Most of Shakespeare's popular plays have been made into movies and are
available on DVD or videotape. You can watch classic performances of Hamlet
starring actors such as Laurence Olivier (1948) or Richard Burton (1964). There
are short versions such as Mel Gibson's 1989 performance, or extremely long and
insightful Hamlets, including Kenneth Branagh's 1996 masterpiece. You could
choose a modern adaptation, such as Ethan Hawke's 2000 portrayal set in New York
City. There are animated films telling Hamlet's story, and even a silent Hamlet
movie from 1912.
Likewise, Romeo and Juliet has been filmed many times. Zeffirelli's
1967 version with Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting remained true to
Shakespeare's script. The script was closely followed in the 1996 Romeo +
Juliet, but the setting is modern and extreme as Leonardo DiCaprio and
Claire Danes play the star-crossed lovers.
If you prefer The Taming of the Shrew, Zeffirelli's 1967 comedy
featured Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It can be fun to compare it with
the modern-day rewrite of this same story, 10 Things I Hate About You,
starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger.
Once you've seen and enjoyed one of Shakespeare's plays, it's time to branch
out into others. In addition to the films listed above, you may enjoy exploring
other interpretations of Shakespeare's classic plays. Some of them have been
popular films, while others did not earn good critical reviews.
Imagine a world in which fascism had succeeded in World War II; that's the
premise behind the 1995 Richard III starring Ian McKellen and Annette
Bening. Some of it is a little overdone, and you may need the subtitles to keep
up with the action, but it's an intriguing approach to this violent and
passionate story.
On the heels of her success in 10 Things I Hate About You, Julia
Stiles was the romantic interest in O, a modern-day remake of
Othello. Violence in a high school setting made this film controversial,
while Josh Hartnett went out on a limb as the story's villain. Language, drug
use, and explicit sex pushed this film almost to the limits of an R rating.
However, the tale was just as volatile in Shakespeare's time when the issues
were race, greed, and cruelty.
And, whether you watched it earlier or not, Shakespeare in Love is
full of clever puns and jokes that you'll appreciate more, now that you're
familiar with the classic plays.
After you're comfortable with movies of Shakespeare's plays, go to a few live
performances. If you're not already familiar with the plot, be sure to find a
story summary so that you'll know what to look for during the show. Stage
performances can be very unpredictable. Some are easier to understand than movie
versions, while others combine such bad accents and poor acoustics that you
sneak out of the theater at the first opportunity. But, in general, if you don't
expect much, you'll find something refreshing and interesting in every
performance.