The Name of The Rose is a superb film but requires thinking.

Author: ozthegreatat42330 from Central City, Kentucky
10 April 2007

A murder mystery set in a monastery in the late middle ages, at a time when the Franciscan order and the Holy Inquisition were at odds, mostly over  the extravagances of the Papacy, is a dark and moody film, which matches the period of the story well. Once again Sean Connery takes a difficult role  and makes it uniquely his. Fifteen year old Christian Slater is seen in his breakout role. But the real star of the film is the library of the monastery, a  labyrinthine building that is many floors high and created with stairways that seem to always lead away from where you want to go. I found the book,  frankly tedious. Umberto Eco writes in a style that is very pedantic at times, and just plain confusing at others. But the story translated well to the  screen, but you must be willing to exhaust a little brain sweat to get anything out of the story. Be well rested before you watch this one.

Scarey Days...

Author: Noir-5 from London
12 February 1999

If you like movies to send you back to another historical period, there are few which can do it more effectively than this one. The period is  pre-enlightenment when the only books in the land (Italy) are owned by the different denominations of the Catholic faith. Inquisitions are the order of the day and the atmosphere of mistrust and misrepresentation which accompany such a fragile state, is expertly realised.

Enter Sean Connery playing a Sherlock Holmes (`…Elementary my dear Wat-shun…') from the dark/middle ages, replete with a magnifying glass of  sorts and a recognisable system of logical deduction. The story is a fine balance of complexity (easy enough to follow, but not too simplistic) with the  inclusion of a number of sub-plots to keep it all ticking along nicely. The acting is very good but what makes it stand out is its evocation of another era, which is reproduced with authority. Highly enjoyable.