Customer Reviews

Twelfth Night [1988] [DVD]

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

 

 

I have only recently been re-introduced to Shakespeare, after years of hating him because of the way my teachers presented it at school. I have just this evening re-watched Twelfth Night - the version with Richard Briers in it - he, as ever, is a great character. I enjoyed the other actors as well and would like to say that the diction of the actors is so clear that it doesn't matter that there are no subtitles. Shakespearean English is now quite clear to me. Thanks. Gwen

This is the most successful - in fact absolutely outstanding - attempt to capture Shakespeare on film. Most productions fail because they become bombastic (think of Kenneth Branagh's efforts, and alas even those of Olivier and Gielgud) whereas this one succeeds because it is perfectly intimate. Every role is cast appropriately. Richard Briers, who is not an actor I'd think of when casting Shakespeare, does wonderfully here - so unlike his performances elsewhere. Even Shakespeare's rather lame "comedy" sections are pulled off and provide just the right counterpoint to the main story line. I first saw this version nearly two and a half decades ago and was spellbound throughout. Now, owning it on DVD and being able to watch it again and again I confess I am just as much spellbound on the tenth time of viewing as I was on the very first. This is a must-own for anyone who enjoys Shakespeare, anyone who enjoys fine acting, and anyone who loves an absolutely brilliant production.

Brannagh explores some of the sadder aspects of this play which gives the production real depth. That it's entirely set outdoors in snowy winter is disconcerting at first, but soon becomes part of the fabric. This is a quality production with a great cast, especially Anton Lesser as the fool.

Great for anyone studying Shakespeare. The characters are well acted and the story is easy to understand.A really useful learning resource

The best version I know of this fine and charming Shakespeare play is the Trevor Nunn movie. It is by far the best acting and presentation and as this is my favourite Shakespeare play, I'm pretty fussy anyway.

This version of Twelfth Night is OK. It's very watchable. It all depends how you like the play done and which characters you like and how they are cast, doesn't it, since Shakespeare's so versatile. But Orsino is my favourite character and if he's not cast as I like, and this one he isn't as I see Orsino at all, so I quickly got pretty frustrated. This sadly is my main recollection of the movie which I first saw some years back, then tried to watch again after seeing the Trevor Nunn movie, but quickly gave up on it.
I really don't see Orsino as a dismal lovesick wet mooning about flowers. Nothing wrong with liking flowers but Orsino is clearly meant to be a battle leader - he's the Duke, after all, the Dukedom's leader, who's been engaged in a war with Messaline. Trevor Nunn's version very cleverly has Orsino recovering from a wound on his arm, probably a sword slash. So we could expect him to have been feverish for a while. No wonder then that he's resting quite a bit. Now that's the right kind of approach. Manly whilst in love and when this Orsino talks about flowers, it's fine. The Beeb version comes closer although that Orsino's still pretty wet and in that one I disliked the presentation of Viola.

I've been disappointed in all the Branagh Shakespeare movies. So this one is no exception. But they are still very well worth watching as this one is. It would be hard to ruin a Shakespeare play?

An most important part of our English heritage and wonderful use of the language that never goes out of date,

As the last reviewer said it was rather unenthralling somehow.

The set is limited and quite dreary, the direction adding nothing to it either. The acting is fine, Richard Briars excellent as ever. In fact all the actors do their part just fine.

Sadly, the spark just isn't there on this one.

Having said that, if you want to know the story without studying a text, at this price it's still a more pleasant alternative!

I found it hard to watch this version of this wonderful Shakespeare play - his best comedy - because it just can't compare with the Trevor Nunn movie. If you haven't seen the Nunn movie or don't happen to like its presentation, then you might like this. I'm a Shakespeare enthusiast so I know the producers are always trying to give us new angles. This can lead to total disaster for a fan who's a firm idea how they like the play in question presented. No Shakespeare version that I've seen of this play is bad, they just vary in how good they are, and my reaction varies according to whether the presentation sends up everyone or tries to take the characters seriously. This one doesn't grab me.