34theletterbetweenB&D Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Prompted by a post by Il Dottore on the merits of really well performed Shakespeare; and the inability to visit the playhouse every night, and having already seen enough uninspiring productions to last a lifetime. What about the DVD options for enjoyment at home, that stand being viewed again and again? Mine would be, in no particular order: Taming of the Shrew, Dir. Jonathan Miller for the BBC, John Cleese as Petruchio, a part he was born for. Much ado about nothing Dir. Branagh, with the lovely Em as Beatrice. Henry V Dir. Branagh, and a large helping of All Branagh. Macbeth Dir Nunn with McKellen and Dench up to no good. Twelfth Night Dir. Nunn with Helena Bonham Carter totally distracted by emotion to perfection. I could do with a few more, but they have to be really, really, good. Honorary mention as a contemporary re-imagining 'Ten things I hate about you'. Very clever reworking of the Taming of the Shrew. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollastonblue Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 I adored the BBC Hollow Crown Trilogy, and thought Ben Wishaws Richard II was awesome. David Tennant's Hamlet was superbly produced, and shot. Sir Ian McKellens Richard III is also worth a watch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purley Oaks Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 In the early-mid 90s the BBC showed some great animated Shakespeare that our kids really enjoyed; helped get them into it in an easy way. Forgive me, but I'd like to see Jason Statham play Hamlet à la his persona in Crank. A Hamlet completely on edge, tired of the ghosts and the plotting. Unsure how the 2B speech would work, though. Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2015 The DiCaprio Romeo and Juliet is rather good IMHO, and don't forget West Side Story. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty3f Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Patrick Stewart as Macbeth takes some beating, his "Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow" is profound, and his final line/word brings a whole new slant to what has been happening. On a lighter note, Tennant and Tate in "Much Ado" is a feast of clowning and hilarity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted April 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2015 I adored the BBC Hollow Crown Trilogy, and thought Ben Wishaws Richard II was awesome. Agreed, and Wishaw's performance was the highlight - one of the very best performances on television. I am looking forward to the next series. Nearly a total opposite, but I have always enjoyed 'Shakespeare in Love'. There are some excellent performances, and plenty of very clever references to other Shakespeare plays, as well as his contemporaries, with the script - co-written by Tom Stoppard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welly Posted April 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2015 I don't know if it is available on DVD but I still remember Orson Welles' 1948 film adaption of Macbeth from schooldays. The B&W film really oozed atmosphere! Opening intro on YT - https://youtu.be/Z1_I36qHDts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted April 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2015 I still like the Roman Polanski film of MacBeth with Jon Finch and Francesca Annis. Probably not the version for everybody but it is a very powerful film I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 In the Hollow Crown's Henry IV Part 1 and Part 2 there is a superb depiction of Falstaff by Simon Russell Beale whilst in David Tennant's Hamlet there is a quite brilliant piece of acting by Mark Hadfield as the gravedigger with poor Yorick, alas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 My English Lit O Level (remember those) involved studying MacBeth. As it was 1983 we got to watch both the McKellern/Dench production and the Polanski film. I thoroughly enjoyed both, for different reasons. The stage production was theatre in its purest form, eschewing elaborate sets and costumes, relying instead on the considerable talents of the actors to hold the audience. The film, on the other hand, did a pretty good job of conveying post-Dark Ages filth and brutality. I'm reminded that it's now more than 30 years since I saw either; a situation which I'm now prompted to rectify. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 ...Nearly a total opposite, but I have always enjoyed 'Shakespeare in Love'. There are some excellent performances, and plenty of very clever references to other Shakespeare plays, as well as his contemporaries, with the script - co-written by Tom Stoppard. Me too. OK, one has to forgive the liberty of having QEI in the playhouse, but the general underlying theme that Shakespeare captured and expressed the voice of the age as the English language found its feet is very well done. Is it prejudice to believe that the constantly enlivening wit is pretty much all attributable to Stoppard? [Tangent] 'Topsy Turvy' offers more of the same relating to the creation of the Gilbert and Sullivan D'Oyly Carte operettas centred on 'The Mikado'. [/Tangent] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I'm hardly a Shakespearian freak but I do like quite a few of his works that have been adapted to more modern films, television programmes from the 70's and 80's were to 'dry' for me and put me off rather. Anyway, a choice from me would be the underrated "Coriolanus" from 2011, set in a slightly futurist state of Rome and starring Ralph Fiennes, Brian Cox, Gerald Butler and more. Still a little on the dry side but highly watchable, I thought! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1372686/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 When I first saw this thread I was expecting a new supergroup comprising half of Shakespeare's Sister and Good Charlotte's rhythm section. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 When I first saw this thread I was expecting a new supergroup comprising half of Shakespeare's Sister and Good Charlotte's rhythm section. OK... Someone like myself who rates Berlioz as one of the moderns, needs a little help with the cultural references... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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