What is the Best or Worst Movies Adapted from a Shakespeare Play?

Forums: Movies, Shakespeare, William Shakespeare, Plays Adapted As Movies
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What is your favorite Shakespeare adapted movies?
What is your least favorite Shakespeare adapted movies?

Is there a correlation between how much of the original dialogue remains in the adaptation? How much has been modernized? The setting being faithfully reproduced or modernized?

Who gave your favorite cinematic performances? Why?

A digression involving a very vanilla attempt at a Shakespeare biopic:

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Type: Question • Score: 9 • Views: 2,636 • Replies: 19

[+3] - McGentrix - 07/09/2019Does anyone remember the Moonlighting episode "The Taming of the Shrew"? One of my favorites.

@tsarstepan,

I really liked Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing:

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@hightor,

The very stoopidest was WARM BODIES, a zombie vampire coupling based on Romeo e Juliet.

There was one with the McKenzie Brothers which I fforgot totally. eh? I think it was based on Macbeth

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@farmerman,

I think the first KING KONG was also based on Romeo e Juliet

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Ran, A spectacular film adaption of King Lear by Akira Kurosawa.

https://burrellosubmarinemovies.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/ran5.png

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Not a film, but a TV series.

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Throne of Blood
Akira Kurosawa movie adapted from Macbeth. Starring Toshiro Mifune

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_uNa5JMrZ7A/TuG2Vg-tlII/AAAAAAAABi0/PePfB_rXPK0/s1600/throne+of+blood+4.jpg

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I adored the Kurosawa entries listed here.

I also love Branagh’s Hamlet and Fassbender as MacBeth. Beautiful and well-portrayed, IMO.

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I liked Anthony Hopkins in Titus Andronicus.

Spoiler alert...

It was like they transported Hannibal Lecter into the classical world.

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@Kolyo,

There are filmed theatrical versions of Shakespeare's plays. Some are recorded, like the RSC's Titus Andronicus, but some are transmitted live. Ralph Fiennes was brilliant as Richard III.

Before the play starts there's commentary and interviews with cast and crew. This version started and ended with the archaeological dig in Leicester.

https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/richard-iii/7-jun-2016-6-aug-2016

Othello with a black Iago was very good as was The Merchant of Venice with an Arab Israeli actor in the lead.

On Valentines Day they'll be live streaming 12th Night.
https://www.rsc.org.uk/twelfth-night/in-cinemas<br />

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@tsarstepan,

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Does anyone remember the Moonlighting episode "The Taming of the Shrew"? One of my favorites.

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@McGentrix,

Whereas I most likely saw it, I have no recollection of it. 1986 was a very drunken stupor year for me. Moonlighting though was a show which I watched weekly and would tape on my VCR if I couldn't be home.
(My adoring of Cybill Shepherd was the main reason)

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@Sturgis,

I thought I’d discovered the new Tom Hanks in Willis. That was definitely my favorite show at he time. I remember thinking Cybill’s acting was a bit forced, but she was so pretty—and her clothes were beautiful.

I did like the chemistry.

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@McGentrix,

McGentrix wrote:

Does anyone remember the Moonlighting episode "The Taming of the Shrew"? One of my favorites.

I do remember that, very entertaining. Bruce plays an obnoxious smart ass..but a lovable obnoxious smart ass, I don't think anyone has ever been able to do that ever. Also, Cybill Shepherd was terrific in that role, lovely and strong.

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West Side Story, of course, is the retelling of Romeo and Juliet.

https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/movie_poster/west-side-story-1961/large_1a8hKpfSNfb6EWXBua198EvAVZI.jpg

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@coluber2001,

coluber2001 wrote:

West Side Story, of course, is the retelling of Romeo and Juliet.

That's relatively common knowledge.

Steven Spielberg is adapting the musical as well for next year.

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What is the Best or Worst Movies Adapted from a Shakespeare Play?

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