Scarce half made up, and that so lamely and unfashionable... (Looking For Richard (DVD))

Member Name: DancingCopper

Product:	Looking For Richard (DVD)
Date:	11/11/08 (174 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Introduces one of Shakespeare's history plays; see Hollywood stars acting badly

Disadvantages: Doesn't know what message it's trying to give, or how to give it

Looking for Richard is a documentary, directed by and staring Al Pacino. Using extracts from and analysis of the play, Richard III, Pacino sets out to discover a way of creating one of Shakespeare's most villainous characters. He also uses the play to find out how Shakespeare and his works are perceived today.

There are three strands to the film: Pacino travels from New York to London and Stratford in search of Shakespeare, an enigmatic figure to say the least; talking-head interviews with historians and some of the foremost Shakespearean actors, including John Geilgud, Derek Jacobi and Kenneth Brannagh; acting out key scenes from the play, with Hollywood heavy-weights, including Kevin Spacey and Winona Ryder.

All of these elements mingle in Pacino's directorial debut into what should be a mouth-watering prospect. My personal feelings towards the film alternate constantly between enthused admiration and cringing disappointment. This was a brave project to undertake. To make a film about exploring Shakespeare's plays and background, aiming for a cinema release, might appear a fools errand. Pacino has earnt the right to be a little self-indulgent, having spent decades turning out memorable performances. He is also incredibly likeable as a person. I am also grateful for anything that helps people access Shakespeare's work and take an interest in theatre generally.

However, in some ways the film failed to deliver on it's title. We did not look for Richard, we saw a fairly mediocre portrayal of him. First of all, Pacino couldn't seem to make up his mind on how to approach Shakespeare and his plays. Seen handling a script reverentially at one point, he seems to spend his entire visit to Shakespeare's house in Stratford giggling.

The cutting of the film seems to weaken the delivery of Pacino's message. At one point, a heated discussion between the actors and director of one of the scenes, degenerates into the play-fighting you might see on a school playground. I'm sure it was great fun for the little gang of actors, but it's tedious to watch.

The documentary would have been better if it really HAD been looking for Richard. Despite being described as a 'History' play, Richard III is far from historical. Shakespeare did a brave thing writing a play so close to home. Elizabeth I was the grand daughter of Henry Tudor, who defeated Richard III. Writing a play that had a direct relationship with the monarch could get your theatre company shut down, and the members thrown in prison or executed. This meant, Shakespeare could NOT write a historical play. He wrote a hatchet-job. It seems Richard had been a pretty good king. Henry had virtually no claim to the English thrown, so Shakespeare endows him with some theatrical credibility. This would in theory make people see Elizabeth in a more positive light. It was a genius idea!

So Pacino doesn't look at the historical elements. He must therefore rely on the character description in the script. There is a long-winded discussion about Shakespearean language where actors, attempting to make it seem straight forward, end up coming across as pretentious. Again, Pacino can't decide if he is creating a charactor for a theatrical or film performance. The ultimate failure comes when he acts out the scene with the lighting and accompanying music you would expect from a film.

My final disappointment was the interviews. Actors of phenomenal experience talked about aspects of the play and Shakespeare in general. Rather than giving the film a sense of gravitas and knowledgeable insight, they cancelled each other out. Ultimately, they came across as a bunch of luvvies. The only exception was the ever-understated Kevin Kline, who seems to make the transition between film and stage effortlessly.

Personally, I admired what the film had tried to do, but I believe it fell well short of what it could have achieved. It did not help me enhance my understanding of the real or fictitious character of Richard III, muddying the water instead. There was little information there, I could not find in my local library. However, as an introduction to Shakespeare for a new audience, it was simple and energetic enough to be engaging. You cannot help but be swept along by Pacino's enthusiasm, probably the thing that kept me watching to the end.

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Product Information from Amazon.co.uk

£3.98 (RRP £12.99)

Actors: Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Kevin Spacey, Aidan Quinn
Directors: Al Pacino
Format: PAL
Language English
Subtitles: Italian, Spanish, Dutch, French
Region: Region 2 ( DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 1
Classification:
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: 3 Jan 2005
Run Time: 107 minutes

Summary: Al Pacino explores Shakespeare through his play, Richard III