Rev Stan's film blog

Review: Romeo & Juliet - sod the critics I enjoyed it

Synopsis: It's the Shakespeare story innit? Girl and boy meet and fall in love except they come from families that hate each other.

Stan's thoughts: It's not my favourite Shakespeare play but probably the one which I think works best adapted to screen. I really enjoyed Baz Luhrman's version even though in all the excitement the delivery of the lines got a little garbled.

Here the diction was much clearer which is part of the battle but then Julian Fellowes has tinkered with Shakespeare's words to make it more 'accessible' (see article about the row that has ensued). I didn't find what he'd done particularly offensive. He's pared the script right down and it works for screen keeping the story fast paced. (I love Shakespeare on stage but I don't think I've ever thought - ooh I wish they'd been another 15 minutes).

Instead it is the love story pure and simple and it is beautifully done in traditional costumes, in the plays Italian setting. I wasn't entirely convinced by the two leads. Hailee Steinfeld just looks a bit too young and child like to turn the head of Douglas Booth with his Burberry ad campaign looks.

I liked Baz Luhrman's take on the final suicide scene and I equally like what they have done here, just turning the tragedy button up another notch.

Overall I was moved to tears so it was doing something right or perhaps I was feeling particularly sentimental yesterday.

Ratings

• Stan's: 63%
• IMDB: 47%
• Metascore: 42%
• Rotten Tomatoes: 24% 
• RT audience rating: 61%

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Ralph Fiennes talks acting and directing Coriolanus

Looking the most relaxed and displaying a warmth rarely seen in the public eye Ralph Fiennes talked to Radio 4's Mark Lawson about his directorial film debut Coriolanus during a National Theatre platform event this evening.

Before opening up the questions to the audience Lawson talked to actor about the challenges of not only making and starring in a film but turning Shakespeare play into a film - not immediately a concept that gets film studios salivating. Three clips, chosen by Fiennes were also shown all of which gave a tantalising taster of what audiences can expect when the film opens in cinemas on January 20.

This is a slightly abridged version of the interview:

On his approach to the film:

Wanted to approach the text in a filmic manor making the dialogue conversational dialogue rather than keeping it in verse which is very theatrical and can be alienating.

With everything that has been going on around the world, Arab Spring etc felt the play had many parallels and therefore wanted to give it a modern setting.

Felt strongly that the world of Coriolanus should be multicultural and cast actors from different cultural backgrounds with a variety of accents.

On working as an actor/director

Had people around to give him an honest opinion on his own performance and because the filming process is such a whirlwind didn't get too much time to think about watching himself on the monitor. But it was tougher during the editing process "everything felt very exposed and I thought everything was shit, especially my own stuff".

Says the acting/directing roles are less defined than people imagine "The geography of where you are in a scene is defined by the camera." 

Had a dialect coach who gave a critical view of his performance but if he felt something was right in a scene would encourage it.

"Often it is collaborative between actors and director and the collaborative experiences are the best. For example working with Anthony Minghella never felt a strong finger suggesting what you'd done was wrong. Directing is about managing."

Ben Whishaw news that made me squeal with delight

Well he's done Ariel in The Tempest and Hamlet on stage but there are two other Shakespearean characters that I'd love Ben Whishaw to take on: Iago in Othello (would be great to see him play a baddie) and Richard II the King brought down in part by his own arrogance.

And so imagine my delight when this story pops up on my google alerts this morning that he is indeed to take on the role on the small screen in a BBC co-production directed by Rupert Goold who has been doing amazing things at the RSC.

To add to the excitement Rory Kinnear, who recently impressed as Hamlet at the National Theatre will play Bolingbroke who brings about Richard's downfall. It will reunite the two actors who worked together on Hamlet at the Old Vic (Kinnear played Laertes).

Now I would rather see it on stage as Shakespeare is a difficult genre to make work on screen but I'm not going to complain and it is the BBC who tend to be pretty good at these things.  The BBC connection also means I won't be waiting two years to see it after production finishes, as was the case with The Tempest.

