First published in 1989, Shakespeare, Cinema and Society revolutionised the way we understand films of Shakespeare's plays. For the first time in the study of the genre it offered a methodology designed to place each movie in its social, historical and political context. Prior to the publication of this groundbreaking book, Shakespeare film analysis unquestioningly supported orthodox literary criticism. It judged a handful of famous movies according to how well they conformed to idealised perceptions of Hamlet or Henry V. Whole areas of production in film and television were marginalised or ignored because they failed to 'do justice' to the plays.
Using a wealth of historical evidence and original research, Shakespeare, Cinema and Society challenged this point of view and offered a radical re-assessment of the genre. In order to do this it focussed on four case studies; British silent film, the expressionist movies that developed from the 'Theatre of Light, the Russian films of Hamlet and King Lear, and the Japanese films of Akira Kurosawa. In each case it presented a cultural materialist analysis of the social and political context of each interpretation of Shakespeare. Now available as an ebook, Shakespeare, Cinema and Society not only challenges the whole concept of Shakespearean cinema, but adds an exciting dimension to the developing field of radical film studies.
Using a wealth of historical evidence and original research, Shakespeare, Cinema and Society challenged this point of view and offered a radical re-assessment of the genre. In order to do this it focussed on four case studies; British silent film, the expressionist movies that developed from the 'Theatre of Light, the Russian films of Hamlet and King Lear, and the Japanese films of Akira Kurosawa. In each case it presented a cultural materialist analysis of the social and political context of each interpretation of Shakespeare. Now available as an ebook, Shakespeare, Cinema and Society not only challenges the whole concept of Shakespearean cinema, but adds an exciting dimension to the developing field of radical film studies.
