A Wrinkle in Time | |
---|---|
Based on | A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle |
Teleplay by | Susan Shilliday |
Directed by | John Kent Harrison |
Starring | Katie Stuart Gregory Smith David Dorfman Chris Potter Kyle Secor Seán Cullen Sarah-Jane Redmond Kate Nelligan Alison Elliot Alfre Woodard |
Theme music composer | Jeff Danna (film version) Patric Caird (four-hour miniseries cut) Shawn Pierce (four-hour miniseries cut) |
Country of origin | United States Canada |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Producers | Jolee B. Lovick Jordan Kerner |
Cinematography | Jon Joffin Philip Linzey |
Editor | Sue Maggi |
Running time | 124 minutes |
Production companies | Walt Disney Television Dimension Television Fireworks Entertainment The Kerner Entertainment Company |
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | April 24, 2003 |
A Wrinkle in Time is a 2003 television fantasy film directed by John Kent Harrison from a teleplay by Susan Shilliday. The film, a Canadian and U.S. production, is based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Madeleine L'Engle. It is produced by Walt Disney Television, Dimension Television, Fireworks Entertainment, and The Kerner Entertainment Company. The film stars Katie Stuart, Gregory Smith, David Dorfman, Chris Potter, Kyle Secor, Seán Cullen, Sarah-Jane Redmond, Kate Nelligan, Alison Elliot, and Alfre Woodard.
A Wrinkle in Time premiered at the Toronto Children's film Festival on April 24, 2003, where it won the Best Feature Film Award. [1]
Meg Murry (Katie Stuart) is having a difficult time. Her father, astrophysicist Dr. Jack Murry (Chris Potter), has mysteriously disappeared. Her youngest brother, Charles Wallace (David Dorfman), a genius, is teased and belittled and thought to be stupid because he does not talk to anyone but family. Meg does not get along with her peers, teachers, her 10-year-old twin brothers (Munro Chambers, Thomas Chambers), or even with herself.
Into this unhappy situation comes a stranger, the mysterious, weirdly dressed Mrs. Whatsit (Alfre Woodard), and her friends Mrs. Who (Alison Elliott) and Mrs. Which (Kate Nelligan). They take Meg, Charles Wallace, and their new friend Calvin O'Keefe (Gregory Smith) via "tesseract" to other planets, preparing the children for a mission to rescue Dr. Murry from the malevolent "IT" on the planet Camazotz. Along the way they ride on the back of a beautiful winged creature (the transformed Mrs. Whatsit), learn about the shadow of tangible evil known as the Black Thing, and visit the Happy Medium (Seán Cullen), a cheerful and androgynous fortune-teller.
Once they reach Camazotz, however, it is up to Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace to face the dangers of CENTRAL Central Intelligence, aided only by each other and a pair of Mrs. Who's glasses. They do find and rescue Dr. Murry, but Charles Wallace is seduced away from his family by IT's agent, the Man with Red Eyes (Kyle Secor), and thus comes under the control of IT. Dr. Murry manages to tesser himself, Meg and Calvin, away from Camazotz, but Charles Wallace is left behind, trapped in the mind of IT. Angry with her father, Calvin and herself for leaving Charles Wallace behind, Meg is cared for by the sightless and motherly Aunt Beast (Ellen Dubin) on the planet Ixchel and argues with Mrs. Which about returning to rescue her brother. Returning alone to Camazotz, Meg must find a quality in herself—love—to free Charles Wallace, and possibly free the planet Camazotz as well.
