The Magic Flute (2006)

10 out of 11 people found the following review helpful:

*** May contain spoilers ***

The Magic Flute

A Customer from Lytham St. Annes, 15th April, 2008

My wife is a 'highbrow ' loving classical music and opera and that, is why I ordered this film, but after 20 minutes she turned the film off as it was not to her liking. She also plays the flute and I was very surprised that she felt this way about this film.

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2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Customer Review

A Customer from UK, 23rd June, 2008

Why only 4 stars.

The truth is that we enjoyed the DVD of the Magic Flute filmed at the Drottningholm theatre in Sweden more. Title: Die Zauberflote - Mozart [1989]'

This is a movie, with lots of CGI and special effects, camera angles etc. etc.

In general the cinematic work detracts or distracts from the essential basis: the opera as written. Just placing a camera in front of the stage at Drottningholm was more effective - you can concentrate on the opera itself.

In some places it is obvious that the singing was not recorded at the same time as the action (not because the lips don't sync - but because the ambience is not right).

The libretto is reworked by Stephen Fry in English, but on a DVD it would have worked just as well (if not better) to have it sung in German and allow the viewer to use subtitles.

The idea of the WW1 background works.

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2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Visual treat

A Customer from Isle of Wight, England, 15th May, 2008

Found this a wonderful and dramatic interpretation of the opera. Only problem was with not being able to hear the words sung clearly enough, particualrly by the ladies - there are no subtitles to fall back on which is a shame as this would have enhaced the film for me. If you enjoy Mozart but are prepared to break with traditional representations, then this film is worth watching.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

magic flute

baron from from London, 26th May, 2008

who is the film for? if you know and love the opera the convolutions of setting it in the trenches are embarrassing and laughable. if you are new to the opera you will be alienated for ever. branagh is on a pointless ego trip. why one star? because the singing and acting are pretty good especially the lovers amy carson and her beau. overall, very disappointing.

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I loved

Quickfire from from Sherborne, 10th August, 2008

I was alone on this one, but i loved it all the same.

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Not so Magical

Robert Macrowan from Brighton - England, 25th July, 2008

I have always believed that opera does not transfer to film very well and sadly this was no exception. It was however an interesting adaptation which may have been better in its original German with English sub titles

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NOT GOOD

A Customer from ROGERSTONE, 20th July, 2008

I'M NOT AN OPERA FAN & DIDN'T REALISE THIS WAS ONE WHEN I RENTED IT! WE TURNED IT OFF AFTER 10 MINS.

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*** May contain spoilers ***

The Magic Flute

wayang from from Poole, 20th July, 2008

The playing and singing are indeed magical in the service of Moazart's sublime music. I find Schikaneder's story confusing but this does not seem to matter much here as the jolly production flows smoothly, without any longuers. The principals are good actors as well as superb voices, a rare combination in opera (in my admittedly limited experience). Steven Fry's translation is deft. I thought it was a mistake to chose a Papageno and a Tamino who looked so much alike but what prevents me from allocating 5 starts is the gimmicky WWI backgound that director Kenneth Branagh has chosen, including his unsubtle representation of the serpent that should appear at the beginning as the zig-zag of trenches. The explosions that frequently burst into the music are an infuriating distraction.

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