MissSimonetta
Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare's most accessible and enjoyable comedies for modern audiences. The most popular film production of the play is the 1996 Trevor Nunn version, which is awash is summery color and broad humor.This modest 1988 film could not be more different from the Nunn film. Instead of emphasizing the comedy, the underlying melancholy stemming from the play's theme about the pain which comes from love dominates the entire story. Instead of vivid colors, we get a wintry setting and costumes dominated by blues, grays, and blacks. It gives the movie an almost desolate feel with little slapstick at all.It's an interesting approach to the material and the characters pull it off well. Even though this is merely a filmed stage production, it is engaging enough and the unique focus of the production makes it worth a single view.
talsedek
Containing few performances that don't hit the same painfully broad and obvious notes over and over again, this film of Branagh's staged performance clearly has learned its lines and found its beats. Especially notable is Toby's slapstick business with the sword and the development of Feste's dark underbelly, completed with the subtlety and variety found in a box of crayolas. No mo------ meant left un-mined, no witty banter unPUNCTuated. Wow, they know that play in and out, having clearly just come off of a long and successful but apparently soul-draining run. Good snow.For the sake of filling enough lines to make an acceptable entry, I shall comment on the music: fittingly saccharine and forgettable. Hey nonny.
adman118
How nice are you people? This was an awful version of the play. There was absolutely no connection between any of the in love pairs, i.e. Olivia and Viola. Olivia had no underlining character whatsoever, she just acted snooty the whole time. It would have been OK if she would have shown any other emotions, but no. The Sebastian-Antonio pair was weak, especially with Antonio. Sevastian and Viola didn't even look alike. Gosh, the Christmas tree had electric lights on it! The music, the characters, and the whole feelings of the play were drab and dull, and even though Maria was exceptionally good, her performance didn't help enough to save this drowning play. Two thumbs down, sorry!
bteigen
My senior English class read the play and watched the film simultaneously and I have to say that (although at first I was put off by the harsh music, and the set and costumes that reminded me too much of Mary Martin's Peter Pan) I really got into it. I thought all the acting was great, especially Maria, Toby, Andrew, Viola and Malvolio, but Anton Lesser as the clown, Feste, stole the show. He was definitely the most memorable character. My only complaint, really, is that sometimes the actors spoke the lines a little too fast. I highly suggest this to anyone that likes theater or Shakespeare.****/*****
AD
