4/20/09
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Who best performs the "To be or not to be" soliloquy?
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Fishburne as Othello was very convincing, especially with his eyes being able to show fury passion as Baranagh plays a less annoying Shakespeare character. Not to discredit Branagh or hate on him, because as mentioned in class yesterday, he plays a clever and deceiving villain whose demeanor fooled everyone, especially Othello and Rodrigo (a reoccurring actor in Branagh's films).
ReplyDeleteThis is probably my favorite role for Branagh that we've seen him in. I liked him as Benedick too, but he makes a great Iago. He really comes through as a wolf in sheep's clothing. I also really like the way that we keep getting flashes of Desdemona committing adultery. It gives us a visual representation of the way that jealousy creeps in and takes over Othello's mind.
ReplyDeleteI definetly have to agree with Brianne, Branagh did a excellent job at playing Iago. All of the actors did a really good job at brining the characters to life. My favorite part of the film is when Iago gives Desdemona a hug of comfort after Othello slaps Desdemona across the face. The look in his eyes is priceless, he looks satisified.
ReplyDeleteI felt like this movie was very well directed, and it really helped me to understand the reading that i had done on othello. i really did enjoy this movie, i felt like it had very good acting, and the actors really did portray the characters in an excellant way. i was impressed that i enjoyed it as much as i did.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this movie much more than other Branagh films. Much Ado was pretty funny and clever, but Branagh is definitely better at playing the bad guy, than he is the good guy. I thought Fishburne did a great job as Othello but sometimes it seemed as though he had an accent that kept changing. Sometimes it sounded British and other times it sounded a little bit Jamaican...it was weird
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a lot of movies with Lawrence Fishburne in it, but I have to say that I thought he did a good job with his role in this movie. I thought Kenneth Branagh in his role as well, but I think that he did a better job as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. Seeing this movie made me understand reading the play a lot more about what was going on and all that so much better. I love how each of Shakespeare's plays has that element of revenge in them whether it be a small portion of the play/movie or is part of the entire thing. That is what keeps me on the edge of my seat whenever I watch these films. The mystery portion and what is ultimately going to happen is what keeps the audience guessing and this adaptation of Shakespeare's "Othello" is no different.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this film. All the plotting and backstabbing really lured me, like most of Shakespeares tragedies do. I thought the acting was really good and I enjoyed watching it.
ReplyDeletePrior to watching this film i had only seen the modern film based on Othello called "O". watching the other version first made it easier to follow and enjoy. I think it's pretty amazing how Shakespeare interprets jealousy.
ReplyDeleteThis film was really good. It was a bit of a relief to not have everything focus on Branagh all the time, not that he is a terrible actor or anything. Fishburn was perfect for the role of Othello and the those two really played well off one another.
ReplyDeleteThis movie really followed Shakespeare's Othello very well and made it really understandable. This was up there with my favorite movies we have watched in class. I thought Fishburne made a great Othello and truly portrayed the agonizing jealousy the character goes trough. I agree with everyone else that it was a nice change to not have the entire movie focus on Branagh.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that it was nice change of pace to see Branagh in the role of the villain instead of his usual turn as the gallant hero. You really love to hate Iago because of his shameless scheming.
ReplyDeleteYes Javier, it is odd at most that Branagh is a villain. He was usually the hero and the great..but not he is the wicked yet characterized in his position. However, he played well on his part and have always act so calm during his mischief moment.
ReplyDeletePoor Desdemona, left in disgrace...
I like how Branagh always turned to the camera to let the audience know what he was thinking in his head.
ReplyDeleteAs several other have said I also felt that Branagh did a good job in this film playing the villain, it was very different to see him playing the villain rather than the hero. I felt like this film was for the most part easy to understand and after having done the ready I had a very good idea of the whole plot line.
ReplyDeleteI loved watching Laurence Fishburne play Othello. I thought he was amazing for the role. It was also interesting to see Branagh as the antagonist instead of his usual Shakespeare roles. It was very different from his roles as Benedick and Hamlet. I thought this movie was very enjoyable to watch and it had a great cast.
ReplyDeleteI like seeing Branagh as a new Shakespeare character. Instead of being funny or over dramatic, he seemed a lot more human and normal in this film. I like the modern touch of this Othello. Movies are always better to watch in color!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Fishburne in this film, the amount of passion he poured into his character surpassed Branagh. I think Branagh played a good villian, but certainly not one of his better performances, to me I think he played a better hero, it seemed he was more comfortable in that role. Despite his over zealous acting in his previous heroic roles, he still played a better passionate, caring, and virtuous character than an evil one.
ReplyDeletei really enjoyed this movie the entire time, i liked every charcter especially Branagh's charcter lago and Fisburrne played a really good Othello. this has become my favorite movie that we have watched so far
ReplyDeleteI loved how Branagh looked at the camera all the time. It made him look like a cunning and sneaky fellow because he seemed to know something that the rest of the characters didnt. Best movie of the year by far...
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the movie. What I want to focus on though is the vanity of Othello, which Shakespeare always seems to instill in his major characters. I say this because in the closing seen Othello says to remember all the great things he has done and tell those stories. Basically to preserve his good name and to make him a legend. This is quite similar to Hamlet's dying speech impeaching his friend to remember all the good he has done and tell his story. This is why in my opinion I see Othello as a sort of anti-hero because true heroes do not need to spout their own virtues.
ReplyDeleteI felt like this verion of Othello really did a good job of captivating the Shakspearian play. It was easy to follow, and the characters were play very well. I liked how they interacted with eachother. I thought that the directing in this movie was also very good, it make it really easy to understand, and after watching the film i reread the readings on Othello, and that allowed me to understand it even more!
ReplyDeleteI thought the best part about Iago's character was that I truly found myself liking him. I watched him plot disaster throughout the story in true Machiavel fashion but still could not help but find him likeable. Branaugh portrayed this perfectly, and that's saying a lot coming from someone who finds him pretty obnoxious. :)
ReplyDeleteI thought this movie was excellent. Both actors for Iago and Othello did an great job. Othello's passion was definitely captured by Fishburne and Iago played the deceitful villain very convincingly. I agree with NikkyB that they truly captured the Shakespearian play.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how Branagh's acting really reflected the Machiavellian characteristics of Iago. I loved how he would act friendly and compassionate to all the characters, but then look at the camera and expressed how he really felt. It reminded me of a quote from Machiavelli, "everyone sees you for what you appear to be, few experience what you really are." His acting made it feel like the audience were the only ones experiencing who he was. Great movie.
ReplyDeleteI really like the progressive downfall that happens in this story. The added flashes that Othello has of Desdemond committing adultery lends to this progression. The audience can see how Othello easily slips into a belief that Desdemond is betraying him. Kenneth Branagh is absolutely wonderful in this movie. He does a terrific job with hiding his intentions from the characters but showing the audience exactly what his true agenda is.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Branagh is better at playing a jealous demonizing character over a vulnerable, light headed character, like Benedick. I also enjoyed the conversational dialogue over the typical poetic dialogue. And I also enjoy films that depict problems that still occur today. It reassures us that problems that existed hundreds of years ago, such as jealousy and evil conspiracies still exist today and we are nothing but dust in the wind.
