The Picture of Dorian Gray 2009 ~ Lost in Adaptation

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  • Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
  • A look at the 2009 film adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray to see if it was any closer to the book it's based on by Oscar Wilde than earlier attempts.
    Support the show on Patreon: www.patreon.co...
    Co-writer/editor: Kate Robinson: / channel
    MERCH: teespring.com/...
    Dom on Facebook: www.facebook.c...
    Dom on Twitter: / dominic__noble
    Intro music by: / djilneige
    Royalty Free Music:
    Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod
    Link: incompetech.fi...
    License: creativecommons...

Комментарии • 945

  • @jackieharkness7369
    @jackieharkness7369 4 года назад +2780

    Honestly even after everything Dorian Gray is still somehow better than Christian Grey, go figure

    • @logandavis3595
      @logandavis3595 4 года назад +12

      Who and/or what

    • @treesnip5667
      @treesnip5667 4 года назад +28

      Logan Davis From 50 Shades of Grey

    • @JuFated
      @JuFated 4 года назад +213

      Well Dorian actually paid for his folly. Christian got a slap on the wrist and continues his abusive controlling ways 8I

    • @AliceOfSherwood
      @AliceOfSherwood 4 года назад +153

      Christian, why do you have a painting of the Crypt Keeper in the attic?
      Go to your room, Ana!

    • @brendancorey7831
      @brendancorey7831 4 года назад +33

      Dorian is basically like a corporate entity, screwing over everyone, rather than just one.

  • @adqueen2548
    @adqueen2548 4 года назад +1660

    Prince Caspian: blonde
    Dorian Gray: blonde
    Ben Barnes: brunette, both roles of the above

    • @LucyLioness100
      @LucyLioness100 4 года назад +52

      Funny how we had two dark-haired Dorians 😄 (counting only ‘45 & ‘09)

    • @DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose
      @DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose 4 года назад +61

      @@LucyLioness100 Given the "darker" tones of the story the directors probably thought Dorian would come off as more mysterious if made a brunette. But that's just a guess on my part.

    • @MariaVosa
      @MariaVosa 4 года назад +39

      Caspian wasn't blonde. Not in the original illustrations of the book. He was dark haired.

    • @opiateutopia
      @opiateutopia 4 года назад +56

      Let's do a combo and cast him as Lestat in the new Vampire Chronicles adaptation, then

    • @rosebloodwater13
      @rosebloodwater13 4 года назад +9

      Oh thank God I'm not crazy. I wasn't sure at first if was the same guy. It's been awhile since I've seen either movie

  • @robynraven508
    @robynraven508 4 года назад +811

    "No one suspects Dorian because..he's..pretty?"

    • @roseofoulesfame
      @roseofoulesfame 4 года назад +126

      I mean, that seems legit/canon

    • @l0stndamned
      @l0stndamned 4 года назад +84

      Know as "the halo effect" (not to be confused with the annoying trend for every FPS to have regenerating health and limited weapons :) ).Quite common in Victorian thinking.

    • @cappuccinocrafts2412
      @cappuccinocrafts2412 4 года назад +64

      Unfortunately, our beauty obsessed modern culture still kind of works that way. People are quick to assume good character, intelligence, skills when presented with a good looking person. And sometimes they might give a second chance or the benefit of the doubt to preserve that first impression.

    • @julietfischer5056
      @julietfischer5056 4 года назад +48

      @@l0stndamned - The idea was that physical beauty equated to morality and goodness. That's why handsome villains were rare.

    • @LadyMisalein
      @LadyMisalein 4 года назад +25

      I mean.. *sideeyes ted bundy* not that far fetched

  • @barleysixseventwo6665
    @barleysixseventwo6665 4 года назад +1032

    “The Picture of Dorian Grey but Grey gets drafted into the war” Sounds like a sweet premise

    • @qwertyTRiG
      @qwertyTRiG 4 года назад +4

      Now I'm thinking of The Children's Book, by A.S. Byatt, again.

    • @StephenGillie
      @StephenGillie 4 года назад +91

      "Dorian, we don't understand your healing power, so we're going to cover your bones with a super-hard toxic metal."

    • @AspelShuyin
      @AspelShuyin 4 года назад +24

      Rich people don't get drafted.

    • @rhodopisdenile8977
      @rhodopisdenile8977 4 года назад +21

      Dorian would find some way around it via bribing or black mail.

    • @fionatastic0.070
      @fionatastic0.070 4 года назад +29

      Not just Dorian, the picture itself and it becomes a buddy movie

  • @hindsightpov4218
    @hindsightpov4218 4 года назад +953

    It’s funny that in the book Dorian Gray being blond and blue eyed is portrayed as the most beautiful features one can have but all the prominent cinematic portrayals of Dorian Gray had actors with dark features. It’s probably just a coincidence but still is a funny pattern.

    • @DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose
      @DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose 4 года назад +143

      My guess is that the directors, given the darker tones of the story, thought Dorian being blonde and blue-eyed would seem out of place. He'd appear more dashing and mysterious as a brunette.

    • @Nightman221k
      @Nightman221k 4 года назад +44

      Young Chris Pine would have been able to pull this role off well.

    • @michi4066
      @michi4066 4 года назад +258

      The thing is, he's not supposed to be dashing and mysterious. He's supposed to be angelically beautiful. The kind of face you'd see in a renaissance painting, but you'd be shocked to find in real life. The kind of face you associate with cherubs, goodness, honestly and youth. He's not merely handsome. He's beautiful. He's nature's work of art. That's why nobody doubts his morality despite repeated proof of his lack of it, and that's why Henry's speech at the beginning of the book and the subsequent transformation of the painting as the story goes on is so pointed. That effect is simply not achieved if your actor is merely an attractive young man more comparable to a boy band member than a celestial being. And yes, the blue eyes and blond hair help to create that image, and thus, the resulting contrast. I'm not bashing any of the actors who have played him, let's be clear, but maybe it's just one of those cases where the description of the book is just not achievable because it's literary, and thus, each reader can interpret as they see fit. It always happens when a character's inhuman beauty is emphasized like that in the text. I suppose we humans are not at perfect as we'd like to think.

