Shakespeare Adaptations

[nutso42]

I've been a fan of Shakespeare for quite a while now, but I have difficulty getting into his stuff until I see a visual version of it first (which I feel justified in seeing as they were written to be performed, not read). So what are your preferred Shakespeare adaptations? Exact adaptations or more loose ones all welcome. Particularly interested in Coriolanus, Othello, and any tragedies or historical plays.


My faves so far...

Macbeth: Akira Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood"
Richard III: Ben Whishaw's role in "The Hollow Crown"
Henry IV: Orson Wells's "Chimes at Midnight"
Henry V: Kenneth Branagh's version
King Lear: Akira Kurosawa's "Ran"
Much Ado About Nothing: Joss Whedon's 2012 version
Hamlet: RSC 2009 version with David Tennant

[videoheadcleaner]

David Tennant's Much Ado for the stage was a great revamp.

I don't mind 10 Things I Hate About You. Disguised Shakespeare well within it.

Random Adaptations
Forbidden Planet - The Tempest
Macbeth - 2000s version set in Australia with a young Sam Worthington
The Lion King - Hamlet
Hamlet 2 - Steve Coogan's umm... mess-around?

I'll think of more later.

[Norman Bates]

Welles' Othello is stunning.

EDIT: also, Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books is an adaptation of The Tempest. Can't say I'm in love with the movie, but if you're looking for a visually original take on the play, I suppose you could try.

[nutso42]

[benpaco]

I adore Patrick Stewart's "Macbeth", though I haven't seen any other filmed versions. I was absent through the first day of the 95 "Midsummer Night's Dream" but the bits I did see were terrible.

I'm curious as to others' feelings on the 1968 Romeo and Juliet. While I recognize that it was impressive to have the actors be the actual age they should've been, there was nothing particularly that impressive about it to me outside of that. The acting was alright at best, with Efron-look-a-like Whiting doing an OK job and Hussey having problems pretending to be dead at all (was not sold on that one bit) and some good but no standout performances by the other main characters, with O'Shea's Friar Laurence being memorably bland. It's incredibly well reviewed so maybe it was just me and my group of friends reinforcing my own ideas, but I really actively dislike it.
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[SquishypuffDave]

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[Norman Bates]