WEBmikey: The Merchant of Venice : 3 of 5

Latest Flickr


The Merchant of Venice : 3 of 5
7.30.2006 11:44 AM \| Link	I decided it was about time I watched something in English for a change, so I rented this recent adaptation of Shakespeare's play, featuring a big name cast with Al Pacino as Shylock and Jeremy Irons as Antonio. I know this particular play really well, since I did a project on it in college, so I was really interested in seeing this film, plus I almost always enjoy movies of Shakespeare's works. I missed it when it came to the theater, but it was just as effective at home. While the original play is considered a comedy, the movie definitely takes a dramatic look at the plot, focusing both on the religious conflict and the gruesomeness of the possible outcome (if you don't remember, Antonio owes Shylock a literal "pound of flesh"!). I love how the movie takes its time with the dialogue, which is a great luxury that you don't usually see on stage. Even if it makes the movie longer, it really makes the speech sound natural, especially in Pacino's longer speeches, which are extremely emotional. The eventual courtroom scene is downright frightening, with Antonio fainting at the sight of the scales to weight his flesh, and then being tied up for the actual cutting! The drama completely outweighs the humor of the judge being a woman in disguise, making the final scenes between the lovers seem almost tacked on. I guess I thought the whole thing was a little too heavy, although I definitely enjoyed the film. It was nice to enjoy Shakespeare again and remember my college studies! Labels: dvds


Blogger \| HaloScan \| Levelfield