- Actors: Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Stanley Tucci, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart
- Directors: Michael Hoffman
- Format: Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 2.35:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- DVD Release Date: 15 April 2003
- Run Time: 115 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
- ASIN: 6305622876
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 84,866 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
By far the best thing about director Michael Hoffman's A Midsummer Night's Dream is the extraordinary all-star cast, which follows the precedent created by Kenneth Branagh's Italian-set romantic Shakespeare comedy, Much Ado About Nothing (1993), of mixing major Hollywood stars--here Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer--with top British talent, in this instance Christian Bale, Rupert Everett, Roger Rees, David Strathairn and Dominic West. Kline makes a fine Nick Bottom, with Pfeiffer equally good as the fairy queen Titania and Everett brooding effectively as Oberon. Unfortunately, while both look ravishing, it is hard to tell which actress between Anna Friel (Brookside) and Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal) gives the most wretched performance. Both are completely out of their depth the moment they begin to speak, and utterly outclassed by the excellent Sophie Marceau.
Shot in Tuscany and set in the 19th century, parts of the film are extraordinarily beautiful, while other sections could have benefited from some judicious special effects magic. This is not a bad movie, but it is rather uninspired, lacking any real imaginative grasp of the play. In contrast, the much less well known and lower budget Royal Shakespeare Company version of 1996 positively revels in the fantastically surreal possibilities this timeless text. --Gary S Dalkin
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bottom is top!,
By Mandy Bennett (St. Peter Port, Guernsey United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Midsummer Nights Dream [DVD] [1999] (DVD)
I was deeply unimpressed with the casting of this glossy version of one of my favourite plays, until Kevin Kline appeared on screen. Not only is his performance sublime, but he actually gave an interpretation of Bottom that I have never seen before, one that I found very human and moving. He is worth the admission price alone. Just as well since most of the other performances left me indifferent. Kline's performance lifts this to a four star rating, along with the fantastic incidental music - I've rarely heard the Mascagni used so effectively.
28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enchantingly Beautiful,
By Stephen (WASHINGTON, Tyne Wear United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Midsummer Nights Dream [DVD] [1999] (DVD)
This film especially for those perhaps visiting Shakespeare for the first time will find the setting of this play curious, yet very beautiful - clearly Shakespere is for all ages and for all times. The acting is superb and I do admit that Calista Flockhart takes this journey into the world of Shakespere wonderfully well (talented and very Beautiful!) Not too diminish the charms of both Michelle Pfeiffer and Anna Friel who seems to have been overlooked on the credits (? why) but Calista as Shakespearian Actress demonstrates she is far more than Ally Mc Beal! The cast, costume and settings of this play can be summed up as magical, in sixty years I have to rate this film as the absolute best ever for me.Film has become violent and quite blatant in its exploitation of sex. This film is undoubtedly sensual - like the classical music that backs the film is sensual, but it it also fun and the special effects add to this sense of sheer delight. Give this film a chance - let yourself go - watch Shakespere for once - this is how Shakespeare should be - not dried out in the school classroom - but full of wonderful life - and not a little spice!
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Magical - loved it,
By
This review is from: A Midsummer Nights Dream [DVD] [1999] (DVD)
I've never greatly cared for this play, like 12th Night it seemed more cruel than funny. Therefore I approached an "All Star" version with caution. However this film was a delightful surprise, not only is it a very good ensemble, but the director has managed to make sense of the humour of the "rude mechanicals" for me for the first time. I think this interpretation, even if its not slavishly faithful to the play, gets closer to the intended humour. Its the first version I've seen that actually made me laugh and believe Puck's assertion at the end that no harm has really been done.
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