Booklist
Jeff Dick
4/1/03
[Listed as one of the top ten poetry films available on
video.]
Emily Dickinson, the notoriously reclusive and enigmatic poet whose works
often deal with death, receives an unconventional treatment in this compelling
title that uses a fictional filmmaker's search to find an actor to play
Dickinson as a means of introducing the author. The casting process, which
shows a variety of women auditioning for the title role, is interspersed
with footage of Julie Harris reading from Dickinson's writings as handwritten
poems are framed in extreme close-up. Included, too, are historians, psychologists,
teachers, poets, and other experts discussing the elusive writer. The
"filmmaker's" voice-over narration serves a dual purpose --
to fill in biographical details and to ruminate how best to portray the
prolific author. This refreshingly unique film is perfect for students,
literature buffs, and others who will enjoy the innovative format.
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