ANGELS IN AMERICA: the HBO film

I just rented this six part miniseries and watched it for the first time in a while and realized how phenomenally well adapted from the stage show it is. It's such a great piece of cinema, especially for a made for TV miniseries. It's not perfect (the abstract pieces are really hard to film and you can see that during some awkward moments that are obviously more aimed towards the stage) but it's really strong work.

I just thought I'd start a thread on it and see what everyone else thought of it.

I love it. Kushner's script is very theatrical, and he's very into the idea of any productions being as theatrical as possible, but they did a wonderful job transferring it to the screen; kudos to them for making it work onscreen, and kudos to them for not destroying the original theatricality while putting it onscreen. I'm so very happy they kept the double-casting thing, even if they only utilised it where they were sure it would work. It's one of the happiest and best examples of a theatre/movie compromise I've ever seen. Simply wonderful. :3

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I never saw the stage production, but I did see the miniseries. I thought it was wonderful. Brilliant acting and a wonderfully written story.

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I agree it is a masterclass in how to act. Pacino and Parker are the two that stick out for me. The whole cast though portray their characters exceptionally well. I love the mini series and its on my to buy list.

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Solid movie - very, very strong cast working with a very, very strong script.

Missed a lot of the humor, though.

Jeffrey Wright is a god. Love the movie, never saw the stage show (wish I had). Streep, Pacino, Parker, Wright, Thompson, Kirk, Wilson and Shenkman... Is there really a better ensemble out there?

I wasn't aware of ANGELS IN AMERICA until I saw the mini-series when it first came out on DVD. Needless to say, it changed my life.
Mary-Louise Parker gives what could be the best performance of her film career (in a career highlighted by wonderful, brilliant turns), her Harper is superb. I'll never forget her face after Prior tells him her husband's a homo, she stares and just says "ridiculous," but there is so much in that stare and so much in the way she reads that one word. It's brilliant. She gives my favorite performance from the younger cast, followed by Wright and Wilson. Jeffrey Wright is...wow, I can't imagine anyone else matching his performance. Wilson's Joe is great as well.
Al Pacino is so so so perfect as Roy Cohn. God, what a haunting performance. Streep and Thompsom do an excellent job as well.
Kushner's screenplay is tight and Mike Nichols outdoes himself.
What a wonderful piece of art.

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I still only remember watching two three hour parts when it first aired.

Yeah...Daniel Craig as Joe, yummers!
I seriously would love to see this live on stage, I've read the play SO many times, including twice for different classes I took in college.
I mentioned this in another thread, but Frank Langella would make a wonderful Roy Cohn, and I've love to see Kate Burton as the Angel or even Hannah Pitt perhaps. Parker can reprise her work as Harper Pitt.

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It's a moving stage work and just brilliant on screen. Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson stood out to me but Jeffrey Wright was pretty awesome also.

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Here's hoping the Signature does at least a reading of it as part of their Kushner season in 2010.