Richard Loncraine's Richard III

Richard III, originally a playwright, is adapted to a cinematic format, to display Richard III as a very real, truly evil, dictator with massive manipulation skills. The play Richard III, written by William Shakespeare has been adapted first to the big screen in 1955 by Laurence Olivier, and again in 1995 by director Richard Loncraine. Director Richard Loncraine truly embodies the ideas of William Shakespeare’s Richard III, by closely following the entire original plot of the play. He builds the film closely around Richard’s struggle to become king, stay in power, and wrongfully dispose of those who rightfully deserve the throne. Focusing both the play, and the film solely on Richard’s undying thirst for the kingdom, and blood at whatever

Clarence, played by Nigel Hawthorne, is Richard III’s brother and next heir to the throne. He is falsely convicted in the play by his own brother Edward, to live in the Tower of London, a jail, to live the rest of his days. Hastily, Edward in Act II sends a letter of forgiveness but Richard has intercepted it which is explained in the film. Clarence’s dream in, “Its very length, its ornateness as a dream-narrative serves to suspend the action of the play”, it also, “functions as a premonition of Richard’s actions and invocation of the conscience that Richard himself will lack until virtually the end of the play”. Instead of explaining his dream in a chamber, like the play, he is explaining it in a large cement hole opening within the power plant, in the downpour of rain, to a guard. Setting up many plot points and motifs of realization before death, water=death, dreams convey truth, and greed

Heightening and intensifying the dramatics wasn’t always successful for Mr. Loncraine, like the silly tank coming through the fireplace. Followed by guys coming out of the tank with gas masks and loud breathing Darth Vader SFX. Sometimes Shakespeare adaptation films can get carried away, fortunately Richard Loncraine manages to save the films silly dramatics for a more unique way to tell the story. Following the action coherently from shot to shot in a perfect flow, executing not only close-ups, but moving between the long shots, and medium shots as well. Let’s not forget the extreme close-up on Richard III’s unbrushed, cigarette stained, teeth, followed by his thin lips, and Hitler styled stash during the “Now is the winter of our discontent..” (I.I.I), speech. This scene brings back not so found memories of having to kiss on the cheek, distant creepy relatives, that wreak like a wet cigarette ash tray. The smell is foul and pungent, one could say the same for Richard III’s nasty character and