Why so much hype?

Truly Dreadful Film

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Under Milk Wood is seriously one of the strangest movies I've ever seen. Virtually the entire movie is set to Richard Burton's narration of Dylan Thomas's prose. Most of the scenes are an overlay to his voice; the people in the scenes don't generally speak for themselves. The scenes themselves are extremely strange. To start, Richard Burton and his odd-looking companion walk the streets of a seafaring town at night, and as they look upon residents' houses or shops, Richard Burton tells the audience a little about the townspeople, or what they're dreaming about. There's a man sleeping next to a skeleton dreaming of his mother, a woman dreaming of her cobbler lover, and a blind retired sea captain who remembers his former crew and love interest.If you know Dylan Thomas's writings, you'll know what to expect. Every Christmas, I watch A Child's Christmas in Wales, so I'm used to his ramblings about the residents of a small seaside town and his colorful descriptions, but if you've never heard his words before, you'll probably find the sentences in this movie very strange. Honestly, if Richard Burton can't save the movie, it's pretty bad. And it is pretty bad.DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend, since sometimes the camera swirls. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

Before they made a musical of T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," they made a movie of Dylan Thomas...sort of. UNDER MILK WOOD is based on his poem/radio play about the eccentric denizens of a tiny fishing town. Ardent admirers of the Welsh bard may find this film a delight; I found it alternately tedious and enchanting...but not enchanting enough.Since there is no plot, the result is a series of recurring, mostly whimsical vignettes (the wife with two husbands; Organ Morgan, who can't stop playing; blind Captain Cat, who lives in a house that looks like a ship; etc.). The actors sound marvelous, but there is nowhere for them to go. To be sure, the language is intoxicating, if often obscure. (I found it helpful to watch with English subtitles turned on.)Do NOT expect a Liz Taylor vehicle; her role amounts to a cameo. (And her brash 1970s makeup seems completely inappropriate for the role!)

First, a caveat: What I'm about to say is in regards to this film version only. The play itself is beautiful. I'm currently involved in a stage production of Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood." The language is nothing short of breathtaking. Truly, it's a beautiful play.Very minor spoilers ahead:However, this film version of "Under Milk Wood" is nothing short of ridiculous. Large chunks of the wonderful narration have been left out, chronology changed, and general mayhem has been wreaked with the script. There are two creepy guys (accompanied by creepy music) who wander around the town, but appear to serve no real purpose. They don't narrate (as Voice One and Voice Two in the script do). They simply wander around creepily, and at one point have completely random, completely gratuitous tag-team (fully clothed) sex in a barn with some random woman. I'm left wondering, "What on earth were the people who made this movie thinking?" Thomas's script does not, in fact, include tag-team sex in a barn. I can see no reason whatsoever for this particular addition to have been made. It's ridiculous.This is not to say that the film has no redeeming qualities. The woman who played Mrs. Banks in "Mary Poppins" turns in a nice performance as Myfanwy Price. Peter O'Toole plays a fairly good Captain Cat. The actress who plays Mae Rose Cottage does a lovely job. Mr. Pugh is played quite well.On the flip side, Liz Taylor's portrayal of Rosie Probert is forgettable. Mrs. Pugh provides little motivation for her husband's intense hatred. The two creepy guys succeed in being creepy, but may as well have wandered on from another set for all the reason they seem to have for being in the film at all. Nogood Boyo is very badly cast, and may as well have been renamed Nogood 30-Year-Old Guy.All in all, I can't say I'm at all impressed with this film. If you want to know "Under Milk Wood," you'd be better off by far just reading the play then watching this bastardization of such a lovely work.

Dylan Thomas sub-tilted Under Milk Wood with "A Play for Voices".This is where this is best. With the words allowing the listener to develop some lovely images. The film as little if anything to the Argo or BBC recordings (or should I say soundscape?).Buy either of the audio tapes or CD and enjoy.The film is best left alone.