http://www.nerve.com/CS/blogs/screengrab/archive/2008/08/05/yesterday-s-hits-romeo-and-juliet-1968-franco-zeffirelli.aspx It’s not often these days that you get such a lengthy tribute to the “original” Romeo and Juliet on film, Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 version with Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey.  Worth a nostalgic look. (Yeah yeah it’s not the original, but it’s arguably the definitive screen adaptation.)

I was cruising YouTube looking for video this evening, and I ran across this clip that shows two different interpretations of the first Miranda/Prospero scene from The Tempest. What caught my attention is that the second clip is Patrick Stewart as Prospero.  

http://www.themovieblog.com/2008/07/hamlet-2-rock-me-sexy-jesus You guys know where I’ll be August 22! 🙂  Rock me rock me, rock me sexy Jesus,
We’re really amazed, you gotta believe us… Of course, it does not go unnoticed that a trailer for Hamlet 2 does not have any reference to Hamlet or any other Shakespearean topic. Don’t forget to check out the “enlightened” comments, too.  Those are always good for a hoot: “Its sad!  No wonder this nation is falling!”
     “The nation is falling due to Rock me sexy Jesus?”

http://emsworth.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/what-harry-potter-could-have-learned-from-hamlet/ I like this comparison of Harry Potter and Hamlet, which basically comes down to “JK Rowling had one of the grandest tragedies ever written shaping up, until she lost her nerve.”

After ripping it to my ipod for train watching, I have finally finished Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, by Tom Stoppard.  Starring Gary Oldman as Rosencrantz, or possibly Guildenstern, and Tim Roth as Guildenstern, or possibly Rosencrantz. First and foremost, the acting from the two leads is just off the charts amazing.  The whole essence of the role is that these two characters are just literally dropped into a play in progress, and have no idea where they came from or why they are there (other than “We were sent for” which they cling to for dear life).  The nature of the pair, so similar that they’re not even quite sure who is who, is fascinating, even in the little details like watching them walk down stairs in a sort of unintended synchronous march. There are moments of laugh out loud humor (mostly from poor Rosencrantz, who at times seems an Elizabethan Einstein, when no one is looking), and moments of quiet existential philosophy that would make Hamlet himself say “Huh, never thought of that.” Most of all it is the acting that carries the day.  Richard Dreyfuss wanders through the play as leader of the Players, trying to point out the nature of “tragedy” to ill-fated R & G, who never quite seem to get what he’s telling them….not that it would matter if they did, which is sort of the whole point. I thought it was great.  Glad I finally watched it.  Highly recommended.