ReplyDeleteIago's presence is almost frightening in this film, as he will lie and deceive any character he can in order to fulfill his plan. Then, the next moment he will be whispering or talking to the camera and telling them what will really happen. He is a classic villain, and succeeds to create one of the saddest tales of all time.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this version of the film much more than Welle's film because of Branagh's ability to act as so many different characters. We have all seen him in numerous Shakespeare films, but this film seemed to capture his role perfect.
ReplyDeleteThis film was another one of my favorites that we've seen. I agree with the person that mentioned Othello's "flashbacks" to Desdemona in bed with Cassio, because they really did help the viewers to understand his anger toward Desdemona and Cassio, regardless of whether or not she really was unfaithful. Branagh did a great job again, and I think he made his character exactly what it was meant to be -- a deceitful and backstabbing person. Branagh also spoke directly to the camera on multiple occasions, which as we've discussed before, engages the audience in what he is thinking and planning, while the other characters have no idea of what he is planning.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with many of the other above when they said that this was one of Branagh's better roles. Having him be the villan was refresting after seeing him as the main lead and character in almost every other film he puts himself in. After reading the passages of Othello in our book, this film made it much easier to understand. The mystery of the film made it sort of exciting and it wasnt hard to follow.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I have yet to see Branagh in a role that he hasn't done well at. Fishburne made an excellent Othello as well. While this is not my favorite Shakespeare play, I found the film incredibly enjoyable. Iago is an interesting character to say the least and even in defeat he refuses to give anything back to the surviving characters. "Demand me nothing, What you know, you know: From this time forth I never will speak word"
ReplyDeleteI very much agree with the previous posts which praises the work of both Fishburne and Branagh. Both have an amazing ability to really get into the character and become, in my opinion, what Shakespeare would have wanted. When I was watching the film, I quickly became enthralled in both the characters, and had a hard time reflecting on other roles they may have had before this one. Fishburne makes it look easy to go from a love stuck newlywed to a hateful murdering husband. As Professor Obrien mentioned before the film, Branagh does seem like someone you could go have a beer with, which allows him to get as far as he does in the film. He is able to manipulate and lie for his own benefit, and portrays the role of a true psychopath extremely well.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with Nathan. Branagh is an amazing Shakespearian actor and is always a perfect fit for his roles. There is something about him that just brings so much passion to his dramatic character choices.
ReplyDeleteDesdemona is unperturbed by the tempest or Turks that threatened their crossing, and genuinely curious rather than irate when she is roused from bed by the drunken brawl in Act II. She is indeed Othello’s fair warrior, and he is happiest when he has her by his side in the midst of military conflict or business. The military also provides Othello with a means to gain acceptance in Venetian society. While the Venetians in the play are generally fearful of the prospect of Othello’s social entrance into white society through his marriage to Desdemona, all Venetians respect and honor him as a soldier.
ReplyDeleteI loved the character lago, he really made the movie as good as it could possibly be. after watching both versions of Othello I feel that this one made a little more sense to me. I believe that it had a lot to do with the production and year it was made. I also feel that the ending scene with Othello and Desdemona was a little more accurate to Shakespeare play than Well's version.
ReplyDeleteIt was very interesting to see Laurence Fishburne as Othello. He does an amazing job when put into character roles such as Othello. He seems to be very patient about his job as an actor and it is witnessed in this film. It was a nice change from his character on CSI Las Vegas. I also felt that this was one of Branagh's better roles in his Shakespeare films. In past films I have felt he needed to cast a different lead other than himself, but in this production his character fit perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Fishburne does a great job as Othello. He seems to fall into the role perfectly, having a true understanding of the character. I found myself being captured by Iago's character. He is such an evil and manipulative character that I just want to learn more about him. I really enjoyed the movie.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Oliver Parker’s Othello. I made me think of the “moor” as a total badass and I thought that Laurence Fishburne pulled off the character well. Mostly everyone hated him in the film because he was different looking than everybody else and they were being racist. Many people who wished him dead had to pretend to be his ally because they needed him to be a general. The “G” warrior is then bamboozled by some nerdy swine named, Iago. Oh! How I loathe Iago.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of my favorite movies we watched in class and one of Kenneth Branaugh's best performance. I thought Laurence Fishburne also played a great Othello. But Lago was a quintessential Shakespeare villain and a great antagonist for the movie. We got to see a different side of Branaugh, not a good guy, which was a great view of his acting talent.
ReplyDeleteEven with only about half of the original Shakespeare in parkers version of Othello I think that it stays true to what Shakespeare would have wanted and stays with the major themes and conflicts. It is quite easy to follow Othello’s jealousy and we can easily identify with his flaw. I think that Parker does a great job of using light and dark filming through out the movie and I think the use of a black Othello is different and I can see the meaning behind it. Parker did a good job making this version of the play easy to watch and enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThis was probably one of my favorite movies of the year. The story itself has everything, love, mistaken identity and death. I think Parker does a amazing job with really capturing the deception of each character. I did think Branaugh character was a little overdone. Fishburne's portray of Othello is amazing. He really plays the antagonizing character well. This was a very easy movie to follow and understand, very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThe way the characters were looking into the camera added a huge amount of intimidation and drama in the story line.
ReplyDeleteGreat film. I actually saw this in high school when we were reading Othello and I loved it then too. Iago has to be one of my favorite Shakespeare charactes and Branagh knocks it out of the park. You can't help but appreciate how devious and manipulative Iago is and Branagh does a great job playing this role.
ReplyDeleteI agree with ya Melissa .. trying to understand Shakespearean language is hard....lol Its self seemes like it could be a real language. lol I also thought charaters were well played.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bentorii and Melissa i have to try incredibly hard to understand Shakespeare language. It gets me confused even after i think i already understand it.
ReplyDeleteFishburne did a great job with Othello, an unexpected actor to play this role, and he did great. Branagh did a good job with Iago as well, he was good at being deceptive. I enjoyed him in Much Ado About Nothing as well. He does a great job with being manipulative and helps develop Othello's character in the film.
ReplyDeleteOthello is an interesting story and I think this screen interprutation of it is awesome. It's new and kinda of weird to see Branagh play a character that has such evil intentions but he makes Iago believeable. What was interesting was that in this movie as in Richard III the villian talks straight to the audience. Fishburne played a believeable Othello, showing the inner pain of a man forced to the edge by jealousy and paranoia.
ReplyDeleteFinally Branagh was a good actor! I think while he is not directing, he is capable of being a very talented, convincing actor. Iago was exactly as I had imagined him to be. The most evil villain, yet the most intriguing. Parker did a really good job directing this film. He showed just how much Iago is willing to do. All of the manipulation, you see it over and over again between Iago and Roderigo. Iago would always convince Roderigo he would get Desdemona eventually. Using his false hope and playing him like a puppet to help him with his evil plan, unconciously. I think this was a brilliant portrayal of Othello.
ReplyDeleteI thought Parker did a great job representing the main characters in this movie. Fishburne did excellent representing Othello as a strong general and leader who ends up destroying everything due to his own jealousy. Also, i felt Branagh did the best job of playing his character Iago. I was so intrigued by his amazing ability to manipulate everyone and not got caught, and I actually found myself getting frustrated at times for nobody catching on. I thought he did a good job of keeping the audience interested and I thought it was a great film.
