DORIAN GRAY
November 20th 2009 04:39
THIS year marks the 155th anniversary of the birth of Oscar Wilde, and it’s a powerful testament to the man that his work still stands up today. This latest retelling of the Irish author’s 1890 novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, will no doubt introduce a new generation to Wilde, which can only be a good thing.
The 19th movie version of the classic gothic horror story stars newcomer Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) as Dorian, a naive young man who moves to London after inheriting a fortune. He quickly makes friends with a respected society artist (Ben Chaplin), who asks if he can paint his portrait. Dorian agrees, and in the meanwhile he encounters the decadent Lord Henry Wotton (Colin Firth), who introduces him to the hedonistic pleasures of the city and encourages him to live for the moment. After admiring the finished portrait, Dorian says he would do anything to ensure the picture ages instead of himself – even sell his soul. He gets his wish, and the portrait begins to rot in proportion to the depraved things that he does.
While Barnes is slightly wooden as Dorian, Firth is excellent as the caddish Lord Henry, and the extravagant period production is worthy of the material.
The 19th movie version of the classic gothic horror story stars newcomer Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) as Dorian, a naive young man who moves to London after inheriting a fortune. He quickly makes friends with a respected society artist (Ben Chaplin), who asks if he can paint his portrait. Dorian agrees, and in the meanwhile he encounters the decadent Lord Henry Wotton (Colin Firth), who introduces him to the hedonistic pleasures of the city and encourages him to live for the moment. After admiring the finished portrait, Dorian says he would do anything to ensure the picture ages instead of himself – even sell his soul. He gets his wish, and the portrait begins to rot in proportion to the depraved things that he does.
While Barnes is slightly wooden as Dorian, Firth is excellent as the caddish Lord Henry, and the extravagant period production is worthy of the material.
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