tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post8915240634501351002..comments2024-03-27T21:42:56.131-05:00Comments on 1001plus: Picks from Chip: Much Ado About NothingSJHoneywellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-32437142815682917702015-02-09T19:30:04.745-06:002015-02-09T19:30:04.745-06:00I teach this play each year to my AP lit kids. I ...I teach this play each year to my AP lit kids. I have 3 different versions on video if you want them; the Branagh, the Whedon, and a BBC retelling in modern language and set on a TV Show (Benedick is the sports reporter, Hero the young weather girl, etc...). Any are yours for the viewing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02807403839771464383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-50182374931396206502015-02-09T19:04:10.304-06:002015-02-09T19:04:10.304-06:00I agree on the Beatrice/Benedick sexual relationsh...I agree on the Beatrice/Benedick sexual relationship. So much is made of Hero's virtue that it comes off as intensely hypocritical that Beatrice is acknowleging her own sexual liaisons without so much as a care in the world about anyone's opinion. <br /><br />The mismatch of dialogue and time can work; it generally takes me a little while to adjust to it. This was a case of that. I should honestly probably go back and watch the opening again, because that mental disconnect sometimes takes me a little time to bridge. Typically, if were moving into territory where we change the time and location of the original script, I'm more a fan of adapting the story rather than a straight reading of the script. Think <i>Throne of Blood</i> or even <i>Forbidden Planet</i> where the story is basically the same but little to none of the dialogue remains.<br /><br />I probably should track down the Branagh version. He does Shakespeare pretty well in general.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-4194161784099156492015-02-09T18:48:09.902-06:002015-02-09T18:48:09.902-06:00I'm glad you liked it. I loved the party scen...I'm glad you liked it. I loved the party scene and I agree shooting it in black and white really makes it work. I really liked the jazzy version of Hey Nonny Nonny. I also really liked them switching up the gender on the henchman (henchwoman?). The one thing I didn't like was Whedon making Benedick and Beatrice already have a sexual relationship at the beginning of the film. Whedon says he was intentionally giving a "biblical interpretation" to a line from the play where one says of the other that they "knew" them of old. To me it watered down the romance that they are fighting against later on.<br /><br />I didn't know about the Shakespearan dialogue thing with you in modern adaptations. I picked it because I know you like Shakespeare. A heads up on Brick is warranted because I compare it to a modern version of Shakespeare. Brick is a modern film, except the dialogue is right out of the 1940s and it's coming out of the mouths of teens. Think the DiCaprio/Danes version of Romeo and Juliet as a comparison.<br /><br />For years Whedon has had get togethers at his house on the weekends and people from his shows, past and present, would come and they'd do readings of certain scenes or acts from Shakespeare. He was going to take a vacation and his wife convinced him to make this movie with the time and money they would have spent traveling somewhere. It was shot at his own house and he says that when he and his wife bought the place it was with half an eye to having areas to hold their weekend readings and get a little more active.<br /><br />I've seen the Branagh version a couple of times. Whedon's Benedick/Beatrice pairing was both more comedic and more serious. You mentioned the broad comedy when they are trying to overhear their friends. On the other end of the spectrum, I felt Whedon had Beatrice stronger than Branagh with her "Oh if I were a man" scene. Branagh went for a lot of familiar faces and color-blind casting (i.e. Denzel Washington as Don Pedro and Keanu Reeves as his brother Don John.) Branagh cast himself as Benedick and his then wife Emma Thompson as Beatrice. It's definitely worth seeing, if you like the story. For me, the main reason I like the Branagh version is the Benedick/Beatrice storyline. Whedon on the other hand, made me interested in a lot of the smaller characters, too.Chip Laryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787403805554027107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-59209077245485865452015-02-09T18:05:46.719-06:002015-02-09T18:05:46.719-06:00He may be the weakest of the main performances, bu...He may be the weakest of the main performances, but I didn't have an issue with him at all. <br /><br />I haven't seen the Branagh version. It wouldn't shock me if his was better--I like his <i>Henry V</i> and <i>Hamlet</i> the best of the versions I've seen.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-17142844924923184212015-02-09T18:04:03.630-06:002015-02-09T18:04:03.630-06:00The party is really spectacular, and it's one ...The party is really spectacular, and it's one of those scenes where I think we'd not have something better to look at in color. That's rare, and it's a great reason for using black-and-white when it's warranted.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-79374086241562244742015-02-09T18:02:03.009-06:002015-02-09T18:02:03.009-06:00It's not close to my favorite Shakespeare. I t...It's not close to my favorite Shakespeare. I tend to like his histories the best. Okay, I tend to like the Henry IV and V plays as well as some of the tragedies. The comedies are all pretty fluffy and a lot of them are really the same. There's some truth in the idea that the adaptation plays more into the enjoyment of a story like this than the actual story. SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-64723315156389948752015-02-09T17:37:23.988-06:002015-02-09T17:37:23.988-06:00I, on the other hand, found this version to be fge...I, on the other hand, found this version to be fgenerally a poor substitute for other options. This is primarily due to poor casting of Benedick. Alexis is flat and uninspired. I like most of the others, and the choice of casting the Conrade character as a woman, and making the Borachio character have a thing for Hero was inspired and helps explain some actions of the characters. Without a strong Benedick, however, it just didn't work. The 1993 Branagh version is superior in pretty much every way.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02807403839771464383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-41065323276812734352015-02-09T16:35:56.053-06:002015-02-09T16:35:56.053-06:00I also really like this film, and I wouldn't s...I also really like this film, and I wouldn't say that I'm completely enamored by hearing Shakespeare dialogue in modern settings. I agree that the choice to use black and white was very smart. Some of the scenes are gorgeous, especially the party. What I love is just how much fun so many are having, especially Acker and Denisof. I also like seeing so many actors from Firefly, Angel, and other Whedon shows together and playing different roles. It works a lot better than I expected!Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12351431577484530230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-86945750040635277762015-02-09T15:37:59.150-06:002015-02-09T15:37:59.150-06:00I loved this movie -- and I generally find "M...I loved this movie -- and I generally find "Much Ado" to be borderline insufferable. Perhaps it's because Whedon and Co treat it as fluffy as it is. <br /><br />Interesting that you don't like modernized version of Shakespearean plays -- I always found that they tend to underline the timelessness of the stories. Then again, I think the most successful ones use a modern setting (such as setting the Ian McKellen "Richard III" in WWII era -- and yes, I know this is the second time in so many comments I've mentioned this film) to highlight themes in the play.<br /><br />- Nolahnnolahnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14686127419316337858noreply@blogger.com