Tim Blake Nelson's O and Oliver Parker's Othello

882 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Anti racism in Othello and other Shakespearen works

The Shakespeare classic play Othello has been remade many times throughout the years whether it be through the big screen or on stage. Two of the larger known recreations of the play were made by Tim Blake Nelson ("O") and Oliver Parker (Othello). Both of these directors attempted to appeal to an audience made up of different people. Parker attempted to appeal to Shakespeare lovers; Nelson went the route of appealing to the youth (much like the 1996 adaption of Romeo and Juliet). One of the constant ideas in either case is that the interpretation follows many of the original themes and ideas such as racism, misogyny, and jealousy. Both films take different approaches to recreate the play and in doing so have significant similarities and differences.

Oliver Parker takes Shakespeare's play and recreates it for the big screen, but stays true to the original plot to appeal mostly to those who appreciate Shakespeare's work. Although there had been scenes removed and scenes added in that were not in the actual play, Parker attempted to make the adaption of Othello more like a movie while still retaining critical details. For example, Parker used the vow between Iago and Othello in a more dramatic light by drawing attention to the fact that the two are growing closer with staging. According to Roger Ebert in a personal review. The play was not done due justice by Parker in part because Iago “in enlisting Roderigo to his conspiracy, [he] sets a tone and uses body language that reads as homosexual; he seems to be in a play of his own” (Ebert).

Meanwhile Nelson's version of Othello appeals to the youth by incorporating an aspect that would resonate with his target audience: high school. The entire setting is moved into a modernized...

... middle of paper ...

...afted (modernized or not), and the actors bring life to the characters that words may fail to normally, the movie is a successful adaptation. In this way, both “Othello” and "O" achieve these qualities despite their own personal shortcomings. Both have their own styles and there is a lot to give Parker and Nelson credit for, as Shakespeare's work is difficult to actually recreate or reimagine without dismantling it beyond recognition.

Works Cited

Bourne, Amanda. "The Movie or the Book Portfolio." Film Critique – Tim Blake Nelson’s "O". Marymount University, 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Ebert, Roger. "Othello." Ebert Digital LLC, 29 Dec. 1995. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Fassbender, Michael. "Oliver Parkers Othello." Humanities 360. HELIUM, INC, 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Yahoo Contributor. "Comparative Study Between Othello and O (Tim Blake Nelson's

Show More
Related

  • Why Might Odin Be Vulnerable To Hugo's Actions

    755 Words  | 2 Pages

    High school is a place that will exist a lot of love, jealousy, violence, etc, and these are the themes that appear in "Othello". Since high school students are familiar with "Othello", it is more suitable to set place in high school.

    Read More

  • Iago and Ben Jago

    731 Words  | 2 Pages

    Geoffrey Sax's interpretation of William Shakespeare's wicked villain Iago is extraordinary. While reading the play, I envisioned Iago precisely as Christopher Eccleston portrayed him--diabolical and amoral--the pathetic antagonist of Othello, bursting with frustration and dominance throughout the text and film. Iago, or Ben Jago--the characters name in the film--is the backbone of both works, moving the plot along with his deceit and mendacity, progressively leading the audience to the tragic climax.

    Read More

  • Comparing Zeffirelli and Luhrmann's Versions of Romeo and Juliet

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The most filmed of all plays, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, with its universal themes… remains uniquely adaptable for any time period,” (Botnick, 2002). Directors Franco Zeffirelli (1968) and Baz Luhrman (1996) provide examples of the plays adaption to suit the teenage generation of their time. Identifying the key elements of each version: the directors intentions, time/place, pace, symbols, language and human context is one way to clearly show how each director clearly reaches their target audience. Overall however Luhrman’s adaptation would be more effective for capturing the teenage audience.

    Read More

  • Romeo and Juliet Comparative Essay

    770 Words  | 2 Pages

    Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is a tragic love story about two young lovers who are forced to be estranged as a result of their feuding families. The play is about their struggle to contravene fate and create a future together. As such, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood would try and emulate Shakespeare’s masterpiece. This had been done before in many films. Prominent among them were, Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 “Romeo and Juliet” and Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 “William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.” Both films stay true to the themes of Shakespeare’s original play. However, the modernised Luhrmann film not only maintains the essence of Shakespeare’s writings, Luhrmann makes it relevant to a teenage audience. This is done through the renewal of props and costumes, the reconstruction of the prologue and the upgrading of the setting, whilst preserving the original Shakespearean language. Out of the two, it is Luhrmann who targets Romeo & Juliet to a younger audience to a much larger extent than Zeffirelli.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Othello and the Movie O

