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Post by Ganymede on May 26, 2002 18:05:46 GMT -5
As You Like It is one of my favorite plays and I would love to see it on film. Why hasn't there been a good film production of As You Like It? I checked on the Internet Movie Database and the most recent film (that was done in the UK in 1992) seems to be lacking (check it out at this link us.imdb.com/Title?0103723). There have also been some TV movies, but nothing that seems to have done the movie justice (although, of course, I haven't seen all of these movies). Do you have any thoughts on As You Like It as a film or have you seen any of film version of As You Like It that I may not be aware of?
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Post by shaxper on May 29, 2002 9:28:12 GMT -5
Unfortunately, mainstream films have become more expensive to make (we expect higher budget films, even when they're dramas or comedies), and Shakespeare just doesn't sell enough on the big screen to warrent a major budget. I think that's why we have so many Hamlets. If you're going to do a Shakespeare film, better do the most popular one so that everyone goes to see it. I'm actually a bit surprised there haven't been any Julius Caesars.
I'd love to see an As You Like It, but it would probably be a very minor film playing only in select theatres, and it would probably still lose money. Unfortunately, the only man currently capable of getting major films made of just about any Shakespeare play is Kenneth Branagh, and from what I hear , he may have shot himself in the foot with Love's Labour Lost.
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Post by Ganymede on Jun 8, 2002 23:16:34 GMT -5
Yet, considering the interest film has taken recently in gender, As You Like It could be a crowd-pleaser. I think it depends on how it's done. You'd probably have to do something wild with it, something in the way of Luhrman's R&J. And the actress playing Rosalind/Ganymede is obviously ultra-important. You can't pick any old chick found on the cover of teen magazine. Personally, I'd find it really interesting to see a male play Rosalind and perhaps cross-cast some of the other characters as well. Last fall I saw a production in which Jaques was played by a female that worked really well. One of As You Like It's greatest assets is that it's super flexible.
And the set designs have such potential to be dazzling and the interplay between the characters is so witty and arousing. So basically, not only could I see it being done, but I can hardly wait for it to be done, as long as it gets the directorial attention it deserves.
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Post by Harry on Jun 9, 2002 21:01:58 GMT -5
There was a 1936 movie version. Shakespeare In The Movies makes it sound pretty awful. The actress playing Rosalind had a thick German accent. Sir James Barrie (Peter Pan) seems to have been involved.
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