Samantha Morton Movie:

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		MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
Set in England during the early 19th century, Pandaemonium evokes late-1960s America in its depiction of the relationship between Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Linus Roach) and William Wordsworth (John Hannah). Instead of going to Vietnam, Wordsworth goes off to fight against the French while Coleridge stays at home and promotes utopianism. After the war, the poets live and work together with Coleridge's wife, Sara (Samantha Morton), and Wordsworth's sister, Dorothy (Emily Woof). At first this communal arrangement works to the advantage of Coleridge--who does some of his best writing while Wordsworth stagnates--until Coleridge becomes addicted to opium. Wordsworth, meanwhile, doesn't find his voice until he abandons his friend. In 20th-century vernacular, Wordsworth is the yuppie, Coleridge the hippie. Director Julien Temple (Absolute Beginners) even evokes 1960s cinema with this occasionally overwrought--but often visually stunning--essay on the mysteries of creativity. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Pandaemonium [Region 2] Reviews:
Coleridge-O-Mania, Or, The Sublime And The Ridiculous
2008-08-06 - As an historical document, 'Pandaemonium' is risible, on a par with Ken Russell's 'Lizstomania'. As a movie, it is absolutely splendid. It's clever (and wonderfully silly), it looks gorgeous, the performances are fine - especially Linus Roache as Coleridge. You have to think of Russell's outré composer biopics to get the measure of this movie (and of course his Byron-Shelley extravaganza 'Gothic') - along with screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce's recent adaptation of 'Tristram Shandy'.

It starts with an absurd parody of award ceremonies - for the Poet Laureateship, no less - and ends as a sort of country house murder send-up, where a villain is uncovered and a lost artefact is miraculously recovered. But between these high-camp Russell-esque bookends, the imaginative direction, the witty writing, the rich imagery and the depth of the characterisations lift the film into a realm to which Russell's fantasias rarely rise, even at their best (maybe his early TV biopic of Delius is comparable). One of 'Pandaemonium's' faults - it has plenty of the best kind - is that is so much better than it ought to be.

Roache's Coleridge is a standout performance. He's wonderful, in a role that could easily be irritating. Hannah keeps a straight face as Wordsworth (the estate of Wordsworth really should sue the producers of this movie). Morton and Woof, as wife and muse, bring credibility and contained emotion to their roles. Andy Serkis gives a lovely performance as a radical printer who pays for the sins of his betters, and Samuel West is charmingly diffident as the poetical nonentity, Southey. But the film really belongs to Frank Cottrell Boyce's wonderful screenplay and Julien Temple's endlessly inventive direction - he's never afraid to take a good idea to far, or to toss in an outrageous visual anachronism.

This movie is not a good way to learn about the Lake Poets. Read 'Wordsworth and Coleridge: The Friendship', by Adam Sisman, for that. It doesn't have anything particularly serious to say about the creative impulse: it simply has a lot of fun with it.

(I love the way that, as the credits roll, the names of the poems read over the action are detailed in the way that regular movies detail the names of the songs played. And I won't even mention what plays under the credits - that would spoil the joke.)


Hated it
2008-05-14 - Such an inaccurate portrait. I got it to show to my Romantic Lit class, but decided not to show it after I watched it. Very disappointing

Pandaemonium
2007-03-20 - Part drama, part biographical. A story of two writers battling each other as they vie for words and glory. Somewhat dark at times, but nevertheless tells the story of their struggles.

Let's get high and write some poems
2006-04-26 - I watched this movie in one of my classes and I loved it. I did not know that John Hannah was in it, and when I saw him in it I knew I would like it. It is a crazy drug adventure that is beautifully done. If you liked Fear & Loathing you will enjoy this movie, if not...don't bother. No, the movie is not historically accurate. I don't think they wanted it to be, but what they did do is make a great movie. The dialogue is great, and the acting superb.

Pandaemonium is a stellar modern day adaptation of the life of Coleridge and Wordsworth!
2006-02-15 - Linus Roache and John Hannah shine in their portrayal of Samuel Coleridge and William Wordsworth (respectively). This BBC adaptation may alter some factual matters, as this usually is inherant within the dramatic confines of cinema to smooth out rough edges and sharpen the story's singular focus on the lives of the two poets and their accomplishments while leaving a few minor details unmentioned.

One aspect of the film that outshines even the performances is the cinematography, which is first rate. The film's director, Julien temple did a stellar, bravura job of shooting this film, which is set during the French Revolution. The photography of the English landscape is a rich, lush palette of colors. The rolling green hills were expertly shot. One thing I did sadly miss on this DVD is it's lack of a widescreen option, which would have further embellished Julien Temple's photography. From viewing the pan-and-scan version, I would assume that this film is a flat 1.85:1 film, not a scope 2.35:1 due to the picture not feeling too cropped.

The camera moves which show multiple wine glasses falling in slow motion, and also the hallucinogenic effects of opium are very effective. The movie runs at a nice edited, well paced 124 minutes. This allows sufficient time for good character development, but still brief enough to hold its' viewers attention. The movie doesn't try to capture Coleridge and Wordsworth entire lifespans, it simply captures the creative period that occurred during their time spent in close proximity together. Highly Recommended!