Staging Shakespeare on the silver screen is like recreating a Lichtenstein painting with ketchup and mustard—the results are destined to be muddled and sacrilegious. With Richard III, Ian McKellen and Richard Loncraine come very close to succeeding. Based on a stage production by Richard Eyre, Richard III condenses Shakespeare’s five-act play down to a 104-minute pseudo-monologue by the vengeful brother of King Edward. An allegory of Nazi Germany that relies on historical incongruities, McKellen’s King Richard, a deformed metaphor for Adolph Hitler with the suggestive black uniform and all, is a malicious and unforgiving, slowly purging his family in search of the throne.
Much of the film’s charm is its array of acting talent. Adding to the fated royal family is Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent, Annette Bening, John Wood, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Nigel Hawthorne, all of whom embody their roles in an exemplary film that, unfortunately, builds to a swift and unappetizing finale.
by Adam Balz | Source: DVD
26 Mar 2006 5:06 PM | Submit Comment
