King Lear (1987)

Everything returns to normal after Chernobyl. That is, everything but art. Most of the great works are lost, and it is up to people like William Shakespear Junior the Fifth to restore the ... See full summary »

Director:

Jean-Luc Godard

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Stars:

Woody Allen, Freddy Buache, Leos Carax

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Woody Allen	...	Mr. Alien (uncredited)
Freddy Buache	...	Professor Quentin (uncredited)
Leos Carax	...	Edgar (uncredited)
Julie Delpy	...	Virginia (uncredited)
Jean-Luc Godard	...	Professor Pluggy (uncredited)
Suzanne Lanza	...	(uncredited)
Kate Mailer	...	Herself (uncredited)
Norman Mailer	...	The Great Writer (uncredited)
Burgess Meredith	...	Don Learo (uncredited)
Michèle Pétin	...	Journalist (uncredited)
Molly Ringwald	...	Cordelia (uncredited)
Peter Sellars	...	William Shaksper Junior the Fifth (uncredited)

Storyline

Everything returns to normal after Chernobyl. That is, everything but art. Most of the great works are lost, and it is up to people like William Shakespear Junior the Fifth to restore the lost artwork of the human race. He finds strange goings-on at a resort enough to remind him of all the lines of the play, dealing with mob boss Don Learo and his daughter Cordelia, a strange professor named Jean Luc-Godard (sic), who repeatedly xeroxes his hand for no particular reason. He is followed by four humanoid goblins that keep tormenting Cordelia. There is also the gentleman whose girlfriend, Valerie, isn't always visible. Then the film is sent off to New York for Mr. Alien to edit.

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Plot Keywords:

goblin | art | flower | crooked gambling | nothing | 

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Taglines:

A Picture Shot in the Back.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

French English Russian Japanese

Release Date:

3 April 2002 (France)

Also Known As:

Jean-Luc Godard's King Lear

Filming Locations:

Nyon, Canton de Vaud, Switzerland

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cannon Group, The, Golan-Globus Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

It was released at the New York Quad Theater in January 1988, but only played for five days.

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Quotes

The Great Writer: For words are one thing, and reality, sweet reality, is another thing, and between them is no thing.

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Connections

Version of King Lear (1976)

User Reviews

Damn Those Infernal SEAGULLS!!!!

I don't know where to begin.

I cannot contain my contempt for this film (if I dare call it a film). In my opinion this is the worst Shakespeare adaptation committed to any art form anywhere in history. And one of the most egotistical pieces of rubbish in the annals of film.

It has NO USE. You couldn't even use this if you were doing a thesis of King Lear at college because this is faeces. Not to mention that it has hardly anything to do with the play King Lear. It has no plot, no interesting characters or character study and hardly anything in the way of decent direction.

And it is not just the fact that it lacks so much, it is the fact that what it does have is so goddamn terrible. Quotes and sayings repeated endlessly, terrible seagull sound effects that 1) happen in scenes where there are no seagulls and even scenes when we are indoors 2) happen in scenes when there is other dialogue going on and 3) are so loud that your ears begin to bleed (well, nearly).

I went to see this film because 1) I had only seen one other Godard movie Bande à Part (1964) and 2) I am a great Woody Allen fan. Now I mentioned earlier that this was egotistical and I will go further and say that this is sheer celluloid masturbation! Godard (in my opinion the most over rated director in cinema history) has almost become drunk with power, power gained from years of critics kissing his ass, and now believes he can do no wrong as long as he entertain and excites himself (i.e. masturbation). Another celluloid masturbator (for want of a better word) is Woody Allen, this shared hobby probably bringing the two together. But the one difference between these two is this, Woody Allen still has the gift to entertain and excited others as well as himself, whereas Godard lost this gift along long time before King Lear.

Now I have wasted enough time talking about this catastrophe.

I give it 0 out of 10.

P.S. If you want a really good Shakespeare adaptation try Throne of Blood (1957).