Movies
“The Name Of The Rose” Is Must Watch
We love a great surprise, and The Name Of The Rose (1986) is one of the most pleasant revelations in my viewing library in a very long time.
“An intellectually nonconformist friar investigates a series of mysterious deaths in an isolated abbey.”
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Writers: Umberto Eco, Andrew Birkin, Gerard Brach, Howard Franklin, Alain Godard
Cast: Sean Connery, Christian Slater, Ron Perlman
Release Date: September 24, 1986
IMDB
We love a great surprise, and The Name Of The Rose (1986) is one of the most pleasant revelations in my viewing library in a very long time.
Set in the 14th century, Sean Connery stars as the unorthodox Franciscan monk William of Baskerville. He arrives at an isolated abbey with his young apprentice Adso of Melk (Christian Slater) that is fogged over not just with bad weather, but also with bad vibes. There have been several monks who have been murdered under suspicious circumstances, and members of the community turn to William for possible answers. In solving this medieval crime spree, William and Adso must fight against various elements of their religion, including bureaucracy, superstition, and unsavory ambition.
The unique setting of The Name Of The Rose sets it apart right from the jump. It’s a practical set. And the wet, muddy, grimy aesthetic parallels the slinky streets of a shady city one might expect in a city-based private investigator story.
French director Jean-Jacques Annaud does a great job evoking an untrusting and dark vibe. The way the tenor strikes the audience is like opening the front door in the middle of winter and being blasted with a gust of frigid air. Each of the monks is layered to deal with the weather, and viewers of The Name Of The Rose can be assured they may be fighting the same urge.
Sean Connery is wonderful as William of Baskerville. Supposedly, his stock was so low at this point that budgeting for the movie was difficult, but I find that hard to believe. How can Connery be viewed as a dangerous casting when he had the all-time cinematic classic Highlander (1986) released in the same year? And to be fair to the Sir, The Name Of The Rose was followed up with The Untouchables (1987), his only Oscar-winning role.
What also makes Connery’s performance so warming to watch is the fact that his character is the only one brandishing a smile for the majority of the time. William is the ugly duckling of the abbey, and rather than letting it dwell on him, Connery’s performance shines by relishing in it. Part of William’s personality comes from the fact that he sees some pitfalls within religion. For example, William loves the idea of learning and reading, but his profession and life path often mocks and pokes ridicule at such an idea. Connery brings his iconic smile during William’s moments of discovery, so count me down for grinning at a slight takedown of religion.
I loved The Name Of The Rose. I do not want a remake. But I could see this type of story expanded into a limited series ordeal. If you told me that someone was making an eight-episode expansive show, I would subscribe and tune in. WAIT, I JUST DISCOVERED THERE IS ONE. LET’S GOOO!!! But it is Italian. Heavy subtitles show.
As of mid-September 2024, The Name Of The Rose is streaming on Prime Video.
STANKO RATING: A
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