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King Lear
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Expect the unexpected.
Review date: 2008-04-22 Rating: 8 out of 10
This is Lear in a completely different light from any other version, I think that much can be guaranteed. Whether or not you like it probably depends on how orthodox you are in terms of Shakespeare, but as for me, I find I prefer this version to, say, the much praised Michael Hordern one. This is lean, mean Lear, stark and brooding and focusing very much more on the psychology than on outwardly events. I find that I think of it as the essence of the play. It's intense, even intrusive in its psychological examination of the characters, and the title role is made even more demanding because of it. Only an actor of Scofield's calibre could pull it off, and he does so in what must be the greatest performance of his film career.
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Reviews
A record of a seminal production
Review date: 2008-01-05 Rating: 8 out of 10
Peter Brook used characteristic boldness in transferring his controversial, yet acclaimed stage production to the screen. Filmed entirely in rural Denmark, the bleak landscape echoes the pessimism of Brook's intepretation which follows the gloomiest version of the three texts which have survived. Indeed this production probably inspired critics to take a look at the texts again and many theatre practitioners have since abandoned the view that productions need to be compilations of all three and view each version as a play in its own right, each representing a different stage in Shakespeare's writing career. Brook's version is therefore a seminal one and it is good that there is a record of it. It will soon be forty years since this film was shot and, even those who disagree with Brook's reading, should surely be pleased to see the performances by actors many of whom are no longer with us. Jack Macgrowan, for instance, plays Lear's Fool with a delicate balance between the abject underdog and the king's chief critic and mentor. This is a production that has peeled away all superficialities to challenge us with the most important questions on identity and personal integrity.
Lear under a microscope
Review date: 2007-03-03 Rating: 8 out of 10
At first, I was disppointed. The abdication scene seems lacklustre - Lear seems hardly bothered when Cordelia refuses the love test. He doesn't rage, and doesn't appear to be in pain. It is only as time goes on that you realise he has wielded absolute power for so long that he doesn't need to rage - he commands and it is done. His rage and madness come when he no longer has any power. The film is set in some bleak, northern tundra which is highly appropriate and evocative - it seems to be a permanent twilight. The best aspect of the film is the microscopic attention to the text - unlike many Shakespeare adaptations, there are no incomprehensible passages. Every word strikes home, especially in the second half when Paul Scofield's performance gives Lear tremendous humanity and dignity. His meeting on the beach with Gloucester is worth watching again and again. The fool is the highlight of the first half - again, every word is delivered with precision, like when he says "Does though know why a snail has a shell? Why, to put his head in, not to give it away to his daughters and leave his horns without a case." The fool looks away as if he has said nothing of consequence and Lear stares at him with an expression caught between laughter and cursing. No Shakespeare adaptation is definitive - if the text is important to you, rather than clever re-interpretation and production, then you'll be rewarded by this film. But check out the Olivier and Richard Eyre (Ian Holm as Lear) versions as well.
A Brechtian production
Review date: 2001-10-09 Rating: 10 out of 10
I've seen many productions of King Lear and hated them all. Except this one. It has been said that Lear is so full of poetic imagery that to stage it is to reduce it. In this film the production environment is not in competition with the verbal imagery. Rather, the power of the text is given full rein in stunning performances, in particular that of Paul Scofield, an actor of breathtaking skill, emotional depth and humility. Full accolades must go to Scofield, with his craggy face, startling eyes and suitably moody performance. He has been my favourite Shakespearean actor for thirty years. Forget Olivier! Scofield's delivery of the text is sublime. Brook's sparse settings and his choice to ignore traditional cinematic conventions evoke Brecht at his best. Ever searching for the real play under the paraphenalia of conventional Shakespearean production, Brook has given us a gem. This is a classic amongst classics.
My favorite film ever
Review date: 2001-06-16 Rating: 10 out of 10
Peter Brook, one of the greatest theatrical directors of all time, directs King Lear, arguably the greatest play of all time, by surely the greatest playwright of all time. But those credentials alone are not always enough to guarantee that a film made with them in combination will succeed. In this case, however, the results are brilliant. Spare, harsh, quivering with life, this film is Beckettian in its imagery, and innovative in its photography, unified in its tone, and demonically vital in its acting. I venture to say that the other reviewer who thought that the camera moved about too quickly is probably jostled by bumpy train rides. This film is true to the essence of Lear as I perceive it. See for yourself, and go see some theater sometime soon, as well.
Another note, I've been searching for a copy of this film in America for eight years. Thanks Amazon UK!
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Paul Scofield
Irene Worth
Susan Engel
Tom Fleming
Cyril Cusack
Creators:
Paul Scofield (Primary Contributor)
Irene Worth (Primary Contributor)
Henning Kristiansen (Cinematographer)
Peter Brook (Writer)
Kasper Schyberg (Editor)
Michael Birkett (Producer)
Mogens Skot-Hansen (Producer)
William Shakespeare (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Uca
Manufacturer: Uca
EAN: 5050582349016
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2005-06-06
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 132 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1970
Language: English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired)
Language: Greek (Subtitled)
Language: Hungarian (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)