    • @hindsightpov4218
      @hindsightpov4218 4 года назад +53

      D.J. Rose
      That is a possibility. But there have been blond male villains in cinema who were very sinister. That was the case with Draco Malfoy and his father in the ‘Harry Potter’ films, Julian Sands in ‘Warlock’ and Tom Cruise as Lestat in ‘Interview With The Vampire’. If anything, their platinum blond hair made them seem even more villainous.
      I actually think Anne Rice may have been influenced by Dorian Gray when she described the physical features of Lestat. She said she based Lestat on her husband who was blond and blue-eyed. But in both novels, Dorian Gray and Lestat were both twenty years old when they were made immortal and both are described as being incredibly good-looking. Their personalities are also very similar.

    • @DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose
      @DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose 4 года назад +4

      @@michi4066 I'm not super-familiar with the story so it was really just a guess. Who knows what was going through the director's heads.

  • @ghoulmania7906
    @ghoulmania7906 4 года назад +1126

    I don't even care how good/bad this movie is, I had a genuine Ben Barnes fangirl phase as a kid.

    • @olessiatchijova8605
      @olessiatchijova8605 4 года назад +83

      I won’t lie, I’m still in mine. He’s been in some really good stuff recently

    • @adqueen2548
      @adqueen2548 4 года назад +39

      I found my people!

    • @MassielRoss
      @MassielRoss 4 года назад +11

      Same.

    • @GrainneMhaol
      @GrainneMhaol 4 года назад +35

      I love my Prince Gaspian.

    • @7776-e1n
      @7776-e1n 4 года назад +31

      I screamed when I saw him again in Westworld

  • @edisonlima4647
    @edisonlima4647 4 года назад +1494

    "So, my suffragette daughter, this man exploited, betrayed and abandoned hundreds of women."
    Doe-eyed movie suffragette: "I don't care."
    Quite an empowering feminist character.

    • @RoseBaggins
      @RoseBaggins 4 года назад +34

      Sounds vaguely familiar . . .

    • @willowweedsYT
      @willowweedsYT 4 года назад +137

      It’s the “I will not listen to a man even when he makes perfect sense” kind of feminist so annoyingly common in movies

    • @xRaiofSunshine
      @xRaiofSunshine 4 года назад +158

      I call this "Hollywood feminism"

    • @theguystealingyourinternet3712
      @theguystealingyourinternet3712 4 года назад +112

      I mean she is an upper class feminist, so we can assume she's one of the "it's only feminism when it suits me" type

    • @tealOmega980
      @tealOmega980 4 года назад +40

      @@theguystealingyourinternet3712 She's also part of the Suffragettes, who were 100% made up of those kind of self-proclaimed feminists. The real feminists were the Suffragists, an organization most suffragettes were thrown out of.

  • @howdyhowdyhelga
    @howdyhowdyhelga 4 года назад +358

    Ah, Ben Barnes. The face that launched a thousand fangirls.

    • @pauliedoodle1939
      @pauliedoodle1939 4 года назад +8

      Sarah A Lol and now, fan women. 😄

    • @ayaehab
      @ayaehab 4 года назад +2

      still does tbh haha

    • @FlottisPar
      @FlottisPar 4 года назад +10

      I am slowly becoming a fanboy at age 31 xD

    • @ayaehab
      @ayaehab 4 года назад +3

      @@FlottisPar never too late, never too late lol

    • @Amsayy
      @Amsayy 4 года назад +14

      Paulie Doodle I was a child thirsting after him as prince caspian and now a woman who thirsts after him in westworld lmao

  • @drawingsticks5333
    @drawingsticks5333 4 года назад +270

    What bothers me about the "true love equals redemption" in this movie is that, in the book, he's offered True Love THREE TIMES and he always refuses it, the most explicit one being with...BASIL.
    AND HE KNOWS THAT, HE EXPLICITELY SAYS IT TWO TIMES.
    AND THEN HE LITERALLY KILLS BASIL BECAUSE BASIL WANTS TO REDEEM HIM AND HE DOESN'T WANNA.
    But instead in the movie hey throw a pretty girl at him to be his "true love that redeems evil!" because gay sex is cool but gay redemption love is not?A girl who is super feminist and super special because...empowerment?

  • @seanlittle588
    @seanlittle588 4 года назад +307

    I always got the impression that Lord Henry was supposed to be the Devil in disguise.

    • @EspiritoDeDafne
      @EspiritoDeDafne 4 года назад +77

      I always saw him as a completely human bastard, but, now that I think about, it's a very interest interpretation

    • @cayreet5992
      @cayreet5992 4 года назад +52

      Given he pushes Dorian into that deal, it's a valid interpretation.

    • @Companion92
      @Companion92 4 года назад +10

      He reminded me of Crowley from Supernatural

    • @PassTheMarmalade1957
      @PassTheMarmalade1957 4 года назад +11

      That seems like a totally plausible theory...right up until he has a child and changes his ways.

    • @pompe221
      @pompe221 4 года назад +51

      "Lord Harry" is an old-timey name for the devil, which I think was Wilde's intention.

  • @Charolette21
    @Charolette21 4 года назад +804

    I do actually like that Henry did fix his behavior and mindset after Emily was born, it shows that Dorian could have improved as an individual as well but unfortunately dies before that could happen.

    • @LucyLioness100
      @LucyLioness100 4 года назад +81

      That was a character change I didn’t mind. Course it’s Colin Firth 😆

    • @wagnus1923
      @wagnus1923 4 года назад +63

      It also ties back to him dumping the girl for wanting kids which, in hindsight, would have most likely just made him a better person

    • @AntediluvianRomance
      @AntediluvianRomance 4 года назад +76

      The idea of people changing because of children is maybe a tad less naive than the idea of people changing because of love. Maybe it's even somewhat more realistic. But it's still close to the sentimental side of the scale.

    • @MissingSirius
      @MissingSirius 4 года назад +47

      "Man becoming better person because daughter" is kind of annoying trope, though.

    • @665nachbarderbestie
      @665nachbarderbestie 4 года назад +59

      "I respect women now because I have a daughter." - One of the worst ways to 'redeem' a character.

  • @ajerqureshi6411
    @ajerqureshi6411 4 года назад +816

    "Off the rails" ...he says as the brother gets run over by a train...
    ...
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
    Well played, Dom! Well played!

