Film Challenge Review - Week 5: Richard III

Rating - 1 out of 5 stars

Whew, the rating says it all - I did not like it!

I don't hate Shakespeare, but this production just did not do it for me. I'd never seen any production of Richard III before and they say this is the best, but I was unimpressed.

Surely, the acting is good for what it is. No doubt.

The sets were huge and expensive but unfortunately so fake looking. Extremely so. Which is (somewhat) a product of its time, but still, it was jarring. Especially when the film is stuck in this fake set for two hours, then suddenly moves to a real outside space for the final 30 minutes.

Richard, standing around the fake-looking castle

Also, one odd thing: In later scenes they had plenty of extras when needed, but the scene where Richard and his collaborators are sort of "talking" with London, deceivingly convincing the citizens that of the possibilities left he should be king, the scene gives the impression that the crowd he is talking to represents all of London, all of England. Or rather, large enough that what is said there will be spread through all of England to turn public favour in Richard's direction. However, the crowd is so small! It's like maybe 20 or 30 people, yet they're acting like it's this huge crowd that represents the entire city! So odd.

Most of the film is on a fake-looking soundstage and

with few extras, then there's this at the end that seems

almost like a different film

That's about all I can say to it. My ratings are not what I feel the worth of a film is (then it would probably be at least 3 out of 5 stars) but rather simply how much I like it. 5 stars, I love it, 4 stars, I really like it, 3 stars, I like it, 2 stars, it was OK, 1 star, I didn't like it. I didn't like this, therefore it's 1 star.

For those unacquainted, this film tells the story of the real king Richard III, but with legend mixed in, as the film states right at the first.

It begins with Richard's brother taking the throne, and Richard, born with physical defects such as a limp an missing fingers and being an extremely evil Machiavellian character, plotting how to eventually capture the crown himself even though he's way down the line of succession. He has the king's sons and his own brother ahead of him. And not only that but his extended family who are now on the throne are having a "War of the Roses" with a competing royal family who wants the crown instead.

Not sure exactly which part this scene is from, but

there's Richard hunched over darkly on the left, and the

young boy his nephew who is next in line to be king in

red on the mid right

The play is basically Richard's dastardly deeds and slow rise to the top (and then quick fall).

I did hear a few famous phrases during it that each were an "a-ha!" moment because now I know where they come from. One is:

Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this sun of York

and also

A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!

And I also understand just what they mean now.

Well, if you are interested in filmed Shakespeare historical plays, you might want to check this out. Otherwise, definitely skip it!