King Lear

Starring:Ian Holm
Studio: Wgbh Boston
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

This collection of televised adaptations includes some of Shakespeare's finest works, all produced for British television. Among them are interpretations of MACBETH (with Ian McKellen and Judi Dench), KING LEAR, ROMEO & JULIET, and TWELFTH NIGHT (directed by Kenneth Branagh).

System Requirements:

Running Time 600 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Average customer rating:

Definitive
Magnificent in every way
Makes the Peter Brooks version look bad
King Lear
Great acting amidst clunky backgrounds

King Lear
Starring: Laurence Olivier , Colin Blakely , Anna Calder-Marshall , Jeremy Kemp , and Robert Lang (II)
Director: Michael Elliott
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection)
King Lear
Macbeth
Twelfth Night
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

ASIN: 0769712231
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Description

The late Sir Lawrence Olivier stars in this Emmy Award winning production of Shakespeare's King Lear. It is the timeless tale of greed and lust for power, and of a sick old man, his scheming children and lost loyalties. Also stars Diana Rigg, John Hurt, Leo McKern, and Colin Blakely. Special DVD features include a biography and filmography on Sir Lawrence Olivier, character and cast list, chapter stops on each scene, and more. 158 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

Definitive.......2007-05-08

This is by general consensus one of Shakespeare's two greatest works, Hamlet being the other. (Which one you think is best is purely a matter of taste; you can generate passionate arguments either way.) No matter where you come down on that debate, King Lear is indisputably a top masterpiece by the greatest writer in the English language.

This production features a cast that is consummately superb, from the title role on down. Every character is played by an actor who ranks near the top of the profession, including such luminaries as Diana Rigg, Leo McKern, David Trelfall, Jeremy Kemp, and on and on and on. And, of course, there is Olivier, who is at the very peak of his powers here. There isn't a weak, or even ordinary, performance anywhere.

A teacher I once knew used to describe Shakespeare's language as "opera for people who can't sing." This company makes the language crystal clear, but beyond that, they make it sing. If this production doesn't make Shakespeare accessible for you, no production ever will.

Magnificent in every way.......2007-02-17

This is the first Lear I ever saw and so it will always be dear to me as it touched me so deeply way back when it was first shown on TV as it still does now when I pop my video in the player. I can't imagine any production topping this one as each character is played so thoroughly true and with such amazing skill and clearness of language. Every student or lover of Shakespeare must watch this and is highly recommended to purchase it for repeated viewing throughout your life. To me, Shakespeare's plays are so rich because they can be performed successfully innumerable ways. So it is absurd to expect any one performance to encapsulate everything a play can offer. You can't do it all in one production. However, I could easily be satisfied with this one Lear without ever seeing another. All the actors here, even the bit parts, play their parts essentially to perfection. I suppose my favorites are Lear, Gloucester, Edgar, Cordelia and Regan, but that is not to diminish anyone else. My only complaint about the play in general is that it is too difficult to believe that the others (excepting perhaps Lear himself since he is so old, nearsighted, half-mad/senile) do not recognize Kent for who he is merely because he has shaved his beard and put on ragged clothes. But, of course, if they did, or he revealed himself, the plot would be ruined and it would become a very different play altogether. I say enjoy the magnificent acting, the beautiful poetry and insights into human nature, and let Shakespeare sweep you away. You can't help but be moved when Lear realizes he has "ta'en too little care" of the homeless wretches, or when Lear is reunited with Cordelia and she so tenderly speaks to him, or, alas, when Lear is overcome with grief as he carries the dead Cordelia onto the battlefield and desperately tries to will her back to life before succumbing himself. One final note: the violence of the play, though horrible to contemplate, is presented in such a way as to be believable but also watchable (not for small children of course). Obviously, they couldn't be TOO REAL about it or someone would really get hurt!

