...McKellan helped his own cause by writing a screenplay which captures the essence of Shakespeare's play while also working perfectly as a movie.
Richard III (1995)
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Reviews Counted:41
Fresh:39
Rotten:2
Average Rating:8/10
Consensus: This re-imagining of Shakespeare's Crookback King relocates the story in 1930 and features an indelible star turn for Ian McKellen as the monstrous and magnetic King Richard.
Runtime: 2 hrs 8 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: This unique adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Richard III" switches the story's setting from the 1480s to the 1930s and imagines what a fascist coup in England might have been like. Despite... This unique adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Richard III" switches the story's setting from the 1480s to the 1930s and imagines what a fascist coup in England might have been like. Despite the change in milieu, the story remains the same. The malformed, evil Richard III wants to gain control of the throne and brutally kills anyone who gets in his way -- including the members of his royal family. Among Richard's victims are his overly-trusting brother, Clarence, and Queen Elizabeth's brother, Rivers. And their murders are just the beginning of Richard's devious plan to gain power. The film's many offbeat touches include Richard giving his famous "winter of our discontent" speech as a public political address, and uttering his classic line "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" when his jeep gets stuck in mud. [More]
Starring: Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, Robert Downey
Starring: Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, Robert Downey, Nigel Hawthorne, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, John Wood
Director: Richard Loncraine
Director: Richard Loncraine
Story: William Shakespeare, Richard Eyre
Screenwriter: Ian McKellen, Richard Loncraine
Composer: Trevor Jones
Producer: Lisa Katselas Pare, Stephen Bayly
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Reviews for Richard III
In a shamelessly entertaining display of acting brilliance, McKellen 'plays' the demon's good arm as if it were a Stradivarius, executing one showy stunt after another.
As played by McKellen, Richard is a consummate actor who knows what role to assume, what props to use, and what words and actions to employ to turn a "scene" to his best advantage.
This triumphant take on the Crookback king is as different from Olivier's '50s historical pageant as chalk is from malmsey.
Ian McKellen plays Richard III, and he's a twisted, blackened, serpentine, lurching, spitting, menacing villain with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. He is so hateful, it is easy to see why the Academy overlooked him.
An imaginative and visceral Shakespeare adaptation with a mesmerising perfromance by McKellen.
Latest News for Richard III
January 18, 2006:
Trailer Bulletin: Firewall
Good ol' Harrison Ford never gets too old to stop kicking some serious butt, and the 63-year-old actor shows off his stuff in a new action thriller from director Richard... More...
November 15, 2005:
Trailer Bulletin: Firewall
It's been a while since we've had a good Harrison Ford flick, so it's with hopeful optimism that we point you towards the all-new trailer for Mr. Ford's next film, the crime... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 49% 49% | Taking Woodstock |
| 26% 26% | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard |
| 47% 47% | The Girl From Monaco |
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