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29 comments:
I enjoyed the movie and especially how Olivier stayed true to Shakespeare. However, I didn't really like how Olivier broke the wooing of Anne into two parts. It lessened the impact of Richard and skips over how devoid of human emotion he is that he will try and seduce a women while her husband lays there dead. All in all I enjoyed the movie.
I also thought the way the wooing of Anne was done was peculiar. I thought it was far more effective as it was done in Ian McKellan's version, showing Richard is completely shameless.
I totally agree with Javier about the wooing scene. Oliver's version was a lot different than Richard's version of richard III.
I think breaking up the wooing scene doesn't do justice to Richard's evil. If it's broken up it's like she's had time to think about it and get over the deaths of her husband and father, but when Richard woos her all at once it just shows how skilled he is, even if his skills are in evil. Other than that though, I think Olivier does a lot to emphasize how evil Richard is. For instance, Olivier plays a lot with shadow and as a culture we associate darkness with evil. Seeing Richard with his long dark hair and his scowl framed by shadow emphasizes his evil qualities. Also, the way that Olivier switches the father's dead body for the husband's dead body in the wooing scene (which is also what happens in the Ian McKellen version) emphasizes how evil he is. Of course it's awful to woo Anne over either dead body, but making it the body of the husband just makes it that much more evil.
Richard creeped me out in this film. Overall though it was pretty good. I feel like the scene where he woos Anne was interesting because I feel like she falls in love so fast and forgets so quickly what he has done. If I were her I would have taken that sword and killed him!
Olivier did some really great acting in his adaption of Shakespeare's play. His clear character choices (lower center of gravity, limping, HUGE nose, clear operatives, changing pitch) really made him seem menacing and believable. His diction was also very clear, though as some times he may have spoken a little too fast, which is not uncommon for Shakespeare actors.
I very much disagree with Brianne. Having the wooing scene broken up into two scenes doesn't make the fact that Richard has coaxed a woman, who's husband he killed, into agreeing to marry him any less impressive. The break up of the scene allows it the idea that a Anne would agree to marry the man that killed her husband more believable. Also it allows Olivier to end the scene with the pair in the bedroom, this gives more of a feeling of dedication to their union.
The scene in which Richard lays out his initial plan to the audience was extremely powerful in this film because of the symbols that were used to represent power. As Richard gives his speech about assuming many faces, the crown is floating behind his head in such a way that it foreshadows Richard’s need for power. Lady Anne chooses to spit on Richard on multiple occasions, but the intent behind her action changes from one spit to another. At first, she sees Richard as a villain, but after being sweet talked by his suave words, Lady Anne is not able to hate Richard the way she used to. The crown is definitely the most symbolic figure throughout this film. It continues to appear throughout the film, even at the end when Richard loses the crown and it is kicked into the bush. This symbolizes his loss of power and the fall of his kingdom.
I was also disappointed that Olivier split the wooing scene into two. In the book, keeping it short made Richard seem more interested in Lady Anne and it more of an obstacle to achieve wooing her. In the movie he was more interested in power. Splitting the scenes into two sections elongates the period of time that Richard has to make advances towards Anne. Richard has the time to wear her down with his continuous advances.
After watching the movie I was a little dissapointed on how Lady Annes character was portrayed. Her husband just dies and her husbands killer is trying to woo her and at first, she doesnt give him a chance, but then Richard successfully woos Lady Anne and she is left in the arms of her husbands killer. What a love triangle...
I would have to agree with Brianne, breaking up the wooing scene, did really add something extra to perceived demeanor of Richard. I really loved the two scenes altogether, even after the first one, you can already see lady Anne start to fall for him ever so slightly even though she has just denounced everything that will or would ever touch him.
I actually thought the characters were well chosen in this film. I thought overall they were very strong; especially Olivier as Richard who seemed so "into" his character. And as for the love plot, i have to agree with MBA, Lady Anne was a sucker for giving into the one who killed her husband.
Laurence is tremendous, a weird poisonous portrait of a super rogue whose dark designs is briefly acknowledged. More important to the character, is the studiousness with which Laurence builds up tension within him as his mischief’s and crimes accumulate. Laurence has got some of the most memorable lines to deliver. “My horse, my horse, my kingdom for a horse”, “Now is the winter of our discontent...” But as a whole, the story is great, straight out of Shakespeare, with its flowery language and rapid fire dialogue.
