Richard iii soundtrack from 1995, composed by trevor jones. Richard loncraine has earned great acclaim for his work in film, television and commercials. Richard loncraine biography, movie highlights and photos. Richard iii university of oxford podcasts audio and video. Adapted by ian mckellen and richard loncraine, from the national theatres acclaimed stage production by richard eyre, richard iii features an allstar cast, including kristin scott thomas, robert downey jr. Richard loncraines rendition of william shakespeares richard iii is memorable in its appeal to modern viewers partly because it relocates the action of the play to a fantasized nazi germanystyled england of the 1940s, rather than keeping fifteenthcentury england as. Richard iii, king of england, 14521485 drama subject. Richard iii is a 1995 british drama film adapted from william shakespeares play of the same name, starring ian mckellen, annette bening, jim broadbent, robert downey jr.
Our episode on richard iii is more rushed than a usual episode because the play is extremely long. Set in a makebelieve 1930s england replete with fascist symbols and codes, richard iii stars mckellen as a genuine. Loncraine said,i think both are valid, both have their place. But in this version, he first removes the ring from his own finger by sticking it in his mouth and lubricating it with. Indeed, though richard iii contains plenty of bloodshed, its most insidious violence occurs in language. As richard iii opens, richard is duke of gloucester and his brother, edward iv, is king. Richard begins by seducing and wedding lady anne kristin scott thomas, whom he made a widow during the war. Librivox recording of richard iii by william shakespeare. This oscar nominated adaptation stars ian mckellen as the despotic richard, duke of gloucester as he plots his murderous. With richard iii, laurence olivieras director, producer, and startransfigures shakespeares great historical drama into a mesmerizing vision of machiavellian villainy. Before his career in film, he was a sculptor and the first to create a chrome newtons cradle. Watch richard iii 1995 online full hd free, richard iii 1995 full movie watch online free download hd. There is no disputing that richard iii is a murderer whos only interested in ascending to the throne.
Feb 16, 2016 adapted from the critically acclaimed stage production of shakespeares historical drama, this production of richard iii has sir ian mckellen as a weaselly royal usurper. Directed by richard loncraine university at albany, suny. Richard iii 1995 stream and watch online moviefone. Subscribe to the cinema junkie podcast on itunes or your favorite podcatcher. You can buy richard iii on apple itunes, amazon video as download or rent it on apple itunes, amazon video, bfi player online. Loncraine basically drew the parallel that richard iii is to victorian englands history the same way hitler is to 1930s history. Richard iii is a 1995 british film adaptation of william shakespeares play of the same name, directed by richard loncraine. Directed by richard loncraine, with ian mckellen, annette bening, jim broadbent, robert downey jr. I beseech your grace to pardon me, and withal forbear your conference with the noble duke. This version of richard iii, directed by richard loncraine from a screenplay by loncraine and mckellen, sets the action between the two world wars.
Richard iii,written in about 1591, is said to be shakespeares first great play. If anyone would like to hear that kind of episode, let us know. Since those days he has successfully alternated directing films with directing. He manipulates edward into imprisoning their brother, clarence, and then has clarence murdered in the tower. Paul bettany, kirsten dunst, sam neill, jon favreau, austin nichols harmless rom com from the people who gave us notting hill and four weddings about a bumbling tennis player who finds his tournament interrupted by a luscious american female player. We can only speculate about the effect it had on its first audiences. This reimagining of shakespeares crookback king relocates the story in 1930 and features an indelible star. Heuristic shakespeare with sir ian mckellen kathy li medium. Kevin spaceys interview on playing richard on stage ian mckellens interactive site. As equally adept as he may be at all kinds of films, its precisely his wide versatility that has likely kept the director from gaining widespread notice outside the world of cinema scholars. So first off, im really looking forward to seeing richard iii on the big screen as part of shakespeare on film. Sir ian mckellen reflects on playing shakespeares richard iii. On the occasion of a special screening in 2016 and the release of a shakespeare ipad app, loncraine recalled the making of the movie. Subscribe to the cinema junkie podcast on itunes or your.
