One of the wonderful things about William Shakespeare's works is how adaptable they are. Thus, our list contains adaptations both reverent (Sir Laurence Olivier's Hamlet) and revisionist (Ten Things I Hate About You, My Own Private Idaho). We've got the Bard in outer space (Forbidden Planet), in high school (O), and in feudal Japan (Throne of Blood). Our list also contains great performances from some of the finest actors ever to tackle Shakespeare's deft, mysterious verse, including Orson Welles, Kenneth Branagh, Denzel Washington, and Rick Moranis.
Though our list may seem to be madness, there is method in't: each of the films presented here has at least 20 reviews, so you won't see such classics as the Marlon Brando-toplined Julius Caesar or Olivier's Richard III. And we omitted movies like Shakespeare in Love and Looking For Richard, as we avoided films that weren't taken directly from a specific work and were primarily about staging the plays.
Can one desire too much of a good thing? Check out our list and be the judge. As the Bard might say, "The best is not, So long as we can say, 'this is the best-reviewed.'"
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moggan writes: on Jul 21 2008 12:19 PM Clearly RT has a very loose definition of 'Shakespeare movie.' (Reply to this) |
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tgibfo writes: on Jul 21 2008 01:45 PM Know what? I was totally gearing up to rip you guys to pieces on this one, but I'm pretty satisfied, surprisingly. That being said, get STRANGE BREW out. Now. And bump MIDSUMMER a few notches. And lastly, I disagree with omitting SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE and LOOKING FOR RICHARD. The latter is the tale of RICHARD III told in a documentary style but still told; the former is essentially ROMEO AND JULIET by Stoppard. Speaking of Stoppard, if STRANGE BREW makes the list, where the hell is ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD? (Reply to this) |
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toneelschrijver writes: on Jul 21 2008 02:10 PM Frankly, I'm shocked by the low score of Scotland, Pa., surely one of the funniest Shakespeare adaptations ever. Maura Tierney as Pat McBeth, as Lady M. is called in this socially downward version of the tragedy is hilarious and sexy to boot! I don't care much for Branagh's adaptations, although I'll grant his Henry V was pretty good. I second the inclusion of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern in this list (even though I didn't it very much). However, I wonder what happened to Olivier's Richard III (Tomatometer 85%), a very famous performance in its day that was memorably parodied by Peter Sellers courtesy of the h (Reply to this) |
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Tim Ryan writes: on Jul 21 2008 02:33 PM In reply to this comment (#1906562) "Though our list may seem to be madness, there is method in't: each of the films presented here has at least 20 reviews, so you won't see such classics as the Marlon Brando-toplined Julius Caesar or Olivier's Richard III." (Reply to this) |
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toneelschrijver writes: on Jul 21 2008 02:53 PM In reply to this comment (#1906718) OK, I see. I suppose I prefer madness over method myself. (But do check out Peter Sellers! He'll crack you up.) (Reply to this) |
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dajosimp writes: on Jul 21 2008 03:35 PM ok... unless i missed it somehow... the fact that O brother where art thou is NOT on this list is complete b.s. The fact that 10 things i hate about you IS on the list and OBWAT isnt on the list makes the entire list completely invalid, in my opinion (Reply to this) |
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dajosimp writes: on Jul 21 2008 03:35 PM ok... unless i missed it somehow... the fact that O brother where art thou is NOT on this list is complete b.s. The fact that 10 things i hate about you IS on the list and OBWAT isnt on the list makes the entire list completely invalid, in my opinion (Reply to this) |
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dajosimp writes: on Jul 21 2008 03:38 PM oops, didnt mean to post that twice... my first post on RT, sorry (Reply to this) |
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RT-Ryan writes: on Jul 21 2008 03:40 PM In reply to this comment (#1907045) As far as I know, O Brother, Where Art Thou? was an interpretation of Homer's Odyssey, not anything by Shakespeare. And for the record, even as a former English major, I hated that movie. (Reply to this) |
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zipperiffic writes: on Jul 21 2008 05:46 PM And just where is "Get Over It?" What a humorous adaptation of Midsummer Night's Dream! Kirsten Dunst steals the show. Wait, I have now awakened from my drug-induced coma. Just kidding! (Reply to this) |
