A visually stunning film. I can't think how they could have improved the locations/makeup or the atmosphere created by some of the outdoor shots.
The film covers a 400 year long period in the life of Orlando (Tilda Swinton) who we are introduced to as a well educated young man of high position in the court of Queen Elizabeth I. She takes him as her favourite and asks him to "Never Fade". He obliges. Time passes, and we are presented with several scenes from Orlando's life up to the end of the twentieth century. He does become a woman during this time, but it really has no bearing on the story except that she loses her house and jumps into bed with an American (Billy Zane).
Orlando's character changes little throughout the film. Over 400 years of experience and nothing to show for it? This film revolves around a single character without any real examination of him and his connection to time and place. Quite a shameful waste. Completely unrealistic and unentertaining , unless of course you assume this was intentional as part of Queen Elizabeth's original decree.
I would have loved to have seen an epic journey through Orlando's life especially since Tilda Swinton can act well and her pale skin and striking hair give weight to the kind of frightening confidence/knowledge/experience you would expect to find in a 400 year aristocratic human.
This subject has been better explored in supposedly lower brow films such as "Interview With The Vampire" or dare I say it even "Highlander".
The film covers a 400 year long period in the life of Orlando (Tilda Swinton) who we are introduced to as a well educated young man of high position in the court of Queen Elizabeth I. She takes him as her favourite and asks him to "Never Fade". He obliges. Time passes, and we are presented with several scenes from Orlando's life up to the end of the twentieth century. He does become a woman during this time, but it really has no bearing on the story except that she loses her house and jumps into bed with an American (Billy Zane).
Orlando's character changes little throughout the film. Over 400 years of experience and nothing to show for it? This film revolves around a single character without any real examination of him and his connection to time and place. Quite a shameful waste. Completely unrealistic and unentertaining , unless of course you assume this was intentional as part of Queen Elizabeth's original decree.
I would have loved to have seen an epic journey through Orlando's life especially since Tilda Swinton can act well and her pale skin and striking hair give weight to the kind of frightening confidence/knowledge/experience you would expect to find in a 400 year aristocratic human.
This subject has been better explored in supposedly lower brow films such as "Interview With The Vampire" or dare I say it even "Highlander".