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The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter (1995)

October. 13,1995
|
5.3
|
R
| Drama Western Romance

Set in puritanical Boston in the mid 1600s, the story of seamstress Hester Prynne, who is outcast after she becomes pregnant by a respected reverend. She refuses to divulge the name of the father, is "convicted" of adultery and forced to wear a scarlet "A" until an Indian attack unites the Puritans and leads to a reevaluation of their laws and morals.

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Lumsdal
1995/10/13

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

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Megamind
1995/10/14

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

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BeSummers
1995/10/15

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

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Sameer Callahan
1995/10/16

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

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thomvic
1995/10/17

Having just read and finished the novel today, I had heard many negative reviews on the Demi Moore adaptation. I knew the ending had changed and that the movie takes an hour or so to lead up to the actual beginning of the novel. I went into watching this movie with as much as an open mind as I could as I understand not everything can be translated to the screen and if changes are to be made, if I feel they are justifiable in enhancing the story in some way or providing deeper meaning then it might be the more better for it.And at the start, I actually enjoyed the lead up to the point where the novel starts. You do get some background (though not much) into Hester and Arthur and there is some nice scenery to be had. However, the development of the love I felt was done way to fast but then I think it was more to show how lust took over so I could forgive that.Gary Oldman stands out and gives a pretty good and convincing performance. He is charismatic and pulled the role off well. Demi Moore however is very hit and miss. She does have some moments where her acting is decent however I just don't think she was the right choice for this movie. For one her accent sounds half baked and doesn't pull off a convincing english accent.My main criticism is that the main theme of the novel of guilt but also rising above shame feels somewhat overlooked. The scarlet letter Hester wore starts off as a badge of shame however she is able to overcome this in the novel and ends up gaining respect as her good deeds throughout her life end up shining over her adulteress act. The movie unsuccessfully (if it tried) to capture these themes and instead goes for some occasional nudity and some rather awkward shots of Gary Oldman and Demi Moore in slo mo scenes similar to what you would see in soft core porn.The Indian vs the English subplot also was unnecessary and didn't really add anything to the film rather than to serve the changed ending. I knew the ending was coming but the way it is done is so typical of a Hollywood like final action scene that it just didn't work. I found myself laughing at how silly it was and kind of seemed to come out of nowhere.Hopefully a better adaptation can be made in future that at least captures the main themes of the original story. Be it a lesson learnt that you should only change things when they are broken or suffer the consequences.

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shannonnikic
1995/10/18

If this is your first studio film, you may be shocked by the fact that this adaptation is not the same as the source material. This is not Hawthorne's insightful, profound, crushingly depressing novel. As with most studio adaptations, it's been made more tantalizing and easily digestible with a sort of happy ending. In order to enjoy this film, you have to let go of the fact that it only borrows from the characters and theme of the novel and let it stand on its own. You also must accept that it is more entertaining and emotional and less thought provoking. Its also helpful to keep in mind that this is a very 90's studio film. This is a solid romance movie. Gary Oldman brings painfully beautiful depth to a character that, although well written, could have easily been made off-puttingly weak and vanilla, had it been played by one of the typical leading men of the time. The movie is worth watching for his performance alone, despite being made at the eroding peak of his alcoholism. I think this was Demi Moore's finest performance. I would have never thought of casting her for this role but she delivered a believable woman of great strength and character. She could have easily been annoyingly selfish and obstinate but instead, measured with subtlety and calculation, she is both relatable and inspiring and manages to hold her own among her accomplished male counterparts. Robert Duvall gives a solid, yet uncomfortable performance. He felt a bit alien from the rest of the cast but, in a way, it suits the character. The entire supporting cast is absolutely fantastic. The score is one of the best elements of the entire film. Direction is good, there are some awkward aspects but the overall production is beautiful and well conceived. If you take the movie for what it is and just relax, it is quite enjoyable. If you are a romantic and a fan of any of the actors, you will love it.

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tbills2
1995/10/19

I can ensure you that The Scarlet Letter receives too much negative criticism. It's an easy target. I've never read the novel though I wish I did read it so I could better effectively rate the movie, but the book is great so the movie has big shoes to fill. The Scarlet Letter is clearly a fine film. Its direct comparisons to the book is one big reason for all the underratings, another big reason is The Scarlet Letter viewing sells itself as some great movie, with its vivid storytelling, its great acting and strong cinematography, yet it's not quite great. It's hard and difficult to deliver a pure dramatic period piece based on a strong selling novel. The movie may supposed to be sophisticated, elegant drama, but The Scarlet Letter quickly settles into a regular on the surface movie at the time when Authur and Hester meet, not being too artistically poetic, but more commonly driven by its desires. The Scarlet Letter is lost between those two film modes with no seaming connection. Another strong critique is it's missing very intriguing plot points. All this lessens the film, but not all so much. The Scarlet Letter is a passionate romance taking place in a beautiful though turbulent setting. It has a good, deep cast. Demi Moore and Gary Oldman as Hester Prynne and Authur Dimmsdale make The Scarlet Letter good all while their characters engage in forbidden lust. Moore and Oldman offer tour de forces in The Scarlet Letter. Moore is beauty at its finest. I love Demi Moore and Gary Oldman, two my favorite and two of the very best. I quite enjoy their impassioned performances in The Scarlet Letter. It may make the characters themselves slightly exaggerated, but Oldman and Moore do a good job of maintaining it. I wouldn't change it if I could. The Scarlet Letter is a great tragic love story in the form of a good movie. I must say, The Scarlet Letter is really good, and anyone who bashes it as bad is being too harsh. It's a strong 6. The Scarlet Letter is a great stay at home couples date night movie because it's boldly, desperately romantic and you do not have to watch it too closely to follow it as it speaks of pure passion being very passionately compelling.

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rainey-3
1995/10/20

Okay. Calm down people. This movie is an overall very good movie– terrific cast, great sets, great costuming, lots of action and I've never seen Gary Oldman look so handsome. The actors did a really good job. Very entertaining. The book was boring, people. Boring boring boring. Don't you remember having to read it in high school? THE MOVIE IS MUCH BETTER. And I'll state this unequivocally-- it's way better than 90% better than most stuff I see on the big screen-- hands down. And the amateur critic that pulled the race card and said the Indians in this film were not depicted doing anything other than one dimensional, childish actions obviously didn't watch the scene where the two older tribeswomen were discussing Robert Duvall's character very astutely-- great dialogue! You other hater critics need to lighten up! Seriously. Loved the film.

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