DVD MiniSeries: Moby Dick 2010

The 2011 movie adaptation of Herman Melville's 1851 novel, Moby Dick, is generally well done and exciting, thus providing a new generation with the opportunity to become familiar with this classic tale. The movie which was filmed in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, contains a cast of well known actors including, William Hurt as Captain Ahab, Ethan Hawke as First Mate Starbuck, Charlie Cox and Ishmael, Eddie Marsan as Second Mate Stubb, Raoul Trujillo As Queeqeg, and Gillian Anderson as Elizabeth Ahab. Although there is some dramatic license taken with Melville's storyline, the essence of the novel remains.

Melville's lengthy novel tells the story of the whaling ship, the Pequod captained by veteran whaler, Captain Ahab. Ahab is on a mission to hunt down and destroy an enormous, white whale, named Moby Dick which destroyed his boat and bit off his right leg. Moby Dick is known by whalers as a malevolent leviathan that must be destroyed. Ahab has sworn vengeance to kill this whale no matter the cost. His incredible obsession with Moby Dick borders on madness.

The story of Ahab and his quest to destroy Moby Dick is told by Ishmael, an itinerant sailor who signs on to the Pequod, along with many others, ignorant of Ahab's real intention for the voyage. Ahab is joined on the voyage by his devout Quaker and First Mate Starbuck, Second Mate Stubbs, and Third Mate Flask. Each of these mates chose a pagan harpooner for their boats. Ahab rallies the crew to his mission of hunting the rogue white whale, although Starbuck does not wish to participate is such an undertaking. He wants to hunt whales for their oil and hopes to see his beloved Mary and Nantucket again. After a first sighting of Moby Dick, As the Pequod sails on its way to the Pacific Ocean, meeting many whaling ships including the Rachel which had an encounter with the white whale. In that deadly encounter the captain of the Rachel has lost his youngest son in one of the boats while pursuing the whale. Undeterred, Ahab sails his ship onward in search of this evil white whale. They finally sight Moby Dick and after two days of pursuit, a final, devastating confrontation occurs.

Discussion

Melville's novel, Moby Dick is in part based on real incidents that occurred in the early 1800's in the whaling industry. In 1820, the Essex, a whaling ship out of Nantucket was rammed and sunk by a giant sperm whale off the coast of South America. Only one crew member survived, First Mate Owen Chase, who wrote about the incident. In the 1830's there was a large white whale, named Mocha Dick, said to attack ships in a premeditated way off the island of Mocha, near Chile. Mocha Dick was normally docile until provoked by an attack. He would then defend himself in an intelligent and vigorous manner. This whale was thought to have been an old bull whale. These incidents were not the only ones recorded as whaling ships were sometimes attacked. Melville drew upon these incidents to write his novel, Moby Dick.

Considered part of the Western canon of literature, Moby Dick is both an adventure story and also a book that describes in great detail the whaling industry as it existed in the 1800s. There are numerous themes throughout the novel, including those that touch on the limits of human knowledge, revenge, religious beliefs, the role of prophecies and fate, and death. It's difficult today to understand 19th century society's acceptance of the butchering of whales in the thousands. Whale oil was an important commodity in American life, used to light homes. The whale was a fearsome animal to be used by man, with little understanding of the ecological effect of whaling on ocean ecology. However,  this wasn't the only species hunted without mercy during this era. In North America, the bison, wolves and beaver suffered a similar fate as did many animals native to Africa and Australia. The mindset of this era was one of taking whatever we wanted from nature without counting the ecological cost.

This newest miniseries is relatively faithful to the main elements of the storyline but there are exceptions. Elizabeth Ahab is not part of the original novel and the major character, Fedellah, a harpooner Ahab has brought on board the Pequod, is not in this movie. Nevertheless, this adaptation captures the obsession and madness that overcomes Ahab in his pursuit of Moby Dick, and his inability to turn away even when it is evident it will cost him his life. William Hurt is well cast and gives an excellent, believable performance as Ahab.  At times Hurt's Ahab is overly melodramatic, but that seems to be the fault of the script rather than the acting. Ethan Hawke is also excellent as a foil to Ahab, being the signature voice of reason against Ahab's mad intent.  Raoul Trujillo's Queequeg, was captivating as the cannibal, tattooed harpooner with his creepy body art and mild demeanor. Queequeg and Ishmael form a close bond that sees them through many tough times on board the Pequod.

The action scenes involving Moby Dick were realistic and remarkably well done. It was interesting to see how CGI would present the whale and for the most part Moby Dick was believable, being portrayed as an enormous whale whose presence instilled fear in even the most hardened whaler. The final epic battle scene between Moby Dick and the crew of the Pequod was very well done and exciting.

Directed by Mike Barker, screen play by Nigel Williams, Moby Dick is a movie worth watching.

