A lot of adaptations of shakespeares plays graced our screens in the grungiest decade, and most of them were actually pretty good. Feb 08, 2019 indian cinema has a long history of imaginative shakespeare adaptations, and this is one of the finest. Though william shakespeare formed the basis for much of what we consider modern english and created a theater of poetry and intellectual insight that is still unmatched today, its difficult to translate his particular magic to film. Pages in category modern adaptations of works by william shakespeare the following 78 pages are in this category, out of 78 total. Our film critics selection of celluloid interpretations of the bard, from gus vant. The rsc puts a modern spin on shakespeare s hamlet in this filmedfortelevision version of their stage production.
Today, april 23rd, is talk like shakespeare day as well as shakespeare s birthday. There is a subplot in the 1999 movie 10 things i hate about you in which a character is obsessed with william shakespeare, declaring herself in love with him, and another character asks her to the prom as willy shakes himself modernizations of classics are wild, yall. Previous section witchcraft in shakespeare s england next section full book quiz. Movies based on shakespeare stories or plays but set in. Here are 15 movies inspired by some of the bards greatest works. One of the most truly gutwrenching of shakespeare s tragedies, othello presents particular challenges to the modern adaptation. A modern day macbeth relocated to the murky mumbai crimeworld by director vishal bhardwaj. The 10 best modern shakespeare adaptations forbidden planet directed by fred m. The guinness book of records lists 410 featurelength film and tv versions of william shakespeare s plays, making shakespeare the most filmed author ever in any language. Though william shakespeare formed the basis for much of what we consider modern english and.
The film is the only straight adaptation to win the oscar for best picture, and laurence olivier is the only man to win. In total, there are 525 feature films which give william shakespeare some form of writing credit. With alexis denisof, amy acker, fran kranz, jillian morgese. Apr 26, 20 this is a good choice for people who are well acquainted with shakespeare, but who find modern film adaptations annoying. Its set in modern times, but retains shakespeares original script, and even has original music for two songs shakespeare wrote into the play. The best 90s screen adaptations of shakespeare, ranked.
Ok, technically its not a modernday adaptation, but you simply cannot discuss movies based on shakespeares plays without bringing up akira kurosawa. Shakespeare adaptations are a dime a dozenweve been putting his work on film practically from the moment film was a thingbut were particularly fascinated by a small, persistent subset of movies that aim to bring the bards work to the youth of the day. West side story directed by jerome robbins and robert wise 1961. Julia stiles was the queen of the modern day shakespeare adaptations of the late 90s, but and she earned the title with her standout performance in the teen comedy alongside heath ledger as a. That narrows the list quite a bit, but it makes for a fun challenge. Claudius is ceo of the denmark corporation, and his nephew hamlet is a video artist. Shakespeare has been adapted in countless ways over the years, sometimes as in the case of these films rather subtly. The film won two academy awards and was nominated for best picture and best director. Since you are already here then chances are that you are looking for the daily themed crossword solutions. One of the most truly gutwrenching of shakespeares tragedies, othello presents particular challenges to the modern adaptation. Richard iii is another modern movie adaptation of shakespeare that remains in the same location, england, but elects to portray the events in.
Indian cinema has a long history of imaginative shakespeare adaptations, and this is one of the finest. Joss whedons upcoming adaptation of william shakespeares much ado about nothing, which hits theaters in june, has critics and fans drooling thanks to its nerdbait cast and slick trailer. The 10 best modern takes on shakespeare in pictures. This recent adaptation was filmed in scotland, and opens with the funeral of the macbeths dead son.
Why are there no modern adaptation of shakespeares othello. This is a good choice for people who are well acquainted with shakespeare, but who find modern film adaptations annoying. This essay argues that in trying to overcome the problems of the text, the. Adaptation of macbeth set in japan directed by akira kurosawa. Jun 27, 2016 18 shakespeare film adaptations, ranked from worst to best. To commemorate this milestone, were sharing some of the modern film adaptations of his work. This stylish and visually arresting film from director justin kurzel became one of the most highprofile shakespeare adaptations of recent times when it was released in 2016.
