The Taming of the Shrew (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1976) Review

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(More customer reviews)Riveting high energy interpretation of one of Shakespeare's more problematic comedies. The director's decision to present this somewhat sexist comedy as an over-the-top commedia dell'ate production was brilliant. Patruchio's use of physical violence to tame his headstrong finacee is somehow made tolerable because all the relationships in this play are embued with violence. And like characters in a Roadrunner cartoon, victims bounce back with vigor and always manage to give as good as they get. The troupe is incredibly in sync with one another, highly athletic, and incredibly gifted at reciting their iambic pentameter flawlessly while being twirled overhead or kicked in the groin. It really has to be seen to be believed. And who knew Marc Singer, the Beastmaster, could act?! In the end, he brings a subtlety to his part that leaves you wondering who's taming whom?
Harold Clurmann's interview with the director is a nice DVD extra.

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Julius Caesar Review

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(More customer reviews)Much better than the earlier Julius Caesar, which starred Marlon Brando as Mark Antony and James Mason as Brutus. In this version, Jason Robards as Brutus is admittedly an embarrassment, but the rest of the cast is quite strong. The delivery of Antony's funeral oration by Charlton Heston is brilliant, powerful, well-paced, the dramatic high point of the movie. Richard Johnson as Cassius, John Gielgud as Caesar, Robert Vaughn as Casca and Diana Rigg as Portia are fine actors, with full dramatic presence, at home in Shakespeare's language. Brief parts, like the soothsayer's and the cobbler's, are memorably played. The screenplay omits two short passages that are important to the plot: (1) Cassius' avowal in the first act, after his attempt to persuade Brutus to oppose Caesar, that if their positions were reversed and he, Cassius, stood as well with Caesar as Brutus does and Brutus made a comparable appeal to him, he would certainly not listen. (2) Immediately after the assassination, a promise by Brutus to Antony's servant of safe conduct for Antony, who thus knows when he comes to the Capitol and weeps over Caesar's body, challenging the conspirators to kill him also, that he is in no danger of their doing so.

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The Typists (Broadway Theatre Archive) Review

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(More customer reviews)Saw this show years ago on TV when it was first shown. Enjoyed it then for its excellent performance by great actors. The story interesting as the characters age before your eyes throughout the show. Great actors, interesting script and a real jewel of a performance.

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Masterpiece Theatre: Room With a View (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I didn't hate this version of Room With a View. Yes, I have seen the Merchant Ivory version. Yes, I have read the book. Although I thought the cast of the Merchant Ivory production was magnificent, I actually like a great deal of the cast in this adaptation as well, so I was prepared to view this with an open mind and not hate it instantly because it wasn't Merchant Ivory. I have seen several of this cast (Cassidy, Cusak, Thompson, Spall) in other productions and thought they were wonderful. The aspects of this production I found most disappointing were the script and direction. I found the dialogue to be lackluster, and the interpretation of some of the characters (primarily Cecil) just plain dull. I have admired some of Davies' adaptations in the past, but his more recent works seem to have an underlying conceit in them that I find distasteful, as though he would deign to "improve" the works of the authors he is adapting. Davies is, indeed a gifted and talented man, but is he really so lofty that he feels capable of enhancing Austen, Forster, and Waugh? He had a wonderful cast of people to work with for this adaptation, but their performances were never going to reach the stellar level they were capable of when the script they were given to work with was second rate. I know there was a time limitation, but the story was just diluted and unnecessary additions were made (the additional meeting with the gig driver, George's death, etc)that seemed to serve no purpose other than to needlessly outrage the audience. I don't understand why Davies feels the need to shock a response out of his audience, rather than impress them with quality. That cheapens the whole production. This production wasn't awful, but if could have been so much better.

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ROOM WITH A VIEW - DVD Movie

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The Shakespeare Collection: The Taming of the Shrew Review

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(More customer reviews)If this was just about the Stratford production, I'd have put 5 stars, no hesitation--it's a joy to watch. But the box doesn't even tell you it's Len Cariou as Petruchio. On top of that, the tapes are reproduced at EP/SLP, and they *still* use two tapes for a roughly three hour presentation!! If you can't stand not owning this, go ahead and blow the money, but otherwise wait until a better quality tape or DVD comes out. Same goes for the other tapes in the collection.

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Six Characters in Search of an Author (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1976) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a famous (and somewhat erudite) stage play meant for 1920's audiences that was a landmark work from the "Theatre of The Absurd". This DVD presents a very unusual but great version of this play, changing the situation from a stage to a Hollywood Television studio where actors are gathered to perform a rehersal. Suddenly the professionals are interrupted by six characters who claim that they are part of a work of an author who never completed their story and are seeking to have their much more interesting drama performed. (We never know whether they really exist at all) The director, (John Houseman) listens to a very convincing arguement from "The Father" (Andy Griffith)who presents his case as to why their "play" must be done and incredibly they dominate the action from this point. There are some real surprises here! Good direction by Stacey Keach. An appearance by his son James Keach as "The Son". A unique turn in making part of the drama involve interracial romance (a major step in 1976) and perhaps the biggest stunner of all, Andy Griffith as "The Father" proves that he is more than just a simple country bumpkin sheriff in a departure from his usual nice guy roles. Of course everyone gives away the era in which this was made in dress and hairstyles (1976) but it is still an unusual and intelligent adaptation of the classic absurdist play that is worth your time and investment.