It was interesting to see Olivier's version of Richard. Olivier seemed perfect for the role and his monologues were entertaining. Olivier just looks evil, and I think it really comes out in the film. The film was also easy to watch with the bright colors and the large sets.
In Olivier's version of Richard III, a different kind of evil is portrayed. He explores a new definition evil when he causes other people in the film and the audience to pity him because of his physical deformity. I believe this was the origin of his malevolence in the film. Stopping at nothing to achieve his reprehensible goals.
I agree with zacho. Olivier fitted the role of Richard very well. He always seemed to be watching what was going on as he would narrate for the audience. It's because of this that he knows what each character is doing throughout the play.
I'd have to say i enjoyed this film more than the other richard the third because i had more of a sense of what was going on... I think if we were to watch this movie first then the second richard it would have been better due to the date in which the films were created. The contrast between the movies made it interesting to the audience and I still find it interesting how you change a movie set up after one other movie has already been created from Shakespeare.
I have to agree with Jennifer. I loved how Olivier stayed true to shakespeare especially after hearing the reasons behind it. I also thought Ann fell in love with him too fast after what he had done. I enjoyed the watching the film because it was entertaining. It seemed like Olivier is the only person right for the role.
The film was a little bit slow after seeing the previous version of the film, but it really did stay true to the shakespearean element of it. A more modern version of the film helped me grasp the concepts better.
I had slightly high expectations from the previous version of this film. I was slightly dissapointed by the pace of the movie and how everything with Ann seemed to happen a little to quickly. However the modernness of this version helped me understand some of the real meanings behind many of the scenes.
The movie was a great way to use today's modern day vilans. The incorporation of Hitler was excellent. There were many little hints that played out throughout the movie but they all just made you smirk as you are able to understand the true evil Richard the third possessed through his short reign.Over all the movie gave a great visual of evilness I believe Shakespeare had in mind while writing the play.
Hilary Ingram said...
This whole entire play really was just disturbing and I think that the movie did a great job at portraying just how disturbing the play really was. I think that all the characters did a really great job and that Ian McKellan did especially amazing as Richard. The ending scene was pretty good too with all the visual effects.
I was and still am a great admirer of Laurence Olivier. I first saw his film of Richard 111 on TV in the early 60's. I became an instant admirer of his and that film really introduced me to the classics especially Shakespeare. I recently brought on DVD Richard 111 with Olivier and I still find Laurence Olivier's perormance as brilliant now as I did then, he really made the part his own I have seen other actors play the part but in my opinion none came up to Olivier's performance he really captured the persona of Richard as Shakespeare wrote it. The pathos that Olivier put into his acting was brilliant I think. I like especially the way in which Olivier enriched it with a certain amount of humour and his Richard was almost feminine at times. And that high pitched vocal address regarding his voice who can forget that. And he directed and produced the film as well, he really knew his onions I think and the brilliant cast he also got together Claire Bloom, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, etc all classical trained actors. Well done Larry it is a pity you aren't with us anymore.
I found this play to be really gruesome but it nailed the theme to the tip. Since this play is suppose to be disturbing Olivier did a wonderful job portraying it in the movie. The best part of the movie is when anne falls in love instantly and then falls out of love so quickly.
This is yet another disturbing film but yet is was a perfect display of the play written by Shakespeare. Oliver fit the role of Richard perfectly and made the play seem so real. However I still do not understand how all of those women feel for such a horrible man!!!
I really appreciated the job that Oliver did on this movie. Shakespeare would be proud. Oliver did a really good job of showing the classic side of Shakespeare's words. I also have to agree with Chelsey, it just don't make sense to me why women would fall for such a bad man.
This disturbing film did the job. I felt that it kept to the script really well. I have to agree that Ann fell in love with him too fast after what he had done. But it's her decision to be with him.
CH said...
I agree with what everyone said about this film. I feel like it was too violent and gruesome film to watch. It was very painful to watch because it was too intense. I found myself looking away at many times.
I cannot believe the story of Richard III. He is an evil man yet some how uses his manipulation to get his way. Just because he is deformed he gets whatever he wants and that is his excuse for being a villain. Well obviously if you have a physical deformity you should automatically be a villain. Richard definitely got what he deserved in the end of the movie. I do not believe people like that should have good outcomes for their evil ways. Because Richard was such a horrible person the film needed to be grueling to really capture the essence of Richard. He was not a decent human being. He was ruthless and that is what the film demonstrated.
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