1973's The Sting took it global, but there's more to ragtime music than that film's Keystone Kops crazy-chase soundtrack
Reading on mobile? Click here to listen to The Maple Leaf Rag played by Scott Joplin
One album was all it took to herald a revival. In 1970, the year of Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water and The Beatles' Let It Be, a record of arcane late 19th-century American piano music, released on a label that was otherwise building its reputation as a chronicler of the hardcore American avant-garde, began to sell in implausible quantities. Audiences ordinarily enamoured of piano miniatures by Chopin, Brahms and Liszt were suddenly taking pleasure in the compositions of Scott Joplin, the Texas-born "King of Ragtime" whose über-catchy 1899 Maple Leaf Rag brought him immediate popularity, but who died in 1917 with two typically embarrassing composerly problems hanging over him: syphilis and a terminally unproduced opera, Treemonisha,...
Reading on mobile? Click here to listen to The Maple Leaf Rag played by Scott Joplin
One album was all it took to herald a revival. In 1970, the year of Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water and The Beatles' Let It Be, a record of arcane late 19th-century American piano music, released on a label that was otherwise building its reputation as a chronicler of the hardcore American avant-garde, began to sell in implausible quantities. Audiences ordinarily enamoured of piano miniatures by Chopin, Brahms and Liszt were suddenly taking pleasure in the compositions of Scott Joplin, the Texas-born "King of Ragtime" whose über-catchy 1899 Maple Leaf Rag brought him immediate popularity, but who died in 1917 with two typically embarrassing composerly problems hanging over him: syphilis and a terminally unproduced opera, Treemonisha,...
- 1/22/2014
- The Guardian - Film News
The Hartt School presents the Music of Stephen Michael Gryc: An Anniversary Celebration
The Adaskin String Trio, along with Hartt faculty and students, perform music of Professor Stephen Michael Gryc on Sunday, November 1, at 3:00 Pm in Berkman RecitAl Hall. In celebration of Gryc's sixtieth birthday and thirteenth year of teaching at The Hartt School, the concert will include works composed during each of the past four decades, from the Five Preludes for Flute Alone of 1979 to the String Quartet of 2005. Admission is free. Please call the University Box Office at 860.768.4228 or 800.274.8587 or visit www.hartford.edu/hartt for more information.
The Hartt School presents An Evening with Guitar
The Hartt School presents An Evening with Guitar on Thursday, November 5, at 7:30 Pm in Berkman RecitAl Hall on the University of Hartford's West Hartford campus. This performance features the students of Richard Provost. Admission is free. Please call the University...
The Adaskin String Trio, along with Hartt faculty and students, perform music of Professor Stephen Michael Gryc on Sunday, November 1, at 3:00 Pm in Berkman RecitAl Hall. In celebration of Gryc's sixtieth birthday and thirteenth year of teaching at The Hartt School, the concert will include works composed during each of the past four decades, from the Five Preludes for Flute Alone of 1979 to the String Quartet of 2005. Admission is free. Please call the University Box Office at 860.768.4228 or 800.274.8587 or visit www.hartford.edu/hartt for more information.
The Hartt School presents An Evening with Guitar
The Hartt School presents An Evening with Guitar on Thursday, November 5, at 7:30 Pm in Berkman RecitAl Hall on the University of Hartford's West Hartford campus. This performance features the students of Richard Provost. Admission is free. Please call the University...
- 11/1/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
Backbiting, treachery, sexual dalliance, intrigues -- that is the stuff of drama, often more behind stage than actually on the boards. John Turturro's "Illuminata" is a raucously radiant depiction of theater-company dramatics. It's a bawdy and flowery piece that should enliven art house business in the U.S.
Bolstered by a premiere cast, including Turturro, Susan Sarandon, Beverly D'Angelo and Christopher Walken, "Illuminata" is a fleshy and aptly messy treatise on creativity and survival. In Turturro's adaptation of a stage play, we center in on a struggling New York repertory company at around the turn of the century. Not surprisingly, the playwright Tuccio (Turturro) and the lead actress (Katherine Borowitz) have a mutually beneficial relationship, both professional and sexual. Unfortunately for Tuccio, his lead actor doesn't break a leg during the first performance, he dies. Nevertheless, playwrights are an especially nimble lot and Tuccio has another play that he is eager to substitute, an idea not seconded by the theater's management. Alas, an aging diva (Susan Sarandon) sees advantage in the new play -- there is a big part for her as, incredibly, an ingenue -- and she shepherds the work to the schedule.