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Luigi Pirandello's modern classic, starring Andy Griffith in a brilliant departure from his television persona as a country sheriff, along with Academy Award-winner John Houseman (The Paper Chase), is directed by Stacy Keach, who has transposed the play'straditional theatrical setting to a television studio. As a group of actors prepare for a rehearsal of a TV adaptation of another Pirandello play --The Rules of the Game--the television monitors in the control booth give way to an electrical interference which inexplicably replaces the images of the actors with the images of six mysterious strangers. These are the "six characters" of the title who appear in the flesh in the studio to confront the director and actors with the proposition that their story is more interesting than the play at hand. They gradually take over the stage to act out their story, each character representing a different point of view. A groundbreaking work that has exerted considerable influence on 20th-century drama. With Andy Griffith, John Houseman, Julie Adams, Beverly Todd, and James Keach.

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Romeo & Juliet (1993) Review

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(More customer reviews)As other people have observed about other videos in this collection, this isn't high quality in terms of the video tape. But the performance itself, which is basically a tape of play is a sound version of Romeo and Juliet. This time, they set it in more modern times, ladies are in evening dresses for example, but the dialogue is unchanged really. There are some good and not so good performances. The leading man does a good job as Romeo, though I prefered his dramatic scenes to his romantic ones. I felt the leading lady was very finicky in the role and very dramatic, perhaps too dramatic. She didn't seem to me like a teenager. Otherwise, Juliet's father and Romeo's best friend Mercutio I believe are both splendid. If you are just interested in viewing different Romeo and Juliet videos, this is fine, but the other versions, the 1960's version, the 1930's version and even the newer version are just as good or better in other ways. I've watched them all, and this version does hold up to the others, more or less

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Cinema Paradiso - The New Version (1990) Review

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(More customer reviews)Cinema Paradiso is one of my favorite movies.I finally found the new version available for rent through Netflix when I couldn't find it in any Blockbuster.
For those who have already seen Cinema Paradiso it needs no introduction. For everybody else, it won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film in 1989 and features one of the most nostalgic treatments of the role of movies in people's lives. Ennio Morricone's theme song has also been recycled in countless commercials and movie montages and trailers.
What's good about the Director's Cut or "New Version" DVD is that one can view the director's cut with added scenes on one DVD side and the originally released version on the other.
For those of us who wanted some kind of closure to Toto and Elena's relationship, the Director's Cut has it-- there's about an hour more of footage of their relationship. The new version also more footage of Toto's military service and his adulthood. The added scenes somewhat mute the focus of the movie, so I could see why they were originally cut out. But, at the same time, the added scenes fill in the blanks that originally made a lot of us think, "Hey-- What about...?" And although Toto's childhood scenes are, as far as I can tell, unchanged from the original version, we also find out more about Alfredo.
After finishing the New Version I appreciated the original version better. I highly recommend the new version not because it makes Cinema Paradiso more of a masterpiece, but because it adds more characterization to what, arguably, is a masterpiece. The added scenes can be a bit superfluous, but they show how important editorial decisions are to shaping the structure and momentum of a movie.

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This Miramax Classics presentation of CINEMA PARADISO: THE NEW VERSION brings you the critically acclaimed triumph as never seen before! A famous Italian filmmaker, haunted by the memories of his first love, returns to his hometown after an absence of 30 years. Upon his return, he reconnects with the community and remembers the highlights and tragedies that shaped his life and inspired him to follow his dream of becoming a filmmaker. For those who have never seen it -- and those who have never forgotten it -- director Giuseppe Tornatore's (MALENA, THE STAR MAKER) cherished Academy Award(R)-winning motion picture (1990, Best Foreign Language Film) is now fully restored, digitally remastered, and includes 51 minutes of never-before-seen footage!

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The Merchant of Venice / Trevor Nunn, Royal National Theatre (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are a fan of The Merchant of Venice but were disappointed by Al Pacino's Shylock this DVD may be for you. Henry Goodman brings a grounded and passionate honesty to the role that Pacino sorely lacked. Although, I was not impressed by David Bamber as Antonio (boring) or Derbhle Crotty as Portia (lacking any real substance; Raymond Coulthard as the Prince of Arragon is historical and steals his scene. The show worked better on stage than it does as a filmed version but it is still well worth a viewing.

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William Shakespeare's controversial classic comes to bristling life in this riveting production from theater legend Trevor Nunn. Relocated to Europe between the two world wars, the story follows the misadventures of young heiress Portia, who must don the disguise of a male lawyer to save the life of her love, and the financially obsessed Shylock (Notting Hill's Henry Goodman), determined to literally collect a pound of flesh in court. Trevor Nunn directed the landmark revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! with Hugh Jackman as well as groundbreaking versions of Nicholas Nickleby, Othello, and Porgy & Bess. Originally presented to tremendous acclaim at the Royal National Theatre in June, 1999. Awards include: Olivier Awards - Best Actor (Henry Goodman) / Critics' Circle Theatre Awards - Best Actor (Henry Goodman)

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