Makes the Peter Brooks version look bad.......2006-11-25

If you want to see King Lear presented the way it should be, then this is for you. If you want to hear the lines spoken with total clarity and intelligence, the story presented with total understanding, almost every part played with total mastery, then this is for you. If you want to see special effects, expensive scenery, kung fu fight scenes, graphic killings, quirky direction imposed on the text Shakespeare wrote, go elsewhere. This is not for semi-literate mental adolescents panting for eye-candy, but for people mature enough to value the lessons of life and to accept its injustices and paradoxes. This work is a 400 year old play, written for the stage, perhaps the greatest of its kind. It speaks to those who are capable of listening, concentrating, absorbing its marvellous composition; who can recognize great acting, who can allow themselves to be drawn in by a performance built on a long, long lifetime of superlative achievement, supported to the hilt by every other player. I could find a few petty flaws to complain about and carp at, but I'm not going to lower myself to a high-school level of crass stupidity.

King Lear.......2006-08-22

I gave it 3 star because of my own inadequacy - I am Filipino and we are more familiar with the American english. At first I had difficult time following the "British english" accent. Otherwise I would have rated it highier. It is very good because while it is a movie, you can still feel that it as if it was stage play. I recommend it for all students of Shakespeare

Great acting amidst clunky backgrounds.......2006-07-04

Granted, this production was made for television and they were obviously intent on keeping it a play and the set design as such. However, it certainly would have been a better "film" if it were given the budget to be so. A prime example being "Merchant of Venice" with Robert Deniro and Jeremy Irons. Just the wonderful cinematography and attention to detail alone give Shakespeare that extra touch of realism that makes for a truly satisfying film. "King Lear" could have benefitted from the same. In fact, even as a play, I found the sets simplistic, clunky, and distracting. HOWEVER, the acting is wonderful and that really is the main reason for watching this in the first place.

Average customer rating:

No Nuance
Highlighters
A wasted effort.
Lackluster Lear
King Lear Meets Star Wars

King Lear
Starring: Barbara Flynn , Ian Holm , Amanda Redman , Paul Rhys , and David Lyon
Director: Richard Eyre
Manufacturer: WGBH Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection)
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
Twelfth Night
Hamlet
Othello

ASIN: B0002XVRIY
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Description

This spectacular film version of the award-winning Royal National Theatre production of King Lear stars the immensely celebrated actor Ian Holm. Critics used every superlative imaginable to acclaim Holm's performance in King Lear when it was first staged. The Sunday Times called his performance, "Timelessly classical, harrowingly modern and unforgettable," and The Evening Standard wrote: "Holm's triumph is indisputable total." The Royal National Theatre production of the Shakespeare classic has now won the award for Best Actor (Ian Holm) and Best Director (Richard Eyre) in the Evening Standard Awards, the London Theatre Critics Award and The Laurence Olivier Awards. Lear, King of Britain, has three daughters: Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Intending to divide his kingdom among his daughters according to their affection for him, he asks them to say which loves him most. Goneril and Regan profess their extreme affection, and each receives one-third of the kingdom. Cordelia, disgusted with their hollow flattery, says she loves him according to her duty, no more or less. Infuriated with this reply, Lear divides her portion between Goneril and Regan. Eventually the two daughters reveal their true heartlessness and a tragic chain of events are set into motion.

Customer Reviews:

No Nuance.......2007-04-16

This is a production totally without nuance and its owes that to the bellowing of Ian Holm. Holm as Lear bellows at the beginning. he bellows in the middle. And he belows at the end. Lear bellows when he is dividing teh kingdom. he bellows then he rejects Cordelia. he bellows when he realises that he has been betrayed by Goneriel and Regan. The character presented as Lear is entirely one dimensional. Any change of circumstance or emotion is presented as more bellowing. There is no tragedy in this production because there is no change in Lear from beginning to end.

This DVD is not worth buying.

Highlighters.......2006-09-28

This version of King Lear highlights the action of Lear and his daughters. The setting, costumes, and minor characters are downplayed so that the viewer can really focus in on Lear and his daughters.The change in setting from a bland inside to the stormy, or foggy outside makes the scenes more memorable and helps to highlight the events that happen in these outdoor settings. For instance, when Lear is outside in the storm, the storm seems to be used as a mirror to show Lear's madness.
The film was good. The staging at the end was especially useful to the viewer in tying up loose ends. After reading the play, the movie highlighted many things that may not have been understood from simply reading the play.