I feel like all my birthdays have come at once. *applauds while jumping up and down like a five year old*

Twinkle, twinkle little Tempest?

Anyone who has happened upon this blog before will know that as an appreciator of Ben Whishaw's work, Julie Taymor's The Tempest, in which he plays Ariel, has been a long time coming. It finished filming back in 2008 but didn't hit the screens here in London until this week.

It not only brings together Mr Whishaw with a Shakespeare play I'm very fond of but also a cast list that bulges with talent (Helen Mirren and Alfred Molina), curiosities (Russel Brand and Alan Cumming) and beauties (Felicity Jones and Reeve Carney).

And of course Taymor who isn't shy of visualisation, quirkiness and colour in her films. But did all the talent shine?

Well, The Tempest was one of my A-level set texts so it's a story I'm quite familiar with: Prospero, the Duke of Milan is deposed by his brother and set adrift in a boat with his young daughter Miranda. But for a few provisions smuggled aboard by loyal courtier Gonzalo the two would have died but wash up on a strange and magical island.

Prospero is a bit of a magician himself and years later when fate puts a ship carrying his brother, the King of Naples and his son Ferdinand on a path close to the island he can't resist but conjure a storm. With the help of his spirit Ariel the ship is wrecked and the passengers scattered along the shore about the island.

Ferdinand washes up on his own, the courtiers in another group and two servants of the King of Naples - Trinculo and Stephano in another.

Prospero sets Ariel to work engineering a series of events that will enact revenge but ultimately put right everything that has happened in the past. Of course this is Shakespeare so there is a comic thread, a romance and a bit of politics and plotting thrown in.

Is there no end to Ben Whishaw's talent?

Just bought the soundtrack for The Tempest (well I've got to have something to keep me going for the next three months) and Mr W sings on two tracks. Yes, he sings too and he doesn't sound half bad either.

Am loving mixture of rocky guitars and more traditional classical on the soundtrack. It's very atmospheric.

 

Download 09 Where the Bee Sucks

 

Download 04 Full Fathom Five

For fellow sad The Tempest fans, the films facebook page seems to have an interesting stream of pics and videos to whet your appetite (if you haven't seen it yet) or remind you of it (if you have).

 

 

 

Ben Whishaw/Helen Mirren clip from The Tempest

You know this is going to go on until well into March next year don't you? (Oh and here's a link to the official website. Lots of dramatic music but not much else really)

 

And if that wasn't enough, here's a short 'making of The Tempest' video

Thanks to one of my fav Ben Whishaw sites for sourcing this via Trailer Addict

 

Right I'm going to stop now otherwise I'll never be able to sleep tonight.

Another tantalising pic of Ben Whishaw as Ariel (and a UK release date, eek!)

Found this one here.

And with The Tempest premiering in LA this week there is finally a release date for the UK: March 4. Counting the days already.

Another pic of Ben Whishaw as Ariel (and some TV news)

I only go away for a week and there is all sorts of exciting news about Mr W (thanks to @polyg for texting me to let me know). After a dry period of project announcements he's finally found something to sink his acting teeth into: The Hour. It is the BBC's answer to Mad Men (apparently), only set in a 1950s London newsroom and has a pretty starry cast that includes Romala Garai and Dominic West, who I last saw on stage at the Donmar earlier this year.

Naturally I'm very excited and will be doing everything I can to discover where filming is taking place in the capital. I've got three months to crack it.

Anyway another little morsel of delight I came back to was this picture of Mr W as Ariel in The Tempest which I found over at aceshowbiz.com. There is a bulging bag of other stills from the film on their site too.  Am loving Ben's moobs and the long blond hair.

Still no UK release date though.

The Tempest trailer (with some bits of Ariel)

Finally not just a picture or a tantalising clip but a proper trailer. Ben Whishaw's Ariel looks as intrigueing as ever. And I love the fact that he gets an 'And Ben Whishaw' in the trailer. Very excited (again).

The Tempest Trailer
Uploaded by teasertrailer. - Full seasons and entire episodes online.