Shakespeare Collection

Out Now

Synopsis

Romeo & Juliet (Dir. Baz Luhrmann, 1996): Baz Luhrmann's dazzling and unconventional adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic love story is spellbinding. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes portray Romeo and Juliet, the youthful star-crossed lovers of the past. But the setting has been moved from its Elizabethan origins to the futuristic urban backdrop of Verona beach.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Dir. Michael Hoffman, 1999): A stellar cast brings Shakespeare's most romantic comedy to life. The magic begins when two pairs of star-crossed lovers, a troop of amateur actors, a feuding pair of supernatural sprites and a love potion gone awry all come together in an enchanted moonlit forest. The hilarious result is an unequalled mixture of mischief and merriment.

The Merchant Of Venice (Dir. Michael Radford, 2004): 16th Century Venice: Young nobleman Bassanio (Joseph Fiennes) has asked his friend Antonio (Jeremy Irons) to lend him money in order that he might sail to Belmont and try for the hand of the fair Portia (Lynn Collins). However, Antonio's money is all tied up in his business with his ships all away at various ports. There is nothing they can do but seek out the Jewish moneylender, Shylock (Al Pacino). Shylock is resentful towards Antonio, and has a particular dislike for Christians. However, what Antonio is proposing is a business transaction, nothing more. Shylock is persuaded but not before he enacts a condition of his own: If Antonio defaults on the loan, then Shylock will take a pound of his flesh as payment. It is a harsh bargain, but Antonio is certain he will have no trouble paying him the money and so agrees....

Love's Labour's Lost (Dir. Kenneth Branagh, 2000): Kenneth Branagh shakes up Shakespeare again with a dazzling and imaginative adaptation of the classic comedy romance done in the elegant style of a thirties Hollywood musical. The King of Navarre asks three fellow Oxford students to swear an oath forbidding them to see any woman for three years so they can devote themselves to their studies. But when the Princess of France and her very attractive entourage arrive for a visit, it puts them all in a rather tricky situation...