    • @Dominic-Noble
      @Dominic-Noble  4 года назад +275

      I'd love to take credit but my editor Kate must have come up with that 🤣

    • @PorgWitch
      @PorgWitch 4 года назад +30

      Dare we say, a CRAZY TRAIN?!

    • @2Ten1Ryu
      @2Ten1Ryu 4 года назад +23

      Obligatory "I like trains" comment

    • @Elysia_Fields
      @Elysia_Fields 4 года назад +4

      I'm glad I'm not the only one who laughed at that.

    • @DianaDxD
      @DianaDxD 3 года назад +5

      @@Dominic-Noble well tell her we said thank you for that🤣🤣🤣

  • @merrittanimation7721
    @merrittanimation7721 4 года назад +848

    So now we need to get a Picture of Dorian Gray film adaptation that is not only gay, has a blonde Dorian and is an actually decent movie.

    • @cryptid_deity
      @cryptid_deity 4 года назад +43

      (Previous comment seems to have been deleted)
      The 1976 version may just give you what you're looking for. It has been posted on RUclips as a playlist

    • @maximellow5745
      @maximellow5745 4 года назад +2

      I am waiting for that too.

    • @julietfischer5056
      @julietfischer5056 4 года назад +6

      He's dark-haired, but the first adaptation, starring Hurd Hatfield and George Sanders is pretty good.

    • @fruitygarlic3601
      @fruitygarlic3601 4 года назад +17

      And no moving maggot portraits, pretty please.

    • @bar1scorpio
      @bar1scorpio 4 года назад +2

      I mean.. sure.. why not, since the book is a tale of gay grooming written by a creeper...

  • @kessler5902
    @kessler5902 4 года назад +212

    1:50 - The performances varied WILDEly, you'd say?
    I'll see myself out.

  • @Promthanius
    @Promthanius 4 года назад +85

    Dorian didn’t suddenly have commitment issues. Henry literally told him that his life would get destroyed and he would lose his freedom once he had kids. So that’s what was going on there

  • @PassTheMarmalade1957
    @PassTheMarmalade1957 4 года назад +269

    It kind of seems like this adaptation is trying to foist the blame for Dorian's sins off of Dorian, and even off of Lord Henry, and ultimately pin them on...the painting itself? Dorian is genuinely remorseful in this one, so the painting should reflect that. Instead, it's less an image of Dorian's soul and more like a demon that has to be defeated.

    • @dontbefatuousjeffrey2494
      @dontbefatuousjeffrey2494 4 года назад +15

      Well put.

    • @thuytienlives8487
      @thuytienlives8487 3 года назад +6

      Thank you so much for saying this! :)

    • @TheSongwritingCat
      @TheSongwritingCat 3 года назад +17

      I know it was made by different people but if you told me this was an attempt to make an evil painting a part of the attempted Universal Monster cinematic universe, I would believe you.

    • @alanpennie8013
      @alanpennie8013 3 года назад +6

      @@TheSongwritingCat
      I seem to remember that in the book Dorian destroys the painting because he had attempted to reform and be a good person but the painting becomes even eviller.
      He thinks it's reproaching him for hypocrisy

    • @icp7201
      @icp7201 2 года назад +20

      @@alanpennie8013 I interpreted that as that the reason the painting deteriorated even further was because Dorian wasn't really trying to reform and be a good person, but instead his good acts were made in a selfish way, just trying to save his own soul instead of genuinely trying to help the girl.
      So, the painting depicted that. That the only good action that he made in decades was nothing more than selfish self preservation. So the painting had no truly will of its own or was trying to corrupt Dorian. It simply was an honest visual representation of his soul

  • @EddoFoxy
    @EddoFoxy 4 года назад +133

    I haven't seen this film in years but lil 15 y/o me loved it because it had Ben Barnes and gay, and I stand by that

    • @mariaah3073
      @mariaah3073 4 года назад +22

      Ben Barnes and gay in victorian fashion***

  • @schwarzroterose
    @schwarzroterose 4 года назад +205

    Dorian: Do you have any threes?
    Demon portrait Dorian: *demonic cute voice* Go fish!

  • @EspiritoDeDafne
    @EspiritoDeDafne 4 года назад +162

    I am the only one who thinks that the random woman being a random woman instead of a important character that Dorian has genuine feelings about makes this more impactful? I mean, in both of the adaptation, they fall into the cliche of redemption trough love and a bad man being touched by the love of a good woman, what could be a powerful narrative if it wasn't so, as I said, cliche, and if wasn't for the fact that the cliche perpetues the idea of woman being able and having the duty of fixing men. In the book, Dorian was just doing the good thing for a change, you know, just for the sake of doing the good thing, and I think this is more meaningful for the story and its themes

    • @sandrols7
      @sandrols7 11 месяцев назад +9

      Well, Dorian wasn't doing it for the sake of doing a good thing in the book. He was doing it because he believed it made him a better person, his motivation was entirely selfish in the matter, which the portrait then reflected back at him.

  • @Oonagh72
    @Oonagh72 4 года назад +155

    In the movie Emily falling in love with Dorian makes perfect sense. He is a painting. Art is open to interpretation, so it makes perfect sense that she interpreted him as her ideal man.

    • @RoseBaggins
      @RoseBaggins 4 года назад +31

      That is an excellent observation. I think we could say the same thing about celebrity worship.

    • @donb7519
      @donb7519 4 года назад +1

      @@RoseBaggins fair enough women love onision and plenty of young women idolize danielle bregolli and danielle cohn(though with cohn its way more her moms fault)

    • @its-beady-eyes5120
      @its-beady-eyes5120 4 года назад +9

      I would make the same mistake if I met a young Ben Barnes.

    • @fabulousmyriad267
      @fabulousmyriad267 4 года назад +1

      Like young MCU fans being warned off watching The Devil all the time.
      (I'm not opposed; it is rated R for a reason)

  • @moonprincesst.s.h.4ever115
    @moonprincesst.s.h.4ever115 4 года назад +307

    I think that your cat's cameo is SO CUTE! 😻

  • @hindsightpov4218
    @hindsightpov4218 4 года назад +115

    I didn’t notice until this video pointed out that Ben Barnes as Dorian was so sweet at the beginning of the film. He had such an innocent dorky smile. It wasn’t until after he unwittingly sold his soul did he have a roguish look in his eyes, giving off bad boy vibes that women are so drawn to.
    It makes you realize that Dorian was a victim himself. He was a good person initially. But he was then cursed by a malevolent force that took control of him. It makes you wonder when he died if he was going to heaven or hell, if you believe that sort of thing.

