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Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Audience Rated by buyers R (Restricted)
Type of bind: DVD
Brand: WELLSPRING/GENIUS
EAN num: 0796019794060
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Label: Weinstein Company
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
Quantity: 1
Publishing house: Weinstein Company
Region Code: 1
Release Date: July 04, 2006
Running Time: 130 minutes
Sale Popularity Level: 4492
Studio: Weinstein Company
Theatrical Release Date: March 10, 2006
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Description:
Oscar® nominee* Johnny Depp delivers 'a tour de force performance' (Baz Bamigboye, The Daily Mail) in the 'seductively entertaining' (Jan Stuart, Newsday) The Libertine. As the celebrated writer and bad boy John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, Depp brings to life a decadent 17th century London. There, Wilmot falls passionately in love with his aspiring actress muse (Oscar® nominee Samantha Morton**), but is cast from the heights of privileged society when he scandalizes King Charles II (Oscar® nominee John Malkovich***) with a shockingly audacious play. At the depths of ruin, the rebel seeks redemption on his own terms. 'Johnny Depp is brilliant,' raves Cosmopolitan, while Peter Travers of Rolling Stone calls The Libertine a 'one-of-a-kind spellbinder.'
Amazon.com:
The beautifully sculpted face of Johnny Depp fits right in with this masterpiece of design. The Libertine--filmed in a grainy, color-muted chiaroscuro--captures the lush costumes, extravagant decor, and remarkable filth of Restoration England. John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester (Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean, Ed Wood), warns the audience at the very beginning of the film that they will not like him. From there, he treats his wife cruelly, drinks to relentless excess, abuses his friendships, and generally wallows in dissipation, much to the dismay of King Charles II (John Malkovich, Dangerous Liaisons), who hopes that Rochester will write a play glorifying his reign. But Rochester finds his true inspiration (and the movie comes to life) when he sees a young actress named Lizzie Barry (Samantha Morton, Minority Report, Morvern Callar). Rochester sets out to make her the greatest actress of their time--and she, with some reluctance, submits to his teaching. The weakness of The Libertine is not that Rochester is unlikable; it's that he doesn't want to do anything. Barry galvanizes the movie because she burns with ambition, but Rochester's only apparent aim in life is an agonizingly slow self-destruction. Still, The Libertine has lurid Saturnalian visions, Morton is superb, Malkovich gives a typically insidious turn, and Depp, as always, finds moments of sad poetry in the bitterest of speeches. --Bret Fetzer
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Rated by buyers 
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Depp is triumphantly weird and wonderful as John Wilmot in Laurence Dunmore's 2004/5 film adaptation of Stephen Jefferys' 1994 play. Wilmot's life was weird enough. In this version it is taken to a particular extreme to make a tragic point about cynicism and rebellion. Wilmot is an arrogant user; a womanizing drunk, literary pervert, and rebellious libel of the King. Depp's portrayal is far too bitter to be considered a "Bon Vivant" - Wilmot's off hand rejection of every social more feels like adolescent rebellion writ large.
Forget, for a moment the moral content. Just as a visual period piece, Dunmore's "Libertine" succeeds brilliantly. The entire film is antique sepia toned with dramatic chiaroscuro lighting. The period costume and scenery is stunning and each scene is composed like an old master's painting.
But it's Depp's wry yet parched portrayal of Wilmot's simultaneous lust for and disgusted rejection of life and society that seizes and haunts. Indeed, days later I cannot get it out of my mind. Wilmot time and again has love and worldly sucess in the palm of his hand; only to throw it away with contempt. His love of the theater is deep and profound - or seems to be in his scenes where he teaches Elizabeth Barry to be a brilliant actress. Yet his own production is a libelous piece of pornographic fluff. A huge middle finger raised to the King and to the audience and to his cast - a literal outright disaster. Where does Wilmot stand?
If this film is so extreme, why isn't Wilmot's historically hinted at bisexuality not more prominently featured? Another mystery. All in all, this is an enraging, offensive, and hauntingly beautiful film. Rather like the character of John Wilmot himself.
Rated by buyers -
This is a very entertaining film with great acting. The story is slightly OTT but has some great moments in it, especially between Johnny Depp (a great performance from him) and either John Malkovitch or Samantha Morton, who are also outstanding.
This story draws you in & in places repels, but it's very entertaining and pretty dark. Recommended.
Rated by buyers -
This is a beautiful, depressing miasma of a movie, with gorgeous sets and emotionally wrenching performances. Between the literal and metaphorical mud, the venereal rotting away of body and society, and the absolute amorality of the earl of Rochester, the film offers an unflinching look at corruption. There's something gleeful and wonderful in it under all the decay. My only point is that you should know this about the movie when you sit down to watch it. I guess it's a tribute to Depp's talent as an actor that I can watch his work and enjoy it when he plays characters I can only like in spite of themselves.
Rated by buyers 
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Although this movie is only for adults, it is Johnny Depp's best acting role. His performance shows his range in acting from comedy to drama. He has absorbed the person of John Wilmot and when the movie is over you feel as if you knew the man. A great work overlooked for an Oscar and one day will be a must have for all Depp collections and admirers.
Rated by buyers -
Usually the deleted scenes featured on DVD show just why they were deleted. But in this case, it would have made the movie make sense. I have the feeling that the director had spent so much money creating the scenery and outlandish props for the scandalous play that he chose to cut the WRONG corners. He or the editors damaged a film that could have been outstanding. For example, you wouldn't even know that Wilmot had children unless you watched the outtakes. And you wouldn't know why he was consumed with guilt or what possibly contributed to his liscentiousness. And, not knowing these things, as you watch it you just don't understand the sudden...oh, well, I don't want to spoil the gruesome ending. This is one movie that needs to be re-cut. Because as bleak as it is, there are wonderful, thought provoking performances that stayed with me long after it was finally over.
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