Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

Quantity:

More Buying Choices

19 used & new from �3.23

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

King Lear - BBC Shakespeare Collection [1982] [DVD]

See larger image

Share your own customer images

King Lear - BBC Shakespeare Collection [1982] [DVD]

DVD ~ John Shrapnel

3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

RRP:	�12.99
Price:	�12.69 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save:	�0.30 (2%)
	o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 3 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Friday, July 17? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details

15 new from �6.00 4 used from �3.23

Rent DVDs from LOVEFiLM.com

Amazon's choice for DVD rental.
With a 14 day FREE trial. Learn more

You can find all the best television shows from the other side of the pond in our US TV store and watch entire episodes for free in our Screening Room, including Flashpoint and Flight of the Conchords.

Frequently Bought Together

Total RRP: �34.97
Price For All Three: �23.14

Show availability and shipping details

This item: King Lear - BBC Shakespeare Collection [1982] [DVD] DVD ~ John Shrapnel
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
King Lear [DVD] DVD ~ Paul Scofield
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over �5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
King Lear [DVD] DVD ~ Laurence Olivier
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	47% buy the item featured on this page: King Lear - BBC Shakespeare Collection [1982] [DVD] 3.8 out of 5 stars (4) �12.69
	18% buy King Lear [DVD] 4.2 out of 5 stars (9) �7.98
	17% buy King Lear [DVD] 4.0 out of 5 stars (7) �3.87
	11% buy King Lear [DVD] 4.8 out of 5 stars (4) �6.58

Explore similar items

Product details

Actors: John Shrapnel, Norman Rodway, Michael Kitchen, Michael Hordern, Gillian Barge
Directors: Jonathan Miller
Writers: William Shakespeare
Producers: Shaun Sutton
Format: PAL
Language English
Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
Number of discs: 1
Classification: PG
Studio: 2 Entertain Video
DVD Release Date: 23 Aug 2004
Run Time: 185 minutes

Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

ASIN: B0001Y9Z4M
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 21,461 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Reviews

Synopsis
First screened in 1982, this timeless Shakespeare story of an ageing King who decides to divide his Kingdom between his three daughters stars Michael Hordern as Lear, with Brenda Blethyn as Cordelia, Gillian Barge as Goneril, Penelope Wilton as Regan, Michael Kitchen as Edmund and Anton Lesser as Edgar.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

King Lear [DVD]

DVD ~ Paul Scofield

4.0 out of 5 stars (7) �3.87

King Lear [DVD]

DVD ~ Ian Holm

5.0 out of 5 stars (1) �19.59

King Lear [DVD]

DVD ~ Laurence Olivier

4.8 out of 5 stars (4) �6.58

York Notes on William Shakespeare's "King Lear" (York Notes Advanced)

by William Shakespeare

4.0 out of 5 stars (1) �4.19

Hamlet [DVD] [1980]

DVD ~ BBC Classic Shakespeare

4.0 out of 5 stars (7) �9.68

› Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

(What's this?)

Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.

shakespeare(1)

shakespeare tragedy(1)

tragedy(1)

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

3.8 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars King Lear, my favourite., 3 Jan 2005

By	"rtcnz2" - See all my reviews

To me, this is the most amazing, richly textured, beautiful story ever written. The spectrum of characters, and their very intricate complexities, provide a very firm base for the - sorry, but here's that word again - beautiful tragedy. The story is so full so possibility, evil and good.

Being 18, I have grown up with movies which feed you the story: movies where you don't really have to think too hard. This BBC adaptation of King Lear is not one of those movies. You have to work at it, you've got to listen, you've got to think pretty hard the whole way through. I watched the whole film in three separate instalments, which is probably the best way to do it unless you've got lots of stamina.

It's still an absolutely fantastic film, and very true to the text. In many ways, it is exactly as I imagine it, except for the eerie bland setting.

Michael Hordern is a superb Lear. It's an immensely difficult role, one of the most complex in all of Shakespeare - finding a balance between strength and weakness is seemingly impossible, but Hodern pulls it off with surprising talent, given his age.