    • @cayreet5992
      @cayreet5992 4 года назад +40

      It's less of a 'cursed by malevolent force' and more of a 'corrupted and led off the path' thing with Dorian. So he's a victim to a degree - of Sir Henry more than of his portrait -, but nevertheless he has made the choices which led him astray, nobody forced him to do so.

    • @HeavenlyEchoVirus
      @HeavenlyEchoVirus 4 года назад +38

      Yes in the book, he doesn’t really sell his soul. In fact, Wilde describes it more as an answered prayer, a received gift, or a miracle. But upon receiving this gift of eternal youth, he then uses it to go down the path that was suggested to him by Lord Henry, quite willingly, as Basil objects. Harry isn’t devoid of responsibility-ironically he declares that all influence is poisonous and corrupt, while moulding Dorian-but Dorian is an all too willing follower, and he isn’t only following Harry’s orders and whims either.

    • @HeavenlyEchoVirus
      @HeavenlyEchoVirus 4 года назад +20

      But I also have always adored in this the way Ben Barnes could play both innocent and devious Dorian so well, with those small changes in expression. That first smile especially....

    • @user-qj9en1kp1m
      @user-qj9en1kp1m Год назад +9

      I think Ben Barnes' pre-curse Dorian is actually much nicer than pre-curse Dorian was in the book. I know that in the book multiple characters mention that Dorian is a sweet, pure innocent lad, but his break-up with Sybil reveals a very selfish and narcissistic side of his character which made me wonder if Dorian is only a victim of Lord Henry, lured into a life of crime, debauchery and moral degradation or if Dorian was a jerk all along, and people saw him as a pure, kind, innocent young man only because of his extreme good looks. I don't know how Oscar Wilde wished for the character to be interpreted, but on a second reading I felt that Dorian was always shallow, vain and selfish and Henry's influence also revealed Dorian's true character, rather than "just" corrupted him.

  • @BlackForest147
    @BlackForest147 4 года назад +103

    Its pretty surprising dom has never done a video on treasure island and its most faithful adaption treasure planet

    • @thatsdisco
      @thatsdisco 4 года назад +7

      don't you mean the only valid adaptation of Treasure Island?

    • @phastinemoon
      @phastinemoon 4 года назад +5

      Very sorry to say this - because Treasure Planet is one of my favorite Disney movies - but it’s NOT faithful to the book at ALL.
      No film version is, really (if there’s even a hint of a father-son bond between Silver and Jim, it’s disqualified) but despite Planet being an excellent movie, it’s not even remotely faithful.

    • @BlackForest147
      @BlackForest147 4 года назад +4

      @@phastinemoon kinda missed the joke there didn't you friend

  • @dakusupremacy
    @dakusupremacy 2 года назад +15

    "but nobody suspects dorian because, uh, he's pretty?" Yup, that's the point. The book is so riddled with criticism towards Victorian society, and one of those points is just how much appearance mattered. It was simply impossible for someone rich and beautiful to have committed a crime, this was a genuine belief. So I'm glad they had that come across in the movie as well.
    Source: Trust me, I wrote my Bachelor's on this topic.
    Unrelated, but i love the scene between dorian and harry at the end. I AM WHAT YOU MADE ME is such a powerful line.

  • @pompe221
    @pompe221 4 года назад +34

    I did my thesis projec on "PoDG" and I unironically really like this movie. I like that it takes its time with Dorian's downward spiral. I like that it shows the debauchery. I LOVE that it brought back the gay. I especially like that it showed the changing times with the updated technology and clothing and the war -- things which, as you pointed out, Oscar Wilde could never have predicted (heck, things he never even lived long enough to see.) I like how they have an explanation for Jim appearing out of nowhere trying to kill Dorian. I like the changes towards the end, where Lord Harry has a daughter and has a change of heart now that it's HIS daughter in danger from Dorian. I even like the ending, with Lord Harry left a scarred, lonely old man reviled by the remnants of his family -- it's like a taste of karma for him, even though it makes the story more about him than Dorian.
    Honestly, the only part I don't like is portrait growling and jump-scaring. I'm not going to argue that the movie is good or that it's bad. I'm just saying I like it.

  • @ciara947
    @ciara947 4 года назад +132

    I remember Ben Barnes saying that after this movie he considered giving up acting all together

    • @LucyLioness100
      @LucyLioness100 4 года назад +35

      Thankfully having a gig with “Westworld” has kept him acting

    • @guillermodebaskerville7117
      @guillermodebaskerville7117 4 года назад +4

      Poor man

    • @darlalathan6143
      @darlalathan6143 4 года назад +7

      The movie was that bad??!

    • @Dominic-Noble
      @Dominic-Noble  4 года назад +90

      Glad he didn't. He's a legit good actor.

    • @pauliedoodle1939
      @pauliedoodle1939 4 года назад +20

      I think he was just being melodramatic when he was talking about reading the critics reviews of the film. They slated it. Lol

  • @leticiaaguiar7897
    @leticiaaguiar7897 4 года назад +72

    It kinda makes sense to me Lord Henry kept the portrait - as a memento, just like Dorian kept Basil's scarf. It is a hurtful memory, but also a warning to keep their demons on check... or else. Also knowing it is way more sci-fier than the original, I get a feeling he wanted to hide and protect people from that monstruosity that is implied is still alive. A nice fatherly touch, since it all comes down to him changing his ways after the birth of this daughter. It was an act of selflesness, of recognizing the karma of that moment years back when it all started, I think. Still a bit confusing lol

  • @e.millustration1759
    @e.millustration1759 4 года назад +14

    I respect the director managing to get any funding to make his redemption fanfic a reality

  • @665nachbarderbestie
    @665nachbarderbestie 4 года назад +48

    This movie was a confusing mess but I still had fun with it. (The fact that the Dorian in both adaptations had genuine feelings for the final girl shows the hesitation from studios to show a troubled male protagonist with no beautiful, pure female who changes him. Yikes.)