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Tom Christ writes: on Jul 21 2008 06:43 PM Hahaha I can't believe someone actually thought O Brother, Where Art Thou? was a Shakespeare. Jesus. (Reply to this) |
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gocatgo writes: on Jul 21 2008 08:20 PM All of that Welles and no room for "Chimes at Midnight"? (Reply to this) |
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firecover098 writes: on Jul 21 2008 08:49 PM have you ever had a profile on Ri ch ki ss.c om? Someone tells me it's really amazing. Quality singles and sexy girls there. I'm experiencing it.... (Reply to this) |
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nblarson writes: on Jul 21 2008 08:55 PM As someone rather fond of Branaugh's adaptations, it's difficult to see them so cleanly laid out in a particular order. Personally, I hold his "Hamlet" over "Henry V" simply by virtue of capturing it in it's entirety (the fleeting flashbacks used in "Henry V" left me feeling cheated out of half of the play, despite the otherwise well execution). (Reply to this) |
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firecover098 writes: on Jul 21 2008 08:56 PM have you ever had a profile on Ri ch ki ss.c om? Someone tells me it's really amazing. Quality singles and sexy girls there. I'm experiencing it.... (Reply to this) |
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gad writes: on Jul 21 2008 08:58 PM Number One - Sir Lawrence Olivier's Richard III. Number Two - Sir Lawrence Olivier's Hamlet Number Three - Kenneth Branagh's Henry V Number Four - Ian McKellen's Richard III And you Rotten Tomato guys are complete idiots for anything else on the list. I blame the education system for pumping you guys out without a proper education but with plenty of false belief in your knowledge base. Very sad when you don't even know your Bard. (Reply to this) |
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RT-Matchity writes: on Jul 21 2008 10:49 PM In reply to this comment (#1908026) Gad, did you happen to notice that we've ranked these films according to their Tomatometer scores, slightly modified by a formula that accounts for the differences in the amounts of ratings each movie has? And are you even aware that the Tomatometers are a measure of the general opinion of a rather large pool of film critics, as opposed to something the RT staff arbitrarily assigns? Or is there some education system that I'm not aware of that teaches a person that the best way to make a point is by spouting vitriolic and insulting (yet ultimately uninformed) statements in lieu of actually making a rational argument? (Reply to this) |
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lukey86 writes: on Jul 21 2008 11:28 PM Thought the list was fine except the absence of Olivier's Richard III. Which in my opinion is one of the finest Shakespeare films ever made. Maybe Rottentomatoes forgot to include it. I believe the rating would be higher than O or 10 things. Petition to get Olivier's Richard III on the list!!!!!!! (Reply to this) |
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lukey86 writes: on Jul 21 2008 11:28 PM In reply to this comment (#1908361) Thought the list was fine except the absence of Olivier's Richard III. Which in my opinion is one of the finest Shakespeare films ever made. Maybe Rottentomatoes forgot to include it. I believe the rating would be higher than O or 10 things. Petition to get Olivier's Richard III on the list!!!!!!! (Reply to this) |
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JRoss writes: on Jul 22 2008 06:42 AM #1: Throne of Blood. (Reply to this) |
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ProfessorMoriarty writes: on Jul 22 2008 06:59 AM This is a silly, incomplete list. Including "Strange Brew" and "My Own Private Idaho" as Shakespearean movies and omitting Grigori Kozintsev's "Hamlet" and "King Lear," Orson Welles' "Chimes at Midnight" (a far better film than his "Macbeth"), or Joseph Mankiewicz' "Julius Caesar," just tells me that the person who put together this list doesn't know the subject matter very well. I understand that they only used films with 20 reviews, but if you're going to do that, you leave out so many important films that the list becomes immaterial. (Reply to this) |
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carolstrick writes: on Jul 22 2008 07:22 AM I can't believe that a movie that is on my personal Top Ten Movies of All Time -- 1999's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" -- is so low on this list! It's entirely WONDERFUL from acting to sets to costumes to a luscious soundtrack. Gigantically recommended. And though it wasn't released theatrically, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)" DVD by the Reduced Shakespeare Company had me laughing hysterically all the way through. (Reply to this) |
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blackchimera writes: on Jul 22 2008 07:44 AM Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite of the bunch. (Reply to this) |
