Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more.

[siochembio]

Comments

[annalouwho]

I haven't seen this movie yet! I've been meaning to for a while, but, as you can probably guess, I've been put off by some of the casting (not just Keanu Reeves, but also Michael Keaton for sure). UGGHH KENNETH AND EMMA, THOUGH. LOVES. And I totally agree with you about Branagh's emotional mastery of the text. I remember when I watched his Henry V (my favorite!) and his Hamlet for the first time, even when I had no idea what he was actually saying, it felt like I did because I knew exactly how he was feeling.

[siochembio]

Sigh - yeah - I totally know what you mean about Michael Keaton. He's incredibly distracting.

BUT BUT BUT despite Keanu and Keaton, seriously, KEN AND EM. KEN AND EM KEN AND EM KEN AND EM. Watch it for that if for nothing else!!!!!

I was so in love with the both of them that I was depressed for a week when I heard they were getting divorced.

Oh my god, Branagh's Henry V is so amazing. And when his Hamlet came out, I had to travel three towns over, but by gum, I saw it in theaters!!!

[zombres]

A PLETHORA OF FEELINGS.

AND THE DOMINANT ONE RIGHT NOW IS FRUSTRATION.

[siochembio]

Sadface.

But, if it helps, I am also feeling frustration. It's the end of the first quarter this weekend... which means I am inundated with late work that has to be credited (some), lab reports that have to be graded, exams that need to be curved, extra credit to be accounted for... let alone all the "regular" end of week grading I have to do...

AND I HAVE A CONFERENCE DAY TOMORROW. WTF IS UP WITH A CONFERENCE DAY ON VETERAN'S DAY. SERIOUSLY.

oh well... just go watch Much Ado again...

[realproof]

Great review. And like you I saw the film during school days. I randomly happened upon it when browsing my tvguide for what to watch next and there it was. I am not a Shakespeare nerd... have never been, nowadays I try to catch up on some things, but back then... nada. BUT THIS FILM. It was just so incredible and is just one of my favourite movies of all time. I tried to find a copy of the play in the bookstores in town and there was none... none! well, ok there were Complete Works etc, but my budget didn't have enough for that... I ended up getting a ridiculously overprized version with Shrew and one other play, I forget which... anyway.. this is what this movie did to me.
Also for ages there was no German DVD with the English audio out... it was so bloody annoying.

anyway... hello person I don't know, you're welcome to my story. XD [blame Angie]

[siochembio]

Hello! Thanks for your comment! It's such an amazing movie - look at how much love it has inspired!

Have you seen the "Shakespeare Retold: Much Ado About Nothing" TV movie that was made a few years ago (in Britain)? It updates the story to a modern day television news show... and it works!

[anonymous]

I liked this film mostly for the Branagh/Thompson characters. It was the first one I ever saw Kate Beckinsale in, too, and I thought she had such a fresh appearance. My biggest issue with the film relates to Keanu Reeves, too, but it also involves Denzel Washington. The two are supposed to be brothers. Talk about lack of believability. Of course, when this film was made there was a big movement afoot to do "blind casting" of Shakespeare's work. In other words, don't limit the roles to the correct race or even gender (female Hamlets were all the rage); just blindly cast them. Thus we end up with an Italian noble who is black and who has a white brother.

Chip

[siochembio]

Agreed re: Kate Beckinsale. I think that was some great casting there.

Yeah, I hear you on the "wait, what, they're BROTHERS?????" angle.