A wasted effort........2006-06-25

On the special features on Hamlet (w/ Mel Gibson) Ian Holm makes a remark about Gibson's performance suggesting that it lacks depth. This caused me to raise an eyebrow since I considered Mr. Gibson's performance to be quite excellent and so I imagined the insinuation was that Ian Holm could have done a better job but wasn't given the part because of his age and the fact that he is not a popular as Mel Gibson. While I'm not really a fan of any of Ian Holme's movies he plays a wonderful Polonius.
So what do we get here? Ian Holm over acts to the point where this DVD becomes painful to watch. The rest of the actor's aren't much better. To top if all off they turned King Lear into a diversity-fest where France is a Latino and Burgundy is a Negro. Seriously, are these people on drugs?
If you want a good Shakespearean experience look into Arkangel Shakespeare CD's and, of course, Hamlet with Mel Gibson.

Lackluster Lear.......2006-04-13

Holm is a really terrific actor, but I have a feeling his Lear is probably better served by the stage than by this rather uneven production. For one thing, he really doesn't seem old and frail enough. And the supporting cast doesn't seem particularly well thought out - or is it just the way they're directed. There are some particularly unfortunate moments where we get to see Goneril's twitching, overwrought facial reactions during Lear's lengthy outpourings of invective, and the thing would be hilarious if it weren't so hard to watch (and not in a good way). Lear shouts and everyone shouts back. There is no variation or contrast in the performances. Goneril, in particular, works better as a measured, icy presence, in my opinion. In a television production, we could still see his words cutting her as she keeps her infernal composure. The shouting matches leach the material of a lot of it's dramatic tension. It sometimes seems as if everyone is playing mad here - except, perhaps, for Michael Bryant, who gives faultless line delivery as the Fool.

I personally don't think 'Lear' has a chance of working unless as much care is given to the characters closest to him (particularly the daughters) as to Lear himself. The performances need to be developed interdependently, as the characters are interdependent. The music of the piece doesn't come out here.

Eventually, it becomes tedious.

King Lear Meets Star Wars.......2005-08-05

The casting director should have spared us the bow to diversity and political correctness when a hispanic was cast as France and a negro as Burgundy. Set design and costume sacrificed tradition and historical representation to economy and off-beat originality. The costumes resemble those of Star Wars. The Fool, instead of being youthful, agile and entertaining, is fat, old and dumpy. The most entertaining thing about the fool is Lear referring to the grizzled 70 year-old as "boy". Holms as Lear can't hold a candle to Lawrence Oliver. Holms plays every scene with the same, monotonous, high level of intensity, like a manic Lear. He is unable to play Lear as a likeable, sympathetic character, in any scene. During the scene in which Lear's heart is supposed to break when Cordelia fails to declare her love with sufficient eloquence, Holms' Lear only comes accross as manic, obsessed and neurotic. Even with its poor film quality, Sir Lawrence Oliver's production is the best.

Average customer rating:

KING LEAR - review
Little Known Masterpiece
Yes, finally on DVD but what a transfer ...!
Yes, it's the Russian version! Finally on DVD!
It's the Russian Film

King Lear
Starring: Yuri Yarvet , Elsa Radzin , Galina Volchek , Oleg Dal , and Valentin Shendrikova
Director: Grigori Kozintsev
Manufacturer: Facets Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Grigori Kozintsev's Hamlet
The Conformist (Extended Edition)
Becket
Richard Burton's Hamlet
King Lear

ASIN: B000K2Q7H8
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Description

Hailed as one of the best adaptations of this Shakespearean tragedy, Grigori Kozintsev's KING LEAR is a striking epic interpretation based on a translation by novelist Boris Pasternak and driven by a stirring score by composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Kozintsev transposed the setting to a sparse landscape of moors and marshes, which provides an eerie backdrop to the bare castles and roaming bands of ragged, destitute wanderers. Thin, frail Yuri Yarvet's unique interpretation of the title role, in which he focuses on the king's suffering and pain, was internationally acclaimed. Kozintsev, a peer of Eisenstein's who worked well into the 1960s, was a master of cinematic technique who finally achieved recognition at the end of his career for his stunning interpretations of Shakespeare. According to film historian Richard Dyer: "Paradoxically, the two most powerful films of Shakespeare plays [Hamlet and King Lear] were made not in Great Britain but in the Soviet Union." (Boston Globe)

Customer Reviews:

KING LEAR - review.......2007-05-13

This version of LEAR is rightly regarded as seminal in the history of films made of Shakespeare's plays. The sparse, bare sets, the spiritual torment of the characters as Kozintsev explores Lear's fall from power endorses the NEW YORKER's declaration that the film would "stand as one of the unshakeable edifices of Shakespearean imagination."

