Sunday, September 01, 2013

Anna Karenina (2012)

Stumbled across Joe Wright's film version of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina (2012), screenplay by Tom Stoppard. Keira Knightley (Anna K) and Jude Law (Count Alexei K) do the job and look good doing it. Director Joe Wright seems to have taken a page out of Orson Welles' book by filming numerous interior shots in an abandoned theatre.
The "enduring appeal" of Anna Karenina probably comes down to a few core things even beyond Tolstoy's original vision: it's romantic, yet a doomed romance. It's about the rules of society, why they're in place and how these rules can be both good and bad. It's about the soaring excitement of desire and the eventual dissolution of all, beyond individual choice. Heady stuff.  

Today's Rune: Joy.   


4 comments:

Tom Sarmo said...

Even tho the story's getting a bit old for me, I think the film is a visual masterpiece. The score is great too. Saw it at the theater--not sure it will be as stunning on a small screen

pattinase (abbott) said...

I saw this. Keira is so-so as usual but I was impressed with Jude Law and the look of the film.

jodi said...

Erik-how crazy is this? I just started reading Anna K. this past weekend in an effort to cover some of the classics. I'll let you know how I do and I will surely catch the movie!

Charles Gramlich said...

Jude Law is an interesting actor. I can't tell whether he's good or not.