Name of the Rose, The (1986)
The Name of the Rose (1986), directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud.
Year 1327, a bleak monastery in the wintry mountains of northern Italy. A convocation of monks is assembling for a politically charged theological debate. Inconveniently, the site has a series of strange and inexplicable deaths. Is it the Devil? Skeptical Brother William of Baskerville doesn't think so, but proving murder requires a dangerous penetration into secrets and conspiracies.
It's an odd combination of styles: a realistic depiction of the times (in the dirty and brutal mode) mixed with the type of murder sleuthing we see in fantasies like Poirot or Marple. We even have Cadfael-level medieval forensics.
The juxtaposition mirrors the story itself: the cruel grotty background is a "no laughing" zone, just as the blind Venerable Jorge would have it, but the detection is done with humor and winking: William of Baskerville combines William of Ockham with Sherlock Holmes. The center of the secret is the sole remaining copy of an ancient text on the use of comedy.
The quick ending where the peasants rise up against the Inquisitor seems implausible, but very convenient for the plot. I haven't read the book (few have, it is said) so can't comment on the adaptation.
The film did poorly in the US but was much more popular in Europe.
The Blu-ray has a heartfelt commentary track by the director; he was passionate about the project:
A glass painting of the monastery on the hilltop is the only special effect shot in the film. Everything else is direct photography.
He resisted Sean Connery as the lead for a long time, but when he actually heard him read the lines, the delivery was exactly as he imagined it should be.
Christian Slater (age 15) was given no guidance or direction for his love scene with the peasant girl, apart from "She's in charge, just do what she wants." The actress was the first of three supposed to be auditioned, but when Slater saw her he wanted no other.
Annaud loved using regional and unknown actors with "interesting" (= sort of deformed) faces. "Their souls are beautiful". Apart from Ron Perlman's denture and hump there is very little in the way of prosthetics. All the haircuts are real.
Sets, books and props were constructed with meticulous detail. Many of the props are now in museums as replica pieces.
The statue of the Virgin is misplaced Renaissance art, but there was no money to replace it. He says he got 2000 letters about it.
The collapsing ceiling of the burning library was rushed and unexpectedly dangerous. He had to roll Sean Connery on the ground to put him out. A falling beam was a real piece of oak that struck old Feodor Chaliapin Jr, the villainous blind monk, to the ground. "Are you all right?" "Who cares? I'm 82! Did you get the shot?"
He praises the entire cast except for F. Murray Abraham, regarding whom he is blunt: he had just won the Academy Award and it made him petty and malicious. (Maybe he was just in character the whole time).
He says that contrary to its image, Hollywood has always treated him very well.
James Horner score. Brief nudity and passion, some butchery of animals and burnings at the stake.
Available on Blu-ray.
