| King Lear | 
 enlarge | Director: Michael Elliott
Actors: Laurence Olivier, Colin Blakely, Anna Calder-marshall, Jeremy Kemp, Robert Lang (ii)
Studio: Kultur Video
Category: Video
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $13.25
You Save: $11.70 (47%)
New (6) Collectible (3) from $13.25
Avg. Customer Rating:  36 reviews
Sales Rank: 1812
Format: Color, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: VHS Tape
Running Time: 158 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 3.9 x 0.8
ISBN: 6301516079
UPC: 032031122338
EAN: 9786301516075
ASIN: 6301516079
Theatrical Release Date: January 26, 1984
Release Date: April 16, 1995
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New in shrink wrap
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Description
King Lear is a violent storm on a grand scale. It is a timeless tale of greed and lust for power. It is the story of a sick old man, his scheming children, and lost loyalties. King Lear is arguably Shakespeare's greatest work, masterfully adapted for the screen by Sir Laurence Olivier, unquestionably one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of the 20th century. 158 minutes.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 31 more reviews...
 a royal pleasure September 2, 2008
I gave this film to a Shakespeare loving friend as a birthday gift. She loved it.
What can I say? September 11, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
What can I say? This version of "King Lear" was absolutely perfect.
Minimal scenery to be sure, but that left me to actually SEE and HEAR Shakespeare and the inimitable Mr. Olivier without the any trappings.
Marvelous production! A "must see" for Shakespeare enthusiasts.
Definitive May 7, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is by general consensus one of Shakespeare's two greatest works, Hamlet being the other. (Which one you think is best is purely a matter of taste; you can generate passionate arguments either way.) No matter where you come down on that debate, King Lear is indisputably a top masterpiece by the greatest writer in the English language.
This production features a cast that is consummately superb, from the title role on down. Every character is played by an actor who ranks near the top of the profession, including such luminaries as Diana Rigg, Leo McKern, David Trelfall, Jeremy Kemp, and on and on and on. And, of course, there is Olivier, who is at the very peak of his powers here. There isn't a weak, or even ordinary, performance anywhere.
A teacher I once knew used to describe Shakespeare's language as "opera for people who can't sing." This company makes the language crystal clear, but beyond that, they make it sing. If this production doesn't make Shakespeare accessible for you, no production ever will.
Makes the Peter Brooks version look bad November 24, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
If you want to see King Lear presented the way it should be, then this is for you. If you want to hear the lines spoken with total clarity and intelligence, the story presented with total understanding, almost every part played with total mastery, then this is for you. If you want to see special effects, expensive scenery, kung fu fight scenes, graphic killings, quirky direction imposed on the text Shakespeare wrote, go elsewhere. This is not for semi-literate mental adolescents panting for eye-candy, but for people mature enough to value the lessons of life and to accept its injustices and paradoxes. This work is a 400 year old play, written for the stage, perhaps the greatest of its kind. It speaks to those who are capable of listening, concentrating, absorbing its marvellous composition; who can recognize great acting, who can allow themselves to be drawn in by a performance built on a long, long lifetime of superlative achievement, supported to the hilt by every other player. I could find a few petty flaws to complain about and carp at, but I'm not going to lower myself to a high-school level of crass stupidity.
 King Lear August 22, 2006
2 out of 15 found this review helpful
I gave it 3 star because of my own inadequacy - I am Filipino and we are more familiar with the American english. At first I had difficult time following the "British english" accent. Otherwise I would have rated it highier. It is very good because while it is a movie, you can still feel that it as if it was stage play. I recommend it for all students of Shakespeare
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