Average customer rating:
- Beautiful
- Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series)
- lovely movie, and worth the grounding
- Lame and overwrought
- One of the best movies I've ever seen
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Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series)
Starring:
Geoffrey Rush ,
Joseph Fiennes ,
Tom Wilkinson ,
Antony Sher , and
Martin Clunes
Director:
John Madden
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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Elizabeth
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William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet (Special Edition)
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Emma (1996)
ASIN: B00001U0E1
Release Date: 1999-12-07 |
Amazon.com
One of the most endearing and intelligent romantic comedies of the '90s, the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love is filled with such good will, sunny romance, snappy one-liners, and devilish cleverness that it's absolutely irresistible. With tongue placed firmly in cheek, at its outset the film tracks young Will Shakespeare's overwrought battle with writer's block and the efforts of theater owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, in rare form) to stage Will's latest comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter. Jokey comedy, though, soon takes a backseat to ravishing romance when the beautiful Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) disguises herself as a young man to wangle herself an audition in the all-male cast, and wins both the part of Romeo and, after much misunderstanding, the playwright's heart. Soon enough, Will's pirate comedy becomes the beautiful, tragic Romeo and Juliet, reflecting the agony and ecstasy of Will and Viola's romance--he's married and she's set to marry the slimy Lord Wessex (Colin Firth) in the near future.
The way that Oscar-winning screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard enfold their story within the parameters of Romeo and Juliet (and even Twelfth Night) is nothing short of brilliant--it would take a Shakespearean scholar to dissect the innumerable parallels, oft-quoted lines, plot developments, and thematic borrowings. And most amazingly, Norman and Stoppard haven't forgotten to entertain their audience in addition to riding a Shakespearean roller coaster, with director John Madden (Mrs. Brown) reigning in his huge ensemble with rollicking energy. Along the way there are small gems to be found, including Judi Dench's eight-minute, Oscar-winning turn as a truly regal Queen Elizabeth, but the key element of Shakespeare in Love's success rests on the milky-white shoulders of its two stars. Fiennes, inexplicably overlooked at Oscar time, is a dashing, heartfelt Will, and as for Best Actress winner Paltrow, well, nothing she'd done before could have prepared viewers for how amazing she is here. Breathtakingly beautiful, fiercely intelligent, strong-willed, and lovestruck--it's a performance worthy of Shakespeare in more ways than one. By the film's end, you'll be thoroughly won over--and brushing up your Shakespeare with newfound ardor. --Mark Englehart
Description
Triumphant winner of 7 Academy Awards(R) -- including Best Picture -- this witty, sexy smash features Oscar(R)-winning Best Actress Gwyneth Paltrow (SLIDING DOORS, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) and an amazing cast that includes Academy Award-winners Judi Dench (Best Supporting Actress), Geoffrey Rush (Best Actor -- SHINE), and Ben Affleck (GOOD WILL HUNTING, PEARL HARBOR). When Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes -- ELIZABETH) needs passionate inspiration to break a bad case of writer's block, a secret romance with the beautiful Lady Viola (Paltrow) starts the words flowing like never before! There are just two things he'll have to learn about his new love: not only is she promised to marry someone else, but she's successfully impersonating a man in order to play the lead in Will's latest production! A truly can't-miss motion picture event with outstanding critical acclaim to match its impressive collection of major awards -- everyone will love this funny behind-the-scenes look at the writing of the greatest love story ever told!
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful.......2007-09-13
This is one of my top 3 favorite movies. I just love the costumes, the acting, the story...everything about it was something I fell in love with.
Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series).......2007-08-24
I don't remember buying this one but if I did, it was a gift. I haven't seen it.
lovely movie, and worth the grounding.......2007-08-18
I remember sneaking into the theater at 14 to watch this on Christmas day after my family decided to see "You've Got Mail" instead. So, full disclosure: This holds a special place in my heart for visiting such wonder and wit in my decidedly smalltown life. This is what the movies is about.
Precocious theater dorks unite because on DVD, it's as well-written, clever, funny and magical today as it ever was. A lovely film, and worth the grounding, after all these years.
What a cast. Fiennes was robbed on Oscar night. And next to "Sliding Doors," this is Paltrow's most winsome performance. Add Geoffrey Rush to the mix, and you just can't lose. Can't be done. Even dear nurse is a sight to behold -- here, my most beloved character in a nun habit since Mother Superior. Simply put, and esp. for fans of the Bard, I can't recommend this enough.