Little Known Masterpiece.......2007-04-28

This version of "King Lear" is an incredible achievement due to the masterful adaptation from the Shakespeare original by one of the best Russian poets, writers, and translators of the last century, Boris Pasternak; elegant and powerful images by the cinematographer Jonas Gritsius (he also worked with Grigori Kozintsev on the earlier Shakespeare's adaptation, "Hamlet", 1964), the music of Dimity Shostakovich, and the great performances from all actors.

Estonian actor Jüri Järvet is masterful as the mad king in a performance which is reminiscent of Kinski as another brilliant madman - Aguirre. They were even the same age when they played Aguirre and Lear. The whole cast is amazing: Kozintsev chose the best actors possible for his project and everyone delivers. I'd like to mention Oleg Dal as the touching Fool; Karl Sebris as the Duke of Gloucester, whose scenes with his son Edgar after having been blinded are very moving; Regimantas Adomaitis as Edmund, a treacherous son and brother but a brilliant man; and Donatas Banionis (who played the main character in Tarkovsky's Solaris) as an intelligent and noble Albany. But like I said, everyone and everything is just perfect in this little known but IMO, the Best adaptation of the beloved and one of the most wrenching tragedies in the English and in the world literature.

Yes, finally on DVD but what a transfer ...!.......2007-03-03

Priceless masterpiece but unwatchable on my 16:9 TV because it was encoded in 4:3 aspect ratio. Of course I could zoom the picture to fill the screen but lost the subtitles (I don't speak Russian). Ultimately I had to reencode the movie in 16:9, adding ripped subtitles.

But that's not all. The DVD is 29.97 fps (video) and not 23.976 (film), as if encoded from S-VHS (picture quality is good-old-VHS like). So if your DVD player or display's deinterlacing is sub-par you get bonus picture artifacts.

I also bought the also priceless Hamlet of Kosintzev from the same publishers and has the same problems (but with burnt-in subtitles).

Well, in the end it's better than nothing ...

Yes, it's the Russian version! Finally on DVD!.......2007-02-10

Pay no attention to the previous comments. This is not a "second tier" film which "could be good." It is one of the best, if not *the* best filmed versions of Shakespeare. Not sure why the product description emphasizes Yuri Yarvet's being "thin" and "frail." Most commentators note the great energy of his performance, which makes his fall into madness all the more poignant. Also notable is the Shostakovich score, which together with the muddy, rustic backdrops heightens the sense of tragedy approaching. Think of this as great Russian filmmaking, combined with a great Shakespearean play, to the benefit of both.

It's the Russian Film.......2007-01-09

T'would be nice it were the Peter Brook film, which I remember liking quite a bit (cinematography by Sven Nyquist if I recall correctly). But in any case, if you enlarge the image here, the film being offered is "Grigori Kozintsev's King Lear", which, given Facets' propensity for issuing, shall we say "second tier" E. European film, could be something good or something utterly sleep inducing.

The Orson Welles Collection (The Stranger/ King Lear/ David and Goliath/ The Trial)

Average customer rating:

GOOD FOR THE KING LEAR ALONE, OKAY FOR THE TRIAL
An Interesting Assortment of Wellesiana
If it sounds too good to be true...

The Orson Welles Collection (The Stranger/ King Lear/ David and Goliath/ The Trial)
Starring: Orson Welles
Manufacturer: Passport
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Macbeth (Fully Restored Version)
Touch of Evil (Restored to Orson Welles' Vision)
Orson Welles' Othello
The Complete Mr. Arkadin (aka Confidential Report) - Criterion Collection
Falstaff Chimes At Midnight [Import]

ASIN: B000C6NP0E
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Description

ORSON WELLES COLLECTION

In the history of cinema, Orson Welles was a larger-than-life figure - both literally and figuratively. His classic 1941 feature Citizen Kane is widely regarded as the greatest American film of all time, while his 1958 film Touch of Evil is often referred to as the greatest B-movie of all time.

