleted scenes featured on DVD show just why they were deleted. But in this case, it would have made the movie make sense. I have the feeling that the director had spent so much money creating the scenery and outlandish props for the scandalous play that he chose to cut the WRONG corners. He or the editors damaged a film that could have been outstanding. For example, you wouldn't even know that Wilmot had children unless you watched the outtakes. And you wouldn't know why he was consumed with guilt or what possibly contributed to his liscentiousness. And, not knowing these things, as you watch it you just don't understand the sudden...oh, well, I don't want to spoil the gruesome ending. This is one movie that needs to be re-cut. Because as bleak as it is, there are wonderful, thought provoking performances that stayed with me long after it was finally over.
Digital
Life Shop
Laurence Dunmore items subject to availability. Some restrictions
may apply. DVD
The Libertine presented by digi2005.com Digi2005.com is
an Amazon.com
Associate
Digital Life Music News:
This iPod Shuffle Has Been Dipped in Gooooooooooooold
MobileMag - A company called Xexoo has decided to take the cheapest iPod available, only to multiply its price more than 100-fold by ... BMW to Develop Own Microcar Based on MINI Cooper - posted on Thursday July 19, 2007 9:44 AM CDT Apple iPhone Nano. September ...
more News
- Impressive piece of bawdy tragedy
- Depp best performance 