ReplyDeleteBranagh did an excellent job at playing Lago in this film. I liked the way he played his character in Parker's film best in the way he was very manipulative. I enjoyed the intensity of this film, and the way it captured so many feelings, including jealousy, love, as well as greed. This movie was a very interesting twist on the the classic Shakespearian Othello. Good film.
ReplyDeleteI think this movie was well directed and enjoyable to watch. i thought the language got a bit confusing at times, but over all it was a good movie. It kept my attention, and i was never bored.
ReplyDeleteI think it was a good cast of actors. Laurence Fishburne was very powerful playing Othello and I liked the way Kenneth Branagh played the "honest" Iago. Good directing, I didn't especially like all the close ups but I guess that is to show the tension.
ReplyDeleteOne of the main things that I enjoyed about this film was that it really made a great connection between Othello by Shakespeare. Kenneth Brannagh was an excellent Iago and he played teh role to the very end of his death. He nailed so mnay parts that were important in this movie including love, "friendship", and he was a very mischievous charcter that played it very well.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Kenneth Branagh molds quite well into the villainous Iago much like he fits into just about every role he takes. I got the sense in the play that Desdemona is killed quite quickly by Othello but in the movie the murder scene is quite dragged out. Laurence Fishburne did an excellent job in his portrayal of Othello. A similiarity betwen the movie and the play would be the ending with a dark cloud looming with an uncertain future.
ReplyDeleteIt as definitely a good cast. i thought it was interesting how they used the characters wardrobe to represent the characters mental state. For example, in the beginning, Laurence Fishburne's character was wearing orange, such as his shirt and his hair wrap. Orange represents happiness and success. However in the end, after Iago spits poison into Othellos ear, he starts wearing more black, representing death, evil and the unknown.
ReplyDeleteOnce again Kenneth Branagh did and excellent job as Iago. He really portrays the image to the cast that he is "honest" and does a great job showing the audience his incredibly evil side!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Collinshead that Laurence Fishburne played a powerful Othello. It was hard for me to even see Othellos sweet side because his appearance and present is so tough and rough. But Othello does do a great job showing his sensitive side when he is about to kill Desdemona. You can tell he loves her, yet can't bear to look at her because Iago has poisoned his image of his wife.
-SCC
I really enjoyed this film, surprisingly! It was a lot more gruesome than i imagined. It really gave me a clear understanding of the story that is for sure. Othello and Desdemona were great together, she was exactly what i pictured when reading the text.
ReplyDeleteHilary Ingram said...
ReplyDeleteI didn't think that i was going to like Othello at all because of the reading. I didn't understand the reading very well so I thought I was going to be confused the whole time. But, the actors did a really good job. Othello was a really great actor and showed his compassionate side, his tough side and his sensitive side all very well. I agree with everyone above as well that Branagh did great job at being the villainous Lago. He is a great actor that can switch his character so well. I really liked this movie.
I feel as if this story is hard to read but very interesting to watch. As I watched the film I thought I understood the plot a lot more and it was more entertaining. The cast was excellent and I believe they helped us understand to story much more clearly with their excellent skills. Othello was such a great leader and it kept the story intact the whole time great film.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Branagh was perfect for the role of Iago. I agree with the previous comment made that he can play a character that is supposed to be hated by the audience very well. Even in other films like Henry V, I was not found of his character. In his face and the way he looks at the camera can be very cold.
ReplyDeleteEAI
ReplyDeleteI love watching Kenneth Branagh. I think he makes these shakespeare movies so funny! He was great as Iago. I thought the movie was very interesting, I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. Othello was also played very well. Everytime he would enter the screen, it seemed as if he commanded the room.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed watching this film. Initially, I wasn't sure how convincing Laurence Fishburne would be as Othello, but I thought he was great. Especially in the end, when he realizes he has wrongly executed his wife. I agree with Lorleno and ChemGirl, that Branagh played evil well. I loved how Othello initially refered to him as "Honest" Iago, it set up his character for betrayal perfectly. However, my favorite Shakesperian villian thusfar is still Aaron the Moor. I think Branagh is such a wonderful Shakesperian actor because he truly has an understanding of the text and how it can be portrayed into modern media. A great tragic film.
ReplyDeleteI think that Branagh did a wonderful job in this film and although I do not normally like Laurence Fishburne as an actor i think that he also did a good job in this film.
ReplyDeleteI felt Branagh did a great job with this film. Fishburne's acting as Othello in the film was very good not what I expected. Branagh always does a great job with Shakespeare's plays so I was not surprised when I enjoyed Othello just as much as the other films we have watched in class. Throughout the film, Othello took charge and really captured the audience with his presence.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Parker's Othello. Lawrence Fishbourne is a very good actor and plays his part well. I also like how Branagh doesnt direct this film but he still plays a large part in the movie. I wasnt really enthralled with how the main characters are so manipulative. and how Othello trusts his "friend" over his wife.I guess it was just the times.
ReplyDeleteThe character of Iago, although not the title character of the play or movie, was the centerpiece of the story. The plot revolved around his mistidings and misinformation. I think that the title should be changed to reflect his evil intentions and deeds.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that Laurence Fishburne did an amazing job in this film. I would say that without a doubt, this movie was by far the most bothersome for me out of all of the Shakespearian films we have watched. Such horrible actions and events took place, and the overall feeling of deception was quite depressing. I was horrified at how the characters acted and felt a bit drained by the time the movie ended.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was amazing! I really did appreciate the way Shakespeare was able to portray a villan, and destroy a true love. It was just crazy how the characters were able to assume and one thing led to another. And the end led to death. I have never read Othello or have studied the play so it was quite interesting to watch for the first time. One of my favorites now.
ReplyDeletei loved this film. I especially loved the morals behind the film. the character lago did a wonderful job expressing great morals and ethics. It was a great story with villans and love. I agree with Zach and hoe Lago was the main character of the film although maybe not portrayed to be.
ReplyDeleteOthello is one of those plays that shows the true side to those that pose harm to others. Lago is one of those people you don't want to cross due to his tow face tendencies. Lago gets his excitement from his destruction of relationships. He is depicted as being really evil by Oliver Parker and has no way of backing down from anything.
ReplyDeleteI loved this film! Kenneth Branagh did a great job with the role of Iago. It's a very difficult role, being the machiavel and all. and lawrence fishburne was a great othello. this was a very good adaptation of a pretty difficult piece to perform.
ReplyDeleteWyatt
ReplyDeleteI agree with previous posts that this is one of Branagh's better films. Usually, Branagh does a great job playing Shakespear's characters but his portrayal of Iago was his best yet. What I liked about Parker's version of the play was that he kept Iago's monologues in the movie; this helped the audience better understand both the plot and Iago's machiavel characteristics.
This whole film is based on deception. It is extremely annoyign how easily Othello believed Iago. Othello had a happy and peaceful marriage before Iago interferred. It blew my mind how Othello did not even question Cassio actions to see if he in fact did sleep with his wife. There is always two side to a story and Iago made it look so easy to only make one of those side available. I am glad Iago saw his in the end and was killed. However, I am very dissapointed that the two wives were killed alongside their husbands. In my eyes, this is one of Shakespeares biggest tradgedies.
