Favorite Film Shakespeare Adaptations

[Weezer]

I'm just about to start rewatching Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, which I think is my favorite Shakespeare film. It avoids the trap of trying to modernize the setting, has excellent staging/cinemetography and Branagh ties it all together with his masterful direction as well as his Henry V.

This also got me thinking that while I've read a lot of Shakespeare, I haven't seen much of it performed, and since I'm not able to really go see it on stage, decided I'd begin watching the best film versions. So, which ones should I watch? From what I recall I've seen 10 Things I Hate About You, DiCaprio's Romeo and Juliet (ugh), O, Olivier's Othello (oh god the blackface, but still quite good) and Gibson's Hamlet.

[Kindablue]

Branagh's Hamlet is my favorite Shakespeare film adaption. Beautiful, stunningly beautiful, it is as massive and operatic as the story demands. And I also like Titus. It's probably my third favorite Anthony Hopkins comedy.

I also also recommend Playing Shakespeare (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEUkn6tQ3us) if you can find it; it's what first got me into Shakespeare.

[Ravens_cry]

Though somewhat modernized, the adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing he did with Emma Thompson ranks among my favourite, with great chemistry in the casting in almost all cases.
Twelfth Night with Sir Ben Kingsley as Feste is also well loved.

[Lord Seth]

Throne of Blood.

[Kindablue]

Oh man. Throne of Blood is so great. That scene at the end... It's also the best realization of Birnam Wood marching I've ever seen. It's a single shot of trees swaying, and it's absolutely real and terrifying.

[Traab]

Leonardo Dicaprios romeo and juliet. I just find it endlessly amusing that it maintains the original script, yet is set in modern times. Seeing some skinny white boy thug wannabe and some mexican with a solid gold grill on his teeth arguing back and forth about, "Do you bite your thumb at me?" Just makes me crack up every time. The wildest part is, certain bits of silliness aside, the script WORKS in modern times. They just found a way to make it all fit. Gun models like a Cutlass or a Longsword, the police chief in a helicopter ordering everyone over the loudspeaker to throw their mistempered weapons to the floor in the middle of a gun fight, I just like it.

[Dienekes]

Ehh, hated Romeo + Juliet myself. Except that opening scene, that scene is so ridiculously over the top insane it becomes amazing. Do you bite your thumb at me sir?

But then, Roms and Jules is my least favorite of Shaky's plays anyhow.

Branagh is pretty good, I haven't seen Throne of Blood but Ran was awesome. I need to watch more Kurosawa.

[snoopy13a]

My Own Private Idaho

It is an interesting take on Henry IV Part 1.

[SaintRidley]

Branagh's Othello is quite good, and he plays a perfect Iago.

[Avilan the Grey]

I don't think I have watched an entire movie adaption (of any kind) of Shakespeare except for Branagh's Hamlet (which I did see mostly because the company I had wanted to see it rather than Family Guy).

The little I saw of Much Ado About Nothing was indeed good, with great chemistry between the actors (as pointed out above).

Also, Romeo Must Die was not horrible.

I HAVE, however, seen a number of filmed stage performances of various plays (mostly performed in Swedish, by Swedish actors), and I have enjoyed those, so I am not a complete moron when it comes to Shakespeare.

[Tiki Snakes]

Throne of Blood.


Oh man. Throne of Blood is so great. That scene at the end... It's also the best realization of Birnam Wood marching I've ever seen. It's a single shot of trees swaying, and it's absolutely real and terrifying.

Saw this quite recently and I can only agree. Especially regarding the marching wood. Incredible shot.

[Killer Angel]

Does Ran count? :smallcool:

Anyway, i agree that Much ado for nothing was good.

[thompur]

Henry V was definitely Branagh's best. His Hamlet lost the poetry of it, and, except for Charleton Heston, much of the stunt casting just didn't work for me.

As to others, I quite like A Midsummers Night's Dream from 1999, with Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Stanley Tucci. Lot's of fun!

I will second Titus with Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange, and directed by the great Julie Taymor.

Also Akira Kurasawa's Ran was a brilliant adaptation of King Lear.

Honorable mention; Julius Caesar(1953) with Marlon Brando, James Mason, Sir John Gielgud, and Deborah Kerr.