But in and around those classics, Welles starred in or directed a number of films that showed off his astonishing range and versatility that included works based on such diverse sources as Franz Kafka, William Shakespeare, and the Bible. This five-DVD collection contains some of Welles' unjustly overlooked gems.

Included in this fascinating collection are THE STRANGER (1946), KING LEAR (1953), DAVID AND GOLIATH (1960), and THE TRIAL (1962). Plus, there's an ultra-rare live TV appearance by Welles on a 1956 Herb Shriner Show in which he recites poetry. In addition, two documentaries - Hollywood Remembers Orson Welles and Hollywood Couples: Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth - round out this terrific set. No fan of classic cinema should be without this important collection from The Master.

Disc One

THE STRANGER

After upsetting the studio executives with the arcane excesses of Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons, Welles set out to show RKO that he could make a movie that was on time, on budget, and that appealed to general audiences of the '40s.

This taut thriller, released in 1946, was the result. Welles, playing an escaped Nazi war criminal hiding out in a small Connecticut town, is ably assisted by a stellar supporting cast that includes Loretta Young as his naïve wife, Edward G. Robinson as his dogged pursuer, and Philip Merivale as the kindly judge.

95 minutes.

Disc Two

KING LEAR

Performed live in front of television cameras in 1953, Welles played the title role in this Shakespeare classic about a beleaguered king who is plagued by problems both political and personal. The impressive supporting cast includes Lloyd Bochner (The Twilight Zone), Beatrice Straight (Network), and Bramwell Fletcher (The Mummy). The music was provided by legendary Pulitzer-Prize-winning composer Virgil Thomson.

Variety referred to this production as "the most definitive Shakespearean work in terms of any show-biz media." Welles' performance was equally - and justifiably - praised.

76 minutes. Disc Three

DAVID AND GOLIATH

This colorful Biblical epoch was produced in Italy in 1960 under the title DAVID E GOLIA. Despite his size, Welles did not play the giant Philistine, Goliath. Instead, he played King Saul, who is informed by his prophets who tell him the new king of Israel will be a young boy name David.

David is played by Yugoslavian actor Ivica Pajer, who, more than twenty years later, played Meryl Streep's father in Sophie's Choice. Goliath was played by a genuine giant of an actor known only as Kronos.

95 minutes.

Disc Four

The Trial

Franz Kafka's classic political thriller came to the screen in 1962 written by, directed by, and starring Orson Welles as Albert Hastler, the attorney. The main character, known only as Josef K, awakens to find he is suddenly and inexplicably on trial for an unspecified crime, and is played to quirky perfection by Anthony Perkins (Psycho). Akim Tamiroff, who gave such a memorable performance as "Uncle Joe" Grandi in Touch of Evil, also lends his support.

Kafka, with his absurdist views and nightmarish visions, is not an easy author to translate for the silver screen, but Welles was clearly up to the task.

94 minutes.

Disc Five

The Herb Shriner Show

This ultra-rare episode of the famed humorist's talk show features Welles in lively conversation as well as reciting some Carl Sandburg poetry on live TV in 1956.

Hollywood Remembers Orson Welles

A fascinating look at the public and private life of this often misunderstood genius of the cinema, who gave us such classics as Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons, but had difficulty living up to his earlier successes as time progressed. Rare film clips, newsreels, and photos tell his story.

Hollywood Couples: Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth

Some saw them as the Genius and the Glamour Gal. Others preferred Beauty and the Beast. Either way, they were one of the least likely and most compelling couples ever to light up the Hollywood skies. This fascinating documentary, filled with film clips and rare footage, examines the private lives of this curious couple - he of the towering talent, she of the gorgeous gams.

Customer Reviews:

GOOD FOR THE KING LEAR ALONE, OKAY FOR THE TRIAL.......2006-08-27

This collection deserves to join your collection is only for being the best recorded King Lear. Welles is magnificent as Lear losing his powers and reason. It is the best work of Welles, directed by the great Peter Brooks, who incredibly presents an impossible ninety minute Lear.

THe second best King LEar ever is of course the James EArle Jones Joe Papp Shakespeare in the PArk presentation, which is a must-see. YOu may also find other favorite actors strutting about such as a very young and dashing Raul Julia, the subdued Paul Sorvino (except when his eyes get poked out- then we hear his operatic voice), and Rene D'auborjonois or whatever that you may remember from TV's BEnsen, Star TRek New GEneration (without his ears) and now Boston LEgal. But I go on about a very praiseworthy production on another DVD.

