Richard III Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Richard III
Director: Richard Loncraine
Year: 1995
Country: UK
Language: English

I have always been a great lover of William Shakespeare, I cannot recount how many times I have read his great tragedies like Macbeth, Hamlet, and of course Richard III. Outside Akira Kurosawa, the renowned Sir. Laurence Olivier's Richard III is my favourite Shakespeare film adaptation. However, my former professor Allyna Ward informed me that there is another, possibly greater film version of Richard III. This was made in 1995 and stars the incredible Ian McKellen. I will be reviewing that version right now.

The setting of Loncraine's adaptation of Shakespeare's play is quite modern, Britain in the 1930's. Civil war has erupted with the House of Lancaster on one side, claiming the right to the British throne and hoping to bring freedom to the country. Opposing is the House of York, commanded by the infamous Richard who rules over a fascist government and hopes to install himself as a dictator monarch.

Updating Shakespeare's plays to fit a certain period or to make them more modern is usually a "sink or swim" experience. They can become great masterpieces like Akira Kurosawa's samurai version of Macbeth called Throne of Blood, or complete junk like Baz Luhrmann's modern version of Romeo and Juliet. I would put Loncraine's Richard III in the "swim" pile. This fictional Orwellian England is quite intriguing, in a way it makes me think of Nazi Germany, even the uniforms are bleak, militant and oppressive. Richard III is the perfect villain for this time period. Not quite sane, mentally unbalanced and power mad, characteristics that we often attribute to Hitler and Mussolini.

This Richard III is of fantasies and nightmares, it is not for the faint of heart. The score of the film shows this well at it is haunting, trenchant and incredibly tense. The delivery of the brilliant dialogue is powerful and effective. Richard III has always been a controversial yet charismatic figure, few actors have the talent to play him well, but Ian McKellen grabs this role by the throat and does a tremendous job. He gives the character charm and wit, yet is not shy to demonstrate the menacing and downright evil side. Ian's great acting engages the audience, as well as make his character memorable. If I were to compare this Richard III to another fictional villain, it would be Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs. Both are cruel, frightening people yet both are remarkably intelligent.

In conclusion, Richard Loncraine's Richard III is masterful in every aspect from acting to cinematography to score. Even though I still love Laurence Olivier's version, I must admit that this is better and slightly more engaging. I hope to see more of McKellen's work and more Shakespearean adaptations in general in the future as this was quite inspiring. Perhaps one day I will make my own Shakespearean film. Praise it! 5/5