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 Films on Videotape
for the Shakespeare Semester Elective
Recommendations by Linda Kramer
The following is by no means a complete list of all the
Shakespeare videos you might find. They are the ones that I show,
either in toto or in part, as my Shakespeare curriculum.
10 Things I Hate About You. Touchstone Pictures. Ralph Sall, Producer.
1999.
An updated Taming of the Shrew, this movie is LOVED by
the students.
Henry V.
Samuel Goldwyn Company. Bruce Sharman, Producer. 1989.
Kenneth Branaugh's masterpiece. This one appeals to most of the
guys.
Kiss Me Kate.
MGM/UA. Jack Cummings, Producer. 1953.
Corny as can be, this movie is good for a few scenes of comparison
to Taming of the Shrew.
Much Ado About Nothing. Samuel Goldwyn. Kenneth Branaugh, Producer.
1993.
Beautifully photographed, easily accessible comedy. Warning:
brief nudity and sexual content.
Looking for Richard.
Fox Searchlight Pictures. Al Pacino, Producer. 1998.
This fascinating documentary about producing the play is a good
way to introduce Richard III. You'll want to stop the
tape and discuss often.
A Midsummer Night's Dream. Fox
Searchlight Pictures. Leslie Urdang, Producer. 1999.
It's not a perfect version, but it's easier to see and hear than
the old 1930's black and white film starring Mickey Rooney.
Othello. Warner
Brothers. Luc Roeg, Producer. 1995.
Graphic violence and sexual content. But then, that's what Othello's
about.
Renaissance Man.
Touchstone Pictures. Sara Colleton, Producer. 19??.
This movie is great if shown after studying Henry V. This
film makes it clear that Shakespeare is indeed for everyone.
Richard III.
MGM/UA. Lisa Katselas Pare, Stephen Bayly, Producers.
1995.
An interesting take on the famous tale of power and corruption.
Sir Ian McKellan plays Richard as a sort of Nazi in an alternative
pre-WWII England. Graphic violence, sex. Use carefully.
Romeo and Juliet.
20th Century Fox. Baz Luhrman, Producer. 1996.
Not your mother's Zeffirelli version. This one is interesting,
however.
Shakespeare in the Classroom. Miramax Films. 1999.
This 46 minute introduction to Shakespeare is best used with
ninth graders before reading Romeo and Juliet. It was
made by the great folks who brought us Shakespeare in Love
and stars those people, too.
Shakespeare in Love.
Miramax Films. David Parfitt, Producer. 1998.
This movie can't be beat for giving students a look and listen
into the world of Elizabethan England. You can practically smell
those stinky groundlings!
The Taming of the Shrew. Columbia Pictures. Burton-Zeffirelli, Producers.
1967.
I only use selected scenes from this film to contrast with a
better version.
The Taming of the Shrew. American Education Video Corp. Jack Nakano,
Producer. 1983.
Ditto.
The Taming of the Shrew. Great Performances, WNET. Ken Campbell, Producer.
1976.
This is the version against which I measure all other performances
and find them wanting. The blocking is absolutely unbelievable.
The acting isn't bad, either.
Twelfth Night.
Great Performances, WNET. 1999.
This wonderful live-on-tape version stars Helen Hunt as Viola.
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