Shakespeare Day: Celebrating The Bard in Cinema
It’s not surprising that Shakespeare’s plots have inspired so many films. Some are more subtle than others. Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho is loosely based on Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, and Henry V. The Lion King takes inspiration from Hamlet. Forbidden Planet follows the plot of The Tempest. As Shakespeare resides in the worlds of street hustlers, singing lions, and futuristic sci-fi, there’s much to be said for his versatility, which has offered so much to cinema over the years. In celebration of Shakespeare Day, we're looking back on some notable examples of Shakespearean cinema, and looking forward to an exciting upcoming stage show.
In the 1990s/2000s, just about every Shakespeare play was made into a film. After an era dominated by Kenneth Branagh, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet sparked a new trend: the Shakespeare teen flick (10 Things I Hate About You, O, Get Over It). Like Franco Zeffirelli’s groundbreaking Romeo and Juliet (1968), Luhrmann’s film also retains the original language but revitalizes the passion. Romeo + Juliet did what every English teacher strives for: making Shakespeare so fun that it captivated an entire generation of teens.
Hamlet
From Laurence Olivier, to Kenneth Branagh, to Ethan Hawke, to Riz Ahmed – every cinematic Hamlet manages to do something new. Branagh directed and starred in a 4-hour unabridged version (if Hamlet’s going mad, you should too), while Ahmed’s version uses intimate cinematography to highlight Hamlet’s psychological torment. In Hamnet, the play helps Will to process his grief. And need I mention The Lion King again? All this to say, there seem to be few other plays so well suited to re-interpretation, and few other Shakespeare works so well suited to film.
Titus
This adaptation of Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare's earliest tragedy, is a hidden gem. From director Julie Taymor, known for one of the world’s biggest stage musicals (you guessed it, it’s The Lion King), the film stars Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange and Alan Cummings in camp performances of a lifetime. Like Romeo + Juliet, it combines the original script with a modern mise-en-scene. Think pool tables, orgies, and avant-garde costumes. It may be Shakespeare’s most horrifying play, but Titus wears a delightfully silly chef's hat during the climactic bloodbath. If that’s not nuance I don’t know what is.
In June, HER Productions return to the Dukes with Twelfth Night. In film, Twelfth Night has been directed by Trevor Nunn (1996) and adapted into the teen comedy She’s the Man (2006). It plays well to contemporary audiences thanks to its proto-feminist implications, queer subtext and timeless wit. The comedy also offers a feel-good factor you probably won’t find in Hamlet or Titus. HER are seasoned re-imaginers of Shakespeare, most recently bringing Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew to the Dukes, so I can’t wait to see what flair they’ll bring to Viola’s shenanigans.
On that note, you can also see the Handlebards’ comic take on Macbeth and Sh!t-faced Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet later this year.
Written by Jodie Passey
