| When you sit down in a dark theatre to watch a film you are seeing
only part of the action on the entire movie set. The camera might show
a close up of two actors in conversation, but you wonít know for a few
minutes that a pickpocket has just stolen one characterís wallet. If the
same scene were performed on stage, you would be aware of the thief immediately
and probably focus on his action instead of the conversation of the unwitting
victims.
Film is like literature in many ways the viewer, or reader, only
knows as much of the story as the director, or author, chooses to share.
Shakespeare was not completely original. He borrowed from many sources
and wove well-known stories with his own ideas. His audience would have
recognized these stories immediately and enjoyed the new twist on a familiar
tale. Austin Powers borrows the James Bond story-line. Clueless
retells Jane Austenís Emma. When filmmakers adapt a Shakespearean
play for the screen, they may use Shakespeareís plot and characters in
an entirely new setting this does not make their adaptation "wrong,"
itís just different. Ten Things I Hate About You is a modern version
of The Taming of the Shrew.
Every filmmaker has his own "vision." For Much Ado About Nothing
(1993), Kenneth Branagh wanted to "take on the play as a whole and realize
fully-fleshed lives, for characters like the Friar, the Watch, and Leonatoís
household in a realistic background and an evocative landscape." With
this goal, Branagh set about to make choices, the job of any producer and
director.
When you view a Shakespearean play on film, remember The MOVIE
is not same as the PLAY!
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Think about . . .
Setting
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What details establish the time and place? Consider costumes, landscape
and buildings, language, music.
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Are they successful in conveying the setting?
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What details might you add or subtract?
Characters
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What kinds of actors are cast in this film?
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A filmís success depends heavily on the directorís casting choices. Recent
films of Shakespeareís plays have featured Hollywood actors, as well as
British Shakespearean actors. Are American accents distracting?
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Is an actorís race important?
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Do you think the actors were well cast? What changes would you make?
Plot
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Is the plot faithful to Shakespeareís original? How is it different?
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What scenes have been omitted, changed, or added?
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It is interesting to view the film with the play in hand and note where
the two differ. Sometimes scenes may be left out because they are long
and may not add substantially to the plot; do you agree with the directorís
decisions?
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Sometimes scenes are moved around; why?
Theme
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Does the film convey the same themes evident in the play?
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Does the film introduce symbols or use music or visual effects to emphasize
themes?
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What scenes seem to most effectively capture the theme of the film?
Music and Sound
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How is sound used to evoke mood?
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What techniques are used that would have been unavailable to Shakespeareís
stage productions?
Film Techniques
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Become familiar with common film techniques such as long shot, close up,
establishing shot, etc. What camera angles are used in critical scenes,
and why?
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How do camera techniques manipulate the audience?
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What might be different in a stage production?
Cutting
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Film directors can repeat scenes until they are perfect, unlike stage productions
where "the show must go on" past any bloopers. This means that everything
in the film is there for a reason. What things really jumped out at you
or made a memorable impression?
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Why do you think they are there?
Publicity
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How did you learn about the film?
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Did the preview trailer or print ads make you want to see the film?
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If you were recommending the film to a friend, would you say it was a good
film on its own, or would you think it was mostly worth seeing because
it was a good adaptation of Shakespeareís play?
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