Shakespeare

What are your views on putting shakespeare into movies? I think that if its done well it can be amazing - if not, it's always awful. I think Kenneth Brannagh (Lockhart from HarryPotter) is an excellent shakespearean actor - I have seen him in many films and he is always outstanding. Ian McKellen and Zoe Wannamaker are also excellent.

What do you think?

Ps, do not use this thread to bash Shakespeare, cos I am an obsessed freak who will hunt you down and kill you if you speak a word against the beloved Bard!!

I agree with you Shakespeare done right is fabulous and has the ability to bring people like my formerly Shakespeare-balspheming sister into the land of the Bard. She had a hard time getting past the way things are phrased in Shakespeare. Much Ado About Nothing changed her mind. She is now open to exploring other Shakespeare films. I loved Brannough's Henry V. It was masterful.

Who is Zoe Wannamaker?

shakespere is brilliant, iv'e been to the royal shakespere theatre in stratford twice as regards to shakespere in films.... my favourites macbeth... i'm yet to see a film or t.v version that really portrays the emotions in the origonal text!

shakespear is great for plays and discussion but not for movies, now and days all the movie industry wants to do is make a action comedy packed movie. And even though in it's own right Shakespear had those qualities in his plays but not the way that Hollywood wants to see.

Making Shakespeare into movies brings a whole new audience that might otherwise have hated Shakespeare. Shakespeare wasn't always performed for the Queen, and so it can't be held for the intellectually elite today.