Prick Up Your Ears
MGM/UA (1987)
Biography, Black Comedy, Queer Themes/Interest
In Collection
#527
8*
Seen ItYes
(8/26/2016 Home)
IMDB   7.3
90 mins UK / English
DVD  Region 1
Gary Oldman Joe Orton
Margaret Tyzack Madame Lambert
Frances Barber Leonie Orton
Alfred Molina Kenneth Halliwell
Vanessa Redgrave Peggy Ramsay
Julie Walters Elsie Orton
Lindsay Duncan Anthea Lahr
Wallace Shawn John Lahr
Rosalind Knight RADA Judge
Selina Cadell Miss Datersby
Eric Richard Education Officer
Stephen Bill George Barnett
Janet Dale Mrs. Sugden
Angus MacKay RADA Judge
Christopher Guinee Publisher
Dave Atkins Mr. Sugden
William Job RADA Chairman
JAMES Grant
JAMES Grant William Orton
Director
Stephen Frears
Producer Andrew Brown
Writer/Composer Alan Bennett
John Lahr
Cinematography Oliver Stapleton
Music Stanley Myers


This film is the story of the spectacular life and violent death of British playwright Joe Orton. In his teens, Orton is befriended by the older, more reserved Kenneth Halliwell, and while the two begin a relationship, it's fairly obvious that it's not all about sex. Orton loves the dangers of bath-houses and liaisons in public restrooms; Halliwell, not as charming or attractive as Orton, doesn't fare so well in those environs. While both long to become writers, it is Orton who achieves fame - his plays "Entertaining Mr. Sloane" and "Loot" become huge hits in London of the sixties, and he's even commissioned to write a screenplay for the Beatles. But Orton's success takes him farther from Halliwell, whose response ended both his life and the life of the up-and-coming playwright. - Written by Gary Dickerson
Edition Details
No. of Discs/Tapes 1
Personal Details
Purchase Date 8/5/2016
Location Personal Library
Owner Deitz
Store Amazon
Purchase Price $13.28
Condition New
Links Wikipedia: Joe Orton
Joe Orton Online
+ Review: CinemaQueer (Michael D. Klemm), included with his review of My Beautiful Launderette
+ Review: Roger Ebert
Prick Up Your Ears at Core for Movies
IMDB
TheMovieDb.org

Notes
All positives -- no negatives worth mentioning -- The cast and production are great -- You won't learn much about Joe Orton as an author and playwright, though -- Except that the film is itself a black comedy, a genre for which Orton was known -- The adjective Ortonesque is sometimes used to refer to work characterised by a similarly dark yet farcical cynicism.