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Tim Ryan writes: on Jul 22 2008 10:30 AM In reply to this comment (#1907944) I love "Chimes at Midnight," but it didn't have enough reviews to qualify. (Reply to this) |
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Tim Ryan writes: on Jul 22 2008 10:31 AM In reply to this comment (#1908423) One more time: Though our list may seem to be madness, there is method in't: each of the films presented here has at least 20 reviews, so you won't see such classics as the Marlon Brando-toplined Julius Caesar or Olivier's Richard III. (Reply to this) |
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Zergling writes: on Jul 22 2008 10:49 AM yea i hated that damn "O brother" movie i also hate most of shakyspeeers stuff. the charachters never die they always give like a 50 minute speaches (Reply to this) |
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thetruebastard writes: on Jul 22 2008 12:50 PM In reply to this comment (#1909346) Yes, yes, yes. Throne of Blood is the greatest Shakespeare movie. Not only does it utilize the framework of Macbeth to great effect, it puts a whole new spin on the material, mixing the best of theater and cinema, the best of Western and Eastern sensibilities. Akira Kurosawa was a genius. (Reply to this) |
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era writes: on Jul 22 2008 03:19 PM Olivier's Richard III? Please? And the first name is Laurence. (Reply to this) |
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EvilOak27 writes: on Jul 22 2008 09:44 PM I'm a big Kurosawa fan so I can't complain about Ran and Throne of Blood being in the top 5, Ran being one of my favorite movies ever. I also love the #1 pick Henry V, seen it multiple times and own it on DVD. It's fantastic. My only gripe is Titus not being ranked higher. IMO Titus should be top 10, I do admit I haven't seen all the movies on the list though. (Reply to this) |
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Michael2008 writes: on Jul 23 2008 07:57 AM In reply to this comment (#1908026) Not sure if you KNOW your Bard. Kenneth Branagh's version of Hamlet and Henry V was word-for word- exceptionally acted- What Shakespeare should have been IMHO. Actually When I took English lit in college I had to read Hamlet- Didn't like Shakespeare,infact, couldn't stand reading it. After Watching Branagh's version of Hamlet,I didn't have to read the book. Understood it entirely and got an A in my course. (Reply to this) |
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Don't Tase Me Bro writes: on Jul 23 2008 01:38 PM My senior English class a couple years ago watched a variety of Shakespeare films over the school year...and much to my surprise, they unanimously ranked 'Throne of Blood' as their favorite. I'm a little confused why no mention is made of Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle's 1935 masterpiece "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with Hollywood Screen legends Olivia De Havilland as Hermia, James Cagney (yes, THAT James 'Top of the World Ma!' Cagney) as Bottom, and even more crazy: a teenage Mickey Rooney as Puck! (For you 'little people' aficionados Billy Barty's turn as Mustard-Seed is just icing on the cake). The elaborate sets, costumes, and music was well ahead of its time and should rank as a true Hollywood classic. If this list has justified putting loosely-based Shakespearean adaptations like 'Strange Brew' and 'The Lion King' on this list...then surely the highly controversial and provocative first Dogma 95 Danish film 'Festen' deserves consideration. If you haven't seen it (and this is very likely)...it is not to be missed...a modern-Hamlet dealing with very, very modern issues... (Reply to this) |
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woot writes: on Jul 23 2008 10:22 PM Gad got owned. (Reply to this) |
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Vito_Gillis writes: on Jul 24 2008 12:06 AM I know why it isn't listed (the min. 20 reviews), but any list of Shakespearean films without Chimes at Midnight simply isn't a complete list. And what's more, the placement of (Welles's) Othello is far too low. I'd much rather take that wholly cinematic pleasure over the stagy melodrama that is Branagh's Henry V. (Reply to this) |
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maatkare writes: on Jul 24 2008 12:16 AM Olivier's Richard III really should have made this list. I disagree with including "reimaginings," but oherwise it's pretty thorough. (Reply to this) |
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maatkare writes: on Jul 24 2008 12:16 AM Olivier's Richard III really should have made this list. I disagree with including "reimaginings," but otherwise it's pretty thorough. (Reply to this) |
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maatkare writes: on Jul 24 2008 12:17 AM Sorry for the double post; and sorry you reminded me of Brando/Mason's Julius Ceasar. A pretty great movie as well. (Reply to this) |
