Looking For Richard
A four hundred year old work-in-progress.
Al Pacino plays the roles of director, producer, documentarian, and actor in Looking for Richard, his attempt to bring Shakespeare's Richard III to the people. Interspersing scenes from the play with interviews with the actors and viewers, Pacino's documentary presents a unique and interesting view on one of Shakespeare's less accessible works, one that will appeal to both Shakespeare-lovers and Bard-haters alike.
Member Reviews
That was a mistake - Willy99
We ended up watching this movie at different times. My wife's comments were "I fell asleep 15 minutes in, watched a bit in the middle and did not care how it ended." I made it through about 15 minutes before swithcing to a re-run of CSI. (Maybe we did not give it a fair try.)Al Pacino searches for Richard III - RoddyPiper
This is a “tour de force” performance by Al Pacino, showing his virtuosity and strength as an actor, director and producer. I heard this was a good and unusual film, but did not know anything much more about it. I assumed it was a just another production of Richard III -- but starring Pacino, an actor I admire. Instead it is an eccentric kind of documentary about staging/filming a play, about acting, and particularly about efforts to make a difficult work of art comprehensible and enjoyable to an audience -- most of whom in this particular case have been repulsed by the terrible high school experience of force-fed Shakespeare, or by the difficulties of Elizabethan English. So this film could be an enjoyable introduction to Shakespeare’s plays for anyone who wants one, but for those who already enjoy his plays, there is even more to like here, including some great scenes from the Richard III (about 25% of which is shown), and interesting discussions about the interpretation of the play by the fine actors collected by Pacino, by classic British actors like John Gielgud and Vanessa Redgrave, and by some eminent critics. The other features include an interview of Al Pacino in which he discusses how the film was a four-year project which evolved from his initial idea of simply staging and filming his interpretation of the play, into this one-of-a-kind documentary. Most of all it is infectious and entertaining to see a serious and talented actor finding ways to connect a work of art to an audience.
Member Reviews
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That was a mistake - Willy99
We ended up watching this movie at different times. My wife's comments were "I fell asleep 15 minutes in, watched a bit in the middle and did not care how it ended." I made it through about 15 minutes before swithcing to a re-run of CSI. (Maybe we did not ...Al Pacino searches for Richard III - RoddyPiper
This is a “tour de force” performance by Al Pacino, showing his virtuosity and strength as an actor, director and producer. I heard this was a good and unusual film, but did not know anything much more about it. I assumed it was a just another production ...