The Hours [DVD] [Edizione: Regno Unito]

Interpreti meravigliosi e film molto profondo

Capolavoro drammatico del 2002.

Andrea Ruscito

Recensito in Italia il 9 ottobre 2020

Prodotto in condizioni come da descrizione. DVD che cercavo da tempo. Venditore serio ed affidabile.
Film capolavoro del 2002, Oscar alla Kidman, estremamente meritato.

Corrado Zocco

Consegna film the hours

Recensito in Italia il 20 settembre 2016

Film pesante ma molto profondo, consiglio di vederlo. Per quanto riguarda le condizioni con il quale è stato consegnato il prodotto mi ritengo molto soddisfatto, non potrei essere più soddisfatto.

Recensito in Italia il 11 luglio 2015

uno dei film che ognuno dovrebbe avere nella propria videoteca.. 3 grandissime attrici in un soggetto originale interpretato magistralmente. Sceneggiatura meravigliosa. Nicole Kidman, per chi avesse qualche dubbio, in questo film dimostra di essere un'attrice di prim'ordine: l'interpretazione di un ruolo dello spessore di Virginia Woolf , anche nelle fasi più drammatiche del suo bipolarismo, è scuola!

Una persona l'ha trovato utile

Alberto Pezzimenti

perfetto

Recensito in Italia il 30 giugno 2021

Cosigliatissimo

Recitazione magistrale

Recensito in Italia il 28 dicembre 2016

Tre attrici in stato di grazia interpretano tre personaggi segnati dalla disperata consapevolezza della loro condizione umana. Colonna sonora quarta protagonista del film

Una persona l'ha trovato utile

sandro

Cinema d'autore

Recensito in Italia il 26 dicembre 2018

Bravissime

Traduci tutte le recensioni in Italiano

Le recensioni migliori da altri paesi

Lynda Kroeker

Great movie, awesome cast

Recensito in Canada il 4 aprile 2024

Stellar cast, great story about trickle down effect in our lives, leaves you with all the feels.

Nice and solide

Best film ever

Recensito in Francia il 26 novembre 2023

Le plus beau film qu’il faut absolument regarder

J.A.Hallbauer ;Doc Halliday

Das Leben erkennen als das, was es ist - um es dann fortzugeben

Recensito in Germania il 26 luglio 2017

Dieser Satz von Virginia Woolf ist eine von mehreren Äußerungen, die ich als Überschrift für diese Rezension in Betracht gezogen und schließlich gewählt habe.

Die depressive Schriftsstellerin Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman), die 1923 mit ihrem Roman Mrs.Dalloway begann und sich 1941 in der Ouse ertränkte.

Die Hausfrau Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) im Jahre 1951, die an den Anforderungen am Geburtstag ihres Mannes zu verzweifeln droht, sich mit dem Roman Mrs.Dalloway und einer großen Zahl an Schlaftabletten in ein Hotel verkriecht, dieeSelbsttötung nicht übers Herz bringt, aber einen Entschluss fasst, der ihr Leben verändern wird, wie wird am Ende des Films aufgelöst bei ....

....Clarissa Vaughan (Meryl Streep) im Jahre 2001, Lektorin in New York, die mit ihrer Freundin Sally (Allison Janney) in einer Beziehung lebt und ihre Jugendliebe, den AIDS-kranken Schriftsteller Richard Brown (Ed Harris) betreut, der einen bedeutenden Literaturpreis verliehen bekommen soll, wofür sie eine große Party geben will. Er nennt sie Mrs.Galloway in Anspielung an die Romanfigur, die sich für andere aufopfert und ihr eigenes Leben vernachläsigt.

Es ist nützlich, aber NICHT unabdingbar, Virginia Woolfs Roman, der 1995 von 82 internationalen Literarurkritikern nach Wooffs Roman "Die Fahrt zum Leuchtturm" und George Eliots "Middlemarch"zum bedeutendsten britischen Roman gewählt wurde, gelesen zu haben, oder zumindestens die Inhaltsbeschreibung z.B. bei WIKIPEDIA.

