Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
|
Reviews
Product Description
By popular demand, Trevor Nunn brings the 2007 stage-to-screen high definitiion presentation of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of King Lear.
Review
***** - a superlative performance from Ian McKellan --The Times
McKellan is arguably the finest living interpretor of Shakespeare --Arts Review LA
McKellan is arguably the finest living interpretor of Shakespeare --Arts Review LA
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you are looking for amazing special effects, then this isn't the one for you. Unsurprisingly, throught the film there is an intense feeling of a tight budget. However, with the performances inside, it hardly matters.
I had the fortune to see this while it was at the New London Theatre. None of the magic created by the actors is lost in the film - Romola Garai (Cordelia) is stunning, Frances Barber (Goneril) is absolutely wonderful with perfect timing and a voice to match, Monica Dolan and William Gaunt (Regan and Gloucester) are brilliant, but the shining lights are Sylvester McCoy and Ian McKellen, as the Fool and Lear. McCoy plays a hilarious, spoon-playing fool, and there is a great sympathy towards the character, making his fall incredibly tragic. And McKellen is pitch perfect. His performance as the great King is the definitive version.
There are many more visually stunning versions of this on film, but performance wise, it doesn't get better. I'm inclined to say that if you're studying the text in class, it's probably the best bet. It's very close to the stage production, and isn't inhibited or enhanced by large sets or costumes.
I had the fortune to see this while it was at the New London Theatre. None of the magic created by the actors is lost in the film - Romola Garai (Cordelia) is stunning, Frances Barber (Goneril) is absolutely wonderful with perfect timing and a voice to match, Monica Dolan and William Gaunt (Regan and Gloucester) are brilliant, but the shining lights are Sylvester McCoy and Ian McKellen, as the Fool and Lear. McCoy plays a hilarious, spoon-playing fool, and there is a great sympathy towards the character, making his fall incredibly tragic. And McKellen is pitch perfect. His performance as the great King is the definitive version.
There are many more visually stunning versions of this on film, but performance wise, it doesn't get better. I'm inclined to say that if you're studying the text in class, it's probably the best bet. It's very close to the stage production, and isn't inhibited or enhanced by large sets or costumes.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I can only say that when Shakespeare wrote King Lear, he had this performance in mind. McKellen is magnificent, but so is the rest of the cast. I never saw a better Goneril and Edmund truly gets under your skin. I recommend this DVD wholeheartedly to anyone who loves Shakespeare.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I was fortunate to see the RSC's stage production of "King Lear" twice during it's World Tour stop in Minneapolis and Ian McKellan was impressive to say the least. His command of the role kept me on the edge of my seat. I was also impressed with the performances of Frances Barber, Romola Garai and Sylvester McCoy, all of whom held their own very well when on-stage with McKellan. Having this production preserved on DVD is a real treat. My only disappointment is they didn't also record "The Seagull", which used most of the same cast and was running with "King Lear" in repertoire.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Shakespeare - the master
I was pleased to find this DVD at such a good price. Just what I needed for my Literature Group. Great DVD. Great service.
Published 26 days ago by beejay
Cannot be faulted
i bought this for my teenager daughter who is reading King Lear at school. She found it very useful and it helped her understand the play better, which is pretty good as English is... Read more
Published 3 months ago by anna
Passion and intelligence
Trevor Nunn treats the text of this play with much more respect than he treated that of Twelfth Night (with Bonham Carter et al), and he allows his superb cast to expose the heart... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Sognatrice
King Lear
Great version-- not something I'd recommend for someone who just wanted a film to watch, as it's long, involved and occasionally gruelling (of course, that's kinda the point of a... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Indy
Interesting Version
I enjoyed this and feel it's worth watching whatever your ideas about how the play should be performed. It's colourful and there are some good performances and ideas in it. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Louise Armstrong
Is King Lear Unplayable?
I have spent a long life with Shakespeare, without question the finest relationship I have ever had. Enough credentials. Read more
Published on 26 April 2010 by Shakespeare
King Lear
A great production, Ian McKellen give a performance that subtly sways between Lear's former majesty and his oncoming senility while Sylvester McCoy plays the Fool with heartfelt... Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2010 by Graeme Loveridge
Seriously disappointing!
I was delighted to find the blu ray of this production available so cheaply, since I really appreciate many of the cast as actors, and of course Lear is one of Shakespeare's... Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2009 by Chinatown Blue
An excellent production
I find it hard to love King Lear as a play. It's a bit like Milton's poetry, good but hard work. The play has a lot of longueurs and posturing. Read more
Published on 29 Nov 2009 by William Cohen
goodresponce
i bought king lear for my grandson as he is studying it for a level. he says it was a very good adaptation .it arrived well on time
Published on 3 Oct 2009 by Pamela Goodwin
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
