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King Lear is the play that re-ignited the Shakespeare spark that had lain dormant in my heart for many years. Lear contains the great line that sums up tragedy as an art form handed down from the Greeks, passing through the early blood tragedies, and perfected in Shakespeare. When Lear bemoans the fact that he is "more sinned against than sinning," he is correct. For that is the nature of tragedy, the punishment far outweighing whatever crime of which the characters may be guilty. This is not an essay on the tragic drama. This is the best recommendation I can give without getting too sentimental about this wonderful video. It features a superb cast that includes Laurence Olivier as Lear, Diana Rigg as Regan, Leo McKern as Gloucester, and John Hurt as the Fool. Take a look at this, and after you've finished, you can draw your own conclusion about the Fool. Highest recommendation possible.
The Japanese director Akiro Kurosawa did a version of King Lear. Ran is an epic that has a great style. Ran was shot in color in 1985. It won an Academy Award for best costumes and was nominated for best direction, photography and art direction. Kurosawa's King has three sons instead of three daughters. Highly recommended to adventurous souls who like foreign films.
Read more about Orson Welles. |
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