Während beim Roman "Mrs.Dalloway" zwei Erzählstränge neben einander verlaufen, sind es in "The Hours" nach dem Werk des Schriftstellers Cunningham, der dafür 1999 den Pulitzer-Preis erhielt, deren drei, die in unterschiedlichen Zeiten (s.o.) spielen, aber ebenfalls mit häufigem Wechsel zwischen den drei Protagonistinnen parallel erzählt werden. Diese Zeitsprünge stören nicht, zumal sie genial inszeniert und geschnitten sind. Die Handlung einer Protagonistin geht quasi nahtlos in die der nächsten über. Es schellt, eine Protagonistin öffnet die Tür, und die Person vor der Tür erblickt die zweite Protagonistin, besser konnte man diese Übergänge m.E. nicht darstellen.

Drei Frauen,ein Roman, und die Themen sind gesellschaftliche Umbrüche, Kriegstraumata im Erzählstrang Woolf und Laura Brown, Frauenemanzipation, steigendes Selbstbewußtseein von Dienstboten, Anforderungen, die der Selbstverwirklichung im Wege stehen, lesbische Liebe und Lebensbilanz..

Virginia Woolf, deren Leben erheblich überschattet war durch eine schwere Depression mit wahnhaften Störungen (Stimmen-Hören) zieht eine Bilanz in ihrem Abschiedsbrief an den Ehemann (Stephen Dillane) :
Auf ewig die Jahre zwischen uns. Auf ewig die Jahre. Auf ewig die Liebe. Auf ewig: die Stunden.

Die drei Hauptdarstellerinnen sind brillant besetzt, und auch in den Nebenrollen so bekannte Namen wie Ed Harris, Stephen Dillane, Miranda Richardson, Claire Danes, John C.Reilly und Tony Collette.

Meryl Streep darf man wohl als lebende Legende bezeichen, die Zahl ihrer Preise und Nominierungen ist Legion, 2003 war sie bereits 2fache Oscarpreisträgerin.
Julianne Moore, 5 Oscar-Nominierungen, Gewinn mit "Still Alice", 3 Golden Globes. darf man ebenfalls zu den ganz Großen zählen.
Nicole Kidmann erhielt für ihre Rolle der Virginia Woolf 2003 den Oscar: Wie auch die wunderbare Charlize Theron im Film über die Massenmörderin Aileen Woulos zeigte sie hier Mut zur "Häßlichkeit" oder zumindestens unvorteilhafte Maske, um Virginia ähnlicher zu sehen, mit Perücke und vergrößerter Nase., erst auf den zweiten Blick als die Schönheit, die sie ist, erkennbar.
Keine der Darstellerinnen spielt sich in den Vordergrund, und wirklich besonders beeindruckend die tragische Gestalt Virginia Woolf, der Kidman permanent einen nachdenklich versunkenen oder latent verzweifelten Ausdruck verleiht, große Schauspielkunst.

Virginia Woolf wählte als Bilanz eines Lebens mit Jahren und Stunden der Liebe, überschattet von ihrer psychischen Störung, 1941 den Freitod. Dieser bidet den Rahmen dess Filmes, mit ihm beginnt und endet er.

Laura Brown steht ebenfalls kurz davor, aber nach Lektüre von "Mrs Dalloway" trifft die schwangere Frau und bereits Mutter eines Sohnes eine Entscheidung für die Zukunft, die wir überraschend kurz vor Ende des Fimes sehen.
Clarissa Vaughan, sich aufreibend für andere und das eigene Glück, Tochter und Geliebte vernachlässigend, wird von Richard Brown erlöst, von Ed Harris ebenfalls hervorragend verkörpert.

""The Hours", was auch ein von Woolf erwogener Titel für ihr Buch war, ist ein Schauspieler(innen)-Film, in dem drei Ikonen auf Augenhöhe ganz hervorragende Schauspiekunst zeigen, gleichzeitig ein Drama, in dem sie die Augen feucht werden lassen können.