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jukeboxhero6660 writes: on Jul 24 2008 11:50 AM Branagh's Hamlet is my favorite movie. (Reply to this) |
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ahalsell writes: on Jul 24 2008 01:25 PM Get "Strange Brew" and please, please "Lion King" out of this list. How embarrassing. (Reply to this) |
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bethskye writes: on Jul 24 2008 02:53 PM For what it's worth to the gentleman who felt cheated by the flashbacks in Henry V, please keep in mind that those flashbacks were added to give context to the movie but they are NOT part of the Henry V quarto. Rather, they were relevant Falstaffian scenes from Henry IV, in order to help the moviegoer better understand Hal's complicated relationship with Falstaff in the context of King and not prince. Whether they succeed in contextualizing Falstaff is debatable, but as someone who has always enjoyed the Histories, I found them to be as complete a scholarly take as is possible given the circumstances. (Reply to this) |
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AragornA192 writes: on Jul 24 2008 05:40 PM What about Best Picture winner Shakespeare In Love? It's not really one of his plays but it relates to many of them. This shouldn't be a problem since some of the movies listed share this same fate. (Reply to this) |
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homeimp writes: on Jul 24 2008 08:53 PM In reply to this comment (#1908026) I agree with Gad. What are you thinking of? Shakespeare wouldn't recognize your list as his. (Reply to this) |
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stitchdad writes: on Jul 25 2008 04:07 AM I am pretty happy with the list. My top three Shakespeare films are THe 1966 Romeo and Juliet, Ran, and Henry V and they made the top seven with two of them 1 and 2. I was happy to see that Forbidden Planet made the top ten. It is one of my very favorite SF films. As I child I watched it a couple times a year and I can remember that, as a kid, reading a couple page summary of The Tempest because of it. I hope that The Lion King will act as a intro to Shakespeare on some kids today. My only real problem with the list is that I would have Olivier's Hamlet alot higher. One final thought, because this is a list of movies, only, it does miss some of the very best of filmed Shakespeare. Specificaaly, I love Olivier's Lear and Jacobi's Hamlet is my favorite of all filmed Shakespeare. (Reply to this) |
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mcclainx writes: on Jul 25 2008 10:23 AM Strange Brew? Well, to each his own, I suppose. I concur on the absence of Looking for Richard, R&G are Dead, and Olivier's Tricky Dick. And man, I just couldn't get on board that McKellan Richard III. Wish I'd been able to see it on stage, which I heard was breathtaking. For my own money - though these are not literal translations - I would have loved to have seen asterisk "special mention" nods go to A Midwinter's Tale and to Withnail & I, just for Richard E. Grant's "I have of late, %u2014 but wherefore I know not, %u2014 lost all my mirth" speech at the end of the film. (Reply to this) |
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Vlad Taltos writes: on Jul 26 2008 06:20 AM This Shakespeare list is joke. Strange Brew!!! Just because something is based upon Shakespeare and is done in such a crazy way doesn't mean it belongs. As much as I love Strange Brew, and I do, it isn't a very good movie. And Prospero's Books is utterly unwatchable. It's the kind of movie where people who think they are intellectual claim to love but it's utter crap. And Titus should be in the top 5 simply because it is so darn disturbing. It shows that modern horror flicks had nothing on the Bard. Murder, Cannabilism, Incest, Torture.....it is sick and twisted and brilliant. Henry V deserves the top spot though! (Reply to this) |
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Vlad Taltos writes: on Jul 26 2008 06:20 AM This Shakespeare list is joke. Strange Brew!!! Just because something is based upon Shakespeare and is done in such a crazy way doesn't mean it belongs. As much as I love Strange Brew, and I do, it isn't a very good movie. And Prospero's Books is utterly unwatchable. It's the kind of movie where people who think they are intellectual claim to love but it's utter crap. And Titus should be in the top 5 simply because it is so darn disturbing. It shows that modern horror flicks had nothing on the Bard. Murder, Cannabilism, Incest, Torture.....it is sick and twisted and brilliant. Henry V deserves the top spot though! (Reply to this) |
