Dannika Webb, A#01439876, CCA 3330-001, Film Assignment, October 24, 2014
Part 1: Review
Kenneth Branagh does an outstanding job bringing the words of Shakespeare’s play to life in his film Much Ado About Nothing; which was released in 1993.
There were many things that I found appealing in Branagh’s version. The style that Much Ado About Nothing took helped keep the originality of Shakespeare’s day and age. The clothing that the actors and actresses were dressed in helped the viewer’s understand the time period. The language was from Shakespearean time, which added to the validity of this film. There was a good balance of comic relief, intensity, and romance. My favorite relationship to examine was that between Hero and Claudio. Love at first sight is dangerous and infatuating and more often than not that “love” turns out to be hate.
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In some of the big scenes of this film, the videography made me motion sick. The camera would switch back and forth between characters at an uncomfortable speed; it felt like I was watching a Ping-Pong match between two people; the thing about those scenes is that I felt a part of the action. With that being said, there were many times when I believe the videographer would have been better off zooming out so the viewers could get an understanding of the whole scene.
If you are looking for a good laugh and a romantic filled film, Much Ado About Nothing is the one for you. This film takes you into a Shakespearean time period but keeps the modern day charm that viewers need to stay
Much Ado About Nothing. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. Samuel Goldwyn Company and Renaissance Films, 1993.
William Shakespeare is known for his use of dramatic irony and complicated story lines. In Much Ado About Nothing, he also adds in the element of disguise to what the characters know, or what they think they know. There are multiple characters trying to ensnare others in different facades, whether it be for better or for worse. The deception and illusion in the play can either assist the characters or completely shatter the situation, but in both cases, Shakespeare advises us to infer about what we hear or see before we jump to conclusions.
The modernization of nearly outdated and cliché settings typically used for Shakespearian plays such as Much Ado helps enforce Whedon's attempt to make the film and play familiar, as well as creates accessibility for the audience regardless of how well they may understand Shakespeare's language. Both the ensemble and individual cast members assist in achieving Whedon's vision by creating an atmosphere that seems familiar if only that it could be our own family and friends throwing that same banter back and forth between each other. Their playful and occasionally raw performances combine with a spectacular setting to help make Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing a stellar film that is a nearly perfect modern translation of a classic, centuries old
Rossiter, A.P. "Much Ado About Nothing." William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.
With its entangled plots and eloquent use of words, Much Ado About Nothing is a story that has the ability to entertain the masses, both young and old. Shakespeare’s use of figurative language along with situation creates such vivid imagery that carries the drama from beginning to end. For example, when we look at Act 1 Scene 1 of the play, we are quickly introduced to the sharp tongued Beatrice as she verbally annihilates her unseen co-star Benedick.... ... middle of paper ... ...
In William Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, there are many instances of trickery and deception, which seem to surround the whole of the play.
In literature, music can be used both to enhance the mood of the plot and it can be used as an actual part of the plot or story line. In Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing" music is used in both scenarios: both to set the mood and also as part of the actual story, serving as an event in the play, a necessary part in the sequence of events. The mood that is set by the music in the play seems to play a significant role in the progression of the plot in helping the audience become more aware of the character's feelings. Only with the combination of the motives of the music is the message of love able to be portrayed.
"Much Ado About Nothing: Entire Play." Much Ado About Nothing: Entire Play. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. .
Much Ado about Nothing is set in the busy port town of Messina; this bustling port city is where the play opens. Messina’s hot climate makes it tranquil and agricultural; meaning the men returning from battle would view Messina as a welcome respite from the war. The idea of the soldiers returning to an idyllic setting, away from the battlefield, creates a ‘holiday mood’ at the start of the play. While the majority of the play is set at Leonato’s house, Leonato’s orchard figures as a central place of action too, particularly the blossoming of Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship, Shakespeare uses the beautiful garden to create a perfect backdrop for the whimsical romance that characterises the play. The setting of Much Ado about Nothing is also bigger than its physical realm; Shakespeare chooses to start the play in this tranquil setting to emphasise that pastoral will be an important theme in this play.
It seems that modern Hollywood filmmakers are as much in love with Shakespeare's plays as were the 16th century audiences who first enjoyed them. Recent updates of Hamlet (1996) and Romeo and Juliet (1996), both highly successful movies, bear this out, as well as the two best film versions of Richard III; Sir Laurence Olivier's 1954 "period piece", and Ian McKellan's more modern interpretation (1995).
Shakespeare, William. Much Ado about Nothing. Ed. Paul Werstine, Barbara A. Mowat, and Gail Kern. Paster. New York: Simon &ump; Schuster Paperbacks, 1995. Print.
Rossiter, A.P. “Much Ado About Nothing.” William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.
Transformations inherently contain traces of the author’s social and cultural context. Much of the same can be applied to “Much ado about nothing”. It incorporates comical features, yet retains the sense of tragedy which is attached to almost all of Shakespeare’s plays. Brain Percival’s role as a director, was determining, understanding and distinguishing the social norms and the social structure of the society, and how the themes represented in the play can be transformed into a modern text. The Elizabethan society was typically a patriarchal society. Percival has used as well as transformed certain themes and textual features to ensure, that the film is more appealing and assessable to the critical modern audience.
Shakespeare’s influence continues even in the world of film, not invented until several hundreds of years after his death in 1616. As well as the inevitable BBC remakes of most of his plays, newer adaptation such as Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (starring Keanu Reeves and Denzel Washington) and Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (featuring Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio) have met critical acclaim and can be credited with bringing Shakespeare to a new generation not inclined to visiting theatres.
I enjoyed watching Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing. I visualized a lot of the play fairly differently than what was shown on screen, however, I felt most of the imagery still worked cohesively with the original work. Starting with characters, I really enjoyed Branagh as Benedick. I thought that he did an excellent job of staying true to Shakespearan Benedick’s comedic style. One of my favorite scenes–which I think many people can echo–was the Prince and his entourage tricking Benedick. Branagh is brilliant in this scene; his performance is hilarious, but also completely unaware of itself which allows the audience to stay fully immersed in it. Beatrice was also fantastic, however, I did not see an Emma Thompson-esque person