Here we see Welles in the fullness of his powers doing the best darn King LEar ever recorded, including Olivier's late kinder gentler production, or any other BBC production. It is worthy of multiple viewings.

Welles's serious ADAPTATION of Kafka's The TRial is probnably the best we shall ever see on film of that great novel, despite the alteration of the ending. The only other decent adaptation is by R. Crumb in his "introducing Kafka". But here Welles especially captures the young girls lurking about the artist's closet studio very well. Other elements of the play are well represented and worth studying along with the original novel kept ever at hand. Welles's aiming to push buttons of fear of nuclear war and other contemporary worries altered the novel, but it is worth seeing here.

As for the Stranger, as said here it is something Welles did for commercial success aimed at the concerns of the day. I feel this one is dated now, but it is nice to see the distinguished Mr. RObinson playing a good guy.

As for the rest, you are on your own. But having The Trial and King LEar are worth the price of admission, and will find replay on your system.

An Interesting Assortment of Wellesiana.......2006-05-02

Obviously this isn't Citizen Kane or Ambersons or even Touch of Evil, but it's an interesting cross-section of Welles' work, some of which I'd never seen. Particularly scarce (I believe) is his guest appearance on the Herb Shriner TV Show in the Fifties. I hadn't seen that one. Also, I think they recalled the first batch and got rid of that red logo!

If it sounds too good to be true..........2006-02-22

Avoid this collection at all costs.

This is yet another among the plethora of public domain releases haphazardly thrown together without any regard for the quality of presentation. The source materials for these films, as you might imagine, are remarkably awful. But Passport International couldn't stop at being just any other over-night public domain distribution scam. What makes this collection cross over from "horrible" to "hilarious travesty" is that a red logo is at the bottom of every frame. I kid you not. The bottom of every hazy, warped, mutilated, vinegar-soaked frame.

The Orson Welles, Double Feature #1: The Stranger/King Lear

Average customer rating:

Welles's King Lear (1953) is no longer a stranger

The Orson Welles, Double Feature #1: The Stranger/King Lear
Starring: Orson Welles Double Feature
Manufacturer: Critic's Choice
ProductGroup: DVD
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King Lear
Macbeth (Fully Restored Version)
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King Lear
King Lear / Jones, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)

ASIN: B000CBEWOM
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Customer Reviews:

Welles's King Lear (1953) is no longer a stranger.......2007-05-19

This is an interesting pairing of two public domain films featuring Orson Welles (1915-85):
(1) The stranger (1946) TT1:34:20, divided into 15 chapters
(2) King Lear (1953): TT1:29:20, divided into 14 chapters
However, there are no chapter menus. The DVD launches directly into the film selected. The claimed "digitally restored" is a misnomer. Yet for the low price, the quality is acceptable in its lack of sharpness, low contrast, and film blemishes.

There are better versions of The stranger (1946) available on DVD: (1) the 10/99 DVD by the Roan Group, which offers a pairing with Cause for alarm (1951) (see my review of this DVD on Amazon); (2) the forthcoming (10 July 2007) release by MGM ($20 list).

King Lear (1953), with Welles starring as Lear, is the rarity here. This was shown 18 Oct. 1953 (season 2, episode 3) on the cultural TV program Omnibus (11/52-4/61). The entire 90-minute show is presented (in 16 chapters) on the DVD, including ads and opening and closing commentary by the renowned Alistair Cooke (1908-2004). The actual Shakespearean play (minus end credits) runs about 1 hour, 15 minutes--from about 0:6:30 to 1:21:30.

The only other version of Welles's King Lear (1953) currently available on regions 0 or 1 DVDs is in The Orson Welles collection (2006), a 5-DVD set issued by Passport and also containing The stranger plus David and Goliath (1961), The trial (1962), and a disk of various extras. All five DVDs are also of iffy quality and, furthermore, are marred by having an annoying red logo in the lower right of each DVD. The King Lear version in Passport's edition is just the play (TT1:16), because the opening and closing parts of the Omnibus show were deleted.