  • @Daelyah
    @Daelyah 4 года назад +21

    ...I couldn't help but imagine at 3:34, after Dom's "painting" fails to spook his "Dorian," that the painting gets mad and just knocks the wine out of his Dorian's hand...and his Dorian just stares down at the glass, dead silent and in disbelief. 😆

  • @stareyedwitch
    @stareyedwitch 4 года назад +12

    Dorian trying to reform to appeal to a suffragette could have been a great dissection of the Nice Guy trope, staying in keeping with the spirit of the book while updating for a modern audience.

  • @kalliopesolomou6584
    @kalliopesolomou6584 4 года назад +77

    I loved this film as an angsty goth teen. I read the book afterwards and was disappointed in the lack of raunchy descriptions! I totally agree with your take though Dom.

    • @thedopdeity
      @thedopdeity 4 года назад +9

      Angsty goth teens have the worst tastes (I was one as well and by the nine my taste was terrible).

    • @kalliopesolomou6584
      @kalliopesolomou6584 4 года назад +9

      @@thedopdeity its true! Anything that was vaguely gothic I had to like, even if it was terrible.

  • @Victoura56
    @Victoura56 4 года назад +26

    Oh, Dorian playing Go Fish with his painting was absolute bloody genius!

  • @AlwaysTolkien
    @AlwaysTolkien 4 года назад +55

    I 500% just watched a bootleg copy of this adaptation back in the day because of Ben Barnes. I can kind of see where they tried to go with this, but they definitely got lost in the sauce.

  • @bebel9
    @bebel9 4 года назад +52

    I loved the book, so when I rented this movie to watch, expecting a proper adaptation, I felt so disappointed. It left a sour taste in my mouth. I didn’t like how they handled Basil, my favorite character, I HATED the added in Dorian/Emily storyline and Lord Henry suddenly becoming “good” because of his daughter as I felt the idea that love (be it romantic or parental) can change even the most vile people went against the entire point of the book. It’s not that it couldn’t be an interesting storyline if it had been handled better (I LOVE Disney’s 1992 Beauty and the Beast, after all), but it’s just not what the novel is about. It’s one thing to make changes to better suite a modern audience, it’s another thing entirely to go against the themes of the book and the characters Wilde created.
    I know that there are a lot of people who love this movie, but I’m sorry, I’ll never be able to enjoy it.

    • @rockybalboa4593
      @rockybalboa4593 2 года назад

      I have to respectfully disagree. I love the book and honestly absolutely loved this film along with the idea of Lord Henry’s daughter being included as a source of changing his character. I loved how him and Dorian had a falling out. It feels much more realistic to me. I love the book too, of course. It basically presented him and Dorian as malignant narcissists/sociopaths. The film did portray that in their behavior perfectly to me. Sorry you didn’t enjoy it. I personally love it. Outstanding painting and extremely stylish. Colin Firth was perfectly cast. I even like Ben Barnes and never understood the hate about his performance being lifeless. I didn’t get that impression at all. What bugged me was that they did include Alan Campbell in the film in the scene with Dorian but then decided to cut the scene out. It’s at least available as a deleted scene. My only other criticism is I do think they could have left sybil’s bad performance being the reason why Dorian dumps her. The scene where he first sees her on stage was done so well in the film.

    • @professordracula
      @professordracula 11 часов назад

      I agree. I want my bad characters bad, not hammily redeemed.

  • @KnightofDuroch
    @KnightofDuroch 4 года назад +19

    Hearing you describe this movie and watching the clips, I'm over here like, "this movie is bad?" Even a lot of the stuff they changed sounds genuinely cool. They probably should've saved the painting moving on its own for the end; the painting, and whatever demon is linked to it, coming to life when Dorian stabs it looks like such a legit horror moment, I wish it could be in a better movie.

    • @DeadMech1
      @DeadMech1 4 года назад +1

      It's been awhile but I'm sure I've seen far far worse movies than this.

  • @luciekulhankova7278
    @luciekulhankova7278 4 года назад +62

    I remember seeing this movie after seeing Wilde with Stephen Fry and being genuinely upset that it was so weird and bonkers, but equally pleased that it went with the gay.

  • @jasonblalock4429
    @jasonblalock4429 4 года назад +108

    There's an interesting bit of adaptation decay going on with Dorian becoming impervious. That's a power upgrade he got in some "spin off" takes on the character such as the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie. Although what's really confusing to me is that, if they're going to include it, why not do something with it? That seems like a perfect setup to have James actually (attempt to) kill Dorian, rather than being talked out of it, which would be a neat modernization of that storyline.

    • @Xehanort10
      @Xehanort10 4 года назад +3

      In the original story apart from the eternal youth isn't he just a normal man who can be killed like any other?

    • @jasonblalock4429
      @jasonblalock4429 4 года назад +28

      @@Xehanort10 Yeah, pretty much. At least, there's nothing to suggest he's gained any other superpowers. Well, unless you go all fridge-logic and contemplate the long-term effects of endless booze and opium for decades, but I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to think about that angle. :-)

    • @julietfischer5056
      @julietfischer5056 4 года назад +16

      @@Xehanort10 - Since he always avoids being killed or seriously injured, we don't know that. I think people assume he was immortal and impervious because he died AFTER he assaulted his portrait.

    • @Xehanort10
      @Xehanort10 4 года назад +7

      @@julietfischer5056 At least it's not like the shitty League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film where being shown his portrait killed him.

    • @cayreet5992
      @cayreet5992 4 года назад +13

      @@Xehanort10 Yep, in other adaptations, he might avoid looking at the picture, because it shows him his true self, but it doesn't kill him to do so. He just doesn't like doing it.

  • @blueisasomedancer
    @blueisasomedancer 4 года назад +38

    I don't know why but the demonic painting voice makes me laugh every time you use it. Somehow it becomes incredibly silly when you do it!

  • @NeptuneTart
    @NeptuneTart 4 года назад +29

    The song at the end caught me off-guard, not gonna lie. Good choice!

  • @heatherduke5410
    @heatherduke5410 3 года назад +5

    The moment when I finally realize who it was being used in Harry Potter music videos and edits/gifsets of Sirius Black in marauder era creations.

  • @katokianimation
    @katokianimation 4 года назад +49

    Is it just me or he would really be good to the role of Jim in a live action version of Treasure Planet?