Much ado about nothing 2012 also uses the original language and has the most straightforward modern setting most likely because it was shot on a super low budget at the directors house. The 10 best modern takes on shakespeare in pictures culture. Look no further because you will find whatever you are looking for in here. Mar, 20 but beyond joss, there is another, subtler subgenre of shakespeare adaptations. Shakespeare and film laurence olivier described shakespeares battle scenes as frustrated cinema, but the relationship between these highly verbal plays and the visual priorities of the screen has always been ambivalent. Nov 03, 2014 julia stiles was the queen of the modernday shakespeare adaptations of the late 90s, but and she earned the title with her standout performance in the teen comedy alongside heath ledger as a.
My own private idaho directed by gus van sant 1991. Tom stoppards play rosencrantz and guildenstern are dead. With the time he saves, parker gives us a distractingly modern softcore sex scene and montages that summarize offstage action that the play itself is hardly concerned with. Centuries my have passed since william shakespeare last put ink to paper, but the stories hes spun arent going anywhere. In this collection, all of shakespeare s 154 sonnets are rewritten in refreshing englishtoenglish translations from 154 poettranslators like paul celan, mary jo bang, tan lin, and juliana spahr.
Ian mckellen is great in the title role, and the cast includes annette benning and robert downey jr. The film adaptation of the 1957 broadway production is one of the great musical films of all time, and it also happens to be a brilliant update of. In this play adaptation, mercutios character is shown as an africanamerican, bisexual man whose love for romeo seems more real than what shakespeare. The 10 best shakespeare movie adaptations ever made. Parkers adaptation slices and dices the original until the movie almost could have been based on the othello pages from bartletts familiar quotations. Many of the best shakespeare plays follow an antihero, and richard iii might just have the. The 10 best modern shakespeare adaptations litreactor.
Feb 29, 2020 forbidden planet is a loose adaptation of shakespeare and simultaneously a scifi classic and pioneer. Inspired by shakespeares classic farce, big business is based around the same premise of mistaken identity. Apr 29, 2019 in this collection, all of shakespeares 154 sonnets are rewritten in refreshing englishtoenglish translations from 154 poettranslators like paul celan, mary jo bang, tan lin, and juliana spahr. William shakespeares works adapted to a modern setting. A look at the teen film adaptations of shakespeare book riot. Perhaps the most wellknown story in shakespeare s canon, romeo and juliet tells the story of starcrossed lovers from warring families in verona. Shakespeare in modern film and pop culture youtube. With over 250 shakespeare movies produced, shakespeare film adaptations such as baz luhrmans romeo and juliet, the shakespeare inspired shakespeare in love and the more recent hamlet 2000, prove that shakespeare films adaptations and movies retain their enduring appeal. This first analysis focuses on a comparative study between the play the tempest by william shakespeare and the 2010 film version of that play directed and written by julie taymor. A modern retelling of shakespeare s classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words. Unconventional adaptations that keep shakespeare relevant.
This oscarnominated adaptation of one of shakespeares earliest, and longest, plays was born from a royal national theatre stage production which starred ian mckellen, who then cowrote the film screenplay with director richard loncraine and again takes the lead. Starring leonardo di caprio and claire danes, the movie used all the original dialogues of shakespeare s play but is set in the modern day world. Modernday adaptations of shakespearian plays 3263 words. Macbeth 1971 this is the forgotten shakespearean adaptation, directed by roman polanski, full of sex and graphic violence and the unblinking emotional honesty that became a hallmark of.
The bards poetry is revamped in the form of tweets, political and pop culture references, and homophonic adaptations. This is the forgotten shakespearean adaptation, directed by roman polanski, full of sex and graphic violence and the unblinking emotional honesty that became a hallmark of. Over half of all shakespeare feature film adaptations are based on hamlet, romeo and juliet, macbeth or othello. For a more unconventional association, one should consider the legendary akira kurosawa as the finest nonwestern interpreter of shakespeare. Mar 27, 2018 shakespeare adaptations are a dime a dozenweve been putting his work on film practically from the moment film was a thingbut were particularly fascinated by a small, persistent subs. Modern adaptations of works by william shakespeare. The movie adaptations of william shakespeare s plays that actually work well on screen are few and far between. She says, fingers crossed, while writing a modernization of a classic. Among his lesserknown gems is this old hollywood adaptation, sticking with the original setting and leaving shakespeare s dialogue mostly intact though critics of the film wanted to have. Perhaps most notable in this film, however, are its stars. Weve included movies such as romeo and juliet, much. The main purpose of this essay is to examine the obstacles that modern adaptors encounter when filming shakespeare s plays, particularly macbeth and antony and cleopatra.