King Lear / Jones, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)

Average customer rating:

King Lear / Jones, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Starring: John R. Tobinski , Robert Stattel , Anthony Chisholm , Rosalind Cash , and James West III
Director: Edwin Sherin
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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King Lear
Hamlet / Kline, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)
King Lear
Much Ado About Nothing / New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection)

ASIN: B00005NG0D
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Amazon.com

Brilliant performances from an amazing cast highlight this piece of modern theater history. James Earl Jones stars as Lear in this digitally remastered recording of a live performance in the park. (If you've ever wished you could see one of Joseph Papp's legendary New York Shakespeare Festival productions, this is your chance.) The crowd reactions add a layer to the play by helping to bring the excellent production to life. The direction is vibrant, keeping both a reverence for Shakespeare's work and the importance of entertaining a crowd in mind. The astonishing supporting cast includes Rosalind Cash, Paul Sorvino, Rene Auberjonois, and Raul Julia, and a remarkable performance by Douglass Watson as Kent. --Ali Davis

Description

The formidable James Earl Jones reprises his critically-acclaimed King Lear in this television adaptation of Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival production. Of Jones's performance, The Washington Post wrote, "Jones has the qualities of mind, body, voice and movement which enable him to make us care deeply about the spectacle of an old man brought to grief by his folly. The magnitude Jones project is not a matter of mere physical size, but of largeness of soul."

The Standard Deviants - Shakespeare Tragedies - Othello, Macbeth, King Lear

Average customer rating:

Mixed Feelings
Good intro/review
Great Deviant view on Shakespeare
How things change?

The Standard Deviants - Shakespeare Tragedies - Othello, Macbeth, King Lear
Starring: Standard Deviants
Manufacturer: Cerebellum Corp
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Othello
Macbeth (Educational DVD)

ASIN: 1581983239
Release Date: 2000-08-08

Amazon.com

The Standard Deviants, a cast of energetic young performers whose stock in trade is to make serious academic subjects lighthearted and offbeat enough to be memorable, turn their attentions to three classic Shakespeare tragedies. The usual bad jokes, silly costumes, and mugging for the camera are somewhat more subdued when detailing Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear, though the treatment is often imaginative. The lessons about each play begin with a brief historical discussion of the background of the play, and the plot is outlined with the aid of some distinctive animation. The young performers act out scenes from the plays, and computer graphics present particular sections of text on the screen. The motivations of characters are discussed, Shakespeare's use of language is given appropriate attention, symbolism is illuminated, and a synopsis of each play is provided in a review section. Students can take or skip a quiz given on each play, and a comprehensive exam dubbed the "Mac Daddy" also appears on the disc. The lessons about the plays have been approved by a serious academic panel and do contain considerable detail. And the lively approach of the Standard Deviants can certainly help a student increase an understanding of the great tragedies. --Robert J. McNamara

Description

This DVD examines three plays that reveal Shakespeare at his height as a writer of tragedies. This trio of tragedies contains Shakespeare's variations on the tragic figure: A man destroyed by jealousy (Othello), a man destroyed by ambition (Macbeth), and a man destroyed by hubris and ultimately redeemed by love (King Lear). The Standard Deviants take the "mystery" out of these difficult plays, making them easier to understand and appreciate.

Customer Reviews:

Mixed Feelings.......2007-02-11

I thought this dvd was a little bit expensive. Although they focused on Shakespeare's classic tragedies like Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear to approach high school level without overdoing it. Shakespeare can be rough for most people but he's still popular among actors, actresses, and directors in the theater. Shakespeare is still seen as the role model for which all other playwrights follow to succeed him. The Standard Deviants should have used better actors and actresses in this dvd series. Not that they didn't do an adequate job but we don't know them or their backgrounds. We assume that when we see Shakespeare on stage that it should be with talented professionals, somebody familiar. The quality was still good though. I would have liked to have a compact disc to accompany it on the computer for the teacher like myself.

Good intro/review.......2006-07-02

I'm a high school English teacher and I thought it was amazing how this video covered every single element of the plays that I focus on, and added a few other insights that I now have added to my plans. Covers language use, symbolism, characters, plot, irony, etc. For Lear includes an interesting bit about how the play incorporates elements of the Fairy Tale. Genuinely interesting from start to (nearly 2 hour long) finish.

