what do you think of "The picture of Dorian Gray"?

Question

i just finished reading "The picture of Dorian Gray" and i was wondering what is the position of other people regarding the book which i found to be extremely interesting as well as well-written. is there a movie based on it?

Answer 1

I liked it, and I like most of Wilde's work. There is an old 1945 film of Dorian Gray, which is atmospheric and, probably, was quite frightening in those days:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037988/

I just hope they don't do a remake!

Answer 2

I've never heard of a movie based on "Dorian Gray," but the character Dorian Gray does show up in "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." I also think that "Dorian Gray" is a very interesting book, and deals with the issue of immortality in a very unique way. Oscar Wilde is one of my favorite authors, partially because his writings explore social ideas that at the time he wrote them were quite radical, but which are still applicable today in many instances. If you liked "Dorian Gray," I would suggest seeing some of Oscar Wilde's plays. One of the best is "The Importance of Being Earnest." Another good play to see is "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde" by Moises Kaufman. The play is about the court case that Oscar Wilde went through, in which he was eventually convicted of sodomy and sentenced to 2 years in prison. Excerpts from "Dorian Gray" are used in the play. It's a very good show.

Answer 3

When I saw "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" I recognized every character, except Dorian Gray. So I bought it. I was expecting more of an action oriented plot, like the rest of the books that the characters in the movie were from. However I really enjoyed the book. There were three other plays in the book and I enjoyed all of them. There is something about his cynicism that I enjoy. I really liked to hate Lord Henry in the book.

Answer 4

I believe but am not certain that there is an older movie call the portrait of dorian gray. As for the book, I love Oscar Wilde, but what drew me to that particular book was actually the authors note at the beginning where he discusses art, and his perception of it.

Answer 5

wilde shows off a bit. his unparalleled wit and literary courage seem underated in contemporary literature, with todays 'shocking' writers. but to truly understand what the man had to fight against really puts his work into context.

the preface is sublime. it's so excessively blunt and forthright, it's actually quite charming.

...

The Preface

The artist is the creator of beautiful things.

To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim.

The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things.

The highest as the lowest form of criticism is a mode of autobiography. Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming.

This is a fault.

Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.

They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.

There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written.

That is all.

The nineteenth century dislike of realism is the rage of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass.

The nineteenth century dislike of romanticism is the rage of Caliban not seeing his own face in a glass.

The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium. No artist desires to prove anything. Even things that are true can be proved.

No artist has ethical sympathies.

An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style. No artist is ever morbid. The artist can express everything.

Thought and language are to the artist instruments of an art.

Vice and virtue are to the artist materials for an art.

From the point of view of form, the type of all the arts is the art of the musician.

From the point of view of feeling, the actor's craft is the type.

All art is at once surface and symbol.

Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril.

Those who read the symbol do so at their peril.

It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.

Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital.

When critics disagree, the artist is in accord with himself.

We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.

All art is quite useless.

OSCAR WILDE

...

there are several movies of wilde's book. i haven't seen any, but i find the idea of reproducing wilde's written word rather amusing. you can alway try i guess...

http://www.imdb.com/find?q=dorian+gray&sourceid=mozilla-search

Answer 6

Im worried 4 u if this is true. If this guy is brave enoug to send you a necked picture of himself than u excite him, what might he b brave enough to do if he saw you by yourself somewhere alone? I think you should tell your parents, your brothers teachers the principal & the police even if you delete the picture the police can get it off your hard drive he broke the law sending that tel everyone & block hm

Answer 7

I think there is a movie, but I've never seen it.
And I LOVED the book- I wrote a report on it!
I think it paints the most vivid picture of inner beauty (or lack of it) possible.

Answer 8

I don`t know much about the movie, but the novel itself is breathtaking. I think of it as one of the best novels of all times, because it tells us about a very important meaning:
Don`t look at the outer beauty of a person, but try to search for the inner beauty.

Answer 9

wonderfully crafted book and very appropriate for today so many people are doing the same thing with plastic surgery its really fascinating. there have been numerous film adaptions of the book pick a decade and you'll find one.

Answer 10

I never read the book but the movie is great. It is on TCM once in a while.