Episode 34: The Name of The Rose

Welcome To The Party Pal transports listeners back in time to 1327 Italy in an episode dedicated to multiple adaptations of Italian author Umberto Eco's renowned novel, The Name of The Rose. The Name of The Rose follows an enlightened friar and his young apprentice as they investigate a series of mysterious deaths at an abbey risking the wrath of a powerful Inquisitor. In 1986 filmmaker Jean-Jacques Annaud brought the enchanting tale to life in a historical drama film starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater. This year, The Name of The Rose was adapted into a Sundance TV miniseries starring John Turturro and Damian Hardung. In this episode Michael Shields and film historian / author / podcaster Christian Niedan examine both re-imaginings while digging deep into the profoundly intellectual and layered mystery that examines the power that comes with being the bearer of extreme knowledge while paying tribute to the capacity of Comedy to expose grand truths.