Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

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Cineinthecity 05/10/2021 World-class acting all around See more Chuck A Dec 26 I REALLY have to hand it to Elizabeth Taylor, who heretofore had played mostly glamorous and/or heroic roles. But when the opportunity arose to play Martha in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," Liz FOUGHT for the role. It was a real change of pace for her, she gave it her all, and she RICHLY deserved the Oscar she got for it. I watch this movie last night on Kanopy, for only the second time in maybe ten years, and it was just as emotionally exhausting as it was the first time I saw it. See more Ava S @avawatches Jul 31 It's difficult to follow its many toxic drunken ramblings, but Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? strikes a chord with its evocatively sharp screenplay and powerful performances. See more Christian K @ckacar Jul 14 Obviously a film based on a stage production, the writing is clearly good but I did have trouble keeping up with the pace of the drunken babbling for 2 hours. See more Teddy B May 22 One of the most welcomingly uncomfortable film experiences ever, 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' unravels with scathing cynicism and tension the equivalent of a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode. See more r r 10/16/2024 When Film Mirrors Reality: Cold Truths from “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf” When was the last time you watched a movie that made your toes curl? Maybe for you it was during a Gorey horror movie, but for me it was during “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf”. If you’ve seen this film before, you’d understand. It's because this film was based on a play written by Edward Albee. His sole goal in playwriting was to make the audience uncomfortable. He wanted to produce realistic representations of the way our society acts so that we can understand our problems. This movie is no exception. Directed by Mike Nichols and produced by Earnest Lehman, this film uses an intense plot and extensive symbolism to deliver an uncomfortable look into the realities of marriage, and the emotional violence it can bring. Releasing in 1966, this challenging film takes place in the early 60’s on a university campus house in the late hours of night. After a party, Martha (Elizabeth Taylor) and George (Richard Burton) invite a younger couple (George Segal, Sandy Dennis) over for drinks. The night spirals as the group indulges in heavy binge drinking, leading to copious arguments and fights. As the film progresses, we watch an innocent night be taken over by battle between 2 monsters striving for emotional damage. What made this movie so impactful for me was their brilliant use of symbolism. To begin, the constant drinking of alcohol throughout the film symbolizes the inherently broken and decaying nature of George and Marthas relationship. Over the course of the night, after countless drinks, they become increasingly sloppy and drained. Their physical deterioration due to alcohol resembles their relationship’s decay due to constant anger and emotionally violent “games”. Additionally, the use of the son made a great impact. He seems to represent the power struggle in their relationship. Constantly throughout the second half of the film, the son is being used as a weapon to hurt and humiliate. Even though he isn't real, he is the couple's way of asserting dominance and when George decides to “kill” him, I believe that symbolizes the end of their violent “games”. In the end, the use of symbolism in this film was a great device to highlight the intense struggles of marriage. Overall, this film was great. I must admit, it can be very uncomfortable at times. However, I said earlier that it was Edward Albee's mission to bring forth accurate representations of reality which we can learn from. Although it can be extremely unnerving, that only goes to show how well the roles were performed. It's uncomfortable because it is so real and addresses the unwanted truth that marriage is not easy. Overall, I would give this film an 8/10. If you like movies that tackle real issues, you will definitely appreciate this film. You may find yourself uneasy at times, but in the end, you’ll be amazed by such a realistic performance. See more Read all reviews

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

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