A Midsummer Night's Dream

[Drac]

Hello all,

I was watching Pirate Movie (a paridy of Pirates of Penzance, yes it is possible) last night (yes I have bad taste in movies) when my wife was commenting on how it seemed as bad as A Midsummer Night's Dream version she was subjected to in grad school. It was done in 1968 with some modern music and go-go boots were the main things she remembered.

Of course not willing to pass up a chance to see a cheesy movie I looked it up and got quite a surprise. Judi Dench plays Titania.

Here, for those who don't know her, is Judi Dench as (sorry folks) M in 007 -



What is funny is for people as young as me (42) all I know her is rolls like this so you get that image that someone is born old. Here is the discription of her roll in the movie from Meredith College ( http://www.meredith.edu/english/walton/HallAllen.htm ) -

The fairies are also a far cry from the average Athenian citizen. They are all human in form, but mossy green in color, with bright red lips and, for the men, red-rimmed eyes. Clothing, especially for the fairy queen, is kept to a bare minimum. This may or may not have been a great decision by the director. To a certain extent, the lack of clothing emphasizes the fairies’ otherworldliness. But when the clothing gets too scanty, that plan backfires. Titania (Judi Dench), who wears a costume comprised of about three leaves, looks like a green Eve, the very symbol of mortality, and I’m sure any male moviegoers in the audience are definitely not thinking of her as an ethereal, foreign fairy creature.

Another qoutes her as the sexist Titania ever.

I was surprised that Amazon has it for rental and DVD. Makes me tempted to get it just to check out the bad music and costums. From the rest of the discription it has quite a few actors the would go on to be big.

Jim

[xman]

I haven't seen that one, but Dame Judy is an astounding actor. Sounds like that production suffers from the design being quite dated. There is a more modern film version which has a much more accessible theme. The script is heavily cut down, something I usually lament as in McKellen's Richard III, and some of the direction is debatable, but the acting is largely good.

[crboltz]

I show clips of that film version to my theatre appreciation class when we cover the play. Ms. Dench's costume consists of body paint, glitter, and three well placed leaves (and that's it). The current print available on DVD is not a good print, but it is an excellent cast, and what it lacks in cinematography it makes up for in great actors. I really wouldn't have thought of it as terribly disco so much as "of its time." if you can see if for cheap, and enjoy shakespeare, it is worth your time.

[Drac]

I show clips of that film version to my theatre appreciation class when we cover the play. Ms. Dench's costume consists of body paint, glitter, and three well placed leaves (and that's it). The current print available on DVD is not a good print, but it is an excellent cast, and what it lacks in cinematography it makes up for in great actors. I really wouldn't have thought of it as terribly disco so much as "of its time." if you can see if for cheap, and enjoy shakespeare, it is worth your time.

Amazon has it for $3 rental. I haven't seen it yet and my wife is trying to draw on memories from 20+ years ago so it might not have been as disco as she remembers but she rates the go-go boots and disco as offensive as the coconuts in the one with Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline.

I'll be getting it in the future. I do like Shakespeare, it kind of comes with the territory for my marriage, and have seen several versions of it.

I will have to say my favorite play is the Taming of the Shrew. I am torn between the Elizabeth Taylor version and Kiss Me Kate. Yes I am a heathen

Jim

[crboltz]

For $3 Midsummer is totally worth it!

Just to add that my favorite "Shrew" on video beyond any doubt is the BBC television version starring John Cleese from 1980. This version manages to make Kate's final speech not an act of subservience, but a declaration of equality between married couples (well as much as they can considering what the Bard actually wrote.)

Cheers
Chris

[Drac]

They have that for $2 -

http://www.amazon.com/BBC-Shakespear...7126700&sr=8-1

Jim

[Bigkahuna]

Dame Judith looks much better in "A Midsummer Nights Dream" than she does in any of the 007 films.

[davidlpope]

For $3 Midsummer is totally worth it!

Just to add that my favorite "Shrew" on video beyond any doubt is the BBC television version starring John Cleese from 1980. This version manages to make Kate's final speech not an act of subservience, but a declaration of equality between married couples (well as much as they can considering what the Bard actually wrote.)

Cheers
Chris

We watched the "Shakespeare Retold" version of The Tamng of the Shrew two nights ago. It is really excellent and I highly recommend it.