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Vlad Taltos writes: on Jul 26 2008 06:20 AM This Shakespeare list is joke. Strange Brew!!! Just because something is based upon Shakespeare and is done in such a crazy way doesn't mean it belongs. As much as I love Strange Brew, and I do, it isn't a very good movie. And Prospero's Books is utterly unwatchable. It's the kind of movie where people who think they are intellectual claim to love but it's utter crap. And Titus should be in the top 5 simply because it is so darn disturbing. It shows that modern horror flicks had nothing on the Bard. Murder, Cannabilism, Incest, Torture.....it is sick and twisted and brilliant. Henry V deserves the top spot though! (Reply to this) |
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monolith94 writes: on Jul 26 2008 10:55 AM It's a shame that Jarman's The Tempest wasn't able to have been mentioned due to the arbitrary rules. (Reply to this) |
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Bathazar B writes: on Jul 26 2008 11:51 AM I know you folks at RT have already taken a lot of heat for this, and here's some more. :) Rules smrules -- Welles' Falstaff and Olivier's RIII?!?!?! Other than that, some interesting Tomatometer-dictated choices. Kurosawa and Branagh deserve to be so prominently placed, IMO. (Reply to this) |
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jimb14red writes: on Jul 26 2008 07:47 PM 10 Things I Hate About You and no Oliver's Richard III, ABSURD! Ledger is dead. Stop making his awful movies more than they were. (Reply to this) |
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14themovies writes: on Jul 27 2008 04:19 AM I haven't seen all these movies, but I LOVE 'Henry V' and am happy to see it ranked 1st! After a very dry/boring introduction to Shakespeare back in high school, I never expected to really like a 'Shakespeare movie'--but whenever I see this movie again, I still get caught up in the story. I also remember liking Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990), though I don't recall much of it. (Reply to this) |
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mezmo writes: on Jul 27 2008 10:24 PM I'm also surprised to see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead didn't make the list. Easily one of the most clever and funniest explorations of Hamlet, and it gets even funnier if you're familiar with Hamlet. (Reply to this) |
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amaterathu writes: on Jul 28 2008 01:56 AM Lion King? Huh?...wha? Considering that this movie was a blatant rip-off of Osamu Tezuka's Jungle Emperor Leo (aka Kimba the White Lion in America) it seems strange that beacause it shares some vague thematic elements in not one but a few different Shakespeare plays it is included here. By this reasoning any movie that shared any one of Shakespeare's sometimes universal themes is elligable for this list? Hmmm... very strange. Certainly a much bigger stretch than Shakespeare in Love or Rosencrantz & Guilderstien are Dead. The placement if some of these movies seems out of order but those are set by the reviewers. But your choices in what to be included is your fault mien fiends. Strange Brew? Huh?...eh?! You Hosers! (Reply to this) |
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PolishBear writes: on Jul 29 2008 07:46 AM I couldn't agree more with the choice of Kenneth Branagh's "Henry V" to be at the top of this list. High school English teachers would do well to put away the Shakespeare books and get their students to watch films like this. How can ninth graders possibly appreciate The Bard by poring over blocks of flowery text? Shakespeare needs to be seen, performed by actors who understand the cadence and meaning of the language, in order to be appreciated. Like most other people, I was forced to read plays like "Julius Caesar" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in high school, and I just DIDN'T GET IT at the time. It was only until I was an adult and saw Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of "Henry V" that I realized what a genius William Shakespeare really was. "Henry V" is one of those rare films that one can watch repeatedly and appreciate even more after each viewing. Older film adaptations of this play, such as the one featuring Laurence Olivier in the title role, seem to pale in comparison, if only because of the gritty realism Branagh brings. King Henry's threats outside the gates of Harfleur border on horrific, and his "Feast of St. Crispian" speech to his men before the battle of Agincourt is perhaps the most soul-stirring call to arms I have ever heard. In contrast is a funny and charming scene in which Henry attempts to win the heart of the French Princess Katherine (Emma Thompson). Yet for all the hard-fought and glorious victory Shakespeare presents, he concludes his play with a subtly-worded indictment of war and an afterword about how so much of what Henry conquered was lost in later years. This is one of my favorite movies. If you have never given that much thought to the works of William Shakespeare, watch this movie. I am confident you'll realize what a truly remarkable literary voice he was. (Reply to this) |
