Surely just about everyone knows the Oscar Wilde novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” on which this movie is based.
It is the story of a naïve young man who becomes obsessed with staying young and beautiful after a charismatic aristocrat corrupts him with his self-indulgent view of life.
Upon seeing a portrait of himself that was meant to capture the full power of his youthful beauty, the young man makes a flippant pledge saying he would give anything, even his soul, to stay as he is in the picture.
And so it is that the young man descends into a hedonistic lifestyle, while never aging. However, the portrait shows all the signs of his true age and debauchery.
And who better to portray the young, beautiful Dorian Gray than Ben Barnes, Prince Caspian from “The Chronicles of Narnia” series? He is joined by co-stars Colin Firth, Rebecca Hall, Ben Chaplin, Emilia Fox, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Fiona Shaw, Maryam D’Abo, Pip Torrens, Douglas Henshall, Caroline Goodall, Michael Culkin, Johnny Harris and Max Irons. The director is Oliver Parker and the screenplay is by Toby Finlay.
This has always been one of my favorite stories and I am excited to see this new adaptation. The trailer certainly has my interest and the period piece costumes look great, as do all the actors. The movie has mature themes, so you have a built-in excuse to make it a date night and leave the kids at home.
“Dorian Gray” is due in theaters 09/09/09, a fitting date for the story about a man who does not age.
Looks interesting. I might see it.
I remember reading The Picture of Dorian Gray in school, never watched the earlier movies though. This should be good.