ReplyDeleteThis film was really a great film. I could not believe that Othello believed everything that Iago said. He should of found out that he was a fake. Iago just got lucky how everything played out to not get caught. I thought Othello would of questioned Cassio at least. To me he would not go to the extent of killing his wife with out asking the person who he thinks cheated on him with. I am glad that Iago did not still stay alive at the end, look at all the controversy that Iago caused.
ReplyDeleteI found it sort of ironic that Othello was betrayed by his closest friend, who told him how his other closest friend had betrayed him. It's a powerful message.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this movie, even though it left me feeling slightly depressed after watching it. Going into it, I knew this was supposed to be a tragic film, but I couldn't help feeling hopeful that Emilia might burst into the room and prevent Othello from smothering Desdemona. Oh well. ): I think Branagh's Iago was my favorite character, you can't help kind of liking him--which is what makes him so dangerous in the first place! I also enjoyed seeing Kenneth Branagh play something other than the hero.
ReplyDelete-GMW
Sorry if I end up posting twice, I don't think my first one went through!
ReplyDeleteI really liked this film, even though it left me feeling slightly depressed after seeing it. Going in, I knew this was supposed to be a tragic movie, but I couldn't help feeling hopeful that Emilia might burst into the room and prevent Othello from smothering Desdemona. Oh well. ): I think my favorite character was Branagh's Iago. You can't help but like the evil backstabber --which makes him so dangerous in the first place! I also enjoyed seeing Kenneth Branagh play something other than the dashing hero for once.
-GMW
Iago is my favorite villain. It helps that I like Kenneth Branagh but overall I felt that Iago is the most cunning villain. Although Richard III is the creepiest Shakesperian villain Iago is the most devious and the most personal. Richard III doesn't allow personal feeling to influence his opinion, it's about business with Richard III but with Iago it is personal matters that dictate his plans.
ReplyDeletei thought that this film made the play a lot more understandable. also i enjoyed this film because it was a little different in the fact that the plot as a little darker but it still kept true to shakespeares style of play writing with all the backstabbing and betrayal.
ReplyDeleteLaurence Fishburne played an amazing Othello. The storyline was very entertaining and I liked all the characters, but not so much Iago. I thought it was a bit unreal that Othello completely believed Iago when he told him Desdemona was cheating on him. However, it all led up to a dramatic ending. I thought the ending was well put together, sharing enough tragedy and heartache.
ReplyDeleteI think watching the movie helped me understand the reading much more than just doing the reading itself. Laurence Fishburne plays an excellent Othello. You can see the passion of his character in his eyes and everything he does in the movie.
ReplyDeleteI was skeptical about about Laurence Fishurne as Othello, but i was very impressed by his performance. Largo is my favorite shakespeare villain by far. Really liked the movie.
ReplyDeleteThis was an intense film to watch. Both husbands killed their wives. I thought it was interesting how easy Othello was persuaded that his wife was having an affair and then talked into murdering her. This reminded me about Claudio and Hero in Much Ado about nothing. Both men were easily persuaded that their women were cheating on them. They both were also easily able to harm their women either physically or mentally.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how Largo was played by Kenneth Branagh. He did a great job coming off as an honest friend to Othello and a perfect villain to the audience.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was very interesting. I had never read Othello and I didn't really know what to expect, but Laurence Fishbourne's acting was great to say the least, however Kenneth Branagh stole the show. His two-faced villainy had gone unnoticed to everyone in the movie, and led to so much chaos and death. He is by far my favorite villain in the shakespeare movies that we've seen. However, something that I didn't like was how Othello believed Iago almost immediately after he told him that his wife was cheating on him. It didn't take much convincing on Iago's part, he just planted it in Othello's head and Othello's emotions took it from there.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Branagh writes, produces, and stars in most of the Shakespeare remakes he is part of. He therefore has a huge appreciation and understanding of Shakespeare's work. This understanding allows him to portray an accurate interpretation of Shakespeare's words. Branagh, who usually plays the hero, takes on the role of the villian. Branagh does a great job in harnessing the Lagos jealousy and really outperforms the other players.
ReplyDeleteBranagh did an excellent job portraying Iago, one of the most complex and conniving villains in all of Shakespeare's plays. It takes someone with a lot of knowledge of Shakespeare's work to play this character, and this is why I think he was chosen to play this role.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was excellent just like BryanC stated, the complexity of the play really makes it difficult to portray correctly and Branagh did a great job showing Iagos villiany, conniving, and evil spirit. The constant battle between love and rumors adds to the suspense of the film, Shakspeares always interesting fight of love is really evident in this film. Another one of my favorites.
DeleteI enjoyed watching branagh out of his usual role and as a villain, which i believe he did a great job at doing.
ReplyDeleteAs seen in the number of other movies viewed in class, Kenneth Branagh's Iago is played with that understanding a Shakespearean scholar has of the characters and their intricacies. Whiloe that is expected of him, Laurence Fishburne's Othello was just as well played. Fishburnes shows the passion of Othello, while also showing how the qualities that make him valued soldier cause him to lose his cool and end in his downfall
ReplyDeleteI was very impressed by the direction of Oliver Parker's Othello. A scene that was especially intriguing to me was the first time Desdemona and Othello sleep together. Parker filmed it to seem almost like a animal chase with Desdemona being the victim and Othello being the hunter. The weakness of Desdemona, I believe, is shown so obviously in this scene. With the music filled with an anxious and heavy drum beat, it emphasizes what is soon to come. Othello being driven so insane by lies, he ultimatley kills the innocent Desdemona. I loved the way the film was directed and Branagh and Fishburne had incredible chemistry throughout the film and played a very believable Othello and Iago.
ReplyDeletethis movie was very interesting and comfusing. i really wanted Desdemona and othello to be together but his jealousy got in the way. i was confused at the end because lago never said why he wanted everyone to die, maybe he wanted to be king?
ReplyDeletewell i have to say that i was a little weird seeing Mophius from the Matrix playing a main character in a Shakespeare movie. I did enjoy his role in this film and how his character was still hardcore. I dont know if I enjoy the ending and him murdering his wife but overall the film enjoyable and kept my attention.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what morgan said, it was different seeing Laurence Fishburne in a Shakespearean role. I think he did a great job and really was able to capture Othello's intensity and charisma. Iago was a scary villain because he played everyone against each other so easily and without a moment of guilt.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this film, and as others mentioned it was strange seing Laurence Fishburne play such a violent role, and all the other charachters I felt were very well cast as well. I love seeing Kenneth Branagh in all of these different films because it really gives you an appreciation for his versitility and skill. I especially noticed and have come to enjoy how so many of the charachters and plots in Shakespeare's plays so easily accept what others tell them as truth and this leads to disaster, even though its fairly unrealistic alot of the time it is humerous. This was definatly one of Shakespeares most interesting plays to me personally.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this version of Othello by Branagh. I is a very inciting and intense film. I thought the casting of Ewan McGregor as Lago. I thought that he played the part brilliantly. He captures the manipulative and deviant character of Lago. His character is by far my favorite of the film. He is so entertaining to watch because of his incredibly evil intensions throughout the story. I'm still unclear of what his motives were for all of his efforts for destroying their lives.
