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Much Ado About Nothing [DVD] [1993]

Kenneth Branagh , Emma Thompson , Kenneth Branagh    Parental Guidance   DVD
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
Price: £4.16 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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
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Much Ado About Nothing [DVD] [1993] + Hamlet (2 Disc Special Edition)
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Product details

  • Actors: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Keanu Reeves, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Briers
  • Directors: Kenneth Branagh
  • Writers: Kenneth Branagh, William Shakespeare
  • Producers: Kenneth Branagh, David Parfitt, Stephen Evans
  • Format: PAL, Dolby
  • Language: English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: PG
  • Studio: Ev
  • DVD Release Date: 1 Jun 1999
  • Run Time: 104 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004RCK2
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,109 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)

Reviews

From Amazon.co.uk

Much Ado About Nothing is probably the most satisfying, and certainly the liveliest and most charming, of Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare films. The witty badinage between Branagh and his then-wife Emma Thompson, as Benedick and Beatrice, is as bright and sunny as the golden sunlight that shines on the Tuscan villa where the picture was shot. This production--and don't ask about the plot, just remember the title--is an ebullient celebration of art and artifice, culminating in a joyous dance, and performed at a brisk pace by an all-star cast, including Denzel Washington, Robert Sean Leonard, Keanu Reeves and Michael Keaton. --Jim Emerson

Product Description

DVD Special Features:

Letterbox Ratio 15:9
Dolby Pro Logic



Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars ..so should I buy it? 6 Oct 2009
Format:DVD
There are plenty of detailed critiques of the performances and production on here which I won't attempt to emulate; this review is rather for the casual browser who is hovering around the 'add to basket' button. So - Yes! I bought this at a price pretty much equivalent to rental - and I would heartily recommend it as great value and good entertainment. It has its weaknesses - the DVD transfer is not particularly high quality (I'd like to see a fully restored, Blu-Ray version) and has no supplementary material. Of the performances, only Keanu Reeeves' is really dubious - he brings to the part of John the Bastard an impressive physique and little else. There's also some of that rather cloying best buddies quality that accompanies Branagh's core troupe. However, overall it trips along with a light touch and is very entertaining - genuinely so on the strength of the play, not just for the interest of the interpretation. The cinematography and scenery are superb (though again, some colour restoration would have helped, and some of the cast had gone very pink in the Italian sun!). I enjoyed Keaton's perfomance as Dogberry, though I struggled to hear everything he said, and it did remind me of Beetlejuice. I'd forgotten how luminously beautiful and engaging the young Kate Beckinsale was before she became Hollywood Barbie (sigh..), and was very impressed by the naturalness of Denzel Washington's delivery, as Branagh's integration of US actors sometimes jars.

You don't have to be a Shakespeare fanatic to enjoy this, but there is equally plenty there to satisfy the enthusiast. Hit that button!
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49 of 52 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Superb Film - Rotten DVD 22 July 2008
Format:DVD
The Kenneth Branagh/Emma Thompson version of 'Much Ado About Nothing' is one of the happiest and most charming films I have ever seen (despite the tense bit in the middle and the tedious nature of the bard's original story).
This DVD is let down -so- badly by the rough and ready transfer, which has the following problems:
1) This is 1.4ish:1 and not widescreen as it says on the packaging (the original film -was- widescreen)
2) The colour in the original film was wonderful - alas not the DVD, where unsightly colour aliasing and contours are evident
3) There isn't even a decent Scene Selection capability, just a small number of whole 'acts', so it is very hard to find your place if you don't see it all the way through
4) No Extras whatever, despite the fact that there was a lovely 'making of' featurette made (I watched it on TV).

Please, please, please could we have a widescreen anamorphic reissue (Region 2) with all of the above corrected?

I for one would pay full price.
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45 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Kenneth Branagh's adaption of Much Ado About Nothing is a sheer delight to watch. I first saw it six years ago to prepare for a performance of it at school. The whole class fell in love with the film and while it may fall behind Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet in pure greatness, it soars ahead in sheer fun and exuberance.

As with Hamlet from 3 years later, the set is moved forward a few hundred years which just gives a fresh and vibrant touch to the film. Branagh himself plays Benedick and the chemistry between him and his (then) wife Emma Thompson as Beatrice makes you wonder why they could ever have split up. It is the war of words between these two that provide some of the main highlights of the film, especially their initial exchange:

Benedick: 'God keep your lady in that so some man may 'scape a pre-destinate scratched face'.

Beatrice: 'Scratching could not make it worse onto such a face as yours'.

Benedick: 'Well you are a rare parrot teacher'.

Beatrice: 'A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of your tongue'

Benedick: 'I wish my horse had the speed of your tongue'.

Branagh is also not afraid to throw in American actors and their effect ranges from the fish in water (Denzel Washington's Don Pedro), to the aquittable Keanu Reeves to the outstanding thespian but altogether too Yankee Robert Sean Leonard. However the real American star of the film is Michael Keaten with his sidekick Ben Elton who give a Monty Pythonesque twist to Dogsberry and Verges.

Branagh directs the film with style and his choice of music is outstanding. The all-star cast deliver as expected and it all adds up to one of my alltime favourite films.

One little criticism is the actual DVD itself. There are no extras whatsoever; it would have been nice to hear Branagh's views on the film. And although the scene selection by 'act' is quaint, it is annoying trying to find one particular scene.

Do not let that disuade you though, watching this film on a flip book while listening to it on tape would be enough. It is a beautifully written and performed play.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars classic
I really love this play, it is so uplifting and humorous. In Kenneth Branaghs version, Emma Thompson steals the show as the lead and the cast are all superb. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Kitty
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing quality
The sound and picture quality from this blueray transfer l think is brilliant and truley
gives the movie its rightful splendour which shows off the brilliant production... Read more
Published 27 days ago by michael phillips
5.0 out of 5 stars Much ado about nothing.
I haven't had any problems with DVDs I have bought and this was no different. It was a most satisfactory deal.
Published 1 month ago by Fred Chaucer
4.0 out of 5 stars Much Ado About Nothing
As with many old plays, this one needs the audience to get past a very outdated view of women. This production is an up-beat, often hillarious, sometimes sad interpretation.
Published 1 month ago by Sonja van den Ende
5.0 out of 5 stars Much Ado about Nothing
I bought this DVD for myself to replace my video version of the film. I really enjoy watching this version as it is easy to understand and being shot in Italy has a lovely feeling... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jill Hardcastle
4.0 out of 5 stars Much ADO
Great for anyone studying Shakespeare but also for anyone who wants to watch a decent film which is well acted and directed by Kenneth Branagh. It's suitable for all ages.
Published 1 month ago by Claire
5.0 out of 5 stars Great film
Needed this for my english gcse so was really helpful. Really enjoyed it and makes it a lot easier to revise!
Published 1 month ago by Thanks
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous
Wonderful interpretation of a simple but classic story. The dialogue comes alive in the hands of these masters and the setting is glorious
Published 2 months ago by Roy
3.0 out of 5 stars Decent film, poor DVD
Ths DVD leaves much to be desired. The picture quality is very poor, the aspect ratio, I suspect, is wrong and the colors look quite bleak. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sven Delarivière
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful scenery, wonderful acting and very funny
Wow! Filmed at the 14th century Villa Vignamaggio, in Tuscany, the film is a real tribute to this Shakespeare comedy. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Neil J. Ross
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