Ein Meisterwerk, das man gesehen haben sollte.

Doc Halliday

8 persone l'hanno trovato utile

Only-A-Child

Some Random Thoughts from a Twisted Mind

Recensito negli Stati Uniti il 9 giugno 2005

"The Hours" more than lives up to its critical praise. If nothing else it is a must see for the originality of the technique. The film (and the book by Michael Cunningham) is structured around the process of linking up three stories set at different points in time. Each story concerns a woman trying to define herself, to identify what she needs, and to find a way to get it.

The 1920's story concerns Virginia Woolf's (Kidman) efforts to write her first successful novel, "Mrs. Dallaway"; which is the story of one day in the life of a woman named Clarissa Dallaway. The story set in the early 1950's concerns a Laura Brown (Moore) who is reading "Mrs. Dallaway". Finally the contemporary story concerns Clarissa Vaughn (Streep) who is essentially living Mrs. Dallaway's life in modern NYC. All three performances are extraordinary in their own unique ways and there are wonderful performances from all members of the supporting cast. It is as if each member of the ensemble brought out the best in each other.

Some interesting and not always obvious things to look for as you watch "The Hours" are:

Each story begins with the husband/lover of each woman leading the camera to the woman. All three women are found in bed and this begins a match cut process that will repeat itself throughout the film as the director and editor work to connect and unify the three separate stories. Woolf writes: "Mrs. Dallaway said she would buy the flowers herself" just as Laura Brown reads that sentence and Clarissa speaks that sentence.

Kidman's Woolf is an amazing character. She is a psychological mess, making life difficult for those around her and full of torment and despair. Yet she has a subtle charm that helps you to understand why people found her fascinating.

Like "The Big Chill", this is an ambitious character study film with many characters. By necessity, both films rely more on behavioral language than dialogue in revealing the personality of its characters. Note Laura Brown's (Moore) neatness obsession as she readies her house and herself prior to leaving for the hotel.

Woolf began the book "Mrs. Dallaway" with the intention of basing it on a society woman she knew who unexpectedly committed suicide. Brown describes the book to her neighbor as: "Oh, it's about this woman who's incredibly - well, she's a hostess and she's incredibly confident and she's going to give a party. And, maybe because she's confident, everyone thinks she's fine... but she isn't".

At its core this is a movie about art but it is a broad definition of art, writing a book-baking a cake-giving a party. Each woman/artist is driven and frustrated by a need for unattainable perfection. There is a touch of irony to each situation. For example, Laura Brown is where she is because her husband has pulled her into the great American dream without realizing that it was the worse thing he could do to her. Although all three women love their children/child/niece, those relationships do not give them what they need.

There is a visitor and a kiss in each story central to the self-definition process each woman is going through. Virginia kisses her sister Vanessa (brilliantly played by Miranda Richardson who looks amazingly like she could have been Kidman's sister), desperately trying to force a better connection with her. Vanessa understands this, she is not shocked by the kiss but by the implication that her sister needs this so desperately.

Sophie Wyburd who plays Virginia's young niece was obviously cast for her haunting voice and her ability to display such a focused intensity. Each woman has a child picking up on their needs, which the adults around them do not seem to be aware of.

Watch the scene where Laura's husband is urging her to come to bed. Moore's voice does not betray the revulsion or the internal struggle which only viewers can see on her face. In fact at this point each woman's partner is urging her to go to bed but each must first a make choice. Then watch for the great match cut, Virginia announces that she has decided that the poet will die in her novel and they cut to little Richard lying in his bed. Moore's expression finally tells us that she has decided to leave her family. Streep's kiss signifies her recognition of the preciousness of what she still has in her life and her choice to embrace it and move forward.

