An Ode to the Bard
The best adaptations of Shakespeare plays.
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- DirectorMichael RadfordStarsAl PacinoJoseph FiennesLynn CollinsIn 16th century Venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused Jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a gruesome payment instead.Beautifully done telling of one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays; called antisemitic by some, and paradoxically pro-Jewish by others. Hoping to win the hand of the beautiful Portia, Bassanio, a poor Venetian of noble birth, convinces his friend Antonio to be the guarantor of his loan from the wealthy Jewish moneylender Shylock. When Bassanio finds himself unable to pay, Shylock demands that Antonio fulfill the terms of the loan, and provide Shylock with a pound of his flesh. All seems lost for Antonio, until Portia arrives dressed as a man to deliver one of the finest legal arguments ever.
- DirectorGeoffrey WrightStarsVictoria HillLachy HulmeGary SweetA contemporary retelling of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" set in the ganglands of Melbourne.Bloody retelling of the classic play set in the mafia underworld of modern Melborne, Australia. Sam Worthington provides a unforgetable performance in the title role, and writer/co-star Victoria Hill embodies Lady Macbeth with perfection. Beautiful production design captures the feel of the original play, making it both medieval and modern at the same time (perhaps because of the gothic overtones). As for the way the film is presented, there are moments of chaos, and a couple of times in which the filmmakers lost me, but most of the time, I was riveted. A definite highlight is the "dinner scene," in which Macbeth is driven mad by visions of a murder he has ordered. There is some nudity, and a couple of innocent women and a young child are killed (one of the woman in a prolonged cut that is painful to watch), but both serve to advance the plot, and should be considered in that light. I recommend this for adults looking for a new twist on an old story.
- DirectorBaz LuhrmannStarsLeonardo DiCaprioClaire DanesJohn LeguizamoShakespeare's famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue.Shakspeare's tragic story of family rivalries and teenage love is transported to modern times in Verona Beach. The Bard's original language is largely preserved and combined with an amazing score to give it a timeless quality. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes are wonderful as the innocent young lovers too sensitive for the violent world in which they live.
- DirectorFranco ZeffirelliStarsMel GibsonGlenn CloseAlan BatesHamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans revenge.Classic telling of one of Shakespeare best loved and most performed plays. Mel Gibson tackled the title role, and nails it with a performance that rivals the master, Lawrence Olivier's. Gibson makes Hamlet more witty and more tragic; with supporting performances from American and British acting heavyweights such as Paul Schoefield, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, and Nathaniel Parker.
- DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsKenneth BranaghDerek JacobiSimon ShepherdIn the midst of the Hundred Years War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415.Stirring and beautiful adaptation of Shakspeare's play of the conquest of France by English king, Henry V. While Kenneth Branagh's acting can go over the top at times, he delivers his lines with such relish that you cannot help to be stirred at them. The musical score on this film is extraordinary, and the cinematography breathtaking.
- DirectorFranco ZeffirelliStarsLeonard WhitingOlivia HusseyJohn McEneryWhen two young members of feuding families meet, forbidden love ensues.Before there was Bazz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet", there was the master, Franco Zefferilli. Zefferilli's film stands as a classic, with teenage actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting embodying the star crossed lovers like no one else can. For Shakespearean purists, this is the definitive film, although it may be a little heavy for those who are new to the Bard.