  • @sadabada6848
    @sadabada6848 2 года назад +11

    I think a movie adaptation with a softer atmosphere in the beginning would be nice. In the first few chapters Basil’s studio and Dorian were described very beautifully. Dorian smelling the flowers while waiting for the drinks, the trees… I pictured that moment so differently than the movie. It almost felt like the vision was a bit blurry while Henry and Basil were looking at Dorian. I thought of some Atonement scenes, where they used stockings fastened over the camera lense to create a dreamy/overheated luster effect. I was kind of disappointed seeing it all start so dark. It could’ve gotten darker as the story progressed and Dorian’s soul got filthier.

  • @RepublicOH
    @RepublicOH 4 года назад +29

    I know objectively that this is not a great film, but my love of the gothic atmosphere (and love of Ben Barnes...) means I can't help but really enjoy it.

  • @rodefshalom
    @rodefshalom 4 года назад +17

    “Have you got any threes?” made me laugh out loud in my break room at work. Well done!

  • @phoebeg.380
    @phoebeg.380 4 года назад +31

    I love the little scetches you do.
    They always add a little fun to the review 😁
    Edit :
    Also the bloopers are amazing!

  • @CarlosPenasGrl
    @CarlosPenasGrl 4 года назад +7

    I'm so glad you talked about this version. This movie was my intro to Dorian Gray as a teen and was a very effective gateway drug to Wilde.

  • @littleredzephyr4698
    @littleredzephyr4698 4 года назад +121

    That's a shame because I really enjoyed the movie (granted I haven't read the book) Damn Ben Barnes and his teary eyed face, how can anyone say no to him? T-T
    Though I have to admit that the cheap jump scare was unnecessary but to me I saw it as that his living soul was inside so the painting had to be alive to a certain degree. so I was like.... ehhhh the painting can move and stuff... just dont cheap-scare me -_-"

    • @searchingfororion
      @searchingfororion 4 года назад +11

      I as well. I rather enjoyed it. I'm a bit sad that Dom hated on it so hard for more than adaptation purposes and claimed "bad movie".
      I'm rather hard to please, and I thought it was extremely well done as a film on it's own.

    • @unfabgirl
      @unfabgirl 4 года назад +11

      I love both the book and the movie. I do recommend reading the book (though I highly recommend the "uncensored" version that combines the published novel with the removed sections from the original serial publication.) And, while I am sad at how little Dominic liked the movie, he wasn't kidding about how close the first 2/3s of the movie follows the book. Also, Ben Barnes may not be physically like the book version, but he definitely matches the spirit best.

    • @ravendevino6419
      @ravendevino6419 4 года назад +2

      @@unfabgirl I can't ever find the uncensored version, and as a major Wilde can it makes me sad

    • @saschamayer4050
      @saschamayer4050 4 года назад +1

      No.
      See, it's easy. 😉

  • @BigFanOfManyThings
    @BigFanOfManyThings 6 месяцев назад +3

    Dorian gray: “fine. Make me your villain.”

  • @alexandrialeonora6542
    @alexandrialeonora6542 4 года назад +12

    Thanks for reviewing this! Honestly, the film still holds a special place in my heart. I loved it and was entertained, regardless of whether it stuck closely or not to the source material. Ben Barnes and his beautiful eyes certainly help - he's also a fantastic actor. But my absolute favorite in the film was Ben Chaplin. I loved the way he played Basil - still my favorite character of all, despite Barnes' good looks!

  • @makdm2405
    @makdm2405 4 года назад +27

    Even though it's kind of out there, I enjoyed Penny Dreadful´s Dorian Gray 'cause they never tried to show any kind of goodness in him.

    • @its-beady-eyes5120
      @its-beady-eyes5120 4 года назад +6

      Yes plus the actor Reeve Carney did a great job as Dorian.

  • @feanaro2712
    @feanaro2712 4 года назад +5

    I remember watching this entire film for that one kiss between Dorian and Basil. I knew nothing about the original story beyond the fact that it existed, so Basil's ultimate fate was... a surprise, to say the least.

  • @hannahisaacs8041
    @hannahisaacs8041 4 года назад +12

    This is my favorite book and my favorite adaptation of (even if it isn't the best film/most accurate lol) I loved Ben Barnes as Dorian, I cannot express the happiness that this notification brought me!!!

  • @james879
    @james879 4 года назад +23

    Maybe it's just me, I like a 'what if' ending, that's the way I've always treated 2009's Dorian Gray adaptation.
    Like if you picked the wrong option in a visual novel

  • @Raziroth
    @Raziroth 4 года назад +11

    Lovely work as always. I remember seeing trailers for this when I was younger. I think the healing factor may have been incorporated from Dorian's appearance in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen where he has that ability

  • @hexreviews
    @hexreviews 4 года назад +73

    Why would Lord Henry keep Dorian's portrait? As a character choice I dont get it.

    • @searchingfororion
      @searchingfororion 4 года назад +57

      I personally thought it was remorse. He was the one who sent innocent Dorian off into a world of debauchery, and essentially taunted/dared him to sell his soul...
      At least that's what I gathered from this version of the film.

    • @UGNAvalon
      @UGNAvalon 4 года назад +35

      Also, a constant reminder to himself of “never again”, both for his own future choices, and those of the ppl around him.

    • @whyjay9959
      @whyjay9959 4 года назад +9

      Wouldn't you keep something magical if you found it?

    • @leooreillydoyle7990
      @leooreillydoyle7990 4 года назад +9

      @@whyjay9959 if it was as terrifying as that portrait, i'd burn it and never speak of it again

    • @SunnysFilms
      @SunnysFilms 4 года назад +30

      @@leooreillydoyle7990 The problem is it didn't burn. I'm guessing he kept it to keep it from potentially harming anyone else.

  • @tsuntsunsweetie
    @tsuntsunsweetie 4 года назад +9

    I just want to take a moment to appreciate Dom's thumbnail photoshops just *chef kiss*

  • @danguillou713
    @danguillou713 3 года назад +3

    I think an interesting part of the book is the theory of how morality works, that our internalized moral compass needs consequences to stay intact. Even though lord Douchebag is certainly a bad influence, the actual reason for Dorians face-heel-turn is that the portrait absorbs all the consequences of his actions. From angst to veneral diseases. It reminds me of The Invisible Man actually.

