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A Midsummer Night's Dream Customer Reviews (10 - 12 of 36 Reviews)

A simple test for whether you will like this or not....
A quick scroll through the reviews shows a sharp divide. Some like this Hollywood-style rendition of Midsummer's Night while others, (to be polite) do not. To make matters more confusing, several reviews are deceptive because the reviewer seriously misjudges his/her depth of experience with this kind thing. To find out your probable reaction in less than 20 seconds, just answer these questions:

Do you see live Shakespeare every year or two? Do you know who Iago is? Who Prospero is? Do you know what the Queen Mab speech is? Have you seen a film with Ian McClellan in a Shakespearean role?

If you mostly answered "yes," you are likely to squirm in pain throughout this movie. (See Category B below.) On the other hand, if you are not particularly conversant with Shakespeare (if you answered "no" to more than a couple questions above, you're not, something many reviewers both in the newspapers and here fail to fathom), chances actually become much higher that you will be okay with this. (See Category A.)

Category A: If you enjoy movies and have read a few of the Bard's plays here and there, perhaps back in school, you might be enjoy this. The Hollywood actors provide familiar faces, and a couple give respectable performances--Kevin Kline, for instance. If you find Shakespeare too long, the play here has been lopped roughly in half. If you find Elizabethan dialogue goes by too fast, several visuals have been inserted, generally slowing the pace.

The problem is this: When you finish watching, you might be tempted to think this story is just a lark and that Shakespeare was just writing wierd stuff about faeries. But that's just this movie's hacked-up version of the story, not Shakespeare's actual play. If you're curious, watch the BBC version. You will see just how much dramatic weight has been cut, and how the play is exponentially more poetic and thought-provoking than what this pedestrian movie would lead you to think.

Category B: If you could answer most of the questions above (or have recently read this play), you will likely roll your eyes throughout this movie. Despite its cagey marketing, this is NOT a Kenneth Branagh-type affair where Hollywood actors are tossed into minor roles for financial reasons. This movie is Hollywood through and through, meaning inane special effects and actors, for the most part, way out of their league. (The exceptions, like Bernard Hill, appear to have been cast to give the movie at least a veneer of authenticity.)

Worst of all, the director, in typical Hollywood fashion, does not trust the viewer and does not trust the Bard. So he has inserted several ponderous minutes of Hollywood-style back story for Bottom. Silly sight gags, with no relation to the text, abound. It's as if the director doesn't think the Bard is actually funny. All the while, some of the most humorous lines are cut or, worse, delivered with no understanding of their meaning. Stick with the BBC version for real Shakespeare.

By the way, many reviewers have scratched their heads at why they shot this as 19th Century Tuscany. Just follow the Hollywood thinking. Branagh's Much Ado had just come out, set in 19th Century Tuscany just the year before....



Lord, what fools these mortals be!
Back in high school, I slept through any lessons involving Shakespeare. Now that I am older, I see that it is only BAD Shakespeare that is boring, (and Miss Hunters' literature class reading was indeed bad Shakespeare). While "The Bard's" work remains very different from our current storytelling structures - several concurrent plots, dated concepts and languages, filmmakers still document the works on film and theatres continue to mount productions, all with varying degrees of success. One of the bard's works that has seen many productions is his A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHTS DREAM

This version is a star-studded thumbnail adaptation of Shakespeare's fantastical love story. Unfortunately, it would probably have benefited from less star studding and more direction. KEVIN KLINE and STANLEY TUCCI are both excellent as the more extreme characters (Kline as a hammy actor turned Donkey BOTTOM and Tucci as the supernatural "Puck"). Even Ally McBeal's Calista Flockhart does a nice job but more often than not... the more known entities that fill the screen, the less capable the film is at getting Bill Shakespeare's magical tale properly executed. The style and cribbed dialogue of the piece are hindrance, draining much of the enjoyment from the story evident even in Community Theatre productions.

Three storylines propel the story along. The most interesting involves four lovestruck adults who, even with magical influences, can't seem to end up with the proper mate. The second storyline involves preparations for the wedding of Theseus, a Duke of Athens. Most importantly, a small band of laborers take it upon themselves to become actors, hoping for a shot to perform in front of the royal couple. Finally, the third world of the story involves a magical visit with Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the faeries. Through their magical influence, the three stories interweave to make for an entertaining read.

These three worlds also provide the stories major drawback. As two of the storylines come to an end, there is still another act remaining. That pacing seems stretched out, especially in filmed and staged editions.

Due to its large cast and pastoral setting, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is perfect for Shakespeare in the Park summer evenings. On the other hand, I recommend any Shakespeare production as they play better than they read.

The play has seen many other screen adaptations including one with James Cagney as the actor Bottom and Mickey Rooney as Puck.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is exceptional entertainment but will do very little for the GONE IN 60 SECONDS crowd. To the untrained ear, Shakespearean language is somewhat of a chore to follow, albeit a pleasant chore. Perhaps Miss Hunter could learn a thing or two about presenting Shakespeare from a few more readings?

A Dream: The Modern Midsummer Nights Dream
This is a fine version/adaptation of Shakespeare's classic comic masterpiece, with superior cinematography and fine acting, especially in actress Michelle Pfeiffer as the Fairy Queen Titania,Calista Flockhart as Helena, Stanley Tucci as the mischievous sprite Puck and Kevin Kline as Bottom the actor-turned-donkey. The setting has been changed to turn-of-the-century Tuscany, Italy, and the cast is mostly British and American actors donning Edwardian clothes (when they are not nude). It is still a good film and the magic of the original work is not lost in this strange twist in time period. The look, cinematially, is breathtaking, as we see lush vistas of the Tuscan countryside. The authentic Edwardian ambiance includes the newly invented bicycle and the much-loved phonograph, which constantly plays opera. Which brings me to another outstanding element in this movie- the soundtrack. It is gorgeous and will make you want to purchase the soundtrack itself. Besides spectacular classical music, like the Overture, Nocturne and Wedding March from Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream; the score features operatic arias sung by popular and talented opera stars Roberto Alagna, Renee Fleming, Luciano Pavarotti and Cecilia Bartoli. The most beautiful of these is Renee Fleming's interpretation of the aria "Casta Diva" from Bellini's Norma. Most people associate this Shakespearian comedy with English folk and Elizabethan times, it is a jolly comedy which reflected the gaiety of Queen Elizabeth's festive court, especially festive around the holidays. But no matter how you change this story to fit a diverse time period, it is still the same story. The actors are doing a fine job in their respective roles. It is still delightful to watch Puck making fools of the lovers who fall for each other's partners. The movie is even better on DVD, packed with some bonus features including trailer and commentary. The sound is superior than on VHS. This is a must have. I highly recommend it. Memorable are such scenes as when Helena and the other girl get in a mud-fight! I was very surprised that Calista Flockheart (from Fox's Ally Mcbeal) was in this movie and even more surprised that soprano Renee Fleming lent her voice to this. She is singing the earliest Casta Diva she has ever sung, and is in fine shape vocally. I hope that people can get past the fact this movie is not traditionally staged and is excellent and holds it own.

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