ReplyDeleteThe first film in which we saw Branagh as the antagonist and it was a well played film. It was interesting to him play a character so far from the usual charters we had become accustomed to over the course of the class. It was well acted and well told. It is always so strange to me what these charters will do with a little gossip and hearsay. Seems like most of these plays would be alot shorter and boring if the charters asked each other what was truth and fiction before they let it get too far.
ReplyDeleteDefiantly my favorite movie in class. I think the cast did a great job play the roles and Oliver Park did a great job directing the cast. I thought the actress who played Desdemona did an exceptional job, she knew how to play an innocent character really well. Branagh did a great job playing Iago. I think when he doesn't direct the film he does a much better job acting. Through out the film I was a bit confused on why Iago was being so villainous and i finally understood he had no reason for any of his doings.
ReplyDeletei thought this was a wonderful film and did a great job in following Shakespeares original play. i thought the cast was also chosen very nicely, othello was my favorite in particular but i also loved seeing branagh in this type of role, so different from what he usually plays. great film!
ReplyDeletenicole r
I thought Fishburne and Branagh played extremely well off of each other and had really great chemistry and genuinely liked working with each other which is what made this film so great because these two actors you could tell had a lot of passion and conviction when they were acting through out the film and delivering their lines as well
ReplyDeleteI think this film captured Shakespeare's original play quite wonderful. The acting was strong and dramatic. Everyone was emotional and stern. It kind of felt like a play but being filmed with a higher budget. The film was just very intense. All the deceiving that ultimately led to Desdemona's death is unreal. It isn't the ending I was hoping for.
ReplyDeleteWhat can you say about Branagh...? The man is just pure talent. This is definitely one of his best performances in my opinion. I felt the connection between him Fishburne truly authentic and you can not fake that. Yago being so deceiving and such a traitor, i am still contemplating what his next move would have been if the play continued to be alive. The ending is an upset, but it is what was needed to create a great play.
ReplyDeleteThis version of the play has a really high production value. The scenes are drawn out really well and the actors are phenominal. Laurence Fishburne did an excellent job at performing Othello. He rage and anger brought the most out of his scenes.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this film, and th eintensity that surroundes it. The character choice was extremely well done, probably my favorite of Branagh. The emotions they portrayed were so well done, and it was believable. I loved the story line, all of this made for an affective Shakespearian tragedy.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say about this play was that it was the mostn intense one we have watched this semester. The All of the characters were very emotional and i feel that this is what made the play what it was. Also i think it was better than the original.
ReplyDeleteOthello is a great play and the movie was on par. The struggle between what parents want for their children and what they want for themselves is someone that is often a struggle. The Actors came up big in this film and portrayed what Shakespeare would have wanted in his play.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this movie, but I am not much a fan of tragedy films. These types of movies leave me shaken and sad. Despite this, I feel this movie was well filmed and cast. I especially like how the characters speak to the audience about their true thoughts and motives. I was so angered by Othello's actions and belief in Lago's lies. Overall an engaging movie!
ReplyDelete-brigg
As a character as Iago was, Kenneth Branagh did a very entertaining job playing him. The moments where he was alone and looked straight into the camera allowed Iago to connect with the audience in a weird way, and we got to see a side of him no one else could. The whole movie was very compelling, and I kept wanting to know if Iago's plan would work and was very disappointed (but not too surprised) when Othello did kill his true love based on lies. Guess that's why this is called a tragic play.
ReplyDeleteBoth Fishburne and Branagh did a fantastic job in their respective roles. Othello's struggle with anger and jealousy was very well played, and tragic to watch. As for Iago, there were times when you forgot about the villain that he really was and almost liked him. I think his deceptiveness would have fooled the viewers if he did not confide in them. It wasn't until the scene in the bed chamber that he showed his true and horrifying nature to everyone. In my opinion, he was a better Machiavel than Richard.
ReplyDeleteOthello is by far one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. The way that Iago is able to mingle everyone into his two-faced plot is the most villainous and well thought out plan by any of Shakespeare's villains. He is able to convince everyone of a false sense of truth and loyalty by turning everyone against one another; he gets the best out of everyone from Roderigo and Desdemona to the wise Othello himself. Iago does this all out of his hate for The Moore, or Othello. Othello is a very wise and noble character who has a sense of calm about him, so when I saw that he was being played by Laurence Fishbourne I was somewhat skeptical. However, I thought he did a great acting job in showing his restraint and wisdom at times and then his utter despair at the end.
ReplyDeleteFishburn was my favorite character in the play. His acting was very convincing and you could see it in his eyes in every scene that he was in. The fury and passion in his eye’s was very convincing in all of his scenes. Branagh demeanor fooled everyone in the film, especially Othello and Rodrigo. His role in the film was to be a villain who was clever and deceiving, which he did perfectly. Even though he wasn’t my favorite character because I found him annoying he was a great actor in the film. Compared to Much Ado About Nothing, Branagh did a better job at being the villain then being the nice guy.
ReplyDeleteFishburn was a very good Othello. he plays him as a very wise and noble man. this was one of my favorite shakespeare plays because of how much was going on throughout the entire story.
ReplyDelete-slightlystoopid
I felt that Othello just wanted to be with Desdemona, his jealously defiantly got in the way of everything. This film was one of my favorites as well, the scene where they all die is very dramatic. In the film Othello was a great actor and the whole story line was clear and easy to follow.
ReplyDeleteI think this movie was great. It was well filmed and directed. It was pretty easy to follow and the characters kept me intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the movie very much and thier was a lot of good scenes. The amount of dramatic and over done work made it seem very nice and eay to watch.
ReplyDeleteIn the film Othello, I feel that there are some very disappointing and sad events that happen. I feel that the most sad part of the whole film is when Othello doesn’t believe his wife Desdemona, about her unfaithfulness with Cassio, and ends up smothering her to death because of a lie that Iago made. I did enjoy the very dramatic scenes that partook in the film. I felt that with the storyline of this play it really needed the dramatic scenes because it is a very dramatic play. I also believe that Fishburn played a fantastic Othello. You could feel the anger and passion that Othello felt just by the acting, which is very important for the character Othello.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the person above me. This movie was very well directed and acted, especially by laurence fishburne especially in the scene where he kills himself and asked the men to remember him as a good servant to his government.
ReplyDeleteI found that this film was a very easy one to follow. The story made it easier for modern viewers to really understand what was gonig on, while still enjoying the works of Shakespeare! I thought that the film contained many depressing and upsetting scenes such as when everyone dies, and when Othello kills his wife because of a rumor. I do believe that Shakespeare wanted his audiance to adapt to those gloomy scenes, and to look at them as not only depressing, but as lessons learned by the characters. Othello was great!
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this film, I read that Parker cut fifty percent of Shakespeare’s original text out of the film. This was surprising because it still does not affect the movie; it actually made it to where anyone can see the film and still have an understanding, even without a Shakespeare background.
ReplyDeleteThis was most defiantly one of the easier films to watch, pay attention to, and follow. I could understand it the whole time, and feel intrigued by the darker and less common setting. I am always interesting in things that seem a bit more edgy and less on the light side. This was one of my favorite plays to watch.