Lame and overwrought.......2007-08-02
How did this win the Academy Award?! I guess because it is a movie theater people and the Academy is composed of theater people? The script is predictable and formulaic. Fienes's performance is unbearably earnest.
One of the best movies I've ever seen.......2007-07-31
I'm astounded that this movie has anything but 5 stars from everyone! The editing between the "live" action and the play and players is brilliant. The screenwriting is superb, and the characters are engaging, personable and loveable. It's as nearly perfect as a movie can get, with bright, witty dialog and tremendous aesthetics. I've seen it 6 or 7 times and I'm still enthralled at the craft of the actors, writers, producers, cinematographers, costumers, etc. Fiennes deserved best actor nomination at least for his part. Wow! Get it and you won't be disappointed.
Average customer rating:
- Hollywood Schlock, Not worth viewing
- Amazing!
- Loved it
- A surprisingly original idea
- the gay romeo and juliet = a waste of time by !idee
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William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet (Special Edition)
Starring:
Leonardo DiCaprio ,
Claire Danes ,
John Leguizamo ,
Harold Perrineau , and
Pete Postlethwaite
Director:
Baz Luhrmann
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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Tristan and Isolde (Widescreen Edition)
ASIN: B000060OFT
Release Date: 2002-03-12 |
Product Description
This brilliant and contemporary retelling of the world's most tragic love affair makes this wildly inventive "Romeo & Juliet" unforgettable. This special edition DVD contains audio commentary by Baz Luhrmann, early rehearsal scenes and an inside look at the making of the movie.
Baz Luhrmann's dazzling and unconventional adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic love story is spellbinding. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes portray Romeo and Juliet, the youthful star-crossed lovers of the past. But the setting has been moved from its Elizabethan origins to futuristic urban backdrop of Verona Beach.
System Requirements:
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino, Diane Venora.
Directed By: Baz Luhrmann.
Running Time: 120 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2002 Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Format: DVD MOVIE
Amazon.com
Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom) takes a shot at reinventing Shakespeare's story of star-crossed lovers as a visual pastiche inspired by MTV imagery, Hong Kong action-picture clichés, and Luhrmann's own taste for deliberate, gaudy excess. The result is explosive chaos, both in terms of bullets and visual sensibility, which some may find impossible to stick with for more than a few minutes. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes play the leads, though not with much distinction, while Pete Postlethwaite makes a huge impression as this movie's version of Friar Laurence. The film is successful in spots, but overall its fever-dream game plan is difficult to ride out. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
Hollywood Schlock, Not worth viewing.......2007-08-20
For decades folks have been setting the Bard's plays in modern times, and with varying degrees of success. This one fails so badly that more tears will be shed over the poor acting and mangled dialogue than over the actual plot.
Both Romeo and Juliet are in over their heads in this movie. Shakespeare's language can still be spoken in a way that is understandable when its natural rythmns and accents are correctly utilized. DiCappril especially seems to have no idea half the time what the words actually mean that he is speaking. And Claire Danes as "Juliet" is even worse.
The selective editing of the dialogue murders some of the more famous passages of Shakespeare, such as the morning scene debate about whether the lark has sung. The death scene lacks the dialogue and therefore the punch of the original. How anyone could shed a tear over the deaths of this "Romeo and Juliet" is beyond me. And the schlock of the TV announcer announcing the end of the play is poorly done. It could work as an excellent device for the close of the play, but this rendition spoken with no greater degree of involvement than that of a TV reporter, leaves one cold. So much for these "star-crossed lovers." You leave this movie wondering if they really were lovers after all or just two uninteresting actors trying to act as if they were in love. Deserves NO Star!
Amazing!.......2007-07-10
This is one of my favorite movies of all-time. The modern setting makes it possible for the everyday person to understand and relate to this classic Shakespeare play. Leonardo DiCaprio does an amazing job portraying Romeo, and I love Harold Perrineau Jr as Mercutio. He add so much life and attitude to the character. This movie is great, I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good movie to watch. (Except the end is so sad!)
Loved it.......2007-07-09
If you don't think this kind of movie idea can work, then you must see it. Yes, everyone knows the story already, and the original text can be very hard to follow, but they managed to make this as interesting to today's youth as i imagine it must have been to the original audience.