  • @Lunaryo
    @Lunaryo 4 года назад +31

    The go fish segment got me hard lol its so stupid but funny as hell. Love your content.

  • @Cocoanutty0
    @Cocoanutty0 4 месяца назад +1

    I can’t tell you why I loved this movie as a kid (yes I was too young to be watching but, but honestly it’s pretty tame except that one scene). It made such an impression on me that my cat is named Dorian (he’s a grey tuxedo). I knew it was bad even back then, but some movies just have something about them that sticks with you. I think I related a lot as a kid to being an outcast, not fitting in with my peers who were all maturing and leaving me behind. It was a dream of mine to find someone who got me. To find love even when everyone else thinks you’re a monster. I’ve also always been drawn to films and books with alien and
    monster main characters. Turns out I’m autistic, so feeling alienated and infantilized my whole life makes a lot of sense.

  • @jessmaloney8375
    @jessmaloney8375 4 года назад +59

    Damn, last time I was this early, Dorian was still a redeemable person

    • @DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose
      @DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose 4 года назад +11

      Last time I was early Ben Barnes was still Prince Caspian.

    • @jessmaloney8375
      @jessmaloney8375 4 года назад +5

      @@DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose and Colin Firth was still Mr Darcy

  • @theflickchick9850
    @theflickchick9850 Год назад +1

    "It's here where the adaptation goes off the rails" *proceeds to show Jim getting hit by A FKING TRAIN?? SINCE WHEN?*

  • @naomibyrd3023
    @naomibyrd3023 4 года назад +16

    I love being early for Lost in Adaptation so much!

  • @CoffeeForAll
    @CoffeeForAll 3 года назад +2

    While I watched this movie, I kept thinking that ‘maybe it’s all just in his head’, unfortunately the movie then started going out of its way to show that.. no, it really wasn’t.

  • @noemiecansier8466
    @noemiecansier8466 3 года назад +3

    I’ve come back now that Ben Barnes has amassed a new legion of fangirls/boys/people’s as the Darkling. He’s like Dorian Gray he keeps coming back 😂.

  • @katsala918
    @katsala918 4 года назад +3

    Forever Young And A Douchebag is now my favorite song

  • @Grim_Sister
    @Grim_Sister 4 года назад +63

    *The Picture of Dorian Gay

  • @RobinWood1292
    @RobinWood1292 4 года назад +4

    I don't know why but the dom playing Go Fish with the painting cracked me up😂

  • @ShadowedStoryteller
    @ShadowedStoryteller 4 года назад +3

    I’ve only started watching some of your videos, but I really appreciate that you put in so much effort to not only thematic/character/editing analysis of the movies in question, but also present it in a very balanced way. I look forward to future videos!

  • @billuraral1870
    @billuraral1870 4 года назад +1

    Just as Dominic said the painting made creepy breathing noises, my refrigedetor let out a weird gurgling, followed by some kind of wailing. And yes, it scared me shitless

  • @Nexils
    @Nexils 4 года назад +3

    I really like the addition of the painting also absorbing all the damage to Dorian's body, including diseases and everything.
    They also did this in Penny Dreadful etc, so I always thought it were the case, book included.

  • @melodye14
    @melodye14 3 года назад +3

    This video was just a low-key successful ad for the film. Now I'm going to go watch the movie lol

  • @pordthewise839
    @pordthewise839 4 года назад +11

    Just wanted to say that you’re a great youtuber. You’ve made me interested in books again and I just want to say thanks

  • @AlfieEdwards
    @AlfieEdwards 4 года назад +3

    Remember watching this for school after reading the book and thinking "wait where did all that extra stuff tacked on the end come from!?"

  • @CuteCuteJames
    @CuteCuteJames 4 года назад +9

    I guess we'll have to go back to Importance of Being Earnest for decent Wilde adaptations.

  • @its-beady-eyes5120
    @its-beady-eyes5120 4 года назад +5

    I'm very glad you reviewed this one. I've been a fan of the character of Dorian Gray for years, in all of his imperfect adaptations. I believe Ben Barnes saved the movie from being a total loss. The version of Dorian in Penny Dreadful was very interesting as well, in spite of the massive departure from the source material.

  • @MorriganReads
    @MorriganReads 4 года назад +28

    My love of Colin Firth and Ben Barnes couldn’t save this one. Wow.

    • @adqueen2548
      @adqueen2548 4 года назад +3

      I like the movie because of the two actors

    • @RoseBaggins
      @RoseBaggins 4 года назад +1

      Right?

  • @AspelShuyin
    @AspelShuyin 4 года назад +1

    The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Penny Dreadful both also took the painting to mean Dorian was immortal and could heal as well.

  • @fabrisseterbrugghe8567
    @fabrisseterbrugghe8567 4 года назад +3

    The book that Lord Henry recommends was called the yellow book for its cover. Illustrations were, I believe, by Aubrey Beardsley and caused a scandal. It's quite possible that the debauchery shown was from the yellow book.

  • @Achillez098
    @Achillez098 4 года назад +1

    Prince Caspian from Narnia and Mr. Darcy from the older Pride and Prejudice, all in one movie?
    Nice.

  • @fullmetalmasify
    @fullmetalmasify 4 года назад +10

    Notification brought me here.
    Really have to wonder what the 2009 version did differently than the first adaptation of the book.

  • @iammaxhailme
    @iammaxhailme 4 года назад +2

    Honestly, the best Dorian Grey adaptation I know of is a six minute metal song by Demons and Wizards.

  • @hannahvernot4712
    @hannahvernot4712 4 года назад +3

    There should be a Black Mirror adaptation where instead of a painting he’s playing the Sims 4 and makes a sim of himself that basically looks like a werewolf because he’s afraid of his male pattern baldness then as the story goes on the sim grows progressively balder

  • @rebekahsedwick3511
    @rebekahsedwick3511 4 года назад +2

    This inspired me to finally read the book. Thanks for reminding me to enrich my library Dom. You rock and your channel rocks!

  • @LadyoftheDreamless14
    @LadyoftheDreamless14 4 года назад +5

    I like that after everyone has seen Collin Farrel as Mr Darcy everyone just calls hom Mr Darcy. I didnt know the actors name till i was 18 because my mum always called him Mr Darcy.

