Shakespeare 400 at Renew Theaters
April 23rd, 2016 marks the 400th (or quadricentennial if you want a mouthful) anniversary of the death of one of history’s most influential and beloved writers: William Shakespeare (you might have heard of him). Why are we celebrating his death? Well, although it is usually written that the Bard was born and died on the same day, we are not certain of the exact date of his birth because record-keeping in the 16th Century was… let’s call it medieval (early Modern at best). When I say influential, I mean they are still making popular, mainstream films based on his work. As much as I love other Renaissance writers like Christopher Marlowe and Ben Johnson, we won’t be seeing Michael Fassbender starring in The Alchemist anytime soon. From teen movies like 10 Things I Hate About You to Laurence Olivier‘s classical adaptations, Shakespeare’s stories and legacy have extended into all facets of our culture. As such, 2016 has been chosen as the world-wide celebration of all things Shakespeare — and we at Renew are thrilled to participate. Below are some of the classic adaptations and films inspired by The Bard that we’ll be showing at our theaters.
HENRY V (1944)
We’d be remiss in our duties not to show one of Laurence Olivier’s masterwork adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays. Of the many incredible titles, we went with HENRY V, Olivier’s 1944 adaptation of the famous Shakespearean history. Shot in gorgeous technicolor, the film’s release at the end of World War II was meant to serve as a morale booster for British troops returning home at the request of Winston Churchill himself. And it worked — this film is regarded as the first successful Shakespearean adaptation.
RICHARD III (1995)
Another history, but of a very different nature. RICHARD III depicts the Machiavellian rise and fall of King Richard III and has been categorized among his tragedies because of its subject matter. This 1995 Richard Loncraine stylish film adaptation updates the setting to an imagined dystopian England, in which a fascist regime has assumed power. Richard is played brilliantly by Ian McKellen and he is supported by Maggie Smith, Annette Bening, Robert Downey Jr., and Jim Broadbent, to name a few. Below is the throwback trailer for the film’s original release.
CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT
Among the most infamous Shakespearean adaptations is Orson Welles’ lost-until-now film CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT. After years of distribution issues, this 1965 film is finally back in theaters with a new DCP restoration that premiered in New York earlier this year. Welles had an immense fascination with Shakespeare’s Falstaff character (featured in several histories) and one can look at Chimesas a love-letter to this iconic figure. This stunning film is often cited as Welles’ favorite among his own work and now that it is accessible again, I’m sure it will shoot to the top of our favorites as well.
RAN
Speaking of new restorations, Akira Kurosawa’s RAN received the 4K treatment it deserved in honor of the film’s 30th anniversary. Based on King Lear, this unbelievable film from an art-house legend updates the play for feudal Japan. This is not Kurosawa’s only Shakespearean adaptation, he is also known for the Macbeth update Throne of Blood from earlier in his career. From the looks of the trailer below, Ran is a must-see on the big screen, and we couldn’t be more excited to show it.
KISS ME KATE
Some of the titles we have picked easily fit more than one category. KISS ME KATE is the perfect film for such a crossover and is both part of our Shakespeare 400 and Hollywood Summer Nights series. This classic MGM musical, replete with big musical numbers, costumes, and pizzazz, is a meta-theatrical back-stage adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming of the Shrew. This film falls into the brief window of 1950’s Hollywood when studios were experimenting with 3D to compete with television.
FORBIDDEN PLANET
You might be asking yourself, “Forbidden Planet? Shakespeare?” The answer is yes: albeit a loose adaptation, the sci-fi classic is based on Shakespeare’s magical romance The Tempest from late in his life. Rather than a remote island, Forbidden Planet takes place in the deep reaches of the universe on an abandoned planet. Starring a young, debonair Leslie Nielsen, before his slapstick days, and introducing the world to one of the most iconic robots in the history of science fiction, Robby. This film has a fantastic script (with great source material) and the perfect level of 1950’s camp.
Also be sure to check out our National Theatre Live broadcast of As You Like Itand other great Shakespeare related titles this spring. Our full series line-ups and screening dates are available on our websites: Ambler, County, and Princeton Garden. Comment on social media and in the comment section of this post with your favorite Shakespeare adaptations!
“The lunatic, the lover and the poet / Are of imagination all compact…” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Act V, Scene I, Lines 8–9).
