Shakespeare In The Movies

(2008) - "When you can live forever, what do you live for?"  A teenage girl risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire.  There are many references to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in the Twilight series.  The plot line follows a Shakespearean tale, and the books and movies in this series actually appeal to a wider range of audience than you might think.  The films took home some movie awards, and the Twilight books were on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Cam Gigandet, Taylor Lautner, Anna Kendrick, Gil Birmingham, Rachelle Lefevre, and Elizabeth Reaser.
 

(2006) - "People should not be afraid of their governments.  Governments should be afraid of their people."  Sometime around the year 2020, a vigilante known as "V" encourages the citizens of London to rise up against tyranny and oppression.  Natalie Portman shines as V's new ally.  Hugo Weaving is very charismatic despite being hidden behind his mask for 99% of the film.  Shakespeare is quoted and mentioned in the movie.  "Remember, remember, the 5th of November" is another tagline for the film.  It refers to the "Gunpowder Plot", an attempt by Guy Fawkes, a native of England, to blow up the British Parliament on November 5, 1605.  Shakespeare was 41 years old at the time and still writing plays.  Shortly after the failed attempt that fateful day, Fawkes and other conspirators were tortured and killed by the English government.

Cast: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rey, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Tim Pigott-Smith, and Clive Ashborn.
 

Shakespeare In Love
 

Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Wilkinson, Judi Dench, Colin Firth, and Rupert Everett

Wonderful film which won many awards.  Shakespeare fanatics will find the more subtle humor in the dialogue and make the connections with the names in the movie.  Those that are not Shakespeare fanatics will still enjoy the comedy and romance in the film.  Excellent cast and writing.  Story about Shakespeare as a young man; he develops writer's block, but finds a muse to unlock his pen and his heart.

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo, Harold Perrineau, Diane Venora, Paul Rudd, and Brian Dennehy

Excellent.  This film helped to bring Shakespeare to young people all over the world who may not have otherwise paid attention to the Bard.  The movie does not change Shakespeare's words or language; it does, however, change the scene to Verona-Beach, an Americanized year 2000 period in a youth-inspired culture.
 

(1999) - Film is based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew and is geared for a younger audience.  The main cast members are in high school; Julia Stiles seems to have a thing for being in Shakespeare's movie adaptations of plays. 

Cast: Susan May Pratt, Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larry Miller, and Daryl Mitchell

Stiles shows off her natural acting ability; Susan May Pratt steals a few scenes with her nods to Shakespeare.

Titus
 

(1999) - Film is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus.  In Shakespeare's own time, this play, for a time, was his most popular, and won audiences over in the theatres.  The film doesn't shy away from the violence written into the play; it highlights it.  Tremendous cast.

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Harry Lennix, Angus Macfadyen, and Alan Cumming

Hopkins and Lange give usual great performances; Alan Cumming can flat out play the bad guy.
 

The Merchant of Venice
 

(2004) - This film accurately portrays Shakespeare's play of the same name.  The cast, costumes, and set of the film are all incredible.  The best movie made of the play.

Cast: Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Mackenzie Crook, Kris Marshall, and Lynn Collins

Beautiful Girls
 

(1996) - This film is not based on any of Shakespeare's plays, but it does have a good number of spoken references to Shakespeare in the film, including Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, among others.  The film is about a piano player, "Willie," coming home for a 10 year high-school reunion.  Natalie Portman steals the show as a young teenager who starts to realize that she and Willie may be perfect for each other; but age won't allow.   The film has a cult following and is considered by many as Portman's breakout role.

Cast: Timothy Hutton, Natalie Portman, Matt Dillon, Noah Emmerich, Michael Rapaport, Uma Thurman, Lauren Holly, and Martha Plimpton

Hamlet
 

(2000) - An adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet set in New York in the year 2000.  Shakespeare's language is used in the film.  The burden of the film is on Ethan Hawke who sustains the movie's pace very well.  The "Denmark" Corporation's CEO (Hamlet's father) is newly dead; Hamlet (Hawke) avenges his father's death.

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Diane Venora, Sam Shepard, Bill Murray, Julia Stiles, Liev Schreiber, Steve Zahn, and Dechen Thurman

Hamlet
 

(1990) - Shakespeare's Hamlet is set in its original period with Mel Gibson giving a fine performance as the mad prince.  Directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

Cast: Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Helena Bonham Carter, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Stephen Dillane, and Nathaniel Parker

Much Ado About Nothing
 

(1993) - Directed by Kenneth Branagh.  This film was made for the Shakespeare play of the same name, and ended up being nominated for a few film awards.

Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Keanu Reeves, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Briers, Denzel Washington, and Michael Keaton

(1999) - A light movie; all done in Shakespeare's language.  The cast is excellent.  After this production, the movie doesn't need to be made again.

Cast: Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Stanley Tucci (as Puck), Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Christian Bale, Sophie Marceau, Dominic West, Anna Friel, Roger Rees, and David Strathairn

"O"
 

(2001) - Film is based on Shakespeare's Othello.  The film is made up mostly of a teenage cast and set in a South Carolina high school. 

Cast: Julia Stiles, Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett, Rain Phoenix, Andrew Keegan, and Martin Sheen