Love this adaptation of othello even when it goes astray a bit from the original plot. To buy a copy of this film from amazon click the button below. Using about 50% of the original shakespearean text, director oliver parker brings a spare and engaging version of the play to the screen. Directed by oliver parker, the film stars laurence fishburne as othello, irene jacob as desdemona and kenneth branagh as iago. Librivox recording of othello, by william shakespeare. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of othello. Othello the moor of venice william shakespeare with related readings the emc masterpiece series access editions emcparadigm publishing st. He studied politics, philosophy and economics at oxford where he was president of the ou african society and codirector of the oxford and cambridge shakespeare company. In 1995, laurence fishburne became the first african. The film is set in italy and follows the lives and interactions of several characters in.
Although very familiar with the story of othello, i had never seen the play in its entirety before watching this film. Filming othello 1 hours and 24 minutes movie 1980 essay film shot for tv including orson welles reflections on othello close to the moviola, a chat with hilton edwards and micheal macliammoir and fragments of a conversation with the audience in boston after a screening of the film. Unfortunately, star laurence fishburne does not turn in his best performance here as othello, but kenneth branaghs iago is complex and persuasive. Discovering a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the jonathan millerdirected movie via subscription can be tricky, so we here at. It is oliver parkers version 1995 with lawrence fishburne starring as othello. A 1995 film adaptation of william shakespeares classic othello. He accuses her of giving the handkerchief to cassio othello tells dedemona that cassio is. Heroic general othello laurence fishburne, the only african in the venetian army, is carrying on a courtship. I know, i know, i still need to get the cast names in there and ill be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to. I found this 1995 version of othello to be very well done. This is the first cinematic reproduction of the play released by a major studio that casts an african american actor to play the role of othello, although lowbudget. Othello is the story of a crosscultural romance between the title character, a noble moor who is a general in the venetian army, and desdemona, a beautiful and virtuous venetian lady. With freshly rechristened characters and brandnew dialogue, this british tv production of othello is a rethinking of shakespeares play, albeit still retaining the originals power and potency.
To some degree, any modern production must make iago the villain and othello the victim, and suffer as a result. It is based on a stage production of william shakespeares play othello, directed by trevor nunn, and later rethought for tv and filmed in a studio. The moor of venice timeline of othello act five othello enters desdemonas bedroom, determined to kill her. Examines the films directed by welles, burge and pasolini. The whole diary will be available to download on the. The newlymarried couple fall prey to the machinations of iago, othellos jealous ensign, who plots to destroy their union. With eamonn walker, christopher eccleston, keeley hawes, richard coyle. Othello1995 film adaptation analysis great works i. Othello, a moorish general in the service of the venetian. The moorish general othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife. Othello film del 1909 diretto da franz porten othello film 1995 wikipedia. The story is set in the london of the near future, a crimeridden metropolis virtually torn apart by racial hostilities.
Cultural changes ambiguous themes lack of stage directions tragedy of othello. Finally, the othello script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the kenneth branagh, laurence fishburne, and irene jacob movie. Overview of othello, 2002, directed by geoffrey sax, with keeley hawes, eamonn walker, christopher eccleston, at turner classic movies. Othello 1995 film completo italiano gratis guardare film. Comparison othello play and film english literature essay. When you think of the title character of shakespeares play othello, it seems obvious that a hes a nonwhite person. Especially just at this moment of the films 1995 release, with the fates of o. Hugh quarshie lives in england but maintains close links with ghana where he was born and spent the first years of his life. Scene 3, and is based on how i prefer to imagine the story. Played previously in black face on film by actors orson welles and laurence olivier, parkers production of othello 1995 was the first major cinematic production to cast an africanamerican in.
It has taken a long time for othello to come to fruition. He is, after all the moor of venice, and in 16thcentury england, moor could have meant anything from swarthy person. Othello is a 1995 american drama film based on william shakespeares tragedy of the same name. Other versions orson welles 1952 and laurence oliviers 1965 cannot be downloaded, although scenes of both. Please, enjoy and offer criticism so that i can improve this piece. Laurence fishburne gave a stunning performance as the very intimidating and conflicted moor, and kenneth branagh as iago was his usual superb self, switching back and forth from menace in private to merriment or empathy when in the company of those he had to manipulate. My main interest in studying these two filmic productions is to observe based on the. The film features laurence fishburne as othello and kennth branagh as iago. Othello film del 1909 diretto da franz portenothello film 1995 wikipedia. I wrote it the night before it was due in class, and plan on going back to develop on my existing structure. This is a fictional interpretation of othellos act 1. The plot remains the same, as do the characters, and the setting as parker chooses to film it as the original time period and locations. With laurence fishburne, kenneth branagh, irene jacob, nathaniel parker. Eamonn walker, christopher eccleston, keeley hawes, richard coyle, rachael stirling.
These memory flashbacks provide the viewer with a more detailed point of view that one cannot get out of the written text. Analysis of adaptation othello 1995 by oliver parker. Study guide to accompany the 1995 filmed version of the play. It was shot in a black box theater, so minimal props or scenery were needed, and aired 23 june 1990 on. August 21, 2002 othello is a mesmerizing screen version of shakespeares drama that gets high marks for its memorable delineation of the redhot heart of jealousy. This paper considers the similarities and differences between two versions of othello. It is an adaptation in modern english of william shakespeares play othello.
By order of the prime minister, black police officer john othello eamonn. Laurence fishburne and irene jacob in othello 1995 laurence fishburne in othello. It was directed by oliver parker and stars laurence. Tragedy of othello, the moor of venice 1981, starring william. Othello offers a daring new version of a familiar story, and it succeeds both as a powerful modern drama and as. An analysis of film adaptations of othello by caleb huang. Othello script transcript from the screenplay andor. Writerdirector oliver parker an ideal husband adapts shakespeares towering tragedy of passion and jealousy with shattering performances.
The film othello is a remake of the classic novel by william shakespeare. Cassio, when in reality, it is all part of the scheme of a bitter ensign named iago. The film was not financially successful, grossing only. The moorish general othello is manipulated into thinking.