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stitchdad writes: on Jul 29 2008 03:31 PM In reply to this comment (#1922167) "I just couldn't get on board that McKellan Richard III. Wish I'd been able to see it on stage, which I heard was breathtaking." I did see the production and for some reason it did not klick for me. Part of it was that I had trouble understanding what the people were saying, which was surprising as I had seen many a Shakespeare play before seeing it and I seen McKellan before in his one man piece. Further, I have seen many Shakespeare players in the same theater withour having the problem. Also, I did not like the clothes that the men were wearing as they were very similar. I should say that an number of my friends had similar reactions while a couple of other people I knew absolutely loved it. (Reply to this) |
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darkmoore writes: on Jul 29 2008 09:31 PM In reply to this comment (#1907061) To dajoshrimp: You shouldn't have posted it at all. OBWAT was a remake of Homer's "The Odyssey," not a work by Chairman Will! (Reply to this) |
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Shii writes: on Jul 30 2008 06:06 AM What on earth is the Lion King doing here? Why not have Finding Nemo as well? (Reply to this) |
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JimmyLegs writes: on Jul 30 2008 09:45 AM Not a bad list, although if you're going to include movies that are only loosely (but deliberately) based on Shakespeare plays then I think you MUST include Titanic, or "Romeo & Juliet on a Boat". Heck, Cameron even kept the R&J initials intact. (Reply to this) |
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brandonthompson4 writes: on Jul 30 2008 11:51 AM First of all you have movies like '10 Things I hate about you' which was a great movie but how loosely based on shakespeare is this movie?? second of all ok i get it movies made in the 40's 50's and 60's are considered classic!!! can we stop putting these movies ahead of movies that are obviously better...movies that when i watch them i dont automatically fall asleep like 15 min in because the acting is so poor and the picture quality is subpar...these are classics but lets be realistic they arent better than movies made more recently.... the fact that Dicaprio's "Romeo and Juliet" isnt the number one in this catagorey, or at the very least in the top 5 is a joke...that movie was so brilliantly put together and the fact that they kept true to the play and spoke the true language of shakespeare while giving it a more modern twist was genius. so lets all stop living in the past and be honest with ourselves. (Reply to this) |
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jimb14red writes: on Jul 30 2008 04:12 PM In reply to this comment (#1937656) Thank you brandonthompson4. What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul. (Reply to this) |
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BladeofTheImmortal writes: on Jul 30 2008 07:24 PM Honestly, even though you have 2 of Kurosawa'a on there, you still don't have enough by him. I mean, where is "The Bad Sleep Well"? (Reply to this) |
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BladeofTheImmortal writes: on Jul 30 2008 07:24 PM Honestly, even though you have 2 of Kurosawa'a on there, you still don't have enough by him. I mean, where is "The Bad Sleep Well"? (Reply to this) |
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JimmyLegs writes: on Jul 30 2008 07:29 PM Luhrman's R&J is a travesty. Clever setting, but the actors had no idea how to use the Shakespearean verse. All meaning in the dialogue was lost. Pete Postlethwaite as Father Laurence and a couple of the parents are the only ones who didn't make me want to stab myself in the face repeatedly. (Reply to this) |
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ewagner1 writes: on Aug 01 2008 08:12 AM Paul Mazursky's "Tempest" should be in Top 10 but is not even on the list. (Reply to this) |
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calwillnol writes: on Aug 01 2008 04:51 PM In reply to this comment (#1906321) Oh, but how wonderful! To see two films of Akira Kurosawa in the top 5 was great thinking. But the best was to see that Kenneth Branagh's Henry V as number one was outstanding. Orson Welles and Olivier may always be thought of great acting, but Branagh brings Shakespare to the screen in such richly, wondrous ways. I was ready to follow 'King Harry" into battle myself. We band of brothers... (Reply to this) |
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asilentmovie writes: on Aug 03 2008 11:56 PM In reply to this comment (#1938368) Ahh, and Jimb, your comment was awe inspiring and brought so much to the conversation. Seriously, if you don't like someones comment, there's no reason to berate them. Just ignore and move on. I have to say I have only read a handful of Shakespeare's plays, and seen even fewer film adaptations of them, but I have to say that I'm surprised "10 Things" wasn't better rated. I have a soft spot for that movie, for some reason. But I thought it was an enjoyable list, guys, and I am going to check out some of the higher rated ones as they sound intriguing to me. (Reply to this) |