Ultimately this film is about the increasing difficulty we have as we get older in making choices. This is because as we discover who we are, we also experience loss and accumulate grief over the course of our lives, becoming ever more aware of the cost of our choices. Like the Moonlight Graham character in "Field of Dreams" (who assumed he would have more than one major league at bat), Clarissa looks back on a short moment that she thought was the beginning of happiness and realizes that it was her only moment of actual happiness.

There are some criticisms of this film. That it is not political enough but rather is for the elite and about the elite, or conversely that it is condescending to the masses with too obvious a message told in an unnecessarily simplistic way, and finally that it is a success of structure rather than ideas. Whatever the validity of these issues, the very fact that discussions are at this elevated level is the best testimonial the film could have. My only criticism was a production design issue (young Richard gets his Lincoln logs out of a Erector Set box).

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

83 persone l'hanno trovato utile

Glenn Meads

Do not let The Hours pass you by

Recensito nel Regno Unito il 9 agosto 2004

Three women are linked together from different eras by their common yearnings, fears and societal perceptions of female representation. Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) is battling insanity as she writes her first novel, Mrs Dalloway in the 1920's. Laura Brown (Julianne Moore)is a lonely 1950's house wife. She reads Mrs Dalloway and is so inspired by the lead character that she considers changing her life drastically. Clarrisa Vaughan (Meryl Streep) is a modern day Mrs Dalloway. Residing in New York, her life revolves around helping others in order to avoid her own feelings about herself. Her friend (played by Ed Harris) is dying of aids and she plans a party for him and excels at the details, just like Mrs Dalloway.
This remarkable film shouldn't work but does due the sterling performances and solid direction. The complex subject matters of mental illness, representation of women through the ages, the blurred lines of sexuality, and what makes a "good" mother are not exactly multiplex fodder. True, the film will not appeal to everyone, but Stephen Daldry manages to take Michael Cunningham's celebrated novel and bring it to life with stunning insight and empathy. This director brings the same touch of brilliance that he delivered in Billy Elliot most poignant scenes. The juxtapostion of scenes here are full of meaning. Clarrissa cracks eggs furiously filling her life with the monor details that distract others from asking her how she feels. As Clarissa washes her face and stares into the mirror at the lines on her face, she feels lost and unrecognisable. In an earlier shot, Viginia Woolf undergoes the same feelings of "Who am I? What is my role in society?" Later on in the film Laura Brown cracks eggs with very little confidence showing us how fragility and lack of self esteem can affect a mother/son relationship. The Hours is sometimes like looking at a beautiful picture in an art gallery. You stare at it and surrender to the hidden meanings if you are patient enough to explore them.
Each actress excels. Kidman surprises the audience at every turn displaying the coldness of Woolf well, but also her inner heartache. Her best scenes are with Stephen Dillane who is also wonderful as her loyal husband. Moore plays a "mother" who does not know how to live up to the role and wants more from her life. Her excellent body language lets the audience know how fragile Laura Brown really is. Streep gives a career best performance as the matriarchal Clarrisa Vaughan. Her scenes with Ed Harris provide us with a back story. She manages to make Clarissa needy and equally independent when it suits. Her character is a lesbian and Streep avoids playing it stereotypically. Toni Collette, Ed Harris, Miranda Richardson, Allison Janney and John C. Reilly have to be the most starry supporting cast ever. Each of them add something special to this already excellent ensemble piece. Kidman may have received the Academy Award but to be honest - all of these performers are worthy winners as each of them embrace the "difficult" material.
Phillip Glass provides the haunting soundtrack which acts as the glue that links these three remarkable women. Each time you hear an opening bar, you will find yourself moved by the sheer majesty. It is very rare that you find a film with such well written female characters of a certain age. But when you see the quality of work that is delivered here, you may be wondering why there aren't more films like this one. Although the subject matter is not exactly light, The Hours is far from maudlin. This is a beautiful film of real depth and magnitude. If you want to see a film featuring skin deep performances that explores themes and issues that leave you thinking long after the credits gone, then give up two hours for this rich and rewarding piece of celluloid.

19 persone l'hanno trovato utile