Great Deviant view on Shakespeare.......2001-12-05

I really enjoyed this take on Shakespeare, mainly because it breaks down these plays in ways that help you gain an understanding and appreciation of just how good the Bard's work was. I would highly recommend them to anyone studying the plays or just a casual fan. Fun, fun style and good looking and funny actors.

How things change?.......2000-08-12

At school I hated Shakespeare, I hated the person who 'taught' it to me and I wasn't all that fond of some of my classmates. Which is a shame because I now love Shakespeare, I think it is something you grow into and begin to appreciate later on. However, many people are put off by school-time study of Shakespeare and as such miss out on something very special.

Product Description

Great Britain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: English (Mono), Italian (Mono), English (Subtitles), Greek (Subtitles), Hungarian (Subtitles), Italian (Subtitles), SYNOPSIS: British director Peter Brook was of the opinion that no one in the latter half of the 20th century would sit still for a Shakespearean presentation without the added fillips of bizarre costumes and tricky camera pyrotechnics. Fortunately, Brook keeps his excesses in check in his 1971 version of King Lear. With equal good fortune, his Lear is Paul Scofield, whose portrayal of the senile old ruler, whose susceptibility to flattery proves his undoing, is nothing short of brilliant. The stark terrain of Denmark stands in for England in this version, adding a brooding texture to the tragedy that threatens to overwhelm the dialogue at times. Lear's daughters are played by Irene Worth (Goneril), Susan Engel (Regan), and Anne-lise Gabold (Cordelia); others in the cast are Alan Webb (Gloucester), Cyril Cusack (Albany), Patrick Magee (Cornwall), and Jack MacGowran (the Fool). Younger viewers and those faint at heart be warned: King Lear is one of Shakespeare's most graphically violent works, and director Brook takes every opportunity to emphasize the carnage and gore. SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu,

Customer Reviews:

The best DVD I never saw........2007-03-12

This is, too my mind, the best performance ever of the best play ever; but the DVD format is incompatible with US DVD players.

King Lear (Thames Shakespeare Collection)

Average customer rating:

Terrible version
Really 3.5 stars

King Lear (Thames Shakespeare Collection)
Starring: Patrick Mower , Ann Lynn , Philip Brack , Beth Harris , and Patrick Magee
Director: Tony Davenall
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Romeo and Juliet (Thames Shakespeare Collection)
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King Lear / Jones, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)

ASIN: B0007WFUB0
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Description

When England's aging King Lear renounces his throne to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, treachery, madness and murder soon follow. After banishing Cordelia, his most loyal daughter, Lear is betrayed and cast out by her elder sisters Regan and Goneril. Meanwhile, evil brews at the Gloucester castle as Edgar falls victim to his brother's deception. As battle lines are drawn and backs are stabbed, Lear rages against a fearsome storm. Can a man undo his wrongs? Will Cordelia be saved? Or will the wheels of fate crush all in its way? Produced by Britain's distinguished Thames Television, this compelling production of Shakespeare's KING LEAR stars Patrick Magee (A Clockwork Orange), Ronald Radd (The Iceman Cometh), Patrick Mower (Emmerdale), and many other mainstays of stage and television. DVD Features: Edmund: A Pivotal Role - An Interview with actor Patrick Mower; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Customer Reviews:

Terrible version.......2007-04-02

The production of the play was terrible. The acting was even worse. I was going to show it to my students, but I can't show them that performance. It was pathetic. Also, there is no closed captioning. If you were thinking about getting this version, I highly recommend that you think again.

Really 3.5 stars.......2005-06-12

3 stars to me means "If you like this sort of thing, you'll like this one".

It fails to get 5 stars for the following reasons:

- As Patrick Mower (Edmund) notes in the included interview, Patrick Magee's (Lear) performance is "strange" (but not really bad)
- No subtitles (These help me to follow Shakespearian language)
- The important and interesting role of Fool is underrepresented and not played well

The positives:
- Mower is pretty good as Edmund
- Ronald Radd is really good as Gloucester
- The interview with Mower is interesting for insights into the process of creating this production and the actors involved
- As Mower notes in that interview, this is a "clear reading"; It is pretty easy to understand what the characters are saying even if you don't speak Shakespearian English every day
- I was truly moved by Lear, Gloucester, and Edmund at some points

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