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Bradley Cooper may play the devil in ‘Paradise Lost’

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John Milton’s 17th century epic poem ‘Paradise Lost’ is said to be headed toward the big screen, with Bradley Cooper of ‘The Hangover’ looking at playing the role of Lucifer.

Let’s pause for a moment to enjoy the uneasy pleasures of seeing Milton’s epic poem and ‘The Hangover’ in the same sentence.

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Cooper’s interest, Variety reports, ‘breathes new life into Alex Proyas’ adaptation of ‘Paradise Lost,’ long in the works... Pic will be crafted as an action vehicle that will include aerial warfare.’

Aeriel warfare... a.k.a. angelic warfare. That’s the angels Micahel and Lucifer, who do battle. Things don’t go so well for Lucifer, nor do they for Adam and Eve -- not to blow the ending, but it is called ‘Paradise Lost.’

Here’s part of Milton’s poem:

Say first, for Heav’n hides nothing from thy viewNor the deep Tract of Hell, say first what causeMov’d our Grand Parents in that happy State,Favour’d of Heav’n so highly, to fall offFrom their Creator, and transgress his WillFor one restraint, Lords of the World besides?Who first seduc’d them to that fowl revolt?Th’ infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guileStird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv’dThe Mother of Mankinde, what time his PrideHad cast him out from Heav’n, with all his HostOf Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiringTo set himself in Glory above his Peers,He trusted to have equal’d the most High,If he oppos’d; and with ambitious aimAgainst the Throne and Monarchy of GodRais’d impious War in Heav’n and Battel proudWith vain attempt.

Well, the film adaptation of ‘Paradise Lost’ is not likely to be overly faithful to Milton’s 1667 poem. It may be so unfaithful, in fact, that it will be filmed in slam-bang-boom 3-D.

-- Carolyn Kellogg

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