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Shakespearean Movies

This short lists includes film adaptations of Shakespearean plays, of course, and also movies with a substantial Shakespearean references. After each title is a note identifying the adaptation or justifying its inclusion, as well as my star rating. One reason most of these movies are highly rated may be that they start out with the advantage of really great scripts!

(NOTE: Dates covered are mid-1983 through 1996. I didn't start using stars until late 1989, so ratings for movies older than that have been added after the fact. Also, I did not write as many reviews as Siskel & Ebert. These are NOT the only Shakespearean movies to come out during this period; they're just the ones I have reviews for.)

DRESSER, THE. This is both about a production of King Lear and something of a re-telling of the Lear story. 4 stars
HAMLET. Mel Gibson (1991). I have seen Kenneth Branagh's 1997 version, but not reviewed it. Briefly, however, and not too suprisingly, it is better; if I get around to reviewing it, it will get 5 stars. 4 stars
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Branagh/Thompson (1993). 4 stars
OTHELLO. Laurence Fishburne. 3 stars
ROMEO AND JULIET. DiCaprio/Danes. 4 stars
STRANGE BREW. This odd little comedy contains a fairly well-sustained Hamlet parody. 3 stars

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