Illuminata

This is one of the few movies I have had to escape by walking out. Others in the movie house did the same before me. This movie was boring, lacked coherence, relied on cheap jokes and gratuitous topless scenes and tasteless sexual innuendo. The whole thing just fell apart. I don't know how Susan Sarandon was talked into appearing in this.

I'm also tired of endless self-centered movies being made about actors doing acting or making plays or movies. The direction might as well have been phoned in. Most of this can be blamed on actor John Turturro who adapted this movie from a play and who co-authored the screenplay and co-produced and directed this disappointment. The only redeeming qualities, as I see it, were the set design and photography.

The reason I joined the IMDB database was to warn others about this waste of time and money. I have enjoyed Turturro's acting in past movies and that is where, in my opinion, his energies are best utilized.

Wonderful characters, glib and meaningful dialogue, a portrait of theater and its denizens so complete you believe the film is a biography.

There are no small actors here because there are no small parts. What might have been a cameo becomes a pivotal role.

It has been said that the film was missing direction. Not at all. What was happening there was style. This guys loves women and shape and color, and what he likes best is wit.

The entire cast....and that is everybody, was wonderful, so good you could smell the sweat. Camera and sets were so good you could hear floor boards creak. Music, well and tastefully done.

Recommendation: see it once for the discovery, twice for the appreciation, three times for the education. You will not be bored.

I don't know how this ended up with such a middling rating. It stands out as one of the wittiest, strangest and well-constructed films I've seen in years. Well photographed, with many characters wonderfully and unexpectedly acted. Appropriate for almost any mood, occasion or atmosphere.

Great bawdy fun! This has a lot to enjoy and we did. If you like delightful actors letting out all the stops as they clearly enjoy going over the top, or good, often excellent wit and writing, see this movie. They had lots of fun with humorous sexuality, very interesting sets, costumes and visual moments that stay in the mind.

If you've ever taken an acting class, wanted to be on stage or known an actor with a larger than life ego and personality whom you couldn't help but love (even when you wanted to throttle him/her), this movie is for you. "Illuminata" is a real treat that we had never heard of before borrowing it from our local library. I hope you enjoy it nearly as much as we did.

Just saw this on TV. As a lifelong professional actor, and therefore of "the other world" (the other other world is everybody else, the "private people"), I want to say how it seemed to me to be made for actors only. Full of wondrous insights, dealing with the shallowness of actors, and their ever present self-concern that maybe where real life is concerned, they just don't "get it", but want to. (Hence our "method" approach to the craft.)

For me it has everything that I've never seen before in films that purport to be about the theatre, but in actuality pander to the ignorance of Private People about things of the theatre, and lie. These guys really don't care about that, but would rather stick to the truth. Yes, it's a huge "in" joke. Like the no-no of breaking up on stage, and destroying the fourth wall, not supposed to do that, it upsets the audience.

This exploration of that unreal world will always stand for me to be definitive. If you're one of the outsiders, don't bother, you won't understand. If this sounds elitist, it's not meant to be. Put it down to an actor's insecurity. But enjoy it for its beauty if you wish, don't look for more.