Thou Art Everlasting
April 16th 2008 02:44
We were browsing cable TV last night while snuggling in bed when we came across so many familiar and now famous faces but way younger.
-- Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee, Sense and Sensibility)
-- Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Harry Potter as Lockhart)
-- Keanu Reaves (Speed, Matrix)
-- Denzel Washington (Man on Fire)
-- Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor)
-- Michael Keaton (Batman)
-- Robert Sean Leonard (Dead Poets Society, TV's House MD)
All these faces in one movie. Speaking in old english. Karma points who can guess what movie I'm referring to. Then again, IMDB is just one click away.
They're all together in one Shakespearean Play made into a movie. Talk about star studded!
We watched until the end and surprisingly, my son watched it with us (mind you, he's only 3). Being a lover of the arts, especially plays and theater, I never pass the chance to watch Shakespeare inspired movies. No matter how much they try to modernize it (as with Baz Luhrman's Romeo Juliet), the essence and feel of Shakespeare will forever be there.
I grew up looking and trying my best to read this thick hardbound and dusty book we had at home simpy title -- Collection Of Shakespeare's Plays.
Then, Old english was just complicated for me. God knows how much patience I had to understand a whole play written in old, even archaic english -- but to no avail. I'd fall asleep with that huge book beside me dreaming of Thine, Thou, Thee and Shant's yet I couldn't explain the scene to anyone.
Watching that film last night made me miss Shakespeare's plays. There have been countless plays made into film, some even over and over. Of course, the most famous would be Romeo and Juliet.
Not to join the bandwagon, but Baz Luhrman's interpretation was my favorite, most interesting indeed. I also loved A Midsummer Night's Dream with Michelle Pfeiffer and Hamlet with Julia Stiles.
Shakespeare's works are indeed everlasting. I hope my son learns to appreciate them as much as I did. I know I only got to really appreciating his works when I had to actually play Ophelia (in Hamlet) for theater class, but it was the most fun I've had. The words are captivating and no more confusing to me.
Do you or have you ever watched a Shakespearean movie? How did you like it and if you've watched several, what's your favorite?
Hey I'm still waiting on a guess for that movie cast I posted above.
-- Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee, Sense and Sensibility)
-- Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Harry Potter as Lockhart)
-- Keanu Reaves (Speed, Matrix)
-- Denzel Washington (Man on Fire)
-- Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor)
-- Michael Keaton (Batman)
-- Robert Sean Leonard (Dead Poets Society, TV's House MD)
All these faces in one movie. Speaking in old english. Karma points who can guess what movie I'm referring to. Then again, IMDB is just one click away.
They're all together in one Shakespearean Play made into a movie. Talk about star studded!
We watched until the end and surprisingly, my son watched it with us (mind you, he's only 3). Being a lover of the arts, especially plays and theater, I never pass the chance to watch Shakespeare inspired movies. No matter how much they try to modernize it (as with Baz Luhrman's Romeo Juliet), the essence and feel of Shakespeare will forever be there.
I grew up looking and trying my best to read this thick hardbound and dusty book we had at home simpy title -- Collection Of Shakespeare's Plays.
Then, Old english was just complicated for me. God knows how much patience I had to understand a whole play written in old, even archaic english -- but to no avail. I'd fall asleep with that huge book beside me dreaming of Thine, Thou, Thee and Shant's yet I couldn't explain the scene to anyone.
Watching that film last night made me miss Shakespeare's plays. There have been countless plays made into film, some even over and over. Of course, the most famous would be Romeo and Juliet.
Not to join the bandwagon, but Baz Luhrman's interpretation was my favorite, most interesting indeed. I also loved A Midsummer Night's Dream with Michelle Pfeiffer and Hamlet with Julia Stiles.
Shakespeare's works are indeed everlasting. I hope my son learns to appreciate them as much as I did. I know I only got to really appreciating his works when I had to actually play Ophelia (in Hamlet) for theater class, but it was the most fun I've had. The words are captivating and no more confusing to me.
Do you or have you ever watched a Shakespearean movie? How did you like it and if you've watched several, what's your favorite?
Hey I'm still waiting on a guess for that movie cast I posted above.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I love the bard's work but must admit that Luhrman's R& J and the Brannagh's Much Ado About Nothing are lame ducks to me.
Here are my top 5 Shakespeare Film adaptations:
1. Julie Taymour's Titus
2. Roman Polanski's Macbeth
3. Akira Kurosawa's Ran (King Lear) and Throne of Blood (Macbeth)
4. Franco Zefferlli's Romeo and Juliet
5. Joseph L. Mankiewicz Julius Caesar
Tom Stoppard's Rozencrantz and Guilderstern are Dead is a work of absolutely comedy genius.
Comment by Hazel Castillo
Working Title
Cirrus Cloud
Parent Adventures
I do reckon you to be leaning towards the art film types. I do enjoy them too, but sometimes takes a lot from me. I make it a point I watch Cinemanila here where International art films are shown for a week or 2's period.
Quentin Tarantino was even here last year.
I have never heard of Kurosawa's adaptations, but since you mentioned, I'd love to find a copy (good luck to me on that!)
Roman Polanski's Macbeth is good, just that maybe I watched it when I was still young and with Macbeth being so much of a tragedy, it didn't really stick to me as a good story
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I love everything from the deepest trash to the highest art as long as it's got passion, quality storytelling and something new to see...just cruise my site and the truth is revealed.
As for Kurosawa finding Ran and Throne of Blood should be easy to find considering both are available here in Oz on DVD.
Tragedy is Shakespeare's schtick, there are no happy endings and thats why I love all his work on paper...just some films try to smooth out the edges, others embrace them...the ones that remain pure to his form are the ones I adore.
Comment by Hazel Castillo
Working Title
Cirrus Cloud
Parent Adventures
Ironically, in theater class we did a full production of Shakespeare's Tragedies, taking bits and of dialogues and solilloquy's from Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet, King Lear and of course Romeo and Juliet... made me embrace tragedies and actually love it afterwards.