If youre looking for a compelling portrait of british royalty, try ian mckellen and richard loncraines gutsy, 30sset adaptation. In 1996, he won the silver bear for best director at the 46th berlin international film festival for richard iii. With richard iii, laurence olivieras director, producer, and startransfigures shakespeares great historical drama into a mesmerizing vision of machiavellian. I never saw the stage play, so ive no idea what it was like, but i believe we took the idea and ran with it, and extended it on, which is what id hoped we would do.
He describes the story of richard ill as a roller coaster. Adapted from the critically acclaimed stage production of shakespeares historical drama, this production of richard iii has sir ian mckellen as a weaselly royal usurper. Jan 25, 2012 in this thirteenth lecture in the approaching shakespeare series the focus is on the inevitability of the ending of richard iii. Directed by richard loncraine and based on the historical tragedy of the same name by william shakespeare it tells the tale of a scheming hunchback with a bad arm played by ian mckellen who, after the house of yorks victory over the house of. Apr 21, 2016 a s a special event to mark the 400th anniversary of shakespeares death, here for one night only 28 april is richard loncraines terrifically exciting and lucid movie version of richard iii. It is the culmination of shakespeares earlier three plays about henry vi, and chronicles the. A s a special event to mark the 400th anniversary of shakespeares death, here for one night only 28 april is richard loncraines terrifically exciting and lucid movie version of richard iii. He studied sculpture at the central school of art before attending the royal college of art film school. Directed by richard loncraine with a screenplay by both loncraine and actor sir ian mckellen, the story is transplanted from preelizabethan england to an imaginary 1930s preworld war ii london. It was not my idea to set richard iii in the thirties that was decided by richard eyre, who directed it as a stage play, with ian mckellen. Though the setting is transposed to the 1930s, england is torn by civil war, split between the rivaling houses of york and lancaster.
It starts by focusing on shakespeares underlying tone regarding richard as somewhat an. The film adapts the plays story and characters to a setting based on 1930s britain, with richard depicted as a fascist plotting to usurp the throne ian mckellen portrays the titular richard, as well as cowriting the screenplay with loncraine. Richard loncraines rendition of william shakespeares richard iii is memorable in its appeal to modern viewers partly because it relocates the action of the play to a fantasized nazi germanystyled england of the 1940s, rather than keeping fifteenthcentury england as the setting as shakespeare originally intended. It is true that shakespeare is the author of richard iii of course, much of shakespeares authoring involved heavy borrowing, redaction and crafting.
Richard loncrainestatecollapsed to show the template collapsed, i. While there have been many adaptations of shakespeares plays, to my mind, the 1995 version of richard iii is undoubtedly one of the best. Oliviers performance, viewed as the greatest of his career, charges richard with magnetic malevolence as he steals his brother edwards crown through a murderous set. With ian mckellen, annette bening, christopher bowen, edward jewesbury. Ahead of a special, oneoff screening of his baftawinning film adaptation of richard iii, which is due to take place at cinemas across the uk, liam fleming sat down with director richard loncraine to talk film, shakespeare, and working with sir ian mckellen the metropolist. Released by polygram in 1996 containing music from richard iii 1995.
Set in a makebelieve 1930s england replete with fascist symbols and codes, richard iii stars mckellen as a genuine monster. Director richard loncraine claims not to be an expert on shakespeare, but he obviously had a grasp of richard iii when he collaborated with ian mckellen on the making of the 1995 film version. Richard loncraine celebrity profile check out the latest richard loncraine photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. The audience and the text richard loncraine, the director of the new film richard iii has said that he wanted to make a film that he would want to see, as a person who was not into shakespeare, in fact someone who had been put off by shakespeare at school. Richard loncraines rendition of william shakespeares. Now look at a small touch added to the scene by richard iii, the new film by richard loncraine and ian mckellan. Mckellan and loncraine set this film of richard iii in 1930s britain with richard as a fascist dictator transformation of the play. The theme of language in richard iii from litcharts the. Its a position that some people might find uncomfortable to think about, but its being made extremely apparent to the audience in this movie. Richard aspires to a fascist dictatorship, but must first remove the obstacles to his ascension among them his brother, his nephews and his brothers wife annette.