In September 1993, some time after its acquisition by Disney, Miramax announced a $15 million theatrical feature based on L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time as one of the first projects under its Family Films banner. [2] Production ultimately began in 2001, when project creator Catherine Hand (with Miramax's assistance) worked behind the scenes alongside TV producer Norman Lear to bring her vision to life. [3] A two-part miniseries running four hours was initially planned, [3] but the final product was later cut down into a singular, three-hour program. [3] While this made-for-television film was initially intended to be released in the United States in 2002, this release was delayed until 2004. [3]
The audience is provided with an explanation of tesseract through Mrs. Whatsit, who describes it as a "wrinkle in time" that allows one to travel across the universe. [4] Transforming such abstracts into television images was one of the many hurdles for the makers of the movie, but production issues regarding this portrayal were overcome by the use of special effects. [4]
Other difficulties with filming primarily concerned the way in which the novel was written because of L'Engle's focus on the internal feelings and thoughts of the characters, noted Suzanne Macneille of The New York Times . [4] Macneille recognized that, like with any film adaptation of a novel, the story adaptation could result in controversies because protective readers of the original story may look down upon any variation in plot. [4]
A Wrinkle in Time received mixed reviews from film critics and journalists alike. Sharon Eberson, journalist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette described it as a "a most faithful adaptation." [5] In particular, Eberson praised the interpretation of the "Wookiee-like beasts" from the planet Ixchel. [5] People's Terry Kelleher credited the film's inventive designing of the 1984 version of the dark planet (Camazotz). [6] That said, Kelleher hinted at a "preachy" ending. [6]
As Diane Ortiz from The University Wire described it, the novel's first film adaptation was a "dud", emphasizing its lack of substantial acting and special effects. [7] In her same article, Eberson acknowledged a similar inadequacy in the special effects and explained how they did not meet the hopes of the creators nor the viewers. [5] Nick Mangione, from Geek.com, suggested that many of the problems associated with the film relate to the creator's decision to dumb-down the concepts from the novel. [8] Mangione pointed out that in her novel, L'Engle trusted her audience and knew they would be able to understand the complex thoughts of the characters. [8] He believes that the film version shows no trust in the audience and spends the entire time simplifying everything and neglecting any of the more complex ideas. [8] Mangione further stated, "It's almost impressive how they managed to take every major location and plot beat from the novel and get absolutely none of it right." [8]
In a Q&A with MSNBC/ Newsweek Entertainment reporter Melinda Henneberger, Madeleine L'Engle, author of the original novel, said, "I have glimpsed it... I expected it to be bad, and it is." [9]
The original 2001 production, a miniseries, was released in Canada, Australia, and Germany. [4] A Wrinkle in Time premiered at the Toronto Children's Film Festival, where it won the festival's 2003 Best Feature Film Award. [10]
The original adaptation also came with a teacher's guide that included student-directed questions about the film. [5] Examples of some of these questions include: "Why does Meg Murray think that she is stupid?", "How would you rate Meg's intelligence level?", and "Why does Meg think that no one likes her?" [5]
A Wrinkle in Time was released on VHS and DVD November 16, 2004 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. The special features included deleted scenes, a "behind the scenes" segment, and an interview with Madeleine L'Engle.[ citation needed ]
The home video rights to the film have since been obtained by Echo Bridge Home Entertainment, which has released the title both as a standalone DVD and as part of several family film bundles.[ citation needed ]
Murry may refer to:
Madeleine L'Engle was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult fiction, including A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels: A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. Her works reflect both her Christian faith and her strong interest in modern science.
A Wrinkle in Time is a young adult science fantasy novel written by American author Madeleine L'Engle. First published in 1962, the book won the Newbery Medal, the Sequoyah Book Award, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and was runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. The main characters – Meg Murry, Charles Wallace Murry, and Calvin O'Keefe – embark on a journey through space and time, from galaxy to galaxy, as they endeavor to rescue the Murrys' father and fight The Black Thing that has intruded into several worlds.
Many Waters is a 1986 novel by American writer Madeleine L'Engle, part of the author's Time Quintet. The title is taken from the Song of Solomon 8:7: "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. If a man were to give all his wealth for love, it would be utterly scorned."
Alfre Woodard is an American actress. Known for portraying strong-willed and dignified roles on stage and screen, she has received various accolades, including four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards as well as nominations for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and two Grammy Awards. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her as one of "The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century". She is a board member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
A Wind in the Door is a young adult science fantasy novel by Madeleine L'Engle. It is a companion book to A Wrinkle in Time and part of the Time Quintet.
A Swiftly Tilting Planet is a science fiction novel by Madeleine L'Engle, the third book in the Time Quintet. It was first published in 1978 with cover art by Diane Dillon.
"It was a dark and stormy night" is an often-mocked and parodied phrase considered to represent "the archetypal example of a florid, melodramatic style of fiction writing", also known as purple prose.
The Arm of the Starfish is a young adult novel by Madeleine L'Engle, first published in 1965. It is the first novel featuring Polly O'Keefe and the O'Keefe family, a generation after the events of A Wrinkle in Time (1962). The plot concerning advanced regeneration research puts this novel in the science fiction genre, but it could also be described as a mystery thriller.
