Ulysses Gaze (1995)

This is probably Shakespeare’s tragedy at it’s most entertaining. I like the recent surge of films that reset the bard’s works into modern times. Sometimes they work (like the luster of Branaugh’s breathtaking ‘Hamlet’) sometimes they don’t (as in the busy rock video ‘Romeo + Juliet’).

Richard III sits somewhere in the middle. I’m not sure that this is the most fitting to present Shakespeare’s tale of murder and bloodlust in a German coup circa WWII. However, as an entertainment I have to say I was captivated.

I liked the touches of having Richard III (Ian McKellan) deliver his opening monologue while standing at a urinal and I have to say that I loved McKellan shouting ‘MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE’ while his jeep is stuck in the mud. McKellan plays the daylights out of the character (It’s not as good as it is onstage but I can forgive him for that).

It may not be right to play around with Shakespeare’s settings but I’m just glad Hollywood is interested in him again. This is a minor adaptation the bard’s work but I still enjoyed it.