Shakespeare Retold
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Movie Reviews of Shakespeare Retold
Movie Review: 5 stars for The Shrew!
Summary: 5 Stars
Although I got this for Richard Armitage's all too brief appearance in Macbeth, the Taming of the Shrew alone is worth the price of the 2-disc set. The Bard's bawdy battle between the sexes has been cleverly updated but still holds true to the original. I have always admired Shirley Henderson but mistakenly thought of Rufus Sewell mainly as a pretty face. Boy, was I wrong! His BAFTA nominated performance here is amazing. It also has a great supporting cast, nice set design and costuming (Kate's wedding dress is a wonder) and the music is fancifully scored.
The unsympathetic role of the shrewish Katherine can be difficult to pull off but the diminutive Ms. Henderson reaches out and grabs you by the throat and then tugs at your heartstrings! When Sewell's penniless but swaggering Petruchio shows up fresh from job hunting in Australia (heralded by a didgeridoo leitmotif) and determines he will marry the wealthy spinster politician, the laughs never stop. I have never seen a more hysterically funny wedding! Off on their Italian villa honeymoon, Kate is a nasty piece of work and Petruchio gives as good as he gets. Even in connubial fury, both actors still convey the desire to be loved that we all have. The black and white montage finale wraps up the whole story in a most amusing group of photos.
Briefly to sum up the remaining stories: a trendy nose-to-tail restaurant is the setting for the bloody Macbeth. It is well-cast but somehow murdering Duncan over Michelin stars diminishes the story. However, head waiter MacDuff (RA) can serve me any meal he wishes, preferably breakfast in bed! A Midsummer's Night's has a distinguished cast but its humor is too medieval for me. Much Ado About Nothing is updated to a newsroom locale and some viewers may like it but I was already seduced by the shrew.
Movie Review: Much Ado About Shakespeare!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I came upon this gem while looking for modern version of Much Ado About Nothing. It's my favorite Shakespeare play and it was perfected again by the charming Damian Lewis and the equally witty Sarah Parish. As Benedick and Beatrice they exchanged witty jabs and insults with one another, then fall "horribly" in love with each other. The other characters were good but, I really didn't like how the plot with Hero and Claud(io) ended, though my friend thought it was brilliant.
The Taming of the Shrew was exceptional! Rufus Sewell as Pertuchio and Shirley Henderson as Katherine were perfect!! I was a little wary that it would be too over the top, but Sewell's performance was top notch and very funny. A wonderful retelling!
I'm not a great fan of A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was good in certain parts, but I felt like the writter had a difficult time trying to wrap the ending up.
I can honestly say that this is a good version of Macbeth. I mostly like the romantics and Macbeth is a little too dark for my taste. James McAvoy and Keeley Hawes are Joe and Ella Macbeth. It's a very modern retelling centered around a restaurant that has just recieved three Michelin stars. I like the setting of the retelling, though I also thought a setting involving politics would have been a little better. In my opinion, this was a decent retelling.
Any way you put it there is something for everyone in this set, great actors, wonderful stories and a new way to see Shakespeare. Enjoy!
Movie Review: SHAKESPEARE FOR MODERN TIMES
Summary: 5 Stars
This set includes 4 stories by Shakespeare that have been brilliantly updated. I was amazed at the way these four stores have been modernized without losing any of their greatness. You will see:
Much Ado About Nothing: the longest and best one of the set, in my opinion. The setting is a news show and the updated characterizations are spot on.
MacBeth: it was hard to understand the dialect but still great story re-telling.
Taming of the Shrew: the shortest one and skillfully handled the touchy subject material in modern times as best it could. As a female, I was impressed with the director for having modern Kate (a politician on the way up) bow to her husband without being a simpering fool. The storyline is hilarious!
A Mid Summer's Night Dream: simply brilliant update of a difficult storyline. I thought the scene where they all ended up in same spot with little understanding of how they got there was questionable for today's audience but then it's a story of about a Fairy King and Fairy Queen so..... The updated Pan was one of my favorite characters.
All of these shows were well worth viewing. Whoever thought this one up deserves kudos. Retelling Shakespeare is a difficult task but one that was handled with amazing skill in this case. I would even recommend this to help understand the original works of Shakespeare.
Movie Review: 1 Great, 2 Good, and another
Summary: 5 Stars
I viewed these originally on BBCAmerica and then purchased them...so glad I did.
This version of "Macbeth" was the standout for me. It kept most of the themes while translating the story to a modern kitchen. While a tragedy, this was also the funniest of the four: some marvelous lines and even better performances from Hawes and McAvoy. McAvoy's boyish looks and small stature served to reenforce his subservience to his wife, a sleek, insinuating, and ultimately tragic Ella Macbeth. Hawes performance, especially the dissolving into madness was touching and controlled: no scenery was chewed in the making of this story.
The same cannot be said for "Shrew". Rufus Sewell was brilliant and Shirley Henderson over the top (as usual, but it works here.) Henderson's voice is an acquired taste so it you don't like it, don't bother with this but you'll be robbed of Sewell's delicious turn. The ending was a disappointment and knocked this from an A to a B-.
The Damian Lewis/Sarah Parrish "Much Ado" was mildly funny and passed the time but I've no desire to see it again.
I think the "Midsummer Night's Dream" was a bit too ambitious and ended up bit of a mess. Some wonderful performers who needed a stronger director?
Movie Review: Excellent modern versions!
Summary: 5 Stars
As a lifelong lover of the Bard, and yearly attendee and patron of a Shakespeare festival, I was very wary of purchasing these DVDs and seeing them, but I was especially pleased with these storylines and the production quality.
The Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing are standouts; each warrant the purchase price of the set. But MacBeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream are no slackers, either! The acting is overall superb, the music and lighting and sets very well done, and for once, the chemistry between the leads was flawlessly believable. The modernization of Shakespeare's language was so well orchestrated, and the parallels between Shakespeare's day and the modern world so well done, I loved these productions.
Perhaps not for the overly devout Shakespeare fan who sighs at every missed line or nuance, but I have to give these my highest rating as they are excellent modern versions of Shakespeare's plays.