The great actor Sir Anthony Hopkins is well versed in the work of fellow Welshman Dylan Thomas — so much so he even directed the critically lauded film Dylan Thomas: The Return Journey in 2006. Here, he is reading one of Thomas’ best-known poems, “Do not go gentle into that good night.” (If anyone knows when this video was made, please drop us a line.)
There is, of course, no reader of Thomas’ poetry equal to Thomas himself. Just listen to this BBC recording from 1951, the year the beloved villanelle was first published. But if dulcet tones and minimalist recordings aren’t your thing, then you might want to check out this John Cale version.
And then, because it’s Friday, don’t forget Rodney Dangerfield.
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Related:
Listening to Famous Poets Reading Their Own Work
Sheerly Avni is a San Francisco-based arts and culture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA Weekly, Mother Jones, and many other publications. You can follow her on twitter at @sheerly
Great post! thanks for sharing…
You asked about when we thought the Anthony Hopkins video piece was made. I’d place it at 1986, after the Challenger disaster. Having said that, the reading he gives is from an earlier time, by at least a decade.