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King Lear (1987)

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Critic Reviews: 3
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 2

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Average Rating: 3.1/5
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Two highly talented and innovative directors -- filmdom's Jean-Luc Godard and the theatre world's Peter Sellars -- join forces in this unusual (to say the least) slant on Shakespeare's King Lear. This offbeat adaptation gives the viewer a postmodern taste of Shakespeare through the eyes of a deliberately obscure auteur. The film is set some time after Chernobyl has wiped everything out, and the world is trying to set itself right again. William Shakespeare Jr. the Fifth (Peter Sellars) is faced

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All Critics (10) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (3)

Behind this is Godard's inability to resolve an essential contradiction in his work -- his reverence for ideas and theories and all sorts of philosophical speculation, and his utter disregard for a sustained, coherent presentation of them.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
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Cinematographer Sophie Mantigneux creates crisp, memorable images and Godard masterfully edits them together (whether the final result is worth the effort is subject to question).

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
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A challenge, as with all Godard, but not quite his most rewarding one.

August 29, 2006 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide
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Audience Reviews for King Lear

My love-hate relationship with Jean-Luc Godard continues here with his 1987 film "King Lear." It starts off with Norman Mailer and ends with Woody Allen. What it's about is much less clear: one of William Shakespeare's descendants is hunting around for the old master's material while meanwhile running into various

April 24, 2005
Harlequin68
Walter M.

Super Reviewer

This is one of those films that are technically really good, but I didnt personally enjoy. I dont know why, maybe I was just not in the mood for an experimental film, or maybe I was just really sleepy. I could still see the film for what it is, a film that is just peculiar, even for an experimental film. Now, that's an

February 19, 2011
ELBISREVERRi
john serrano

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