Il Nome della Rosa

I have to admit that I’m ashamed that I haven’t read either the book or seen the original movie starring Sean Connery. But I think that that is precisely the reason why I’m rating this 8 episode long series with 4 stars. The actors are a perfect fit, especially John Turturro. The premise is brilliant and I really miss similar premises in movies from recent years. I will probably make myself read the book. The medieval monastery atmosphere is great here. It is true that for 8 episodes it is slow-paced from time to time, but on the other hand I really enjoyed the investigation in the monastery. The series had beautiful shots of the monastery and its surroundings, a medieval feeling, which when done right is absolutely great and a premise that certainly deserves attention. It doesn’t matter that this series is quite unnecessary when there is something older and better. (13.10.2020)

Umberto Eco was part of the generation of European intellectuals who were shaped by their resistance to television as a medium, which they saw as the foundation for the cheap entertainment of the widest masses of consumers. Based on principle, they were convinced that any work had to be chewed up and spat out in order to satisfy a large enough target group. Therefore, Umberto would not be surprised or disappointed by the result of the work of the TV team that embarked on the adaptation of his cult novel. He probably would have enjoyed it instead and claimed that this was exactly what he expected. Personally, influenced by the novel, I once had a hard time fully accepting the film version because it seemed stripped of its philosophical and spiritual dimension. Meanwhile, Annaud's film stands out alongside this series as an excellent atmospheric affair with great casting. John Turturro ranks fourth on my list of favorite actors, and that says it all. However, I will forever remember him as the lawyer from The Night Of, not as the Franciscan from The Name of the Rose. He lacks the charisma under the veil of his beard, which radiates from Sean Connery's masculine character. The same is true for Christian Slater and Damian Hardung comparison. Annaud also discovered a distinctive face for cinema in Ron Perlman, and so on. His film was filled with atmosphere, which cannot be said at all about the series. It has nice set pieces, but they lack any real life. It is evident that the creators aimed to shift the plot toward an adventurous and romantic genre, which is the last thing Eco strived for. This is not about developing certain motifs, but about violating the literary source. I won't rate it with stars because I stopped watching after two episodes. But I'm sure that with each passing episode, I would suffer more and more. (26.01.2020)