A surprisingly original idea.......2007-06-09
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
In my personal opinion, I believe Shakespeare's writing is way too obscure and out there, and when hearing people say "Shakespeare wrote for the common people", I can only cringe in terror at what plays written for educated people must have sounded like.
This movie doesn't change the dialect or dialogue of the movie, and gives it a weird sort of artistic modern setting, which makes it not only a surprising and original twist, but makes it much more watchable to see a timeless tale truly tested with its claim to timelessness. Even if it took place in the year 3010 AD, it'd still be the same.
I love the way the adults on the newscasts and police speak, and the way the police officer at the end of the movie scolds the Capulets and Montagues, and the beginning scene, with the Montague nerds biting their thumbs at the Capulets was amusing.
Harold Perrineau as Mercutio is spellbinding, and John Leguizamo is equally spectacular in this movie.
What keeps this movie from being a great one in my opinion is the two lead characters played abysmally by Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. DiCaprio, normally a great actor, sounds like he's just memorized the lines and is reciting them like a schoolchild forced to read them aloud in class--lifeless, with little to no emotion, and an apparent lack of understanding as to what he is saying.
Claire Danes is even worse, delivering lines in such an awkward manner as to make me cringe. It sounds literally like a giggling, bubbly school girl reading from a script for the first time while distracted by something else.
Another thing which surprisingly irritated me was the SCREAMING. In many scenes, there was mindless screaming at the hands of Juliet's mother and maid, especially that scene where Romeo is at Juliet's window, and the maid calls for her, and Danes (awkwardly) says "By and by I come", the maid's line is literally a grating, irritating scream: JULIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! for at the very least, 3-5 seconds long
There's a lot more screaming at the maid's hand and Juliet's mother, though thankfully it's limited just to that scene and scarcely any other. But it is SERIOUSLY annoying having her scream like that when Juliet is CLEARLY shouting back "By and by I come"
All in all, the show is all but stolen by John Leguizamo and Harold Perrineau as Tybalt and Mercutio (respectively), while the lead actors are weak in their roles.
3.5/5
the gay romeo and juliet = a waste of time by !idee.......2007-05-23
review
During the past week I saw the movie, Romeo and Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starting Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
The story is based on the play written by Shakespeare but there are many differences.
For on there are guns that are called swords in the movie which I find totally ridiculous. Another difference was the fact that it was set in modern times, which made the movie very hard to understand
Also I think that the actors and actresses were very flat. I think this is because of the setting and language doesn't really go together, and therefore it is really hard to get into the characters mind set.
Over all I think that the movie wasn't very good at all and it is definitely a waste of money and time.
Average customer rating:
- A Plague on Both Their Houses
- Not perfectly 16th century, but well done
- Romeo oh Romoeo
- Shakespeare must be rolling over in his grave!!!
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William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet
Starring:
Leonardo DiCaprio ,
Claire Danes ,
John Leguizamo ,
Harold Perrineau , and
Pete Postlethwaite
Director:
Baz Luhrmann
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: Music From The Motion Picture (1996 Version) [Enhanced CD]
ASIN: B00008G7UJ
Release Date: 2003-01-14 |
Description
Baz Luhrmann's dazzling and unconventional adaptation of William Shakespear's classic love story is spellbinding. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes portray Romeo and Juliet, the youthful star-crossed lovers of the past. But the setting has been moved from it's Elizabethan origins to the futuristic urban backdrop of Verona Beach.
Customer Reviews:
A Plague on Both Their Houses.......2005-12-30
The story of the Capulets and the Montagues has never looked like this before. Baz Luhrmann has created an updated version of this timeless classic. Often considered the perfect tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet proves that Shakespeare was an outstanding playwright and a master wordsmith. Unfortunately, even the best writing cannot carry a movie when the actors have no passion nor innate skill.
Leonardo DiCaprio has just the right look to play young Romeo, but he lacks any true acting ability. He takes some of the most passionate lines ever written and plows through them like a bull in a china shop, determined to just get through and get out as quickly as possible. Take for example the scene when Romeo first speaks to Juliet. "If I offend with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this..." DiCaprio delivers these lines with no emotion, no passion, and no apparant thought for what he is actually saying. This soulless acting continues throughout the film.
Claire Danes is better, but not much. She is far more convincing than her counterpart, but the lines still come across flat.