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brandonthompson4 writes: on Aug 04 2008 11:29 AM In reply to this comment (#1938368) ohhh i get what you done you've taken a direct quote from Billy Madison and used it in this everyday situation...wow that is so original and might i add sooo funny!!! in fact im still laughing!!! well done, and well said (Reply to this) |
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jimb14red writes: on Aug 05 2008 05:12 PM In reply to this comment (#1952161) I figured since you do not like classic movies I would quote and awful Adam Sandler movie because it seems like your taste. (Reply to this) |
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jimb14red writes: on Aug 05 2008 05:14 PM Why? That makes no since. That is what message boards are for. To call out morons who say idotic things. (Reply to this) |
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jimb14red writes: on Aug 05 2008 05:15 PM sense. LOL (Reply to this) |
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thug4life1979 writes: on Aug 14 2008 11:28 AM where the hell is Tromeo and Juliet? (Reply to this) |
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thug4life1979 writes: on Aug 14 2008 11:28 AM where the hell is Tromeo and Juliet? (Reply to this) |
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sliknik27 writes: on Aug 17 2008 09:10 PM It's simply astonishing to see so many well-educated "Shakespeare aficionados" lacking the sense (or ability) to read the intro page for this list before spouting off. People never cease to amaze or disappoint me. Great job compiling a very interesting list. (Reply to this) |
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LesleyW writes: on Aug 21 2008 10:06 PM _The Lion King_ is NOT a re-working of _Hamlet_. _West Side Story_, _Forbidden Planet_, _Scotland PA_, and the Kurosawas all borrow more than the generic plot outline of a Shakespeare play: they have characters, dialogue, and themes that mirror the originals. _Lion King_ merely has a slightly similar plot: a son avenging his father's murder by his uncle. But the themes and mood are totally different: one is a straightforward hero-comes-of-age story, while the other is a complex look at incest, insanity, and alienation.Simba doesn't even realize his uncle is the murderer until the very end; there is no existential grappling with eternal questions here. _Lion King_ is a great movie, but it doesn't belong on this list. Second: a list called "The Greatest Shakespeare Movies Ever" can't arbitrarily exclude renowned classics. Instead of reflexively pointing to your rating system, either admit the system is flawed, or else rename your list, "The Greatest Shakespeare Movies We Could Find 20 People to Review". (Reply to this) |
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sallysings writes: on Sep 07 2008 09:33 AM Oh KISS ME KATE! 'This Cole Porter hit based on the Shakespeare play "The Taming of the Shrew"'... got 80% on your Tomatometer. (Reply to this) |
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shailor writes: on Sep 11 2008 06:01 PM In reply to this comment (#2021530) Sallysings NAILED it! Apply the rules that RT set for itself, and "Kiss Me Kate" (spin on "The Taming of the Shrew") should NO DOUBT be on the list! (Reply to this) |
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hellers1155 writes: on Sep 17 2008 01:58 PM While it is difficult to find, the exclusion of Peter Brooks "King Lear," starring Paul Scofield, is an inexcusable omission. It is, in my mind, one of the best Shakespeare films ever made. (Reply to this) |
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Lucie S. writes: on Nov 16 2008 01:01 PM In reply to this comment (#1907045) O Brother,where art thou? is Homer's Odissey NOT Shakespeare. (Reply to this) |
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Lucie S. writes: on Nov 16 2008 01:45 PM If the Lion King is in this list and above Franco Zeffirelli's Taming of the shrew and Hamlet and also excluding Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are dead and Kiss me Kate,I must believe a 5yrs old did this list. (Reply to this) |
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Lucie S. writes: on Nov 16 2008 01:51 PM If the Lion King is in this list and above Franco Zeffirelli's Taming of the shrew and Hamlet and also excluding Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are dead and Kiss me Kate,I must believe a 5yrs old did this list. (Reply to this) |
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Lily L. writes: on Jul 05 2009 05:02 PM #1: Olivier's Hamlet #2: Welles' Macbeth #3: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead #4: William Shakespeare's Romeo Juliet (me = sucker) #5: Gibson's Hamlet (Reply to this) |
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