Review of Prospero's Books (1991) by Temple C — 21 Aug 2007

I first saw this movie several years ago when I was a sophmore in high school. I didn't like it at first; I found the scene where Prospero summons the tempest tedious. And later, when all the nudity began I was mortified (I was watching it with my family and it was just about the first R rated movie I'd ever seen). But then you forget about the nudity because everyone's nude, even those who wear clothes only do so for ornamentation. It all seems natural.

As the movie continued I slowly fell in love with it. The intoxicating music, the imagery. "How lush and lusty the grass looks." and it does. I felt transported to the isle and I felt real regret when Prospero threw away his books at the end.

I can't convey how entranced this movie made me and yet with such a simple joyful plot (which isn't at all hard to get I don't understand what the other reviewers are talking about). I've watched it more times than any other movie except maybe the Wizard of Oz and Return to Oz as a kid. And when I'm not watching it I'm listening to the soundtrack.