The Name of the Rose (1986)
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud.
Starring: F. Murray Abraham (Gui), Sean Connery (William), Michael Lonsdale (Abbot), Ron Perlman (Salvatore), Christian Slater (Adso), Valentina Vargas (girl).
Set in a monastery during the 1300's, this is a wonderfully written, engaging crime drama filled with Holmesian logic and forensics, labyrinths, secret libraries, forbidden manuscripts, poison, and the many temptations of flesh as well as being a fantastic murder mystery that captures the poverty, darkness and ignorant shadow of abused spiritual power (through the corrupt Inquisition) prevalent at the time. The always excellent Sean Connery has the lead as Brother William of Baskervilles, scholar, teacher and sleuth, with the youthful Christian Slater doing a fine job as his novice and "Watson", Adso.
Favorite lines(s): "Have you ever known a place where God would've felt at home?" "The step between ecstatic vision and sinful frenzy is all too brief." "How peaceful life would be without love...how safe...how tranquil...and how dull."
Definitely worth buying.
The Region 1 DVD has an excellent audio commentary with director Jean-Jacques Annaud.
First published in 2004 on The Perlman Pages.
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