Apr 23, 2017 for this list, were looking at the best film adaptations of shakespeares works, basing our picks on popularity and critical acclaim. We will be talking about two very different adaptations of shakespeare s play the tempest. Almereydas adaptation is the only one to move hamlet s action into a modernday setting. Of the movies based on shakespeare, which plays are most frequently adapted. For example, given contemporary views on womens sexuality, death no longer seems like a rather harsh punishment for infidelity, but a totally psychotic one. Jun 21, 20 while some of the shakespeare movie adaptations only allude to the plays that theyre based on and choose to focus on particular elements of the plays, others, like joss whedons much ado. Shakespeare and film on the academic oxford university press website. The prince of denmark seeks vengeance after his father is murdered and his mother marries the murderer. List of william shakespeare screen adaptations wikipedia.
The cinematography is awesome, and the film overall does a great job at setting the appropriate tone and mood found in the play. Zeffirelli cut nearly twothirds of shakespeares lines, but many critics felt this film was a sensitive adaptation of the text. Jun 01, 20 but the most striking adaptation is this mgm scifi drama set in ad2200 where freud meets shakespeare in a brave new world. Shakespeares plays that have had hollywood adaptations. Are these the 10 best shakespeare screen adaptations. One of the most revered versions of one of shakespeare s most famous plays. Joss whedons black and white adaptation of this classic shakespeare comedy is the perfect film to watch on a calm summer night. Feb 20, 2020 karl gearys horatio delivers shakespeares words so casually that i genuinely believe a modern young man would talk that way. Richard loncraine richard iii is another modern movie adaptation of shakespeare that remains in the same location, england, but elects to portray the events in an alternative modern reality. Choosing a definitive version of shakespeares most famous play is far from an easy task as there have been myriad enthralling adaptations.
Of course, whedons take on the play is just the latest in a long line of shakespearean movie adaptations that modernize a plays setting. With shakespeare adaptations, the names laurence olivier and kenneth branagh are associated with bringing the bard to the big screen. Dec 05, 2019 macbeth is easily the most beautiful of all the shakespeare movie adaptations. Stacker explores worst shakespeare film adaptations year. Ethan hawkes hamlet is a film student, while julia stiles plays his. See more ideas about shakespeare, film and i movie.
Like the original, the film deals with the mismatching of two sets of identical female. The text is heavily cut, but almereydas movie translates shakespeares play cleverly into a modern setting, and the result is respected by film critics and. Prospero is morbius walter pidgeon, a scientist stranded on a distant. The best shakespeare film adaptations of all time london. He moves the story of the starcrossed lovers to modern ish day verona beach, where rival gangs party, shoot at each other giving all the guns the names of swords, so as not to change the text. David tennant, most known as doctor whos tenth doctor, plays hamlet, and sir patrick stewart once again plays claudius.
The tempests adaptations we will be talking about two very different adaptations of shakespeares play the tempest. Or at the very least, i think of them fondlybesides, everyone knows theres a different standard for quality when you loved something as a teenager, and also when it was the 90sand below, ive ranked. Comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central. A warhardened general, egged on by his ambitious wife, works to fulfill a prophecy that he would become lord of spiders web castle. This film was adapted from the royal shakespeare companys 2008 hamlet production and is less gaudy than other hamlet adaptations, with simple, moderndress clothing and a singlecamera setup. By modern adaptations, i mean adaptations set in modern times, not just adaptations made in modern times. The best modern films based on shakespearean plays. Its set in modern times, but retains shakespeares original script, and even has original music.
Despite the differences between the film and the play, which are significant, this film is probably one of the best. Films that lift key elements of the bards original plays while taking so many liberties with the original plots. However, once the film is watched, similarities between the film s plot and shakespeare s romance the tempest become obvious. How well do you know the film adaptations of shakespeare. Shakespeare adaptations are a dime a dozenweve been putting his. A modernday macbeth relocated to the murky mumbai crimeworld by. But the most striking adaptation is this mgm scifi drama set in. This plot device links the couples thirst for power to their grief over losing their child, and makes the couple initially sympathetic to the audience.
This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total. This is a film that keeps the language of shakespeare and uses it in a modern setting. For this list, were looking at the best film adaptations of shakespeare s works, basing our picks on popularity and critical acclaim. David tennant, most known as doctor whos tenth doctor, plays hamlet, and sir patrick.