ReplyDelete“ I have done the state some service and they know it” with that quote Othello got the guards to let him speak his mind about his love. He begins to say that he was a man who loved so much but was not smart about it. This is such a beautiful scene because he ends up killing himself and then gives a kiss to Desdemona and dies right next to her which is where he wanted to end his life. He wanted to be beside the love of his life right as he died.
ReplyDeleteLaurence Fishburne made this movie. You're not used to seeing such big actors in shakespeare flicks but it really makes all the difference in terms of enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteMp said...
ReplyDeleteI think Laurence Fishburne portrayed the character of Othello extremely well. In every scene through out the video his performance was believable! Every time that Othello's character felt angry, sad, or happy, Fishburne expresses the emotion effectively through his expressive facial expressions.
i thought that Branaugh did a really good job at playing the role of Iago. It was really interesting to see Branaugh play something different than what he usually plays. It is really interesting to see how Branaugh's love for shakespeare is shown even more when he directs his films and plays the roles of various characters. His role as Iago really showed how diverse of an actor he was.
There were at times too little drama where more would have been expected. Cassio's slaying, for instance, was a bit clouded by too much happening to far apart, causing the spectator to twist his head to grasp it all. The actors weren't the greatest, I feel like the whole movie was rushed.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way that Kenneth Branagh was able to manipulate and deceive Laurence Fishburne into believing his wife was cheating on him. Also i liked and found it comical that Kenneth Branagh would pause and talk to the viewers and explain his next move. It made it very easy to follow what was happening and i found this movie to be one of the top three we watched all year.
ReplyDeleteBranagh plays a very good villain in this film. He is a likable character though he is the bad guy and ruins peoples lives. This was an interesting film to watch due to the distrust between characters.
ReplyDeleteI thought Oliver Parkers version of Othello was definitely a Shakespearean movie that was easy to follow. I was also nice to see great acting in a movie with such a great plot with Kenneth Branagh (lago) and Laurence Fishburne (Othello). Overall I thought the film was well-done and very intense, especially for a Shakespearean tragedy.
ReplyDelete-Jordan Williams
This movie was very passionate as well as exciting. My favorite character has to be Iago because he was such a malicious individual. Though I do not condone what he did to Othello, I found him to be interesting because of his silent and sociopathic approach.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was interesting in the fact that Parker took out some of the original text to make it more appealing to audiences but yet you could still understand the movie. i think cutting out some of Shakespeare dialogue made the movie easier to understand and made it more enjoyable to watch.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was really easy to follow, unlike some of shakespeares plays. I really enjoyed all the back stabbing and lying, kept me interested to see what would happen next.
ReplyDeleteThe acting in this movie was great. Laurence Fishburne played a great Othello, and Kenneth Branagh as Iago was also great. I really liked how Oliver Parker filmed the scene where Othello killed Desdemona, I thought the camera angles and music he chose for the scene were perfect.
ReplyDeleteI highly agree with Brianne about Benedick making a great Lago as well. The flashes of Desdemona cheating and committing adultery really shows us how Otherllo is completely being taking over by envy and jealousy.
ReplyDeleteI felt that Branagh did a good job at playing the villain in this film. It was interesting to see how different he could act compared to his other films representing a hero. I liked this film for the most part because it was pretty easy to understand especially after doing the reading prior to watching the film.
ReplyDeleteOthello is yet another story of revenge, disillusioned dishonor, and death from Shakespeare. This film was fun to watch, but a little repetitive I must say. It reminded me of a couple different works by Shakespeare. The first it reminded me of was Romeo and Juliet. When Othello strangles and kills Desdemona, and afterward killed himself, it reminded me of when Juliet killed herself after she saw Romeo dead. I also thought of Much Ado About Nothing when Desdemona was framed for something she did not do.
ReplyDeleteIn the film Othello, Othello is overcome with jealousy dealing with Desdemona. Throughout the film you feel the passion and reality by just watching Othello and his presence.
ReplyDeleteThis movie followed a rather common story that was predictable to people who have read and know Shakespeare, but kept me entertained nonetheless. I believe Laurence Fishburne’s portrayal of Othello was a very convincing performance, and I think he showed his emotions well; the audience could truly tell what he was thinking as the story played out.
ReplyDeleteIn a lot of Shakespeare’s works, including Othello there is immense death and tragedy. Shakespeare often doesn’t hesitate to eliminate the main characters. Today it is rare to see all of the main characters just killed. I think this strategy works so well for Shakespeare because he builds a relationship between the viewers and the characters throughout the duration of the film, making one feel attached to certain characters. Than very abruptly has them killed be it out of revenge, sickness or war. The audience feels sad for the character and remorse and unknowingly finds themselves way more into the film than they thought they were. I did not enjoy the film that much but did notice myself being into it all kinds whenever a character was killed.
ReplyDeleteLike many other of Shakespeare plays, watching the movie made the play make a lot more sense. I like Kenneth Branagh in this film very much. It was cool to see a different side of Branagh playing a villain instead of the epic hero. This play really came alive on screen and the director did an amazing job casting this film.
ReplyDelete-Sam Smallwood
I agree with Smallwood, It was very intriguing to see Branagh in his role of villain as opposed to hero. Branagh was brilliant in the role of Iago and totally captured the essence of evil. Branagh is so smooth and sleep in the role of the villain. His style of acting and smooth colloquial abilities perfectly portrays the poisonous nature that Iago holds. Iago’s evil agenda shows he is always willing to do whatever it takes, and destroy whosever path is in his way just to better his own.
ReplyDeleteBranagh as a villain is amazing; i love to hate him more than i love to love him. His plans unfold in a Machiavellian sort of way as he destroys the lives around him. Too bad his wife is Scooby doo or he would have gotten away with it too
ReplyDeleteas in tyhe posts above i also feel that this role of villian might be branagh's best work ever. Iago's evil and disregard for whether or not the audience knows hes evil is absolutely masterful. the use of looking into the camera to see the audience and explain his evil doings brings so much to the film really just great.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was watching the movie I found it almost funny how the director has Branagh look into the camera a lot. Normally something that is not appropriate for films really added something to the character. It made Branagh seem cunning like he knew something everyone else didn’t, almost like he was cocky. In any other movie it would look unprofessional but in a Shakespeare film it actually worked in favor of the character.
ReplyDeleteBefore this movie I had no idea what the plot for Othello was, and this movie did not help me enjoy it. I think a lot of this was because I kept waiting for Fishbourne to break out some crazy martial arts moves in slow motion. I couldn't get over the fact that he was Morpheus, and it kind of ruined his character for me.
ReplyDeleteBranagh plays an amazing part as a villian and I think its one of his greatest roles ever. When playing Lago he captured the feel of evil and portrayed it throughout the movie. The way Branagh would look in the cameras also made his seem better, like he was almost one step ahead of everyone else.
ReplyDeleteFor me, i found it hard to see lago as a villian being that there was no explanation of his villany other then his hatred of the moore. That being said, i feel that his character is made more dynamic because of the fact that he has this hate within him and yet we as the audience have a hard time seeing it in the same what that Othello couldn't see it.
