From Touchstone Pictures comes William Shakespeare’s final masterpiece The Tempest, arriving on Disney DVD on November 2. Helmed by Julie Taymor, the award-winning director of the theatrical production of ‘The Lion King’, Taymor filters Shakespeare’s timeless comedy of revenge, romance and reconciliation through her unique visual prism with an all-star cast, led by Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and also starring Russell Brand, Reeve Carney, Tom Conti, Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming, Djimon Hounsou, Felicity Jones, Alfred Molina, David Strathairn and Ben Whishaw.
In Taymor’s The Tempest, the director brings an original dynamic to the Bard’s 400 year old story by changing the gender of the traditionally male sorcerer Prospero into the sorceress – Prospera – portrayed by Helen Mirren. The spectacular fantasy comes to life as Prospera’s journey spirals through vengeance to forgiveness as she reigns over a magical island, cares for her young daughter, Miranda, and unleashes her powers against shipwrecked enemies in this masterly mix of romance, tragicomedy and the supernatural.
After a harrowing shipwreck, the members of a royal court are washed ashore on various parts of a mysterious island. Their fateful arrival on this particular island is no coincidence.
The exiled Prospera (Mirren) has used her magical powers to guide the ship here to settle a score with the very men who banished her from her homeland. Abetted by her sometimes unwilling aides, Ariel (Whishaw) and Caliban (Hounsou), Prospera puts her former tormentors through some dangerous and often hilarious adventures. However, when the king’s son, Ferdinand (Carney), meets her daughter, Miranda (Jones), it is love at first sight—a kind of magic that even Prospera is powerless to control.
Shakespeare fans, theatre enthusiasts and literary buffs alike won’t want to miss the chance to own The Tempest on Disney DVD, exclusively packaged with bonus features including commentary by Julie Taymor, a Russell Brand rehearsal riff, a Mistress Mine music video as well as annotated Shakespeare experts commentary.
The Tempest will be available for purchase at retail as a 1-Disc DVD for $39.95 RRP.
PRODUCTION OVERVIEW
Genre: Drama-Comedy
Cast: Helen Mirren as Prospera
Russell Brand as Trinculo
Alan Cumming as Sebastian
Chris Cooper as Antonio
Ben Whishaw as Ariel
Felicity Jones as Miranda
Jude Akuwudike as Boatswain
Reeve Carney as Prince Ferdinand
David Strathairn as King Alonso
Tom Conti as Gonzalo
Djimon Hounsou as Caliban
Director: Julie Taymor
Producers: Julie Taymor, Robert Chartoff, Lynn Hendee, Julia Taylor-Stanley, Jason K. Lau
Executive Producers: John C. Ching, Deborah Lau, Ron Bozman, Tino Puri, Rohit Kattar, Stewart Till, Anthony Buckner, Greg Strasburg
Screenplay by: Julie Taymor
Classification: M – Infrequent coarse language
Release date: November 2, 2011
RRP: $39.95 – 1-disc Disney DVD
BONUS FEATURES: The Tempest documentary Commentary by director Julie Taymor Russell Brand rehearsal riff Mistress Mine music video Annotated Shakespeare experts commentary