Ed pettit shakespeare september continues with a look at the 1995 film richard iii. I never saw the stage play, so ive no idea what it was like, but i believe we took the idea and ran with it, and extended it on, which is what. He spent three years working for the bbc before moving into commercials. Loncraine then produced the film, again starring ian mckellan as richard iii, updated into a nationalsocialist timeframe. As directed by richard loncraine, richard iii brilliantly showcases. Met ian mckellen, annette bening en robert downey jr. Richard iii university of oxford podcasts audio and. Drama oorlog film geregisseerd door richard loncraine. It is the culmination of shakespeares earlier three plays about henry vi, and chronicles the bloody career of richard, duke of gloucester. The classic shakespearean play about the murderously scheming 15thcentury king is reimagined in an alternative setting of 1930s england as clouds of fascism gather.
Richard iii is an early history play probably written and performed around 159293. The elizabethan drama was a great popular art form, created not for royal courts but for poor groundlings who paid a penny to stand in the pit beneath the stage, or bourgeois such as pepys, who. Loncraine received early training in the features department of the bbc, including a season directing items for tomorrows world. Id like to come back to it to explore some of the interesting details we skipped. King richard iii by william shakespeare free ebook.
In this thirteenth lecture in the approaching shakespeare series the focus is on the inevitability of the ending of richard iii. Richard mckellan softens up anne kristin scott thomas with flattery, sophistry and lies, and finally offers her a ring, which she accepts. Richard loncrainestateexpanded to show the template expanded, i. Richard loncraines films include band of brothers, richard iii, wimbledon, the haunting of julia.
Though 1995s richard iii made a unique attempt to meld classic shakespeare with a speculative historical setting, the film drew mixed responses from audiences despite earning several bafta and oscar nominations. Meanwhile, richard succeeds in marrying lady anne, even though he killed her fatherinlaw, henry. Over 4000 free audio and video lectures, seminars and teaching resources from oxford university. Apple itunes cut, content production cost presumably quite. A megalomaniacal ruler with a tiny mustache stops at nothing in a mad grab for power. Richard loncraine born 20 october 1946 is a british film and television director loncraine was born in cheltenham, gloucestershire loncraine received early training in the features department of the bbc, including a season directing items for tomorrows world. A murderous lust for the british throne sees richard iii ian mckellen descend into madness. Opening scene from ian mckellans turn as richard iii in 1995. Finding your feet the 2018 movie, trailers, videos and more at yidio. Sir ian mckellen and richard loncraine first met whilst producing the movie adaptation of richard iii starring mckellen, annette bening, robert downey jr, maggie. Richard loncraine takes shakespeares classic tale of treachery, richard iii, and transplants it to the 1930s.
Shakespeares classic play about the machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of king richard iii of england is set in an alternative 1930s, in this celebrated film adaptation. A rare director with the ability to shift between shakespeare and spy films at the drop of the hat, richard loncraine has been turning out fine movies in nearly every genre since the mid70s. Video of kevin spacey taking the brooklyn academy of musics harvey stage for. Large cuts are made in the text to transform this into a movie in which the visuals are more important than the words. Over the course of the play, richard and his minions dress increasingly in black with uniforms like those of hitlers ss, and the monumental art direction is right out of leni riefenstahls nazi. Ian mckellen is richard who, as the film opens, begins plotting against his brother edward, who has just ascended to the throne after a bloody civil war.
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