ReplyDeleteI believe Branaugh did a superb job of acting Lago in the film. His charisma and nice guy facade was flawless, at times I forgot he was the villain. This is definitely my favorite performance of his yet.
ReplyDeleteBranagh did an amazing job at playing the villain in this film. I was interested to see how different he could act compared to his other films being portrayed as a hero.The whole story line was really brought to light and was easy to comprehend.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Eric, Branagh did a fantastic job at playing the villain. It was a little odd at first seeing him as the villain in a Shakespeare film but he played his part so well and with such passion that by the end of the film it only made sense for him to play the villain. The plot and settings were made very visual, thus drawing the audience into this world Shakespeare created.
ReplyDeleteThe use of Kenneth Branagh as Iago was a smart choice on Oliver Parkers choice as director. Not being used to seeing Branagh as a villain it was a nice surprise that he has the versatility as an actor to branch off from his usual role as a Shakespeare hero, such as Henry V.
ReplyDeleteIt is not suprising that Kenneth Branagh got a screen actors guild award for his performance, he was spectacular!
ReplyDeletethis movie was done very well. the actors were very entertaining and lively. the play itself was unimaginative but i think the movie did the best it could.
ReplyDeleteall characters in the movie play very well. one of the Shakespeare's tragedy plays, now a days its not that common to see all main characters dies by the end of movies. this is a typical characteristics of Shakespeare's play and he is good at it. all positive and negative characters dies at the end.
ReplyDeleteThe plot is so touching as it is with the lying, deceiving, framing and seeing it acted out was even more emotional. I felt aggravation for the people being framed, lied to, and back stabbed because one sick minded person found thrill in it all. What a great actor to go from being the nice guy in other Shakespeare movies to this role of being the bad guy and ruining everyone's lives.
ReplyDeleteThe plot of this film was interesting. It was strange to me to see Lawrence Fishburne in this film as Othello, I used to be a big CSI fan and he was on it. However, I thought that he did really well as Othello. I liked Branagh in this much more than in some of his other films. He was very convincing as the deceitful and manipulative villain as opposed to the good guy he normally plays.
ReplyDeleteOthello is yet another story of dishonor, revenge and death from Shakespeare. This film was fun to watch, but I must say a little repetitive. It reminded me of a couple different works by Shakespeare. The first it reminded me of was Romeo and Juliet. I was reminded of when Juliet killed herself after seeing Romeo dead when Othello strangles and kills Desdemona, and afterward killed himself.
ReplyDeleteThis film was very well done and I feel the actors did a very good job efficiently portraying the characters, their aspirations, struggles, and downfalls. I like how Laurence Fishburne was able to essentially provide us with this image of Othello as a superstar/heroic figure, very physically and emotionally strong. As he lets his fears get the best of him, we see him take a deep plunge from his natural character into one of a paranoid and spiteful individual. A great lesson to be be learned that you can't Let your fears get the best of you.
ReplyDeleteI think all of the characters were portrayed very well. Branagh did a great job at being Iago, you could feel the tension whenever Iago was mad. I really liked this movie, I think this was one of the better interpretations of Shakespeare's work.
ReplyDeleteOthello is one of my favorite William Shakespeare’s plays because of the way it is set up and plays out through various emotions and acions. This movie version of Othello was easy to follow and enjoy because of the presentation and characters. The actors in this movie were amazing at their characters and each had great presence. I love movies like this where you cannot help but to love the villain, like Iago. The way Iago does his schemes to get Othello to his breaking point was very well done. I love the deception of the play come alive in a movie form.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this film. I have seen this before and I think it has a great and understandable plot. I found it very interesting how manipulative Iago was and how easily he got into the mind of Othello by convincing Othello that his wife, Desdemona, was not loyal. I also found it interesting how Iago had caused all this trouble when he did not seem to have a benefit from it.
ReplyDeleteThis movie Othello followed shakespares play very well and it made it really understandable. I think all of the characters were portrayed very well with their role. Branagh did a great job at being Iago, you could feel the tension whenever Iago was mad. I really enjoyed watching this film.
ReplyDeleteLago made this entire film. His entire scheme throughout the movie was a manipulative web of deceit. The way he introduced questioning and instigated problems to Othello was quite nonchalant. He was focused and extremely persuasive. Overall however, he got what was coming to him, but still was that criminal genius that is seen throughout some of Shakespeare's plays.
ReplyDeleteHow this movie starts off with the Turk sleeping with the white man daughter and wanting to get married behind her fathers back. he curses Othello from the very beginning and you see this curse develop through out the whole play. Othello destroys everything he loves because of a person who is pretending to be his friend but secretly hates him. this is why he destroys his life as he knows it and kills him self because of a rumor and a present he gave his wife
ReplyDeleteThe film of Othello has resembles kind of the play Much about nothing except with ending with a happy ending, this movie ends with the opposite. Othello resembles the other play because both plays are based on trust that is broken by words but the plays go different directions in ending the play..
ReplyDeleteOthello was awesome, i enjoyed this movie a lot and would watch it or recommend it to anyone.
ReplyDeleteThis film has quite a powerful cast and that's what makes this movie amazing. Laurence Fishburne played Othello with such passion it was great to observe and Kenneth Branagh stole the show with his performance as Largo. They way he depicted this deviate villain was astounding.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the casting of this movie was done perfectly! Although, at first, I was on the fence about Lawrence Fishburne playing Othello and Branagh playing the villain, Lago, but after watching their performances, I think that they were selected perfectly. I especially loved how Desdemona was not afraid to stand up to her husband. It showed that she was strong willed and really loved him because she wanted to make sure he understood the truth. Lago was my favorite character, I throughly enjoyed watching how persuasive and deceitful he could be to the man who was supposed to be his friend. This movie was very entertaining!
ReplyDeleteThis story was a mess. The way the movie was done was good it gave Iago a evil feeling about him. It was sad for me to see Othello be mislead by what he calls his best friend. The ending was dramatic when the truth finally came out. Iago had everything planned out just the right way and went through and got his final revenge which also cost him his life as well
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to finally see Branagh play a villain. I personally am pretty tired of this guy. To me it seems that he only does these Shakespeare movies, directs them, and always seems to play the lead role, shocking. So it was nice to finally see him play the role of the scum-bag villain. This was a pretty good movie centered mainly around lies and deceit with the usual Shakespeare revenge plot mixed in.
ReplyDeleteThis was a movie filled with rage and jealousy that led to the complete insanity of Othello. This movie shows you what love can really do to your mind a what you think of the person you love. Othello gets a seed planted in his head that his lover is cheating on him. Othello is the big man on campus in the movie to but the thought of his lover cheating on him has drove his mind to the brink of insanity. So insane that even his dreams were filled with his lover cheating on him. Towards the end of the movie the insanity takes Othello to the complete end and he ends up killing his wife all because the words of another man. This just goes to show you that you can't trust everyones word.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed seeing Branagh stepping into the role of the villain. He was almost a comical villain in the way he stopped and explained hid train of thought. I found it kind of silly in how easily Othello was tricked if he loved Desdemona as much as he claimed he might have stopped to think before killing her. I guess there is no room for reason when love is "scorned". I enjoyed this movie because if the intrigue.
