Favourite Shakespeare adaptations?

[fuzzy_nolan]

I watched an old favourite Titus within a couple of days of the recent O (which I thought was terrible) and was wondering what some other people's favourite adaptations are?

Any general thoughts on Shakespeare's jump to the big screen?

[oscar jubis]

OTHELLO-Welles-1952
HAMLET-Olivier-1948
MACBETH-Polanski-1971
HENRY V-Branagh-1989
HAMLET-Branagh-1996
CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT aka FALSTAFF-Welles-1965
MACBETH-Welles-1948
ROMEO AND JULIET-Zefirelli-1968
RAN-Kurosawa-1980
PROSPERO'S BOOKS-Greenaway-1993

[Johann]

Originally posted by oscar jubis
OTHELLO-Welles-1952
HAMLET-Olivier-1948
MACBETH-Polanski-1971
HENRY V-Branagh-1989
HAMLET-Branagh-1996
CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT aka FALSTAFF-Welles-1965
MACBETH-Welles-1948
ROMEO AND JULIET-Zefirelli-1968
RAN-Kurosawa-1980
PROSPERO'S BOOKS-Greenaway-1993

This list is pretty much crucial viewing. I would add (guilty pleasure?) "The Taming of the Shrew" with Liz Taylor which I found to be quite entertaining after a few lagers...

[oscar jubis]

Sounds good Johann. I found Branagh's Much Ado mucho fun, even with some guy named Keanu in the cast. Heard of him?

[treadman]

TAMING OF THE SHREW (Zefferelli, 1967)
ROMEO AND JULIET (Zefferelli, 1968)
HAMLET (Branagh, 1996)
HENRY V (Branagh, 1989)
RICHARD III (Olivier, 1955)

[Johann]

"Much Ado" was great. Denzel was still an actor trying to establish himself so he did projects like this. Pardon me if I think he's rested on his laurels since the early 90's. And he should REALLY rest on 'em now that he's won the trophy he's been after since day one. Surprise a guy who's had you pegged since the beginning, D-man.......

[oscar jubis]

I found Denzel refreshingly over-the-top and cast against type in the otherwise mediocre Training Day.

[Johann]

I loved Training Day only for "bad cop" Denzel's acting. The climactic scene that has him lighting a cigarette and giving the cast & crew a thespian lesson allows me to accept his oscar win for this film.

The movie fails to live up to the potential of being a modern-day "On The Waterfront". If it wasn't for Denzel's tour de force chops, then this would be instantly forgettable. Fuqua is no revelation.

[treadman]

Originally posted by Johann
I loved Training Day only for "bad cop" Denzel's acting. The climactic scene that has him lighting a cigarette and giving the cast & crew a thespian lesson allows me to accept his oscar win for this film.

The movie fails to live up to the potential of being a modern-day "On The Waterfront". If it wasn't for Denzel's tour de force chops, then this would be instantly forgettable. Fuqua is no revelation.

I couldn't agree more. This movie was so overrated and it's only Denzel's performance that saves it from being shipped to The Land of the Forgotten Flicks.

I am so sick of people being proclaimed geniuses because of one well received film. There are few directors who were geniuses the first time out (Orson Welles, Terrence Malick, P.T. Anderson, Francois Truffaut).

[HorseradishTree]

Bar none I'd say Branagh's Hamlet . This is the way stage-to-screen films should be made; no cuts of lines. Plus you really can't beat such a wonderful performance like Kenneth Branagh's.

[rocketrogerhood]

Is anyone actually convinved by the final scene in Training Day? Like somebody on that street wouldn't have jumped the Ethan Hawke character for that money. Training Day is shit, with or without Denzel.