[Traab]

Ehh, hated Romeo + Juliet myself. Except that opening scene, that scene is so ridiculously over the top insane it becomes amazing. Do you bite your thumb at me sir?

But then, Roms and Jules is my least favorite of Shaky's plays anyhow.

Branagh is pretty good, I haven't seen Throne of Blood but Ran was awesome. I need to watch more Kurosawa.

What I liked most about it was, so much of shakespeare needs translation when you read it off the page, that being able to see it set in modern times let you understand it better because the scenario it is set in is more recognizable. The death of mercutio was also pretty awesome, and leguizamo doing tybalt was, I think, dead on accurate. I could have done without the drugged up party scene, but mostly, I thought it was well done.

[Ravens_cry]

It does help to read up all the notes on the euphemisms and puns. The title alone for Much Ado About Nothing is a treasure trove of deeply nested dirty puns and double entendre.

[Traab]

It does help to read up all the notes on the euphemisms and puns. The title alone for Much Ado About Nothing is a treasure trove of deeply nested dirty puns and double entendre.

Yeah that was the other thing. There are a LOT of innuendos that you can miss simply because they require a few steps to translate properly. "Oh! That was a slang term for tulips back in his day! OH!!! Tulips was a pun for two lips in this case. WOAH! So he was talking about THAT when he mentioned it?!" (Example was made up on the spot, dont ask for source)

[Kato]

The one time I saw di Caprio's Romeo and Juliet I just couldn't ge over how out of place the script seemed to me... It was the German version but I don't think the original would have fared much better. It just irritates me to no end.


How about Lion King? :smallwink:

[snoopy13a]

How about Lion King? :smallwink:

Does that mean that the Timon and Pumbaa spin-off cartoon was based off of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead?

[Yora]

I like the Hamlet with Mel Gibson. That movie made me understand the plot of at least one classic English or German play. Which pretty much remains the only one so far.

[Kindablue]

Does that mean that the Timon and Pumbaa spin-off cartoon was based off of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead?

I think it actually was, yeah.

[Brother Oni]

What I liked most about it was, so much of shakespeare needs translation when you read it off the page, that being able to see it set in modern times let you understand it better because the scenario it is set in is more recognizable. The death of mercutio was also pretty awesome, and leguizamo doing tybalt was, I think, dead on accurate. I could have done without the drugged up party scene, but mostly, I thought it was well done.

It does emphasise that his plays are intended to be experienced as performances (either live or on film) rather than read.

For example the whole 'Do you bite your thumb at me?' scene in Romeo and Juliet, it makes a lot more sense when you can see the offended party just itching for an excuse to start a fight by watching the body language and tone of the actors (plus in the Baz Lurhmann version, pointing guns at each other).

Macbeth was another one that struck me as to how politically complex it was - I had read it in school, but it wasn't until I went to see a performance in university that I thought 'whoa, this is pretty heavy'.

[Traab]

I like the Hamlet with Mel Gibson. That movie made me understand the plot of at least one classic English or German play. Which pretty much remains the only one so far.

I saw that one a long time ago. I think it was a school thing. I just cant recall if I liked it. I probably did.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Having been a school teacher, I have to admit I enjoyed Romeo + Juliet, due to the opening scene. Having students read the lines mechanically, then seeing how the who "Do you bite your thumb at me, sir!" in action showed that the play was an "action" story and not people being pretentious.

Also, the fact that I was able to show that Juliet was only 13 at the time (2 weeks fefore her 14th birthday. She didnt get cake) made the play more reachable to a classroom of 14-15 year old students.

[Killer Angel]

now that I'm thinking on it...


I'm just about to start rewatching Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, which I think is my favorite Shakespeare film. It avoids the trap of trying to modernize the setting,

There are, of course, notable exceptions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story).

[Avilan the Grey]

There are, of course, notable exceptions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story).

Hey thank you. This is definitely my favorite movie adaption of Shakespeare. :smallsmile:

[Serpentine]

I really liked Romeo + Juliet too.