Not all this is the fault of the actors. The director is ultimately responsible and that brings us to Baz Luhrmann. Cinematically, this film is impressive. He's done a wonderful job of updating the play to modern times without tying it directly to any particular period or location. The creative way that he introduced the "Dagger" (now a semi-automatic pistol) and the "long sword" (a rifle) are proof that Luhrmann does care about the details. If only he cared a little more about the acting, and worked a little harder to draw forth a more passionate performance from his stars.
Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 version is a vastly superior performance from an artistic point of view; however, Luhrmann's updated version provides a version that the youth of today will probably connect with. If the goal is to get kids to watch and appreciate Shakespeare, then show this version first. Once they're hooked, have them watch the 1968 version and show them what Shakespeare was really meant to be.
Not perfectly 16th century, but well done.......2005-12-11
After peeking at the reviews already written for this movie, I thought that perhaps I could share my two cents.
First of all, no. This is not set in the 16th century. This is not in Italy. They do not use actual swords (though if you watch, most of their guns are named after the classic 16th century weaponry).
However, that's not what Baz Luhrmann was after. He wanted to take the story and, with as few script/theme/feeling changes as possible, make it present day. He wanted to show audiences the timelessness of the story, the ways in which it still could apply to modern times and modern people. He managed to create a feud between two families that seemed a real and common part of these characters' lives, while still managing to convey a true love story. Some may think that the love is too playful, too childish, but that's what Shakespeare wrote! Juliet was supposed to be so much younger than she is in this (but, again, to make this fit with present day, someone of marrying age needed to be used), and the love is between two young people who are just learning what love really is.
I love the film. I think the soundtrack and the setting work well together, giving a 1990's feel to the story, but Luhrmann's attention to phrasing, to detail, amazes the watcher with its Shakespearean accuracy.
The move is worth an open mind, if nothing else. Even for those who don't "get" Shakespeare, or maybe especially for them, this is a way to appreciate his story without a freshman English teacher or a lot of confusion.
Romeo oh Romoeo.......2005-11-24
Give me a break. Please get a back bone. If you like blood, ya like Leo or Claire, and ya wanna see them totally rock out with all types of people (including the guy from matrix) then buy it and be happy ya did. This movie rocks, yah!
Shakespeare must be rolling over in his grave!!!.......2005-08-10
I am a huge Shakespeare fan and love many of his works!! I love the way he wrote, the old english words he used, I love it all!! When I was in High School in the mid 90's, my English class read the original Romeo & Juliet play by Shakespeare and then after we read the play, we watched the 1936 Black & White film and I just totally loved it for the acting and drama, and it was romantic and followed the play very well. Now Romeo & Juliet is my favorite Shakespeare play!!
A while after this 1996 film was released, when it came to video stores to rent, I decided to rent it. I thought it would be good because I liked Claire Danes and Leonardo in other shows and movies. Well I can honestly say that after watching this 1996 version, Shakespeare must have been rolling over in his grave!! I hate to talk so negatively about a film based on Shakespeare's masterpiece but I have to be honest!! This film should NOT have William Shakespeare's name in the title. I was very, very appalled by the very, very drastic changes they made to what Shakespeare meant it to be!
Here are some things in this version that just made me sick:
1. The dialog does not match what you see on screen. There is this line "drop your sword." Hello?? They were carrying guns!!! I mean, come on!!! If You're going to makes changes to a play, at least do it right!!!
2. The guns!! Nowhere in Shakespeare's masterpiece play does it mention the characters with guns!! They had swords and daggers, not guns!!
3. The rock, alternative, and dance music does not fit, it's meant to be classical!!
4. The famous balcony scene was a total disgrace!! Romeo is supposed to be right below Juliet's balcony and Juliet is supposed to be up at her balcony when she says the famous "Romeo, Romeo, Where For Art Thou Romeo?" They totally messed this up in the 1996 film when Juliet says that line only when she says it, she is walking right by Romeo on the ground where he was!! I was really, really looking forward to the famous balcony scene the way Shakespeare meant it to be right before I saw the part in this 1996 version but I was so appalled that they killed the scene!!
5. Claire Danes and Leonardo didn't have enough emotion and passion to be Romeo & Juliet overall!! The couple romantic scenes this film did have, it was alright but I expect superb acting and drama between the two star crossed lovers!!!
6. This 1996 film was ruined from the very beginning with the newscaster and TV!!
7. There were cars in this film!! There were NO cars in Romeo & Juliet!!!
8. I felt like I was watching a Ganster film and not a romantic film overall. I mean, there was a feud between the two families in the play but this film took it way too far like when they were always shooting and killing each other, to an extent that made me feel like I was watching more Ganster than Romance!
