"Angels in America" (2003)TV series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

7 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

The messenger has arrived.

Plot:

Playwright Tony Kushner adapts his political epic about the AIDS crisis during the mid-eighties, around a group of separate but connected individuals.

Plot Keywords:

Gay Lead Character | Barefoot | Nurse | Surreal | Lovers

Awards:

Won 5 Golden Globes. Another 33 wins & 27 nominations

Cast

Patrick Wilson	...	Joe Pitt (6 episodes, 2003)
Al Pacino	...	Roy Cohn (6 episodes, 2003)
Meryl Streep	...	Ethel Rosenberg / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
Emma Thompson	...	Homeless Woman / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Harper Pitt (6 episodes, 2003)
Justin Kirk	...	Leatherman in the Park / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
Jeffrey Wright	...	Belize / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
Ben Shenkman	...	Louis Ironson / ... (6 episodes, 2003)
James Cromwell	...	Henry - Roy's Doctor (2 episodes, 2003)

Runtime:

352 min (6 parts)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Singapore:(Banned) | Canada:A (Ontario) | Netherlands:16 | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/16 (DVD rating) | USA:TV-MA | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Avenue Pictures Productions

Trivia:

When Louis speaks to the Rabbi played by Meryl Streep after his grandmother's funeral, two of the rabbis also sitting on the cemetery bench are played by Tony Kushner (who wrote the play and screenplay) and children's book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, who collaborated on the book Brundibar with Kushner.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Doritos bag Harper has in the Mormon Visitors Center didn't exist in 1985.

Quotes:

Harper Pitt: Oh well don't apologize, I can't expect someone who's really sick to entertain me.
Prior: How on earth did you know?
Harper Pitt: Oh that happens. This is the very threshold of revelation. Sometimes you can see things like how sick you are. Do you see anything about me?
Prior: Yes, you are amazingly unhappy
Harper Pitt: Big deal, you meet a valium addict, you figure out she's unhappy -that doesn't count. Of course I - something else? something suprising?
Prior: Something suprising?
Harper Pitt: Yes
Prior: Your husband's a homo.

Movie Connections:

References Top Hat (1935)

Soundtrack:

Les Couloirs Mysterieux

Angels in America, a great example of directing

Angels in America is an incredible example on how to adapt a play for the screen. Nothing is left behind and director Mike Nichols makes sure to get the best from each department. His great knowledge of cinema helped him to take advantage of all the qualities of this beautiful play. The way the story is told, the way characters are portrayed, the stunning editing just make this mini series a must see, something you cannot miss out. Moreover it is better than an acting class watching Maryl Streep, Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, Mary Louise Parker give life to more than one character each, changing their voices, posture, actions in a way a few actors can do. They are so well directed they just follow their actions and reveal the fantastic side of the play, where the imaginary world mixes with hard reality. There is no objective explanation for the angels coming to the earth, the audience has to find a reason, in the heart. As actors, filmmakers, director of photography you'll simply find this movie a great example on how to work properly, and that assuming that tvmovies are always bad is simply a commonplace, it's just a matter of doing your job well.