Taymor to Film The Tempest

This month in Hawaii, Julie Taymor will begin filming The Tempest with Helen Mirren as a female Prospero. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Djimon Hounsou (from Blood Diamonds) will play Caliban, Russell Brand Trinculo, and Alfred Molina Stephano. Jeremy Irons will play Alonso.

Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo surrounded by "divers spirits in the shape of hounds."

From a Taymor-directed stage production of The Tempest.

(Image from the Theatre for a New Audience photostream.)

Hamlet on YouTube

TO BE OR NOT TO BE (3.1)

(Image from Roger Ebert's Film Festival website)

Famous Performances

• Kenneth Branagh.
  
• Mel Gibson (following the rest of 3.1).
  
• Ethan Hawke.
  
• Derek Jacobi.
  
• Kevin Kline.
  
• Laurence Olivier.
  

Other

• An actor (Alan Mowbray) recites part of the soliloquy with help from Doc Holliday (Victor Mature) in John Ford's My Darling Clementine (1946).
  
• A director (Rowan Atkinson) helps Shakespeare (Hugh Laurie) spruce up the "dodgy" original soliloquy in Blackadder.
  
• Ned Joliffe.
  

OPHELIA'S MAD SCENE (4.5)

• Helena Bonham Carter: part 1 (after five minutes of 4.1 and 4.3), part 2.
• Julia Stiles. 
  
• Kate Winslett.

GRAVEDIGGER SCENE (5.1)

• Laurence Olivier and Olivier Stanley Holloway.
  
• Kevin Kline and MacIntyre Dixon.
  
• Kenneth Branagh and Billy Crystal.
  
• Mel Gibson and Trevor Peacock.
  

Colbert and Greenblatt Discuss Shakespeare and the Presidential Race

Stephen Colbert compares Beverly Hills Chihuahua to Troilus and Cressida, John McCain to Macbeth and Prospero, and Barack Obama to Hamlet and Puck.

Stephen Greenblatt answers a question in iambic pentameter, talks about McCain and Shakespeare's view of military heroism and leadership, and compares Sarah Palin to Bottom.

Part One:

Part Two:

Titus Andronicus on YouTube

Julie Taymor directs Anthony Hopkins in Titus.

Complete

• Overimaginated has posted all of Julie Taymor's Titus (1999), with Anthony Hopkins as Titus, Jessica Lange as Tamora, Harry J. Lennix as Aaron, Alan Cumming as Saturninus, Laura Fraser as Lavinia, Colm Feore as Marcus, James Frain as Bassianus, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Chiron, and Matthew Rhys as Demetrius. 
  

Scenes from Taymor's Titus

• 2.4: Violated Lavina.
  
• 3.1: Titus tells his sorrows to the stones.
  
• 4.1: Lavinia tells her story.
• 4.4: Saturninus complains to the Roman lords and is guided by Tamora.
• 5.3: The feast.
  

Other

• Charlie Rose interviews Julie Taymor about her film. 
  
• Julie Taymor gives an inspiring talk on theater. 
  
• The Reduced Shakesperare Company does Titus Andronicus as a cooking show. 
  
• A horror-movie version of 5.3, from Theatre of Blood (1973), with Vincent Price as Edward Kendall Sheridan Lionheart (Titus) and Robert Morley as Meredith Merridew (Tamora). 
  

Robert Morley and Vincent Price in Theatre of Blood.

(image from A History of Horror)

Twelfth Night on YouTube

Trevor Nunn directing Imogen Stubbs in Twelfth Night.

(Image from Shakespearemag.com)

Complete Films

• ShakespeareAndMore has posted John Sichel 1969 ITV production with Joan Plowright as Viola, Alec Guiness as Malvolio, Ralph Richardson as Sir Toby, John Moffatt as Sir Andrew, Gary Raymond as Orsino, and Adrienne Corri as Olivia.
  
