Review of The Name of the Rose (1986) by Debbie W — 14 Apr 2009

An ominous thriller set in a 14th Century Abbey. Really loved the atmospheric quality of it, and the setting for the monastery was awesomely creepy. I could really feel the pressing anxiety during the "labyrinth" scene. Adding to that are the monks, most of who seem one variety or another of perverse. However, rather than portraying them as stereotypical caricatures, I think the director wanted to show the type and result of bigotry, claustrophobia and repression that was rampant during the Church's supremacy in the Dark Ages. That is amplified by showing the autocracy of the Inquisition, as well as the greed within the clergy. The character of William, with his Classical education and his rationality, stood, on the other hand, for the evolving trend of open-mindedness and logic within the Church.

Sean Connery was great in his Holmes-ish character (William of Baskervilles can't have been a coincidence), and so is Christian Slater as his naive Watson.