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...ence more reasoning to the jealousy of the characters and the actions they take. With the changed setting come many differences: drugs and alcohol, peer pressure, violence, and different sources for jealousy and hatred. These issues are the dilemmas we, as teenagers in this new millennium, are faced with day to day. "O" addresses these new era evils without abandoning the original themes and major issues of Shakespeare's Othello. The audience can relate to a story written down hundreds of years ago and benefit from it.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Othello And O

    1183 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many older plays or movies are remade to appeal to a different age of people. These renditions often follow the same story line with only subtle differences to be more appealing. Many of Shakespeare’s plays have been made into movies to enhance the studying or understanding of his plays. An example of this would be Othello which has been created into a movie called “O”. Othello and “O” both follow the same story line. The similarities between them make "O" an excellent rendition of the play. Othello by William Shakespeare and “O” directed by Tim Nelson are very similar in many ways; however, they have distinct differences in their Protagonists. The heinous villain, Iago from Othello and the devious teenager, Hugo from “O” have many of the

    Read More

  • Oliver Parkers Film Interpretation of Shakespeare's Othello

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    Oliver Parkers film interpretation of Shakespeare's Othello uses cinematic techniques to express to the audience two major themes present in the original play. Appearance verses reality and racial discrimination are both significant themes that Parker focuses on throughout the film. Through the use of camera angles, language, tone, symbols, costuming and voice-over, Parker conveys clarity of the themes for the audience to interpret.

    Read More

  • Iago and Honesty in Shakespeare's Othello

    1172 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994.

    Read More

  • Othello is Not a Tragic Hero

    1483 Words  | 3 Pages

    Othello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is “Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?”

    Read More

  • Othello, The Moor of Venice

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    11 Dec. 2011. The "Othello". Shakespeare for Students: Critical Interpretations of Shakespeare's Plays and Poetry. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht.

    Read More

  • Holding The Attention Of The Audience In Othello

    1310 Words  | 3 Pages

    The common aim of playwrights of any time or location is to capture and hold the attention of their audience. It is an irrefutable fact that in order for a play to be successful, the playwright must maintain the interest of the audience. The tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, is one of Shakespeare's most renowned plays, and has been capturing the interest of its audiences for many hundreds of years. The success of Othello is largely due to Shakespeare's phenomenal ability to secure the unwavering attention of an audience. Various techniques were employed by Shakespeare in order to achieve this crucial feat. Through construction of intriguing characters, exploration of universal themes, use of comic relief and a well-written script featuring a compelling plot, Shakespeare ensured the tragedy of Othello would hold the interest of the audience.

    Read More

  • Iago As A Multifaceted Character In Shakespeare's Othello

    136 Words  | 1 Pages

    “I am not what I am,” proclaims one of Shakespeare’s darkest and most enigmatic villains, Iago, in the tragedy Othello. Iago’s journey for revenge enables him to become capable of immoral acts, and whilst his malevolence excites us, we are no more intrigued by his attributes than we are of the play’s tragic hero, Othellos’. Rather, both characters’ confrontation with jealousy and their subsequent moral demise as a result of failing to control such an emotion provides the true excitement for audiences. Iago’s spiteful manipulation of Othello makes him a multifaceted character — whose corrupt attributes make the audience examine their own morality. However, the same can be said of Othello; his failure to withstand Iago’s ‘pouring of pestilence’

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice and Othello: Shylock vs Iago

    2035 Words  | 5 Pages

    - - -. Othello. 1968. Ed. Kenneth Muir. The New Penguin Shakespeare. London: Penguin Books, 1996.

    Read More

  • The Significance of the Handkerchief in Othello

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Othello." Shakespeare for Students: Critical Interpretations of Shakespeare's Plays and Poetry. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 649-87. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. .

    Read More

  • The Tragic Hero In Othello

    1502 Words  | 4 Pages

    Of the 38 plays Shakespeare has produced over his lifetime, his tragedies are the most heart-wrenching, horrifying productions the theater has ever seen. In these tragedies, there are gruesome ideas such as lethal love, megalomania, and the absolute corruption of heroes that were originally considered to be wholesome. The latter theme can especially be seen in the play Othello. In this tragedy, there is an ongoing theme of corruption in a considerable amount of characters in the play, the most significant change being in Othello. Othello undergoes a shocking transformation, as he starts off as the storybook hero, a reputable soldier who illustrates great passion towards his wife, but transforms to become a twisted

    Read More

More about Tim Blake Nelson's O and Oliver Parker's Othello

Open Document