9. There is acid using in this film!! People using acid drugs?? Oh my god, I feel so sorry for Shakespeare, so sorry that his masterpiece play is being treated this way!! I just cannot comprehend how they could treat his legacy like this!! I am just so, so appalled beyond words!
The only saving factor in this, is they kept the old english words/dialog and a couple of Romeo & Juliet romantic scenes but I will stick to the REAL Romeo & Juliet films, the 1936 Black & White and the 1968 version, those are REAL Romeo & Juliet adaptions that don't disgrace and disrespect Shakespeare!
Average customer rating:
- Beautiful
- Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series)
- lovely movie, and worth the grounding
- Lame and overwrought
- One of the best movies I've ever seen
|
Shakespeare in Love
Starring:
Geoffrey Rush ,
Joseph Fiennes ,
Tom Wilkinson ,
Antony Sher , and
Martin Clunes
Director:
John Madden
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
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ASIN: B00000JGOH
Release Date: 1999-08-10 |
Amazon.com
One of the most winning and intelligent romantic comedies of the '90s, Shakespeare in Love is filled with such good will, sunny romance, snappy one-liners, and devilish cleverness that it's absolutely irresistible. At the 1999 Academy Awards, this dark-horse costume comedy sneaked off with seven Oscars, besting the highly favored Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture. With tongue placed firmly in cheek, at its outset the film tracks young Will Shakespeare's overwrought battle with writer's block and the efforts of theater owner Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush, in rare form) to stage Will's latest comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter. Most of the jokes in the first one-third of the film are along these lines: Will's anachronistic therapist session, a mug inscribed "A Souvenir from Stratford-Upon-Avon," Henslowe's battles to pay off his debts, and the backstage high jinks of pre-production. However, once Will sets his eyes on the beautiful Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), joking takes a backseat to ravishing romance. Well, almost--turns out Viola wants to break into the world of male-only theater, and disguises herself as a young man to wangle herself an audition. She wins the part of Romeo and, after much misunderstanding, the playwright's heart. Soon enough, Will's pirate comedy becomes a beautiful, tragic romance, and Ethel is shoved aside for a woman named Juliet. Will and Viola's romance, however, is equal parts comedy and tragedy--he's married, and she's betrothed to the slimy Lord Wessex (Colin Firth), and it doesn't take an English major to figure out that it's not all's well that ends well.
Like Shakespeare's work itself, the film is instantly accessible to everyone, from the raucous groundlings looking for low comedy to the aesthetes hankering for some intellectual bite behind their entertainment. The way that Oscar-winning screenwriters Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard enfold their story within the parameters of Romeo and Juliet (and even Twelfth Night) is nothing short of brilliant--it would take a Shakespearean scholar to dissect the innumerable parallels, oft-quoted lines, plot developments, and thematic borrowings. And most amazingly, Norman and Stoppard haven't forgotten to entertain their audience in addition to riding a Shakespearean roller coaster. Director John Madden (Mrs. Brown) reigns in his huge ensemble with a rollicking energy that keeps the film's momentum going at top speed for its entire two hours. Along the way there are small gems to be found: Ben Affleck's riotous egotistical actor, Imelda Staunton's nimble nurse, and of course Judi Dench's eight-minute, Oscar-winning turn as a truly regal Queen Elizabeth. However, the key element of Shakespeare in Love's success rests on the milky-white shoulders of its two stars. Fiennes, inexplicably overlooked at Oscar time, is a dashing Will as we might expect him at the early stage of his career, bundled full of comedy and tragedy but unsure of how to harness his talent. And as for Best Actress winner Paltrow... well, nothing she'd done before could have prepared viewers for how amazing she is here. Breathtakingly beautiful, fiercely intelligent, strong-willed, and lovestruck--it's a performance worthy of Shakespeare in more ways than one. By the film's end, you'll be thoroughly won over--and brushing up your Shakespeare with newfound ardor. --Mark Englehart
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful.......2007-09-13
This is one of my top 3 favorite movies. I just love the costumes, the acting, the story...everything about it was something I fell in love with.
Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series).......2007-08-24
I don't remember buying this one but if I did, it was a gift. I haven't seen it.
lovely movie, and worth the grounding.......2007-08-18
I remember sneaking into the theater at 14 to watch this on Christmas day after my family decided to see "You've Got Mail" instead. So, full disclosure: This holds a special place in my heart for visiting such wonder and wit in my decidedly smalltown life. This is what the movies is about.