There was a TV series a while ago that adapted a whole lot of Shakespear. I didn't see many of them, although I seem to recall Much Ado About Nothing being set in a newsroom and involving the anchors, and one of them was set in a restaurant kitchen... Macbeth, I think? And I think Taming the Shrew had... That shrill dark-haired woman who played Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and stuff. I seem to recall them being quite good

[Geostationary]

The movie adaptation of Richard III with Ian Mckellen set in a fictitious World War era style of state was pretty good, and I'll join in the seconding of Much Ado being quite good. Titus Andronicus as done by Julie Taymor also isn't bad, but it is graphic (duh) and arty.

[Ravens_cry]

The movie adaptation of Richard III with Ian Mckellen set in a fictitious World War era style of state was pretty good, and I'll join in the seconding of Much Ado being quite good. Titus Andronicus as done by Julie Taymor also isn't bad, but it is graphic (duh) and arty.
I've been meaning to see that one, Richard III with Ian McKellen. I saw a Macbeth he did when he was much younger, but it was very, very drab and dark.

[Gnoman]

The Playboy Productions (made back when said company was trying to be a serious art house) adaptation of Macbeth was excellent.

[Heritage]

I really love McKellan's fascist 'Richard III', especially the touch of having the French court played by Americans as a sort of nod to Mrs Simpson. I actually like the modern dress version of 'Hamlet' with Ethan Hawke, though they shouldn't have used the term 'Denmark Corporation' if they're just going to call it 'the kingdom' later; just call it Denmark and be done with it!

A year or so ago I rented all eight of the BBC History plays from Netflix and watched them in sequence, which was awesome, though sadly the version of Henry V was kind of weak, in my opinion, and pales next to the Branagh film. The actors who played Richard III and Falstaff were both excellent!

Branagh also did a weird Japanese set adaptation of 'As You Like It' for cable that's out on video; Alfred Molina as Touchstone, Kevin Kline as Jaques and Bryce Dallas Howard as Rosalind were the standouts to me. It's also Netflix-able.

[Weezer]

So, going through this thread my list will be:

-All the Branagh I haven't seen
-Titus with Hopkins
-Throne of Blood (macbeth in feudal Japan? Interesting idea)
-Ran (another Japanese adaptation)
-Julius Caesar with Brando
-Richard III with McClellan

Would be on the list, but I've seen, is Midsummer's Night Dream, which I really enjoyed.
Any big ones I missed?

[Brewdude]

Strange Brew is the best adaptation of Hamlet I've ever seen. :)

[Sunfall]

OK, so Much Ado About Nothing is already well-loved here, I see, as well as Twelfth Night with Ben Kingsley and Helena Bonham Carter. They both manage to transport the humor very well onto the screen.

And of course there's Throne of Blood, which is the best movie version of Macbeth I know. (Though the Mel Gibson one isn't bad either. Just steer clear of Branagh this time.)

I'd love to see the Ian McKellen version of Richard III! I've heard so much about it, but couldn't find it up until now. Can't buy it that easily around here...

I've got three four more tips for you, ranked for awesomeness (least to greatest):

Hamlet: The Denmark Corporation transports the play into a contemporary setting as well, but is a bit less incongruous than Romeo + Juliet. What I like very much about this version is Ethan Hawke's sheer wrath which he infuses into the Danish prince. I've never seen a Hamlet that angry. Puts quite a spin on that play about a guy who does nothing.

Edit: Forgot the Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino as Shylock. It's one of my favorite plays ever since I saw that film.

Franco Zefirelli's Romeo and Juliet. I'm surprised no one has mentioned that masterpiece yet. It's the most faithful movie version you can find out there. And a very young Michael York's in it :smallbiggrin:

And, best for last, Al Pacino's Looking for Richard (Richard III, that is), which IMO is the best try ever to put Shakespeare on film. I once wrote an essay about it, stating that the best way to enjoy and understand Shakespeare nowadays must be the half-documentary way Pacino does it. Scenes from the play (with a baffling all-star cast) are interspersed with documentary bits of Pacino talking to all kinds of people about the meaning of it all, the characters' motivations etc. And not only has he included the leading Shakespeare scholars of the day but also asked fellow actors and even people on the streets. It's a brilliant piece which taught me more about a Shakespearean play than anything else (well, apart maybe from that Much Ado lecture at the Globe I visited last year :smallwink:).

[Killer Angel]

mmm... now it's hard to find something still not cited.

Yeah, I've got it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tromeo_and_Juliet)! :smallbiggrin: