Shakespeare on film

[Rían]

I've recently re-taken up Shakespeare (voluntarily, as opposed to forced in school) and am awed ... what a way with words that man has! I've been really enjoying Hamlet - reading and highlighting my way through it, and watching the David Tennant/Patrick Steward RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) version of it - excellent!

I'm trying to get the kids a little into it this summer, and so am looking for the best film adaptations of his works - any suggestions?

[Varnafindë]

I don't know about best adaptations, because I haven't seen many - but I've very much enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's versions of Henry V and Much Ado about Nothing (and bought the DVDs). He's also done Hamlet, in an uncut version running almost 4 hours. I saw it at the cinema - with an interval! I think the length rather than the quality is the reason why I haven't bought the DVD.

Another that I enjoyed, is Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. Especially for the beauty of the filming, and the excellent swordplay. There was one scene especially, with the two opponents fighting each other running up and down the streets. I went back to the text to look for descriptions of the scene, and there was one stage direction:
"They fight. Tybalt falls."

I've seen a BBC version later with better acting, probably because Zeffirelli chose then unexperienced actors for the main parts (Olivia Hussey plays Juliet). But still very much worth seeing.

[Earniel]

I'm very disappointed with myself of having missed the latest production with Tennant and Steward. The trailer looked so awesome.

Kenneth's Branagh's version of Hamlet is also pretty good. I adored the music so much that for years I've been scouring the CD shops for the soundtrack, never did find it until last year. (Hello, Ebay!)

I can echo Varna's recommendation of Henry V but I haven't seen Much To Do About Nothing.

EDIT: I wonder, was it the Doctor Who episode "The Shakespeare Code" that started this?

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Kenneth's Branagh's version of Hamlet is also pretty good. I adored the music so much that for years I've been scouring the CD shops for the soundtrack, never did find it until last year.

I was like that for the soundtrack of Henry V, but I was able to pick it up (on a trip to London) only a few weeks after having seen the movie. For some reason the song Non Nobis hit me emotionally to an unusual degree. I went to see the movie a second time, partly in order to learn the tune. I went out of the theatre, humming it, never stopping humming it until I could sit down by a piano and play the tune and write it down

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I very much enjoyed the old Derek Jacobi version; for my money, he's a fabulous actor. If you're looking for something to get kid's interested, though, the Zeffirelli/Gibson/Close would probably be more approachable.

I've downloaded the Tennant version, and am very much looking forward to watching it!

What I would also be very interested in, is a top notch filmed Lear. My favourite of his plays.

Earn: I hope not; I thought that was a major low point of the series!

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

EDIT: I wonder, was it the Doctor Who episode "The Shakespeare Code" that started this?

No - I had started rereading Shakespeare a year or so ago, but if I hadn't watched Dr. Who and fallen in love with Tennant, I wouldn't have watched that version of Hamlet!

I'm not wild about Patrick Stewart in general (I thought him a bit pompous in Star Trek - "Make it so" or whatever he said) but I gotta say, the man can do Shakespeare! It just rolls off his tongue so smoothly and naturally. And Tennant's Hamlet is wonderful!

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

For some reason the song Non Nobis hit me emotionally to an unusual degree. I went to see the movie a second time, partly in order to learn the tune. I went out of the theatre, humming it, never stopping humming it until I could sit down by a piano and play the tune and write it down

It was a very touching song too. The way they started with just one singer, and then add voice after voice until there's a whole choir singing, was pretty moving and awesome.

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

I very much enjoyed the old Derek Jacobi version; for my money, he's a fabulous actor.

He was Claudius in the Kenneth Branagh version, does he play in another version as well?

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

I'm not wild about Patrick Stewart in general (I thought him a bit pompous in Star Trek - "Make it so" or whatever he said) but I gotta say, the man can do Shakespeare! It just rolls off his tongue so smoothly and naturally.

That's mostly what I like about him. He has a lot of stage presence.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

He was Claudius in the Kenneth Branagh version, does he play in another version as well?

He played the title role, back when the BBC did the Shakespeare Collection. It was a kinda cheesy/low-budget staging, but sterling performances.

On another Shakespeare note, just gotta say it: Romeo + Juliet was SO much better than I expected.

[GrayMouser]

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

He played the title role, back when the BBC did the Shakespeare Collection. It was a kinda cheesy/low-budget staging, but sterling performances.

On another Shakespeare note, just gotta say it: Romeo + Juliet was SO much better than I expected.

Is that the Leonardo DiCaprio version set in LA? For my senior high writing class, we have one reading about Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre, but they know nothing about Shakespeare beyond the name, so I bring in that and the Zeffirelli (only one available) and show them parallel scenes.

The idea of updating the setting seems most shocking to them. "Are you allowed to do that?!?"

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

He played the title role, back when the BBC did the Shakespeare Collection. It was a kinda cheesy/low-budget staging, but sterling performances.

Oooh, I should check that out. *makes notes* Cheesy and low-budget staging can be very fun.

[brownjenkins]

Great suggestions!

I loved the 1967 version of Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061407/

I also enjoyed this Othello (with Branagh as well)...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114057/

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by GrayMouser

Is that the Leonardo DiCaprio version set in LA? For my senior high writing class, we have one reading about Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre, but they know nothing about Shakespeare beyond the name, so I bring in that and the Zeffirelli (only one available) and show them parallel scenes.

It is indeed. For a few years, I rolled my eyes, assuming that everytime people try to make something contemporary or relevant, it ends up being tedious. Romeo + Juliet was the first show I saw that made me realize that it isn't always so (though it often is).

Of course, as far as updating Romeo and Juliet goes, nothing beats West Side Story.

Originally Posted by bj

I loved the 1967 version of Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061407/

I had no idea they did Taming of the Shrew. Just the year before that, they did a film of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf together. Not Shakespeare, perhaps, but still a damn fine play.

[Rían]

Originally Posted by GrayMouser

The idea of updating the setting seems most shocking to them. "Are you allowed to do that?!?"

LOL! That was my reaction, too, when I first heard of it!

I saw a wild but marvelous re-staging of the Magic Flute once on tv - it actually held the kids' attention!


Thanks for all of the suggestions, people - keep 'em coming!

[Rían]

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

I loved the 1967 version of Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061407/

I saw that on Netflix but didn't watch it, because I thought it might be an adaptation - is it the actual words of Shakespeare? I just couldn't quite imagine Liz doing Shakespeare, although Burton would prob. be great.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Just saw the Tennant/Stewart Hamlet; top notch. Of course, they were both grand, as was Penny Downie, as Gertrude. I was also very impressed with the fellow who played Polonius; his half-senile portrayal was excellent.

EDIT: No one has said it yet, so I ought to: Merchant of Venice with Jeremy Irons and (especially!) Al Pacino was excellent, as well.

[GrayMouser]

Liz actually did a good job as Kate, much better as before than after, of course- meek and mild doesn't really suit her.

Richard Burton note: He played Angelo in a performance of "Measure for Measure" while he was at at Oxford, with one of the guests of honour being C.S. Lewis.

Read that in Wilson's biography of Lewis, and while trying to track it down, came across this tidbit- possibly already known to frequenters of the Harry Potter Forum- Richard Hardy, who plays the Minister of Magic, was a good friend of Burton and also a student of both Tolkien and Lewis.

Robert describes his time at university as “glorious”, having switched allegiance from history to English in his last year at Rugby, solely because doing English meant he'd have CS Lewis and Tolkien as his professors.

“I studied rather lightly because I was too interested in acting and I was able to slide back to history.


“Lewis and Tolkien were very different people but great friends and were very frequently in each others company discussing religion and all sorts of deep philosophical things.

“Having Lewis as a tutor for Shakespeare was joyous. My weekly essays were up to the mark and he thought I'd get a first but the war got in the way and it wasn't to be.

http://www.letstalk24.co.uk/features/story.aspx?

[brownjenkins]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

I saw that on Netflix but didn't watch it, because I thought it might be an adaptation - is it the actual words of Shakespeare? I just couldn't quite imagine Liz doing Shakespeare, although Burton would prob. be great.

It's an adaptation, but one very well done. With Shakespeare, it's all about the enthusiasm, and they got it in this one.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Since I mentioned Derek Jacobi's Hamlet before, here's a taste of the glory. It can be a bit overwrought in places, but he still brings out more of the nuance in the role than I've seen anyone do.