SEDUCTIVE INFIDELITY: SHAKESPEARE PLAYING THE PARATEXT IN LOOKING FOR RICHARD

Resumo

Although Shakespeare’s universal status as a literary genius seems assured, very few people today are able to grasp the complexities of his dramatic output. This paper exposes the challenges of attracting new audiences for Shakespeare and producing modern adaptations of his plays by focusing on the 1996 movie, Looking for Richard, directed by Al Pacino. By expertly blending documentary footage of rehearsals for a production of Richard III with scenes from the play and interviews with Shakespeare scholars, the movie reveals how actors, directors and academics themselves are often baffled by Shakespeare’s archaic language. The essay argues that Pacino ‘democratises’ the famous author by confronting Shakespeare’s daunting ‘aura’ in a disarming manner, and thereby winning over cinema audiences.

Palavras-chave: William Shakespeare. Looking for Richard. Cinematic adaptation.

Referências

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SIRCY, J. Looking for Shakespeare: Taking Pacino’s Quest Seriously. In:Shakespeare Bulletin, v. 31, n. 1. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 2013. p. 63-78.

Filmografia

Looking for Richard. Dir. Al Pacino. With Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin and Penelope Allen. Twentieth Century Fox. 1996.

The Player. Dir. Robert Altman. With Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi and Fred Ward. Fine Line Features. 1992.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18305/1679-5520/scripta.uniandrade.v13n2p164-180