• WatBorg (bless her) has posted Trevor Nunn's 1996 film, with Imogen Stubbs as Viola, Helena Bonham-Carter as Olivia, Toby Stephens as Orsino, Mel Smith as Sir Toby, Richard E. Grant as Sir Andrew, Ben Kingsley as Feste, and Nigel Hawthorne as Malvolio.
  

2.5: Gulling Malvolio

• Ralph Richardson: part one (starts with the end of 2.4), part two.
  
• Nigel Hawthorne.
  

3.1: Olivia Falls for Viola/Cesario

• Sinéad Cusack as Olivia and Felicity Kendal as Viola in John Gorrie's 1980 BBC production, with Trevor Peacock as Feste, Robert Hardy as Sir Toby, and Ronnie Stevens as Sir Andrew.
  
• Imogen Stubbs and Helena Bonham-Carter.
  

Songs

• Ben Kingsley sings Shaun Davey's music: "The rain it raineth every day," "O mistress mine," and "Come away, death!"
  
• Trevor Peacock in the BBC production: part one, part two.
  
• Civileso posts Paul Carey Jones, accompanied by Jane Samuel, singing Gerald Finzi's version of "Come away, death!"
  
• Emilie Autumn sings "O mistress mine."
  

Other

• Charlie Rose interviews Ben Kingsley, who talks about acting in Nunn's film.
  

As You Like It on YouTube

Olivier, Stewart, and Bergner in Czinner's As You Like It.

(Image from the British Film Institute)

1.2: The Wrestling Match

• From Paul Czinner's 1936 film, with a young Laurence Olivier as Orlando, Elisabeth Bergner as Rosalind, Sophie Stewart as Celia, Lionel Braham as Charles, and Mackenzie Ward as Touchstone. J. M. Barrie (yes, the Peter Pan creator) worked on the screenplay. 
  
• The opening of the scene, from Basil Coleman's 1978 BBC production, with Helen Mirren as Rosalind, Brian Stirner as Orlando, Angharad Rees as Celia, Clive Francis as Oliver, James Bolam as Touchstone, and Richard Pasco as Jaques. (Posted by ShakespeareAndMore.)
  

2.7: "All the World's a Stage"

• Kevin Kline as Jaques, from Kenneth Branagh's 2006 film, with Brian Blessed as Duke Frederick and Duke Senior, Alfred Molina as Touchstone, Janet McTeer as Audrey, Adrian Lester as Oliver, Romola Garai as Celia, David Oyelowo as Orlando, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Rosalind. 
  

3.2: Orlando's Verses

• From the BBC production: part one, part two. 
  

3.4-5: Phoebe and Silvius

• From the BBC production. 
  

4.1: Orlando and Rosalind (Playing Ganymede Playing "Rosalind")

• From the BBC production. 
  

5.1-2: Rosalind/Ganymede Makes Promises

• From the BBC production. 
  

5.4: The Conclusion

• From the BBC production. 
  

Other

• Three trailers from an intriguing new adaptation being made in San Diego: one, two, and  three (with a rockabilly version of Amien's "Under the greenwood tree"). 
  
• A cartoon version from the Leon Garfield adaptation: part one, part two, part three. 
  

Much Ado About Nothing on YouTube

Michael Keaton and Ben Elton as Dogberry and Verges in Branagh's 1993 film.

(Image from allrileyedup)

Complete

• Mystiktrueno has posted Branagh's version, with Emma Thompson as Beatrice, Branagh as Benedick, Kate Bekinsale as Hero, Robert Sean Leonard as Claudio, Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, Keanu (Neo) Reeves as Don John, and Michael Keaton as Dogberry.
  

1.1

• ShakespeareAndMore has posted scenes from Stuart Burge's 1984 BBC production, with Cherie Lunghi as Beatrice and Robert Lindsay as Benedick.
  

2.1

• The BBC production: part one, part two.
  

4.1

• The BBC production from the friar's counsel to the end of the scene.
  

5.4

• The BBC production.
  

Other

• From Shakespeare Retold, a modern adaptation set in a local TV newsroom. The best line comes in Benedick's 2.3 soliloquy: "Love's just one of those things a man grows into—like jazz or olives."