However, I think that Gillian Barge and Penelope Wilton steal the show as Goneril and Regan. The pair of them portray the vicious sisters so convincingly that their performances alone make this film well worth seeing. Their cruelty and greed is conveyed which a calibre of acting that has sadly been lost in this generation of film. Furthermore, you can actually feel bonds between these two sisters, which makes the whole film a lot more real.

A number of scenes deserve special mention. Gloucester's blinding is bloody spectacular. His tortured screams were so realistic that I wanted to murder Wilton in revenge, who played Regan here with pure malice.

The final scene was also fabulous, even achieving suspense and terror - the brothers' fatal duel, the wicked sisters' inevitable deaths, and - most of all - Lear's pitiful, heart-wrenching entrance holding Cordelia dead in his arms. This is made all the more horrific by the raw rope marks around Cordelia's neck.

I could go on forever about this movie but I won't, just take my word for it. But don't watch it if you're after an easy viewing experience. Be prepared to work at this film. But it's fantastic so well worth it, I think.

Enjoy!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unabridged, 20 Oct 2007

By	Rumi Kidwai - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The cast interpret the script in a way that is easy to understand, so this DVD is ideal if you're studying the play. A good companion to the Arden Shakespeare text.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

3 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a disappointment, 27 Jan 2006

By A Customer

What a very dreary version of the play. Just the continuous tramp tramp on wooden floor boards with monotonous acting in oh so subtle gothic costumes to hammer the elementalism of the theme. Really, it's a such a cheek to even sell such a low budget production posing as modernism.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 4 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of Shakespeare
Lear is my favourite play and I have three versions in all. So far this is my favourite version.

It form's part of a collection made by the BBC in the 80's of the... Read more

Published 7 months ago by Griff

› See all 4 customer reviews...

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; }

Customer Discussions

Beta (What's this?)

This product's forum (0 discussions)

	Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
	No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight

Start a new discussion

Topic:

First post:

Prompts for sign-in

[Cancel]

Guidelines

Active discussions in related forums

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
television Tv shows that are not on dvd , but should be .	797	35 minutes ago
television Can anyone help?	1	4 hours ago
television Brotherhood	2	5 hours ago
television highway patrol	3	5 hours ago
television Best book made into a film?	87	6 hours ago
television favourite tv channel ?	0	6 hours ago
television Name of TV Programme?	4	12 hours ago

Related forums

television (187 discussions)

Listmania!

Best Period Drama: A list by Chloe
My Favourite Period Dramas: A list by peb87
books for girl teens: A list by G. Jiang "lula2309"

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

DVD & Blu-ray > Television > Drama

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Health & Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

From soap to shavers, massagers to mascara, stock up on your daily essentials or truly pamper yourself.

›Discover Health & Beauty

Let Olay Amaze You

Amazon.co.uk sells all your favourite ranges from Olay, including Regenerist and Total Effects.

›Discover Olay at Amazon.co.uk

Boys Smell

Lynx Africa Body Spray and After Shave Gift set

But we make sure they smell good...

›Discover male grooming at Amazon.co.uk

Treat Someone

With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

Where's My Stuff?

track your recent orders
view or change your orders in Your Account

Delivery and Returns

see our delivery rates and policies
thinking of returning an item? (See our Returns Policy)

Need Help?

Forgot your password?
Buy Gift Certificates.
still have questions? Visit our Help Pages

Your Recent History

(What's this?)

You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

4.5 out of 5 stars (76)�3.86

Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer

4.1 out of 5 stars (464)�6.49

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

4.1 out of 5 stars (168)�3.99

Bad Science by Ben Goldacre

4.6 out of 5 stars (143)�4.85


Amazon Home

International Sites: United States \| Germany \| France \| Japan \| Canada \| China

Business Programs: Sell on Amazon \| Fulfilment by Amazon \| Join Associates \| Join Advantage

Customer Service \| Help \| View Basket \| Your Account

About Amazon.co.uk \| Careers at Amazon


Amazon Home

International Sites: United States \| Germany \| France \| Japan \| Canada \| China

Business Programs: Sell on Amazon \| Fulfilment by Amazon \| Join Associates \| Join Advantage

Customer Service \| Help \| View Basket \| Your Account

About Amazon.co.uk \| Careers at Amazon