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Tue 23 Dec, 2003 03:51 pm
After finishing watching the chapters in their two-part premieres and then each chapter in the one-hour repeats, I am really astonished at the imagination and dramatic integrity of this HBO movie. I bought the CD of the score with it's inspiring and poignant themes and I've seldom heard film music so intergrated into the drama on the screen. The performances are all top notch but I especially enjoyed Al Pacino's Roy Cohn -- his reaction to the ghost of Rosenburg was unforgettable.
I've only seen it about three times and I still don't know what to think of it.
This was a play in the early '80s, right?
The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA presented "Angels in America Pt.I" as their season opener in 1994 and Pt.II in 1995.
It was on Broadway and won the Tony Award for Part One and Part Two.
Jeffery Wright, who played Belize, is the only original cast member from the Broadway production. When was it on Broadway? 1990/91 or before?
An amazing play. One of the most meaningful theatre experiences I've ever had. I'll be interested to see it on t.v. when it makes it over the border. I'll definitely make a point to see it on a bigger screen than I have here. Part of the wonder of seeing it live was the physical power of the piece.
Ït's hard to believe the stage production actually pulled off some of the special effects wizardry, like the Hebrew book that came crashing through the floor in the doctor's office.
I remember hearing, ten or fifteen years ago, some of the buzz about the play -- 'ground-breaking, revolutionary' -- but didn't connect with it.
It's so bizarre in its story-telling; I have trouble discerning what is real from what is drug-induced from what is an HIV-related hallucination from what is, seemingly, pure hysteria.
It's pretty engrossing, that's for sure.
It's simplicity is in the complexity of the creation process. The fantasy scenes are difficult to pull apart and examine -- there is a certain degree of abstraction so it's like looking at a surealistic painting in motion.
I just watched part two of this show. I loved it. Quite an amazing program. Now, to see part one... I thought Emma Thompson was brilliant as were the rest of the cast really.
"Angels in America" all but swept the TV drama awards at the Golden Globes. Methinks it will even do better with the Emmy's.
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