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A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)
Released By: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment   Rating: PG-13   In Theaters: N/A
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Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Michael Hoffman
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Christian Bale, Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Stanley Tucci, Calista Flockhart
Published ID: 513302
UPC: 086162123085, 024543540311,
Plot: With William Shakespeare now a hot commodity at the box office (and his body of work conveniently out of copyright), the usual trickle of film adaptations of the Bard's work is becoming a small flood, and director Michael Hoffman has assembled a cast of leading stage and screen actors for this whimsical film version of one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies. This interpretation of {+A Midsummer Night's Dream} moves the action to Tuscany near the turn of the 20th century, as both mortals and enchanted creatures deal with romantic problems. Among the flesh-and-blood crowd, Duke Theseus (played by David Strathairn) is preparing for his wedding to Hippolyta (Sophie Marceau), while having to counsel Egeus (Bernard Hill), who has promised the hand of his daughter Hermia (Anna Friel) to Demetrius (Christian Bale). Hermia, however, wants to elope with her true love, Lysander (Dominic West), while her best friend Helena (Calista Flockhart) is mad about Demetrius. Meanwhile, fairies living in the forest are watching these romantic misadventures. Puck (Stanley Tucci) serves up love potions that mix and match the already confused lovers, while the Queen of Fairies, Titania (Michelle Pfeiffer), and her King, Oberon (Rupert Everett), have to deal with a group of hapless actors rehearsing a play in the forest -- one of whom, Bottom (Kevin Kline), has fallen under Puck's spell and becomes Titania's new lover. Will anyone end up with the person they really love? Who will get hurt riding their bicycles in the woods? Will Helena sit down and eat a square meal? Director Hoffman, a longtime Shakespeare buff, appeared as Lysander in a production of the play while a college student, and has since spearheaded a campaign to build a new $3 million theatre for his alma mater in Boise, ID. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
GREAT PRODUCTION
Added 11/20/2009
This is a wonderful production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
This is great for anyone who is not very familiar with Shakespere.
Easy to understand and a great cast. Highly recommended!!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Not what I expected.
Added 10/29/2009
When I ordered this, I expected a DVD not a book. Although it was not what my Granddaughter needed, she did manage to use it in her studies. So all went well anyway. She did get a good grade too.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Made a lot of changes, but it works
Added 8/6/2009
I personally feel that you should keep all of the dialogue from a Shakespeare play when you do a version of it. However, that would create a huge problem. It would last for a while. I usually compare this version with the version done in the late sixties by the Royal Shakespeare Company, with Ian Holm as Puck. While that version mainly tries to have as much of the dialogue as possible, this version puts in more visuals. This also includes more incidental music, and moments where they set the scene up.

This movie has mainly taken dialogue out, but of what little dialogue they've added, they've only added one-word lines, and lines in italian with subtitles. Like usual, they brought it to a more modern time, which gives them different things that they can do. I feel that the acting and costuming is wonderful, and some of the scenes are done very well. I have never seen such a great version of the play at the end. I feel that having scenes without dialogue, just showing the settings of the scenes are done very beautifully.

I'm unsure what Shakespeare would think of this. However, he would probably appreciate how his work is still being done today. If you are willing to see Shakespeare being reinterpreted, get this, if you think that everything must be done exactly like the original, you won't like this.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
It's like watching magic
Added 7/14/2009
This is my favorite Shakespeare story. It is like watching magic. There is comedy, a love story and a story about a group of performers trying to put on the best show for a wedding celebration. It makes love so much fun to watch!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Good movie
Added 5/22/2009
I enjoyed it. Bought it for an English 102 assignment, but enjoyed it nonetheless. Made the Mrs. watch it too.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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DVD
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