A Lecture as part of the Shakespeare on Film season at Filmhouse:
http://www.filmhousecinema.com/seasons/shakespeare-on-film/
There are over four hundred film adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays and more appear every year. The bard does indeed seem to be for all times – Cinematic Shakespeare adaptations range from fairly straight theatrical films, historically accurate and laughably inaccurate versions, contemporary and cultural re-imaginings, experimental recreations to off-hand references or straightforward plot stealing. In this lecture and discussion, David Sorfa will give an overview of the ways in which Shakespeare has been adapted for the screen with a particular emphasis on the films included in this Filmhouse season. We will try and identify exactly what draws cinema to Shakespeare and what this has to tell us about the way in which we thought 400 years ago and how we think now.