Memoirs of Hadrian: The Movie

[Theodosius the Great]

What do you think of the idea that Daniel Craig should play Hadrian?

He's a very good James Bond, but not a Hadrian. The worst news about this movie is that they have invited Valerio Manfredi. It's incredible. In the first place: if you decide to make a movie about a book, why ask someone to change it? Imagine you're making a movie about, say, the Iliad, and invite someone to change the plot.

And why Manfredi?! If you have that splendid book by Yourcenar, which is serene and distinguished and presents a "round character", why ask an author who is notorious for its vulgar Alexander books, his flat characters, and that "Last legion" story?!

I am really shocked. Seriously - I am not exaggerating or making a joke. This is really bad news. Just imagine that Visconti, when he was making Death in Venice, decided to leave the Thomas Mann novella, and asked a pornographer to improve the script. I have a feeling that they are now doing something similar to one of the most beautiful novels of the twentieth century. As a Dutch poet once wrote: All things valuable are defenceless. I am confused and sad.

(Of course, comparing Manfredi to a pornographer is an insult to pornography.)

Yikes....

Not that I had hopes for this film but it sounds like another Caligula in the works ? hock:

The parallel would be complete if they did hire a top Brit actor like Craig, it seems.

~Theo