I blindly DVRed this because of the Powell and Pressburger name not really realizing that it was essentially a filmed opera. Not a filmed opera in the concert film sense, but an opera staged for the purposes of a film, sort of like the ballet sequences in The Red Shoes but without the story surrounding them. That seems like a cool idea and I’m sure that Opera buffs can appreciate it, but it was mostly just a reminder to me just how much I hate opera as a musical form. As Malcolm Tucker put it, “it's just VOWELS! Subsidised... foreign... fucking... vowels!” I admire the craft and ambition but it is not the kind of thing that I was in any position to truly enjoy.

Another fabulous film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. This is a big-screen version of Offenbach's opera, three love stories made into a magical film.

The sets, camera movements, costumes, and rhythmic editing of THE TALES OF HOFFMANN stand with Powell and Pressburger's best - which stand with the best in the history of film. If the entire film sustained the sensual magic of the first forty minutes, HOFFMANN would easily fit into that pantheon. However, the final two stories lack the imaginative drive of the first and, at least to my uncultured ears, the operatic lyrics become increasingly difficult to discern. I imagine seeing this again on the big screen, or even a second time with subtitles, would greatly enhance my appreciation.

Tiene parones de ritmo y algo de irregularidad entre historias,pero esas quejas las ahoga el asombroso trabajo audiovisual, puro juguete de imaginación en manos de estos dos tipos.

It is very well done, but I wasn't crazy about the film.

The feverish magic of The Red Shoes' ballet sequence gets the feature-length treatment to astonishing effect.

I just wish I could've understood what the characters were saying.

Once upon a time there were the yellow/red/blue shoes....

Another fabulous film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. This is a big-screen version of Offenbach's opera, three love stories made into a magical film.

The sets, camera movements, costumes, and rhythmic editing of THE TALES OF HOFFMANN stand with Powell and Pressburger's best - which stand with the best in the history of film. If the entire film sustained the sensual magic of the first forty minutes, HOFFMANN would easily fit into that pantheon. However, the final two stories lack the imaginative drive of the first and, at least to my uncultured ears, the operatic lyrics become increasingly difficult to discern. I imagine seeing this again on the big screen, or even a second time with subtitles, would greatly enhance my appreciation.

I blindly DVRed this because of the Powell and Pressburger name not really realizing that it was essentially a filmed opera. Not a filmed opera in the concert film sense, but an opera staged for the purposes of a film, sort of like the ballet sequences in The Red Shoes but without the story surrounding them. That seems like a cool idea and I’m sure that Opera buffs can appreciate it, but it was mostly just a reminder to me just how much I hate opera as a musical form. As Malcolm Tucker put it, “it's just VOWELS! Subsidised... foreign... fucking... vowels!” I admire the craft and ambition but it is not the kind of thing that I was in any position to truly enjoy.

Magical!