Thursday Movie Picks: Shakespeare Adaptation

Ah Shakespeare. So many great stories and so many ways to tell them. My little claim to Shakespeare fame (as many other young wannabe actors) was playing Bottom in a big school production in secondary school. But it was set in the 60s and the mechanicals were The Beatles so we all had Liverpudlian accents. The drama teacher directing called the production 'A Midsummer Night's Magical Mystery Dream' and used music from that album in the show. A bit of a mess but we pulled it off. I took great pride in making people laugh on stage while performing the play within a play. Having gave up my dreams of the stage by 16 years old I feel that after all the pantomines and plays, performing Shakespeare was still an achievement. Especially with the amount of damn lines.
I'm guessing Romeo + Juliet will be popular this week as it is an amazing film but I picked it a few times so now for something a bit different.

Much Ado About Nothing 

Joss Weadon's adaptation came about shooting in between bigger projects. He simply gathered his friends at his house and made a film. I love this play and I loved the cast (Fran Kranz!) and the fact it was shot in such a short time and practically one loctaion is an amazing feet. There are several things going on here (as there always is with Shakespeare) but the main plot point is about Beatrice and Benedict, once lovers but now enemies. Their friends, fed up with their arguments, trick them into thinking that each other is in love with them and just watch how their feelings unfold. 

Forbidden Planet

A different kind of version of 'The Tempest' a strange story about a ship wrecked crew landing on a myterious island that belongs to a wizard and his daughter. But in this version, a very young Leslie Nielsen heads up the crew of a space ship with lands on planet where everyone myteriously died and the only ones left are a scientist and his daughter oh and Robby the Robot.

10 Things I Hate About You

Who'd have thought that Shakespeare could be adapted to a high school film? Well it was and its one of the best 'teen comedy dramas' ever. Featuring a cast of great actors, some young, some just hilarious (like Alison Janey). When Bianca Stratford, high school would be darling, can't date until her older shrew like sister does, new kid Cameron (in love with Bianca) enlists the help of Patrick to date/tame Kat. But it turns out that Patrick and Kat are great match but the course of true love never did run smooth especially in teen dramas.


Don't forget to check out where it all started over at Wandering Through the Shelves.