ReplyDeleteIn the film of Othello, Parker shows us a great and convincing character roles played by Fishburne and Branagh. I think Branagh did an excellent job at playing Iago. They all brought their own characters to life, which made the movie a classic. This film was one of my favorites because the directing was so good. It really helped me to understand the actual text compared to reading of Othello
ReplyDeleteThis film was very understandable and to the point. Throughout the film it was very dark and a lot of candle light which i dont really enjoy. I thought that Othello played the part perfectly. He really showed his talent in the final scenes and also his love for Desdemona. What I really want to know is why did Iago go through all this, and ruin everything? Was it to gain more power or just to be Othellos right hand man?
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that in this film, along with some others of Shakespeare’s plays, that husbands are so believing of their wife’s unfaithfulness. They begin with a loving relationship and commit themselves to marriage, but the next second turn on the other for believing she is a whore just because of the words of another. With little or no proof Othello was able to kill Desdemona, his wife that he loved, just because a handkerchief was misplaced. This play was surprising in the end because of the death and betrayal.
ReplyDeleteRjack (CSUC)said...
ReplyDeleteAlways captivating to watching Shakespeare playing around with Jealousy, Revenge, Betrayals, Murder. It always makes for an intriguing play to watch on stage as well as on screen. Laurence Fishburne played a very good Othello, and frighteningly enough Kenneth Branagh does a perfect villain role. Branagh should do more antagonist roles because it seems to outline his acting talents quite well.
It was such a shock seeing Kenneth Branagh as the anatagonist in this film, as he usually puts himself as one of the protagonists in his Shakespeare projects. What was even more of a shock to me (although it shouldn't have been) was that Kenneth Branagh did an excellent job of being the bad guy! He was so believable and evil that I barely recognized him. Lawrence Fishburne also played his role incredibly convincingly, and I was pulled into the drama in a way that is rarely accomplished by filmmakers.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent job! Thought this film really brought out the best of Shakespeare's writing in othello. Quite the interesting film, knowing the whole time what was truly going on and seeing how it played out in the rest of the film.
ReplyDeleteThis was by far my favorite Shakespeare film adaptation. I'll be the first to admit that some of the other movies can get hard to follow, but not this one. This had a flow to it that kept it easy to follow and did not bore at all. The performances by Fishburne and Brannaugh's performances were both spot on. The film was exciting and intriguing throughout. It was also amusing to see the Laurence Fishburne of sixteen years ago.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Iago is a greater villain then any of the tyrants in Shakespeare's plays-- yes Aaron and Richard III murder countless amounts of people but Iago kills a larger amount of happiness. In Richard III the movie ends with the Prince riding in and saves everyone in the film. In Titus Andronicus, Titus has his revenge. In Othello, Iago permanently tarnishes Desdemona and Cassio's reputations. Drives Othello insane. Kills his wife and Roderigo. He turns a jubilant society into one drenched in sadness. He gets close to a group of people only to betray them, something that neither Aaron or Richard III does.
ReplyDeleteIn Oliver Parker’s recreation on film of Shakespeare’s play Orthello I noticed something that is a reoccurring theme in many of Shakespeare’s plays but made it most evident to me in Orthello. It Is because of the time period, the laws, and the lordship of Shakespeare time that makes this observation so but in all Shakespeare’s’ play writes the characters are so gullible, easily fooled. They had so much faith in the common man that their word was enough. today someone tells you something you heard it from them but need to find out from more sources or the original source, especially with a serious event like adultery. I'm glad times have change and people have grown.
ReplyDeleteI loved watching Laurence Fishburne play Othello. I thought he was amazing for the role. It was also interesting to see Branagh as the antagonist instead of his usual Shakespeare roles. It was very different from his roles as Benedick and Hamlet. I thought this movie was very enjoyable to watch and it had a great cast.
ReplyDeleteI loved the movie Othello, I like the character that plays Iago I think he does really well in Shakespeare films. I also like that it is relevant to a newer audience with the theme that one false word of slander can change a person's view entirely. Even though Othello married Desdemona despite her fathers disapproval he refused to believe her when she said she had never been unfaithful to him. I think the characters, setting, and costumes were all very well done and the movie constantly kept the audience intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this film, I liked how Parker would have the characters look directly into the camera at times it made it so that I felt more connected with the characters in the film. I though that cast chose for the film was great Kenneth Branagh has been in a few of the films that we have watched.I think that he did a great job playing the role of Iago and that his was one of his better films.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching this film. All the actors did a really great job at their role. They portrayed all the characters really well. Kenneth Branagh always does a great job in acting in Shakespeare films. This film definitely drew my attention.
ReplyDeleteThis movie turned out t be better than what i thought it would be. I actually kind of enjoyed watching it. I thought it would be less entertaining, but with this movie i actually understood the story line unlike some of the other ones. The characters also did a good job of acting their parts as well.
ReplyDeleteI totally loved hoe Iago was portrayed. He seemed to delight in Othello's suffering. This is what the play is centered around and it was a joy to watch this character. He really made the plot come alive.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this film! Compared to Welle's version it was a lot easier to understand and it kept me interested the whole time. I enjoyed the themes of revenge and jealousy seen through the dreams Othello has about Desdemona. The use of dreams was put in by Parker but I think it helped support the theme very well making the whole film easier to understand and relate to.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the best renditions of Othello that I have watched in my life. I truly enjoyed Iago and how he interacted with the camera and the other characters. I did like the Desdemona in the Orson welles's version. Overall would definitely recommend to everyone to watch
ReplyDeleteMy 2nd favorite Shakespeare movie! I really enjoyed watching this one big time! Highly recommend it!
ReplyDeleteThe part i enjoed most about this movie was the character of Iago. His villainy was portrayed perfectly in this movie and helped capture my imagination of Shakespeares play. The themes of Betrayal and jealousy are very much a part of this movie like many others and the director portrayed these brilliantly.
ReplyDeleteI think that Parker did a great job portraying Shakespeare's original play. I think the actors that played the characters, such as Iago, did a wonderful job at really putting their personality through on camera. This is important because in the play, Iago is very deceiving and overall evil which may be hard to project on film. The movie in general was interesting.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the way Iago (Kenneth Branagh) manipulated the people around him to get things the way he wanted. Laurence Fishburne did very well as Othello. You really felt that he loved Desdemona and was heartbroken and enraged at the idea of someone else with her. This was probably one of Shakespeare’s more tragic plays. I felt quite depressed leaving class.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Iago in this film. Kenneth Branagh did another exemplary performance in this movie. The way he presented himself to the other characters was such a contrast to when he performed the soliloquys for the audience. I also liked that this one was in color.
ReplyDeleteI definitely enjoyed Oliver Parker’s rendition of Otherllo more so than Welles’ version. I think my bias toward the two films can be directly related to the casting of the two motion pictures. Without Kenneth Branagh, the film wouldn’t have been the same.
ReplyDeleteParker and Branagh. Do I need to say anything else? Great casting, and acting form all involved. Branagh especially played the villain quite well. From start to finish a great film.
ReplyDeletethis movie is great! branagh plays the villian well and the acting is very good. it was very easy to believe the things the actors did. The way othello is tricked time and time agian always makes me upset but thats the way the story goes. overall great film
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