classicsoncall Prophecies of the Apocalypse and mysteriously dying monks make for an effective murder mystery thriller set in an isolated, Fourteenth Century Benedictine abbey. Sean Connery looks like he might have been made for the role of William von Baskerville, exuding a worldly wisdom to go with his venerable appearance. His young ward Adso (Christian Slater) does appear somewhat a lightweight by comparison, though the Franciscan brothers do complement each other quite well. The story turns on a virtually unknown sect called the Dolcinites, notorious for murdering wealthy priests and bishops who corrupted the Christian principles of poverty. An intriguing aspect of the story resulted in a debate on whether Christ owned the clothes he wore, something I've never even had occasion to consider before. Some of the story elements get a bit confusing and muddled, although the Sherlock Holmes type instincts of Brother William eventually discern the cause of deaths at the abbey, even if he has to place his own life in jeopardy at the hands of the Grand Inquisitor, Bernardo Gui (F. Murray Abraham). There's an effective sequence that takes place in the labyrinthine alleys of the abbey's secretive library, home to volumes of forbidden books and texts that their protector wishes to remain undiscovered. And there's a monumental test of Adso's vow of celibacy that he monumentally fails. Needless to say, this is an offbeat murder mystery in an offbeat setting, and made with an eye toward bump in the night creepiness. Say your prayers before and after watching.

thisseatofmars This film's hard to describe: one part murder mystery, one part social commentary / historical context. The movie's built around the ideas of theology, study, and knowledge, so the murder mystery plays second fiddle to these heady concepts. It's an obvious and easy thing to say, but Sean Connery is a treasure, celebrated for good reason. He is no less charming as a Franciscan monk than his portrayal of James Bond, which is weird, because monks are usually celibate (apparently.)Ron Perlman is also in this, playing a ghoulish hunchback. He's a class A ham who's made a career out of playing malformed brutes with beautiful hearts, and it was a delight seeing him pop up during this film. There are other iconic actors throughout, but really this film is about its direction and atmosphere. Tweaking an element or two could easily convert this film into a fantastic horror show. Anyway, recommended.

berberian00-276-69085 Umberto Eco (1932 – 2016) has been always difficult to handle. More so after he is already dead and have left a solid legacy. "Name of the Rose" (1986), both the novel and the film, have inspired considerable acclaim now in its 30th anniversary. Perhaps the movie guild should make an effort to prepare a new critical edition since the last release from 2004 on DVD and Blu-ray, which is good but outdated.I thought some time before writing these lines. It says in the introductory cadres of the film - a Palimpsest on Umberto Eco's Novel! Definition from Gerard Genette (1982) - "Palimpsest examines the manifold relationships a text may have with prior texts ... In this regard it treats the history and nature of parody, anti-novels, pastiches, caricatures, commentary, allusions, imitations and other textual relations". Wikipedia can provide further extension on this definition. This is in essence literature in the second degree!Then came the pressure of semiotics - What is it all about? I have a huge library, some 10 000 volumes that I have purchased with my pocket money for many years on a row. My selection here is with David Crystal (editor) "Encyclopedia of Language", where unfortunately Umberto Eco is not included as semiotician. By-and-large starting with Charles Peirce and Ferdinand de Saussure, we get here an updated scheme on Semiotics where subject matter is three-some or five-some:1. Auditory or vocal language with speech, musical effects, vocal cord physiology, etc;2. Body language or non-verbal communication with A/ Visual mode with signs and symbols, writing, kinesics; B/ Tactile mode for deaf and blind with codes, proxemics, etc;3. Olfactory and gustatory signals which is bio-semiotics and predominantly models communication in the animal kingdom.I hope that my reflections haven't hurt anyone, not least the estate of the author himself. My humble origins doesn't give me a single chance to become celebrity like Umberto Eco. I live in the fringes of Europe and my home town Sofia - although having perfect record of European residence - have been overshadowed by Turkish and Soviet populace. I don't see much future in those places and much less opportunities for science and film industry. However, future is with the young generation and people like me live on minimal retirement pension, with reflections on the past. Thank you!

budad2007 One of my favorite films, I have crossed paths with allot of film buffs that have this film on their shelf, out of all the films I claimed to be the best they have fallen off over the years but this one remains in the same spot, to me this is because it is so immersed in its setting. the characters and supporting characters have a purpose and you could almost understand their life story by looking at them, everything has a lived purpose about it and is weighed to the world it represents. Flawless, this film should be in every film school and studied with a close eye.The film has gotten allot of attention on release, but unlike allot of films that fall to the side and time beats them into submission. if you have not seen it, go out and do so. A stand out film that has a pulse