Precocious theater dorks unite because on DVD, it's as well-written, clever, funny and magical today as it ever was. A lovely film, and worth the grounding, after all these years.
What a cast. Fiennes was robbed on Oscar night. And next to "Sliding Doors," this is Paltrow's most winsome performance. Add Geoffrey Rush to the mix, and you just can't lose. Can't be done. Even dear nurse is a sight to behold -- here, my most beloved character in a nun habit since Mother Superior. Simply put, and esp. for fans of the Bard, I can't recommend this enough.
Lame and overwrought.......2007-08-02
How did this win the Academy Award?! I guess because it is a movie theater people and the Academy is composed of theater people? The script is predictable and formulaic. Fienes's performance is unbearably earnest.
One of the best movies I've ever seen.......2007-07-31
I'm astounded that this movie has anything but 5 stars from everyone! The editing between the "live" action and the play and players is brilliant. The screenwriting is superb, and the characters are engaging, personable and loveable. It's as nearly perfect as a movie can get, with bright, witty dialog and tremendous aesthetics. I've seen it 6 or 7 times and I'm still enthralled at the craft of the actors, writers, producers, cinematographers, costumers, etc. Fiennes deserved best actor nomination at least for his part. Wow! Get it and you won't be disappointed.
Average customer rating:
- Hollywood Schlock, Not worth viewing
- Amazing!
- Loved it
- A surprisingly original idea
- the gay romeo and juliet = a waste of time by !idee
|
William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet
Starring:
Leonardo DiCaprio ,
Claire Danes ,
John Leguizamo ,
Harold Perrineau , and
Pete Postlethwaite
Director:
Baz Luhrmann
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: 6305364613
Release Date: 1999-05-25 |
Amazon.com
Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom) takes a shot at reinventing Shakespeare's story of star-crossed lovers as a visual pastiche inspired by MTV imagery, Hong Kong action-picture clichés, and Luhrmann's own taste for deliberate, gaudy excess. The result is explosive chaos, both in terms of bullets and visual sensibility, which some may find impossible to stick with for more than a few minutes. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes play the leads, though not with much distinction, while Pete Postlethwaite makes a huge impression as this movie's version of Friar Laurence. The film is successful in spots, but overall its fever-dream game plan is difficult to ride out. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
Hollywood Schlock, Not worth viewing.......2007-08-20
For decades folks have been setting the Bard's plays in modern times, and with varying degrees of success. This one fails so badly that more tears will be shed over the poor acting and mangled dialogue than over the actual plot.
Both Romeo and Juliet are in over their heads in this movie. Shakespeare's language can still be spoken in a way that is understandable when its natural rythmns and accents are correctly utilized. DiCappril especially seems to have no idea half the time what the words actually mean that he is speaking. And Claire Danes as "Juliet" is even worse.
The selective editing of the dialogue murders some of the more famous passages of Shakespeare, such as the morning scene debate about whether the lark has sung. The death scene lacks the dialogue and therefore the punch of the original. How anyone could shed a tear over the deaths of this "Romeo and Juliet" is beyond me. And the schlock of the TV announcer announcing the end of the play is poorly done. It could work as an excellent device for the close of the play, but this rendition spoken with no greater degree of involvement than that of a TV reporter, leaves one cold. So much for these "star-crossed lovers." You leave this movie wondering if they really were lovers after all or just two uninteresting actors trying to act as if they were in love. Deserves NO Star!
Amazing!.......2007-07-10
This is one of my favorite movies of all-time. The modern setting makes it possible for the everyday person to understand and relate to this classic Shakespeare play. Leonardo DiCaprio does an amazing job portraying Romeo, and I love Harold Perrineau Jr as Mercutio. He add so much life and attitude to the character. This movie is great, I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good movie to watch. (Except the end is so sad!)
Loved it.......2007-07-09
If you don't think this kind of movie idea can work, then you must see it. Yes, everyone knows the story already, and the original text can be very hard to follow, but they managed to make this as interesting to today's youth as i imagine it must have been to the original audience.
A surprisingly original idea.......2007-06-09
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
In my personal opinion, I believe Shakespeare's writing is way too obscure and out there, and when hearing people say "Shakespeare wrote for the common people", I can only cringe in terror at what plays written for educated people must have sounded like.
