Time to trash the list of best Shakespeare movies from Rotten Tomatoes

Number 8, The Lion King, I think is supposed to be based on Hamlet.

Number 29, 10 Things I Hate about You, is based on The Taming of the Shrew. I personally prefer the Bruce Willis/Cybil Shepard version of the Taming of the Shrew in one of their Moonlighting episodes. Although I suppose you could say the entire series of Moonlighting was one long retelling of the Taming of the Shrew.

Best regards, Wally

The NEW YORKER critic said about Kenneth Branagh's Iago, "Who steals this movie steals trash."

Signed, 

The artist formerly known as Zorro.

...Mr Branagh's version of it?  Haven't seen that particular flick but it does have Laurence Fishburne and Branagh in starring roles.  They usually have something interesting to add to the characters they portray.

Believe it or not I actually did see the Orson Welles version of "Othello" in the theater.  Unfortunately it was a horrible print and quite a few years ago.  I can't remember much about it because the quality of the film they showed that day was too distracting.  Plus it starred Orson Welles as Othello in black face.  Really.  I think I had nightmares for at least 3 nights after viewing it.

{;-) Dan in Miami

Is one of the best movies I've ever seen-period.  They don't call Kurosawa the master for nothing.  They do call him Jimbo for no apparent reason, though.

Although I never saw Richard III.  Branagh's Henry V was outstanding, as was his Hamlet, if a bit long to sit through.  He definitely rivals Olivier from back in the day.  I never saw the modern Hamlet starring Ethan Hawke, but I saw all three other versions mentioned here, and they're each worth seeing, even the Mel Gibson version.

I would put "O" higher on the list - if only for the last 10 minutes.

And - both good and bad - who can forget Polanski's Macbeth, with graphic violence and nudity - did we REALLY need the old, saggy-titted witches to be nekkid?

HS

I think it is (very loosely) based on Macbeth.

I'm still not sure what The Lion King is based on - fantastic film though it may be.  King Lear?

HS

Like it's my fault Shakespeare didn't write about either fast cars or roller coasters? FYI, I actually knew Ten Things I hate About You was based on The Taming of the Shrew.

I dislike West Side Story.  Tough gang bangers breaking out into song are as ridiculous as a chimp in the White House and laughably so. The musical dancing Sharks and Jets are more out of place on the streets of New York City than that bow-legged dinosaur from Cloverfield.

My fav on the list is Forbidden Planet though I had no idea that it was based on Tempest.  I can't wait for the Lucas remake starring Mark Wahlberg, Paris Hilton, C3PO, and a giant ghostley Fozzie Bear Muppet.

But I don't see it on the list. McKellen removed far too many scenes, partly for vanity's sake, I think. Also, where's Orson's Chimes at Midnight? Branagh lifted some of the battle sequences practically scene for scene in his Henry V, which I agree was great.

And because I don't mind Pacino chewing the Venetian scenery, I'd rate his Shylock higher, and add his Looking for Richard to the list.

The very best Shakespeare tribute? The Harold Hecuba episode on Gilligan's Island, of course.  

Some scholars think that Shakespeare was paid to do a hatchet job on Richard III the king in his play.  Since I don't know enough Elizabethan politics I can't really comment on that.

 The Ian McKellen version dares to imagine what England would have looked like if the Fascists of 1930's England had been successful at taking over their government as Hitler and Mussolini were in their countries.

 I did watch it recently but only after drinking excessively. 

Frankly the prospect of the UK going Fascist was just too much for me to take in a sober state.

 The movie certainly should be given credit for coming up with a mind bending premise.

 {;-) Dan in Miami

 PS:  Comparing the Olivier and McKellan versions is apples and oranges since the two movies have different goals in mind.  Or do they?

It would be great to see it but my computer's DVD drive is on the fritz.  That guy Burton could read the phone book and make it interesting.

{;-) Dan in Miami

Or acually the first half.  Couldn't make myself watch the whole thing.  Very low production values.  Maybe I am a bit spoiled but this is just a very poor quality film of the play, recorded as performed on the NYC stage.

We have come to expect much better production values, such as the Shakespeare films done by Mr. Branagh.  These flicks are not cofined to the stage.   

Come to think about it why bother to put a play on a stage?  Movies are much better because you can film them anywhere.

{;-) Dan in Miami

In grainy black and white.

Booooooring.

{;-) Dan in Miami