Brimming with vainglorious characters, each with their career agendas, "Illuminata" is both a satirical look at the theater as well as a shrewd commentary on creativity. Despite some scathing commentary on the morality of "theater people," the scenario (Brandon Cole, John Turturro) is an unabashed love poem to the theater. Their screenplay is a ripe tribute to the theater and peppered by from-the-wings insights into the magical and manic process.
Fittingly, the film comes most alive in the performances with Turturro evincing a wonderful lead performance as the ambitious playwright. A special delight are the sprightly performances by Susan Sarandon and Christopher Walken who push their portrayals to the red line. As the prima-donna diva, Sarandon exudes appetite and manipulation, while Walken is terrific as a foppish, egocentric drama critic.
Under Turturro's affectionate hand, the technical contributions are consistently marvelous, from cinematographer Harris Savides' lush lensings to composer William Bolcom's circus-style score, which conveys the zest and craziness of the great and small dramas going on off stage.
In Competition
Illuminata
Overseas Filmgroup
CREDITS:
Executive producer:Giovanni di Clemente
Producers:John Penotti, John Turturro
Director:John Turturro
Screenwriters:Brandon Cole, John Turturro
Based on an original play by:Brandon Cole
Director of photography:Harris Savides
Editor:Michael Berenbaum
Line producer:Carol Cuddy
Music:William Bolcom with Arnold Black
Conceptual designer:Roman Paska, Donna Zakowska
Production designer:Robin Standefer
Costume designer:Donna Zakowska
Casting:Todd Thaler
CAST:
Tuccio:John Turturro
Rachel:Katherine Borowitz
Celimene:Susan Sarandon
Bevalaqua:Christopher Walken
Astergourd:Beverly D'Angelo
Simone:Georgina Gates
Dominique:Rufus Sewell
Old Flavio:Ben Gazzara
Marco:Bill Irwin
Pallenchio:Donal McCann
Marta:Aida Turturro
Running time:120 minutes...
Bolstered by a premiere cast, including Turturro, Susan Sarandon, Beverly D'Angelo and Christopher Walken, "Illuminata" is a fleshy and aptly messy treatise on creativity and survival. In Turturro's adaptation of a stage play, we center in on a struggling New York repertory company at around the turn of the century. Not surprisingly, the playwright Tuccio (Turturro) and the lead actress (Katherine Borowitz) have a mutually beneficial relationship, both professional and sexual. Unfortunately for Tuccio, his lead actor doesn't break a leg during the first performance, he dies. Nevertheless, playwrights are an especially nimble lot and Tuccio has another play that he is eager to substitute, an idea not seconded by the theater's management. Alas, an aging diva (Susan Sarandon) sees advantage in the new play -- there is a big part for her as, incredibly, an ingenue -- and she shepherds the work to the schedule.
Brimming with vainglorious characters, each with their career agendas, "Illuminata" is both a satirical look at the theater as well as a shrewd commentary on creativity. Despite some scathing commentary on the morality of "theater people," the scenario (Brandon Cole, John Turturro) is an unabashed love poem to the theater. Their screenplay is a ripe tribute to the theater and peppered by from-the-wings insights into the magical and manic process.
Fittingly, the film comes most alive in the performances with Turturro evincing a wonderful lead performance as the ambitious playwright. A special delight are the sprightly performances by Susan Sarandon and Christopher Walken who push their portrayals to the red line. As the prima-donna diva, Sarandon exudes appetite and manipulation, while Walken is terrific as a foppish, egocentric drama critic.
Under Turturro's affectionate hand, the technical contributions are consistently marvelous, from cinematographer Harris Savides' lush lensings to composer William Bolcom's circus-style score, which conveys the zest and craziness of the great and small dramas going on off stage.
In Competition
Illuminata
Overseas Filmgroup
CREDITS:
Executive producer:Giovanni di Clemente
Producers:John Penotti, John Turturro
Director:John Turturro
Screenwriters:Brandon Cole, John Turturro
Based on an original play by:Brandon Cole
Director of photography:Harris Savides
Editor:Michael Berenbaum
Line producer:Carol Cuddy
Music:William Bolcom with Arnold Black
Conceptual designer:Roman Paska, Donna Zakowska
Production designer:Robin Standefer
Costume designer:Donna Zakowska
Casting:Todd Thaler
CAST:
Tuccio:John Turturro
Rachel:Katherine Borowitz
Celimene:Susan Sarandon
Bevalaqua:Christopher Walken
Astergourd:Beverly D'Angelo
Simone:Georgina Gates
Dominique:Rufus Sewell
Old Flavio:Ben Gazzara
Marco:Bill Irwin
Pallenchio:Donal McCann
Marta:Aida Turturro
Running time:120 minutes...
- 5/22/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.