This movie doesn't change the dialect or dialogue of the movie, and gives it a weird sort of artistic modern setting, which makes it not only a surprising and original twist, but makes it much more watchable to see a timeless tale truly tested with its claim to timelessness. Even if it took place in the year 3010 AD, it'd still be the same.
I love the way the adults on the newscasts and police speak, and the way the police officer at the end of the movie scolds the Capulets and Montagues, and the beginning scene, with the Montague nerds biting their thumbs at the Capulets was amusing.
Harold Perrineau as Mercutio is spellbinding, and John Leguizamo is equally spectacular in this movie.
What keeps this movie from being a great one in my opinion is the two lead characters played abysmally by Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. DiCaprio, normally a great actor, sounds like he's just memorized the lines and is reciting them like a schoolchild forced to read them aloud in class--lifeless, with little to no emotion, and an apparent lack of understanding as to what he is saying.
Claire Danes is even worse, delivering lines in such an awkward manner as to make me cringe. It sounds literally like a giggling, bubbly school girl reading from a script for the first time while distracted by something else.
Another thing which surprisingly irritated me was the SCREAMING. In many scenes, there was mindless screaming at the hands of Juliet's mother and maid, especially that scene where Romeo is at Juliet's window, and the maid calls for her, and Danes (awkwardly) says "By and by I come", the maid's line is literally a grating, irritating scream: JULIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! for at the very least, 3-5 seconds long
There's a lot more screaming at the maid's hand and Juliet's mother, though thankfully it's limited just to that scene and scarcely any other. But it is SERIOUSLY annoying having her scream like that when Juliet is CLEARLY shouting back "By and by I come"
All in all, the show is all but stolen by John Leguizamo and Harold Perrineau as Tybalt and Mercutio (respectively), while the lead actors are weak in their roles.
3.5/5
the gay romeo and juliet = a waste of time by !idee.......2007-05-23
review
During the past week I saw the movie, Romeo and Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starting Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
The story is based on the play written by Shakespeare but there are many differences.
For on there are guns that are called swords in the movie which I find totally ridiculous. Another difference was the fact that it was set in modern times, which made the movie very hard to understand
Also I think that the actors and actresses were very flat. I think this is because of the setting and language doesn't really go together, and therefore it is really hard to get into the characters mind set.
Over all I think that the movie wasn't very good at all and it is definitely a waste of money and time.
Average customer rating:
- Bad examples are valuable, too!
|
The Plays of William Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet
Starring:
Alex Hyde-White ,
Blanche Baker ,
Esther Rolle ,
Dan Hamilton , and
Frederic Hehne
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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The Plays of William Shakespeare, Vol. 9 - The Tempest
ASIN: B000059XTV
Release Date: 2001-01-30 |
Description
The clearest and most understandable Shakespeare productions ever made. Staged as seen in the 16th Century, featuring award-winning performers. The tragic tale of young love thwarted by a family feud. Starring Alex Hyde-White, Blanche Baker, Esther Rolle, Dan Hamilton and Frederic Hehne. 165 minutes.
Customer Reviews:
Bad examples are valuable, too!.......2003-09-11
This has got to be THE worst R&J ever produced anywhere. The staging is clumsy, the costumes embarrassing, the acting turgid. The voices are a cacophony of mixed bad British, grating American, and others never actually used anywhere. Although if you like cod-pieces, this is the production for you.
The formidable Esther Rolle's subtext seems to be that she can't wait to go home and take a shower. The director has relegated her to the demanding task of standing there looking African, presumably in a desperate bid to add visual interest to the crowd scenes.
The producers used the phrase "staged as seen in the 16th century;" in my opinion only the first five minutes would have been seen, after which the actors would have been pelted with rotting vegetables by a disgusted audience uttering earnest calls for getting their money back and/or burning down the theatre.
This DVD could, however, be useful for encouraging folks to try their hand at acting. Once they see this they should be thinking "Hey, I could do better than that!" A splendid bad example-- acting teachers can say "See? This is what I want you to avoid." This R&J is a fine collection of the very worst acting habits and traits.
The only high points: there is one good actor in the cast, in a minor role (Try and find him, like 'Where's Waldo!') and the sword fights, which do show some of the modern improvements in fight choreography. Perhaps they only seem so good because they prevent the actors from speaking while they fight.
Personally, I'd rather watch dogs play poker.
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