Robert,
I'm interested that you mentioned the latest Tristan movie, which does leave out many elements of the traditional version-- the potion, the dragon, all the magic elements, as well as the two Isoldes as you mention (actually there were three, if you count her mom!) But my feeling about the recent movie is that by placing it in a realistic, historical setting (well, more or less) and simplifying and de-mythologizing it, they’ve distilled the essence of the legend, making the love story shine out all the more brightly against the stark, realistic background. So in that sense I would say it is true to Gottfried's version.
But speaking of poetry, the one bizarre element of this movie was Isolde's reading Donne’s “The Good Morrow”! What were they thinking? And yet, the poem was still somehow quite moving, although it did strain one’s suspension of disbelief a wee bit--the one minor flaw in this (underrated by critics) heartbreakingly beautiful film.
Marion
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