For a description of Mocha Dick, and an accounting of his brutal death by a whaler's harpoon read The Knickerbocker or New York Monthly Magazine, Vol. 13. 

DVD Drama: Mozart's Sister

Mozart's Sister is a fictional portrayal of the life of Maria-Anna Mozart, better known as Nannerl, sister to genius composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and thought to be a musical prodigy in her own right.

The movie opens showing the Mozart family traveling through Europe in the cold of winter from one country to the next as father Leopold showcases the talents of his children but especially that of his son, Wolfgang. Wolfgang plays the violin, while Nannerl accompanies him on the clavichord. Life is not easy for this family of this point, Nannerl is fourteen years old, Wolfgang only ten years of age. Nannerl is very gifted, able to play the clavichord, sing and play the violin. She especially loves the violin but her father refuses to allow her to play the instrument, telling her that it is not an instrument for a girl.


On their way to Paris, the axle of their carriage cracks and they are forced to put up at the Benedictine Abbey where they meet the four younger daughters of King Louis XV. These daughters, Victoire, Sophie, Therese and Louise were not raised in the Palace at Versailles but were sent to the Abbey of Fontevraud to stay until they were young women. Nannerl befriends Louise, who wishes for a life like Nannerl's. Louise hasn't seen her parents in years and she wishes she could live with her parents as Nannerl does.

Louise de France confides in Nannerl that she has fallen in love with the son of her music master, Hugues de Tourneur who has since left the Abbey to return to Versailles. She wishes Nannerl to take a letter to Hugues. Strangely, she also gives Nannerl a book about sex and asks her to destroy it. Nannerl agrees to both errands and the two depart promising to keep in contact.

When the Mozart's arrive in Paris, they learn that the Dauphine, Maria Teresa, the wife of Louis, Dauphin of France has died in childbirth and that the court is in mourning. Despite this, Nannerl's father continues to push Wolfgang in his music, arranging performances for the court where Wolfgang plays violin and Nannerl accompanies him on the clavichord.

Meanwhile, Nannerl manages to deliver Louise's letter to Hugues with the help of a friend in the court, who disguises her as a boy. At this time she meets the Dauphin, Louis of France, who is impressed with her musical abilities. He is only sixteen at this time, now a widower, and a lover of music. They begin a friendship with Louis encouraging Nannerl to compose for him. But when she asks her father to allow her to sit in on Wolfgang's composition classes, he refuses her, telling her women do not compose.

Nannerl's father decides to leave France for England and although she accompanies them to the country, she decides soon after to leave and return to France to try to set up her own studio and to compose. The Dauphin of France immediately commissions a minuet for violin and orchestra. In order to compose this piece, Nannerl sets out to attend composition class, which she does, disguised as a boy. With the Dauphin as her patron, Nannerl sees her first composition performed in the palace.

Eventually, Louis tells Nannerl that he must marry again and that he is to be betrothed to Maria-Josepha of Saxony who is fifteen years old. Louis who was very devoted to his first wife, tells her that he is disgusted with the debauched ways of his father who has numerous mistresses and illegitimate children. A devote Catholic, he will not take a mistress.

In the meantime, Nannerl meets Louise at the monastery in St. Denis and learns that she has become a nun. For Louise as a woman in 18th century France, there are only two options; marry royalty or become a nun. She is at peace with the latter choice, but she does tell Nannerl how different their lives would be if they were both born boys.  When Nannerl asks her about Hugues, Louise reveals that he is her half brother, from one of her father's many illicit liaisons.

When Nannerl's family return to France and are homeward bound to Salzburg, Nannerl decides to return with them despite the realization that she has nothing in common with her friends who have all been prepared for marriage. She destroys her compositions and accepts her future, one without composing or performing.

Discussion

Written and directed by Rene Feret, Mozart's Sister presents a fictional telling of Nannerl's early life within the context of 18th century European society but with a slight feminist slant.  The film opens with Nannerl, in her early teens, devoted to music which up until now has been her whole life. She is hopeful that she might be able to develop her talents on the violin and in composition. But history tells us that Nannerl Mozart was taught from an early age to play the harpsichord and was known as an accomplished pianist. However once Nannerl came of marriageable age, she was no longer allowed to perform publicly. There is also some indirect evidence that she did in fact compose music but none of her compositions have survived. And so Mozart's Sister captures the "possible" quiet frustration Nannerl and other young women like her might have felt with so few options open to them in life.

The film realistically captured what life would have been like for the Mozart family traveling throughout Europe seeking the patronage of royalty and seems to be accurate in its portrayal of the relationship between Nannerl and her father, whom she obeyed throughout her life - even to the point of allowing him to decide who she should marry and allowing him to raise her young son.

Mozart's Sister will appeal to those who enjoy period pieces and also foreign films. The movie is a French language film with English subtitles. The director's two daughters star as Nannerl and Louise de France, and the rest of the cast give solid performances. Well paced, this film was shot on location at Versailles.