The Tales of Hoffmann 1951

Bosley Crowther, New York Times: It sates the senses without striking any real dramatic fire. Read more

Donna Bowman, AV Club: One of the most completely realized marriages of color, movement, and music in the medium's history. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: Hard to take, despite the clear personal commitment of director Michael Powell and the enormous amount of talent on display in the photography, set design, and choreography. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: The film will never rank among my favorites in the careers of these filmmakers, but filmmaking legends as diverse as Cecil B. DeMille, Martin Scorsese and George A. Romero all adore it ... Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: "Hoffmann" is an immersive aesthetic experience best thought of as an art form all its own. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Most if not all of these performers have since died; here, they live on. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Sumptuous spectacle. Read more

Tom Huddleston, Time Out: As a work of pure, imaginative cinema, it comes close to genius. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: A lush, resplendent production that's a treat to eye and ear. Read more

Michael Atkinson, Village Voice: As intensely expressionistic as any film since Caligari, and at the same time a veritable nova of springtime elan, the movie inhabits a unique puppet-theater universe, and could seduce a eunuch. Read more