David Dorfman is an American attorney and retired actor. He portrayed Aidan Keller in the 2002 horror film remake The Ring, and its 2005 sequel The Ring Two. His other film roles include Sammy in Panic, Joey in Bounce, and Jedidiah Hewitt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He has also portrayed Charles Wallace Murry in the film version of A Wrinkle in Time. In 2008, Dorfman appeared in the film Drillbit Taylor. He was cast alongside Thomas Haden Church in Zombie Roadkill, and appeared as a soldier of the Lannisters in the Game of Thrones seventh season episode "Dragonstone."
An Acceptable Time is a 1989 young adult science fiction novel by Madeleine L'Engle, the last of her books to feature Polyhymnia O'Keefe, better known as Poly or Polly. Marketed as part of the author's Time Quintet, An Acceptable Time connects Polly's adventures with those of her parents, Meg Murry and Calvin O'Keefe, which take place a generation earlier. The book's title is taken from Psalm 69:13, "But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, at an acceptable time."
A House Like a Lotus (ISBN 0-374-33385-8) is a 1984 young adult novel by Madeleine L'Engle. Its protagonist is sixteen-year-old Polly O'Keefe, whose friend and mentor, Maximiliana Horne, has sent her on a trip to Greece and Cyprus. As she travels, Polly must come to terms with a recent traumatic event involving Max. The history of Polly's relationship with Max is told in flashback over the course of the novel. The use of double quotes distinguishes the present, whereas single quotes indicate flashbacks from the past.
Victoria "Vicky" Austin is one of Madeleine L'Engle's frequently used fictional characters, appearing in eight books and referred to in at least one more. She is the protagonist of the Austin family series of books being the first person narrator of Meet the Austins, The Moon by Night, A Ring of Endless Light, Troubling a Star, and the picture book The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas. A developing poet and writer, Vicky observes the everyday events in her large family, dates several boys, communicates with dolphins, faces the occasional mortal danger, and reflects on important issues about life and death, faith and family as she gradually comes of age.
The Moon by Night (ISBN 0-374-35049-3) is the title of a young adult novel by Madeleine L'Engle. Published in 1963, it is the second novel about Vicky Austin and her family, taking place between the events of Meet the Austins (1960) and The Young Unicorns (1968), and more or less concurrently with the O'Keefe family novel The Arm of the Starfish. The book marks the first appearance of the character Zachary Gray, who dates first Vicky and then Polly O'Keefe. Although Vicky will later appear in three novels that have fantasy and/or science fiction themes, there are no such elements in The Moon By Night.
Madeleine L'Engle, an American novelist, diarist and poet, produced over twenty novels, beginning with The Small Rain (1945), and continuing into the 1990s with A Live Coal in the Sea (1996). Many of her fictional characters appeared in more than one novel, sometimes in more than one series of novels. Other major characters are the protagonists of a single title. This article provides information about L'Engle's most notable characters.
Dragons in the Waters (ISBN 0-374-31868-9) is a 1976 young adult murder mystery by Madeleine L'Engle, the second title to feature her character Poly O'Keefe. Its protagonist is thirteen-year-old Simon Bolivar Quentin Phair Renier, an impoverished orphan from an aristocratic Southern family. The title comes from Psalm 74:13.
The Time Quintet is a fantasy/science fiction series of five young adult novels written by Madeleine L'Engle.
Madeleine L'Engle has published more than fifty books, including twenty-three novels, virtually all of them interconnected by recurring characters and locales. In particular, L'Engle's three major series have a consistent geography, including a number of significant fictional locations. These generally fall into two categories:
The idea of a fourth dimension has been a factor in the evolution of modern art, but use of concepts relating to higher dimensions has been little discussed by academics in the literary world. From the late 19th century onwards, many writers began to make use of possibilities opened up by the exploration of such concepts as hypercube geometry. While many writers took the fourth dimension to be one of time, others preferred to think of it in spatial terms, and some associated the new mathematics with wider changes in modern culture.
A Wrinkle in Time is a 2018 American science fantasy adventure film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell, based on Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 novel of the same name. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Whitaker Entertainment, the story follows a young girl who, with the help of three astral travelers, sets off on a quest to find her missing father. The film stars Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller, Storm Reid, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peña, Zach Galifianakis, and Chris Pine.