The Name of the Rose

At first I was like "Hah, this is some kind of Sherlock Holmes but a priest thing!", and then I was like "Oh, this is some kind of Sherlock Holmes but a priest thing!"

Final rating: - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go.

Bookish or Boorish?

The Name of the Rose is directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and based on the novel of the same name written by Umberto Eco. It stars Sean Connery, Christian Slater, F. Murray Abraham, Helmut Qualtinger, Elya Baskin & Michael Lonsdale. Music is scored by James Horner and cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli.

Sean does Sherlock the Monk.

It's one of those film's that I just can't get into, three times I have tried but it's now consigned to the recycle bin, never to be unearthed again. I see there is great artistry there, it's very literate and the mystery element is strong, but it saps my strength to the very last. Connery is miscast because he plays it as nudge nudge wink wink detective fare, and film strains too har...

Murder mystery at a gloomy abbey during the Dark Ages with Sean Connery

In 1327, a Franciscan monk and his pupil (Connery and Christian Slater) arrive at a monastery in northern Italy to attend an important theological Roman Church conference. When monks are found dead in mysterious ways, William (Connery) winds up being the Medieval version of Sherlock Holmes. While he seems to figure the mystery out due to the evidence, a mirthless inquisitor is called in and sees things differently (F. Murray Abraham). Ron Perlman plays a hunchback and Michael Lonsdale the Abbot.

Based on Umberto Ecos 1980 book, The Name of the Rose (1986) is outstanding as far as locations, sets, costumes and make-up go. Anyone interested in a shadowy drama...

Recently I saw a restored version of "The Black Pirate" - made in 1926 and that was in far better condition that the print I saw of this 1986 iteration of the cracking Umberto Eco novel. Set amidst the fear that beset the Christian world during the Holy Inquisition, we find ourselves at a remote abbey run by Michael Lonsdale. There is to be a gathering to facilitate a theological debate between the Franciscans and the Vatican. To that end, "William of Baskerville" (Sean Connery) and his novice "Adso" (Christian Slater) have travelled to this rather bleak location. Their arrival is tainted with sadness and mystery, though: a young monk has mysteriously died. "Baskerville" asks permission to look into it and is soon inveigled in a complex inv...