10 Shakespeare Screen Adaptations You Probably Havent Watched (But Definitely Should)

10 Shakespeare Screen Adaptations You Probably Haven’t Watched (But Definitely Should)

Shakespeare’s works have served as inspiration for countless filmmakers. Here are 10 overlooked screen adaptations that are worth seeking out.

You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]

Most people have seen their fair share of Romeos and Juliets, Hamlets, and Othellos. Be it for school, University, or with a friend/relative who studied literature and just loves the Bard, plenty of people have sat through Kenneth Branagh’s 4-hours-long and completely faithful Hamlet, Baz Luhrmann’s touching and visually pleasing Romeo + Juliet, and Coriolanus directed by and starring a compelling Ralph Fiennes.

And that is why those renderings of Shakespearean plays will not be on this list. Instead, let us look at some adaptations that may not be the most-watched but deserve better.

10 A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018)

This bright, colorful, and vibrant rendition of Shakespeare’s dreamy comedy is set in modern Los Angeles. According to Rotten Tomatoes, this film following “the tradition of Baz Luhrmann’s rapturous reimagining of Romeo + Juliet, […] breathes new life into a classic tale” and that appears to be definitely the case.

The play questioned the often blurred lines between magic and reason, dream and wakefulness, and fantasy and reality. In many ways, Hollywood perfectly works as a backdrop for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with its wannabe actors, its totally realistic and fake settings, and that weird confusion regarding what is acting and what is not. Rachael Leigh Cook and Ted Levine provide great performances.

9 The Hollow Crown (2012)

The histories are definitely not the Bard’s most popular plays, as the tragedies proudly sit on that throne. To many, the histories might just seem like a rehash of English history, yet it is something much better: Dramatization. That is why it works so well; real characters, real events, only with a lot more flair for theatricality.

Add to that the masterful performances of Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston, the great direction of Rupert Goold, Richard Eyre, and Thea Sharrock and one cannot go wrong with the BBC’s miniseries The Hollow Crown.

8 Forbidden Planet (1956)

When one considers spaceships, faraway planets, and peculiar alien monstrosities, they are more likely to think of Alien or Star Wars and not of Elizabethan theater. Forbidden Planet is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare and simultaneously a sci-fi classic and pioneer.

However, once the film is watched, similarities between the film’s plot and Shakespeare’s romance The Tempest become obvious. Here the remote island is the isolated planet Altair, the spirit Ariel is a robot, and there are some other changes obviously. Some Shakespeare enthusiasts enjoy visiting locations relevant to his work, but outer space is without a doubt the most extreme one.

7 Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990)

There are plenty of Shakespeare adaptations, deeply brilliant as well as deeply flawed, but this one is first and foremost unique. Written and directed by Tom Stoppard and based on his homonymous play, this film is a study on two minor characters from Hamlet. The film follows the Shakespearean play when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are in the scene, while they become occupied with basically their own existential crisis whenever they are away from the action.

These two characters, whose existence in Hamlet is a mere tool to move the plot forward (and seen by the protagonist as vulgar and unnecessary), are made to face the reality of said existence; however, confused and in denial, they are unable to find themselves beyond the small and confined roles that their maker has given them. The performances of Gary Oldman and Tim Roth are simply exquisite.

6 Henry V (1944)

Or, as the title appeared on-screen, The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (no, this is not a joke). This film holds a perfect critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and one can surely understand why.

An epic of magnificent proportions, this film was a true pioneer of its time and Laurence Olivier’s debut as a director (he also starred). The time’s acting might seem a little rigid and overtly theatrical in comparison to the realism employed today, but the beautiful cinematography and the concept of a film-within-a-play make up for it superbly.

5 Richard II (1978)

Richard II is one of Shakespeare’s more rarely adapted histories (the ones most adapted as feature films being Henry V and Richard III), which makes sense considering that it is a difficult play: It is written entirely in verse with long stretches of rhyming couplets.

However, it is a play certainly worthy of a presence on the screen. David Giles’s 1978 BBC adaptation starring a young Derek Jacobi – who would become known for his roles in Branagh’s Hamlet and Henry V – emphasizes the greatness of the source text and is a compelling psychological and political drama.

4 King Lear / Король Лир [Korol Lir] (1971)

Now, a black and white, longer-than-two-hours film entirely in Russian might not seem the most appealing prospect on this list; nevertheless, one should have faith and make sure to give this King Lear a chance. The Soviet auteur Grigori Kozintsev’s swan song, this film was the product of the collaboration of some iconic artistic personas: Nobel Laureate and the great author Boris Pasternak provided Shakespeare’s Russian translation and Dmitri Shostakovich was the composer of the movie’s music.

Many Russian artists faced difficulties working within the cultural limitations of the controlling Russian government because plenty of sociopolitical subjects were censored. A way to avoid such coercion was to adapt well-known world classics into movies, such as Shakespeare’s works.

3 China Girl (1987)

At last, a Romeo and Juliet adaptation! However, this is no ordinary adaptation of the star-crossed lovers and their feuding families. This film by Abel Ferrara is a modern rendering set in 1980s Manhattan, and follows the love story of young Tony from Little Italy and Tye, a girl from Chinatown, while the rival gangs of their families engage in a ruthless war.

Both a retelling of Romeo and Juliet and an homage to West Side Story, China Girl may not be that faithful to the original text, but it is still a brilliantly directed and strong romance (the origins of Luhrmann’s inspiration are also apparent).

2 Macbeth (2018)

Considering how stunning it is, Kit Monkman’s 2018 adaptation of Macbeth has flown remarkably under the radar. It does not even have a consensus on Rotten Tomatoes yet. Admittedly, the film had quite a limited theatrical run, lasting for only one day in March 2018 before it was released on DVD.

Perhaps Mark Rowley is not the most commanding Macbeth this world has ever seen, but Akiya Henry makes a chilling and bold Lady Macbeth. The whole film feels as if it is set in this limbo world between dark fantasy and an even more terrifying reality, a modern aesthetic of medieval times. A visually captivating marvel of the big (and the green) screen, this Macbeth is not to be missed.

1 The Bad Sleep Well / 悪い奴ほどよく眠る [Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru] (1960)

The most famous Shakespeare films by Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa are Ran and Throne of Blood. Even so, The Bad Sleep Well is a powerful noir retelling of Hamlet set in 1960s Japan that has rightfully earned its place as number one on this list. The film is a loose adaptation, but it tackles the original’s topics of corruption and revenge masterfully.

Kôichi Nishi, the illegitimate child of a high-ranking employee who committed suicide under suspicious circumstances, acquires a high status and prestige within his father’s corporation and marries vice president Iwabuchi’s daughter in the process. At the wedding party, the cake’s design weirdly reminds Kôichi of the covered-up death of his father. It is at that point that he unfolds his plot to take vengeance for his father’s death…

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/shakespeare-film-adaptations-overlooked-watch/

• 90 Day Fiancé 10 Red Flags Cast Members Ignored

• 10 Stephen King Movies Referenced In Pet Sematary 2019

• 9 Questionable TLC Medical Shows That Caused Audiences To Nope Out

• #JusticeForHan Is Now An Official Fast & Furious 9 Hashtag

• #HoldUbisoftAccountable Trends On Twitter In Response To Allegations

• Enhancing Your Grass for Xmas without Going Overboard

• Xmas Gift basket