    • @anna_in_aotearoa3166
      @anna_in_aotearoa3166 2 года назад +1

      Okaaay... Now I have a very vivid mental picture of Colin Farrell (Irish accent and all) in the role of Mr Darcy, instead of Colin Firth... I think my brain.exe just stopped working!! 😂

    • @LadyoftheDreamless14
      @LadyoftheDreamless14 2 года назад

      @@anna_in_aotearoa3166 he was Mr Darcy in the Pride and Prejudice tv series in the 90's lolol i still call him Mr Darcy because thats what my mum called him for years when i was a kid.

  • @tatsudragneel4761
    @tatsudragneel4761 Месяц назад +1

    Can’t wait for the 3rd video to complete this trilogy when the new version comes out…

  • @wastedwords751
    @wastedwords751 4 года назад +6

    yeehaw, a new vid from Dom on my birthday! hell yeah😌❤️

  • @luckybear101
    @luckybear101 4 года назад +1

    Just finished the book. Now I am here to watch the video!

  • @lucaskousoulou5384
    @lucaskousoulou5384 4 года назад +11

    I've been waiting for this day

  • @Enevan1968
    @Enevan1968 4 года назад +1

    Thee is a TV-movie version called The Sins of Dorian Gray. Its stars Belinda Bauer as a female Dorian Gray and Anthony Perkins as Henry Lord
    This version sees Dorian Gray as an actress and photographic model who becomes immortal, while an audition tape she made ages for her.

  • @brianrobinson4825
    @brianrobinson4825 4 года назад +4

    I haven't seen this adaptation. I might check it out, now. Thanks, Dom.

  • @ryangreen6255
    @ryangreen6255 4 года назад +3

    10:45 I want to see a blooper scene of Dominic playing cards with his painting.

  • @lordredman6137
    @lordredman6137 4 года назад +68

    I was disappointed by pennydreadful Dorian grey, mostly how his story ended

    • @makdm2405
      @makdm2405 4 года назад +18

      His story ends by not ending, but considering how the show ended up, his storyline is certainly not the worst.

    • @edabakb
      @edabakb 4 года назад +32

      None of the characters in penny dreafful got the ending they deserved and dorian's certainly wasn't the worst. I still mourn for that show.

    • @vanyadolly
      @vanyadolly 4 года назад +6

      The most pathetic Dorian I've seen to date. He came off like an awkward teenager.

    • @dubbingsync
      @dubbingsync 4 года назад +5

      vanyadolly yeah they definitely tried to make him seem older than he was but that actor didn’t have the charisma needed for Dorian.

    • @sakulaeyr9819
      @sakulaeyr9819 4 года назад +2

      I wonder if Dom is going to do an episode about TLoEG & Penny Dreadful's versions of Dorian Grey... The League's version was just... so damned awful. Penny Dreadful's just ended so poorly that even now I'm still torn on my feelings for the character as a whole.

  • @PsilocybeJedi
    @PsilocybeJedi Год назад

    Just finished the book, in 2 days no less, and this actor was exactly how I pictured Dorian in the book. Might have to give this adaption a try honestly, I could never sit through the old B&W 1945 version, your video was good enough.

  • @2Ten1Ryu
    @2Ten1Ryu 4 года назад +3

    I don't know what to comment, but since I want to leave one for the algorythm: I'm happy you get to do normal adaptation reviews that don't disturb you emotionally (at least I hope so).
    I know you get your recommendations from your patreons, but I still wanted to leave this here: I'd love for you to do the adaptions of some Francess Hogdson Burnett books one day :) Like Little Lord Fauntleroy or the Secret Garden. I loved those as a kid and still read them occasionally.

  • @Perceptionreflection
    @Perceptionreflection 4 года назад +46

    What's your opinion on the Sabrina interpretation of Dorian? He's FINALLY BLONDE and properly evil.

    • @AnOwlCalledSage
      @AnOwlCalledSage 4 года назад +8

      Not just me who likes the chilling adventures then. First two seasons were "character development". Third season was genuinely very good 😁

    • @thedopdeity
      @thedopdeity 4 года назад +11

      I have absolutely no context for this so I have to ask why was Dorian Grey in Sabrina?

    • @peggyliepmann5248
      @peggyliepmann5248 4 года назад +1

      I'm sorry, what?

    • @MsMeiriona
      @MsMeiriona 4 года назад +3

      @@thedopdeity because.... He can be?

    • @junjunjamore7735
      @junjunjamore7735 4 года назад +10

      @@thedopdeity In the show, he is a wizard who struck a deal with the devil to be immortalized via his painting.

  • @Archway-9
    @Archway-9 4 года назад +133

    Is a Dom of ice and fire going to continue or is permanently cancelled because of how bad season 8 was?

    • @Dominic-Noble
      @Dominic-Noble  4 года назад +65

      I have a detailed answer to that on the FAQ page on dominic-noble.com

    • @katinkasirena
      @katinkasirena 4 года назад +19

      @@Dominic-Noble more important: there is cat content on your website.

    • @ACEYGAMES
      @ACEYGAMES 4 года назад +14

      @@katinkasirena More important: One of his cats got knighted somehow. We need the story.

    • @ksaunders4362
      @ksaunders4362 4 года назад +19

      @@ACEYGAMES Sir Terry Pratchett is named after the best ever author in the world (IMHO) who we sadly lost to Alzheimer's. The cat wasn't knighted, Terry Pratchett was. GNU Sir Pterry.

    • @billtree52
      @billtree52 4 года назад +7

      @@Dominic-Noble I love that you have a cat named Sir Terry Pratchet.

  • @jessica23claire
    @jessica23claire 4 года назад +1

    Oh I’m so happy you decided to do the Ben Barnes version of Dorian Gray

  • @mercylimpokhuwe
    @mercylimpokhuwe 4 года назад +4

    Thank you for this video, I have been having a terrible week and it cheered me up.

  • @abbeysimmons8751
    @abbeysimmons8751 4 года назад +1

    a little nod/reference to Oscar Wilde that the movie included was Henry's use of a silver cigarette case, which Wilde owned in real life! (given to him by Lord Alfred Douglas during their love affair)
    my teacher pointed it out when we covered the book and this moving in school (and boy howdy were those orgies awkward to watch in class!)