Recent Cinematic Adaptations of Shakespeare’s Macbeth: with reference to films by Welles, Polanski, Kurosawa and Bharadwaj Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a film, but film adaptations include the use of non-fiction, autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays and even other films. Adaptation can be a trnaspositional practice, casting a specific genre into another generic mode, an act of re-vision in itself. Adaptation can also constitute a simpler attempt to make texts ‘relevant’ or easily comprehensible, to new audiences and readerships via the processes of proximation and updating. Films sometimes use plays as their sources.
Both films provide very different perspectives on Shakespeare's text because of the different eras in which they were set. The symbolism and imagery in both films are very different because of this factor. Franco Zeffirelli’s version of Romeo and Juliet takes a traditional and more suitable approach for the script, being set in the Elizabethan period as this was the period that the suits the script best. The acting in this movie is very theatrical and is being acted as if it was a theatre performance, just not on stage. It is set in Verona, Italy, which is where the play was based in the script.
The Similarities between the Zefirelli and the Luhrman is the use of the Shakespearean language and the difference is their settings. While, the similarities between the Zefirelli and West Side Story is that they both follow the story of “Romeo and Juliet” although they are different in the setting and language that is used. West side Story and Lurman is similar in the setting they used, more modern, but different in how they have made the story and also the language used. So, these three movie versions of the “Romeo and Juliet” have differences and similarities between them. Franco Zeferelli made “Romeo and Juliet” very traditional that it really uses a balcony to show the balcony scene.
Also, in Luhrmann’s version there is more drama such as when Juliet wakes up and can see Romeo drinking the poison. This adds to the person’s emotion making them feel sorry for Juliet having to see Romeo die in front of her. In Zefferelli’s film there isn’t much drama or action. Another reason for Luhrmann’s version being the best is that he uses visual thoughts. For example, when Romeo has a dream that he goes inside a church and then he dies will show the viewer how Romeo enters the church and know what it will be like inside.
Brandon FLOGGNAW 4/28/14 Period 1 ENG 9 R+J Movie Compare/Contrast Pros and Cons The two Romeo and Juliet movies were very unique and creative. The two movies were very different but still stayed true to the original play. The two movies barely changed to much in the movie, but they did still add a few things here and there. The two movies were very good, they were both very good adaptions of the original play. Even though the movies were very good adaptions, the movies did changes some things whether it was text or scenery.
Film directors Franco Zeffirelli, Michael Almereyda and Kenneth Branagh have transformed “Hamlet” to altering levels of victory on the screen while accomplishing this in the course of deserted differences in analysis and through taking into consideration very different creative ideas. Zeffirelli’s 1990“Hamlet” is an elucidation designed for the ordinary Hollywood audience, who by now were systematically interested in Mel Gibson – one of the rising stars of the early nineties. Gibson does well to conceptualize the outbreak of emotions infuriating Hamlet and this allows the ordinary audience to follow quite easily, his complex and changing mindsets. The famous Act Three, Scene One “To be or not to be…” monologue is done mainly well, with Gibson upholding a characteristic of strength, even as Hamlet riotous behaviour in his own depression and considers suicide. Zeffirelli and Gibson have shared their ideas to produce an understanding of Hamlet that is insightful but never weak, very active and external in the representation of emotion – but not over the top.
O classic, classic, shall you be taken over by cult? Kaila Brown, Bliss There has been much debate about whether cult sensations such as ‘Twilight’, should replace the classics such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’, and whether they are unrealistic, out dated and irrelevant. To find out if these classics still hold a place in modern society, Bliss reporter Kaila Brown delves into the differences between classic and cult, the ideals of love in the classics and the romantic principles presented in the classics, and how they shape the modern texts of today. Classic and cult. What is the difference?
Web. 5 Dec. 2014. In the article of criticism “Macbeth,” Mary Ives Thompson and Francesco Aristide Ancona analyze how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change dramatically from the beginning of the play to the end. Both the critics believe that such change happens due to the fact that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have motive to break out of their strict roles given to them by society. They write that Macbeth emerges as a man who is “completely confident in his grab for power.” Lady Macbeth, the one who told Macbeth to simply wash the blood off of his hands, ends up roaming around in her sleep through “the castle corridors at night bemoaning her unclean hands following the murder of Duncan and his guards.” At first, Macbeth was a kind man, but he became “completely remorseless in his bid for the crown.” And Lady Macbeth was fixed upon power and prayed that spirits would help her by getting rid of her feminine aspects.
Using these principles is Ray Lawrence’s film adaptation “Jindabyne” of the short story, “So Much Water So Close to Home” better than David Fincher’s film adaptation of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” from the short story of the same name? The first aspect to approach when creating a film adaptation of a literary text is the degree of faithfulness between the two mediums. Because both Benjamin Button and Jindabyne are short stories, the dilemma of “How can this story be brought to screen without losing anything” isn’t the real issue but more of “What in this story do I want to emphasize”. Both films emphasize important key themes, characters and scenes from the short stories. With Benjamin Button, most aspects of the ageing process are retained along with the plot of marrying a woman, Hildegard in the original but named Daisy in the film, and as she ages Benjamin grows younger.
The development of Macbeth in Act 4 Scene 1 In this scene Macbeth has lost his doubt and fear, he is overly bold in his dealings with the witches, daring them and demanding of them. He gains enormous confidence from prophecies that he takes on the face; he believes that there is nothing deeper to what the witches say, and he is incensed when shown Banquo’s heirs (one of which is king James). In act 3, scene 5, Macbeth is suspicious and wary of Macduff, who did not attend the feast, upon debating the meaning of this he decides to meet with the witches for more information. In the following scenes (Act 4 Scene 1) he meets them in an isolated place determined to have his questions answered. Macbeth enters the scene and immediately demands that they (the witches) answer his questions (lines 49-60), he does not ask it of them, nor does he beg, nor is he humble; he is commanding, without fear and doubt.